Even though we are on the far side of the semester, God is still capturing hearts. This girl has been in my roommate’s Dgroup. She is always with us, and has been around since the very beginning of the semester. I have had the privilege to watch her slowly fall in love with the Lord. She has such a big heart and is the funniest person you will meet on campus!
“My name is A’naya and I’m a freshman at UCA. I grew up in a single-parent home with 3 other siblings. We went to church growing up and did Christian things, but Jesus didn’t feel present in my life. The only father figure I had in my life was my mom’s husband, and things happened with him that made me feel uncomfortable, 2 years ago. Ever since those things happened, it made me do and feel things that didn’t feel like me. I didn’t feel safe with men so it made me have feelings for girls. I became scared of men and felt judged everywhere.
Coming into college, I found Chi Alpha and started getting to know Jesus for myself, even though I didn’t know how to hear his voice. It frustrated me because I felt like everyone heard Him and I felt left out. Until one day in dgroup, we were reading Ephesians 4 and the scripture that stood out to me was verse 22 and 24 that said “Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception...Instead put on your new nature, created to be like God - truly righteous and holy.” I didn’t think anything of it that night, until service the next day where I felt like I was being attacked by Matt’s message. He talked about how there are stones in our lives that we need to throw away so God can completely fill us. The 3 stones I had were Shame, Comparison, and Fear. I had let Satan hold those over my head and make me feel like I couldn’t say anything. But that night, I felt God say to let those go by communicating my struggle of being afraid of men that made me go to women. I told God I wanted Him to tell me how to do it, but instead of giving me details, He just wanted me to be obedient and talk to my dgroup leader. I trusted God to finally open up, and the stones I was holding onto went away. I expected to lose friendships and more judgement, but instead it felt free. I felt stronger because I felt that God loved me. I decided at that moment that I wanted to give my life to the Lord and I did!
I’m getting baptized because I want to put down my old self and walk as a new creation!” - A’naya
A’naya is walking in new life, new identity, new freedom and new family. There are many more that are also hungry for the same things. Even though all classes will be online after Thanksgiving, there will be 1,500 students remaining on campus from Thanksgiving to the end of the semester. We are hopeful that even during the last few weeks we will see students come to know the Lord.
My roommate and I brought our Dgroups together for an evening to have Friendsgiving. It was so sweet to see the family God has put together this semester. As the girls sat around the long table in our backyard, I was thinking, according to the world’s standard none of these girls should be friends. But God has brought them all together through their hunger for Himself and now they are sisters. Many of them have studied long hours together, played together, cried together, and prayed together. Their strongest commonality is no longer in their interests or hobbies but now Christ and that is what will hold their friendships together forever.
It has been such a blessing to get to reach the campus with each of you! I would not want to do this without such a wonderful support team! Thank you for your support and partnership! - Alyssa
What to Pray for...
Pray for good health over us & the Students.
Pray we continue to walk in favor with the University.
Pray for our leaders to grow in their leadership as they are leading their Dgroups even virtually.
Comments