Derek-Loved

I had grown up in a broken family. My parents lived broken lives and had no relationship with God. My Dad knew if I was going to live a better life than they did, then I had to know who God was. My parents began to teach me about God at a young age. I began to learn about His love and who Jesus was in the Bible.

 Growing up I learned more and more and began to develop a personal relationship with Jesus. My faith became a huge part of my life but for some reason I wasn’t satisfied. I had little to no relationships with other Christians and I began to give in to sin more in my life. In high school I began to try to find my identity in friends, sports, and success. I had a weak relationship with God and I became more anxious and depressed.

Coming to college I realized this was a huge chapter in my life. I remember going into my dorm and shutting the door one of the first days of moving in, praying, “God this could go either really good or really bad. I can do anything I want now.” I realized at that moment that I didn’t need to continue walking through life alone and have a superficial relationship with God. I realized that I could invite God into my college life. I told God, “I want to know you more. Would you bring me one friend to help me know You?” The next day I met a small group leader with Chi Alpha. He began to invite me into his life and showed me what it looked like to really follow Jesus. I remember looking at his life and mine saying “Why is he so joyful? He’s a Christian. I’m a Christian. Why is he happier than I am?”

The Lord began to reveal to me what I had been missing all along. I began to realize that he had intimacy with God and I didn’t. I began to realize that God yearned for me jealously and desired to make Himself known to me personally. This changed everything. God was no longer a taskmaster or a robot in the sky who looked at me upset all the time. Instead I came to know Him as Father and Friend, who delighted in getting to know me and loved me for who I was, not what I could give Him.

 I finally began to understand the love of God more, which my heart longed to know all along. Now the Lord has shown me His heart for others and how there are students who desperately need to know that He’s not a God who is distant, but is so near to them. I get to do what God has so graciously done for me and that’s be a friend to the lost and broken, and introduce them to a real walk with Jesus. He is a good Lord and is near to all who call on Him in truth. I am so thankful the Lord met me on the college campus and that I get to learn more of who He is and make Him known with my life.