summer_houston_82503

Posted: 8/22/03

Children find faith through Bible stories

HOUSTON­June 26 and July 24 will live forever in the minds of Brandy Jacobson and the 15 children she led to Christ those days.

Jacobson, a senior elementary education major at West Texas A&M, served as a Baptist General Convention of Texas student summer missionary at the Houston Mission Center. She helped primarily with the Kid's Club program and the food pantry.

She vividly recalls going through a Bible lesson June 26 and looking up to see all the children staring at her. Jacobson felt God tell her to close the lesson and extend an invitation to the kids.

She ended the lesson in prayer and told the children that anyone who wanted to commit to live for Jesus Christ could remain while the rest could go play. To her amazement, nine stayed.

Jacobson admits she was unsure what to do next, but she stumbled her way through leading the children to pray the sinner's pray and profess faith in Christ.

“You're so humbled, but you're so high,” she said. “God is so exalted. It was the most beautiful moment I've ever had in my life.”

July 24, six more children professed faith in much the same manner, she explained.

Toward the end of her stay, Jacobson gave the children bilingual Bibles, with Spanish and English, at their request.

“They wanted Spanish too, so they can share with their parents,” she said. “That's encouraging.”

Jacobson did not come into the summer expecting to lead 15 children to professions of faith, but she hoped to tell about Jesus as believers had shared with her.

In addition to that work, Jacobson sang and gave her testimony at various churches throughout the city. One evening, she was listening to the message when she said she felt God asking her to give her life completely to him. She committed to do so and said God revealed her calling to her.

“When I told him he could have it, he told me missions,” Jacobson said. “Now I know that it's missions. I know it is my calling.”