
I'm 22 and a super senior at UW-L. I've been involved with CRU for 3 years now, this is my 4th. I'm an accounting Major, work as a Phlebotomist at Bio Life Plasma Services, and lead a Bible study on our campus in a alcohol/drug-free hall on campus with my friend Mark.
Testimony:
In Jr. High, through a chili-supper invitation, my parents started going to church and dragging me along. At the time I knew nothing about God, except that I felt he existed. As the years went by, I continued, begrudgingly, to go to Church with my parents. My Sophomore year in HS, my mom had a serious heart problem and was rushed to emergency surgery which lasted 5 hours. As I found this out I was very uncomfortable about it, obviously. However - I was not a super emotional person at the time, and I believed what ever happens does so for a reason. Long story short, it was by miracle of God that my mother lived; she should have been dead for several years by now because she had a tear in her Aorta. A while after my mom had been recovering, she became a Christian through a Bible Study she was attending lead by one over her friends. She understood that her life was not her own because if it was, she should have been dead. About a year later, my Dad gave his life to Christ as well. I was still just going to church. I would have called myself a Christian, but I still did not understand what it meant. When I grad HS, I went on to college at UW-L living with friends from High school. This was a treat, let me tell you that sometimes your best friends are not the best people to live with. Long story short, I lost my closest friends over my freshman year and made the decision to move into the dorms my sophomore year, so I did.
Beginning my freshman year, I was out to make as many friends as I possibly could. Now I was a pretty morale kid, so I didn't like the drinking scene all that much. Accordingly, most the friends I made ended up being Christians, little did I know. Mid-way through my first semester that year I met a guy named Adam who played guitar on a floor below me. Something about the music he played attracted my to listen as he played songs for God! As I began to hang out with him, he recognized that I felt somewhat alone. As he continued to give up his time to hang out with me, he invited me to CRU... I attended, knowing that I hadn't really done anything religious-wise in a while. I enjoyed it a lot and continued to go for more weeks. The 3rd week, our campus director, Mark, shared the Gospel message and I finally understood it in my heart. That night I went back to my room and received Christ as Saviour and Lord! However, I kept it a secret for a few days. The first time I shared it was at a small group Bible study lead by Adam that week. All the guys were super excited. Ever since then I have become greatly involved and have been giving God all I can. The summer of 06 I went to summer project in Ocean City, NJ and had the time of my life. God showed my hundreds of things then and I'm still learning from that summer now! Not to mention all of the eternal friendships that were created there! God has used me to see people come to him over the past to years in great ways, and in that I am blessed! It is also my joy to worship God in song, and lead others to do the same as well. I am so thankful that God pursued me despite my lack of interest in Him. Now, as I live, I seek to live for him in light of eternity and the promises he has established!
Leading Bible study on campus for me has been a privilege. This is my second year doing it and it has been a huge blessing. Last year was tough for me because the hall that I was stationed in was very hard-hearted to Christ. I would maybe be able to meet with 2 people a week to study the Bible with. While I struggled through that experience, I am thankful God had me where he did. This year, as we are using the new BS material, rapid repro, Mark and myself are getting good response from our guys. Sometimes they mention that they want to go a little deeper.. but now we are starting to look at discipling some of the guys, so that will be deep for them, and us. I am really excited to see God continues to grow in our campus and what he has planned. This year our leaders met at a retreat before school started and have been praying for revival. Additionally we just finished the 40 days of fasting a prayer that was going on nationally. I am so excited because I feel like we are slowly seeing this campus come on fire for Christ - especially in the freshman class! Please keep praying expectantly that God will work in your life and on your campus!!!
1 Thes 5:16-18 Be Joyful always, pray unceasingly, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus!
God Bless,
- Dave