As followers of Jesus, we have distinctive characteristics that distinguish us from the world—and the most distinctive, I have seen, is that we have a hope. It’s the hope of Jesus’ righteousness replacing our own, the hope that one day all will be set right—justice will reign, beauty will flourish, love will abound, and all people will acknowledge the significance of Christ—the assurance of the acceptance of our God.

As I have talked with people here, I’ve seen that without the hope of glory, nothing matters. Many here risk being beaten or left to die in a desert because they are so willing to find a hope—hope of a better life somewhere other than here.

This is true in all of our lives in a sense—our hope is of a better life than the one we began crying out of our mother’s womb. We, as lovers of Jesus, have been born again to an abundant life, an abundant life that’s lived from our spirit’s new birth until eternity.

Let us understand each morning how great the hope is that we have been given.

Tiffany, a student at Texas A&M University, is serving as a semester missionary in Northern Africa with Go Now Missions. Her last name is withheld for security reasons.

Soon, I become overwhelmed mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. As I begin to process some of the most meaningful things I have experienced I recall the most recent series of events.

I live with another American—Andrew Lancaster—and a Kenyan named Samuel Stanley. We cook dinner together every night. These are some of the most memorable moments, yet oftentimes the little things are the most overlooked.

One particular night, we were making ugali and greens with a stew—a pretty normal Kenyan dish and delicious, I might add. Ugali is made by pouring maize into boiling water and stirring until finished. The process is simple and a lot of fun. That night, Samuel and I had maize meal and flour all over our faces. We caught a towel on fire. Samuel and I were cracking jokes with Andrew as he made the stew. The kitchen was a mess, but we had smiles on our faces.  Samuel looked at Andrew and me and said, “A great meal, prepared by great men.” He followed that comment with jokes about how dangerous we are and how we would never finish all the food. Needless to say we finished everything, and Samuel said, “We Kenyans are dangerous!”

Moments like this are truly memorable. Moments like this truly reflect the Christian life. It’s community—sharing life together.

Al Johnson from the University of Texas at San Antonio is a student missionary correspondent with Go Now Missions.

Not long ago, I was reviewing some journal entries from my study through Experiencing God. At some point I had stopped—several months back—and I couldn’t remember the reason. So, I turned to the last entry: “I cannot say ‘yes.’”

I remember now the fear that the idea of an emphatic “yes” had carried. “Yes” had brought me to Africa—alone. “Yes” had separated me from my family and friends—for a year. “Yes” was uncomfortable and lonely. “Yes” was out of the question.

But as I read that entry, a broad, goofy smile spread across my face. Somewhere within the past few months, Christ changed my heart.  He romanced my soul, and I had said “yes.” 

There is a deep theological concept here concerning a progression that must occur to transform a person from being a “conditional follower” to one who can pronounce an emphatic “yes” to Christ. 

Several weeks ago, I read about an interview with the Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison. When posed the question as to the basis and method of her success, she merely replied: “I am a great writer because when I was a little girl and walked into a room where my father was sitting, his eyes would light up. That is why. … There is no other reason.”

Consider the disciples, knowing without a doubt that the God of all creation loved each one of them personally, regardless of anything they were or did.  He loved them. When one is truly loved unconditionally, when one has grown in the deepest, most fulfilling relationship, there is nothing a person wouldn’t do for the sake of that lover. This is what fueled the disciples through their ministries, what—as tradition testifies—compelled most to their deaths—love for Christ. Why? Because of his great love.

I think, as evangelical Christians, we often become inoculated to the gospel of Christ, and even to the Gospels themselves—reading through the pages, getting caught up in our own agendas concerning politics, theology, or next week’s sermon—and somehow begin to neglect the beauty and truth that lies in the person of Christ Jesus. That’s why we find such difficulty in saying “yes” to him. It is not that we lack the desire to be like Christ or that we lack the desire to please him. Instead, it is simply our failure to know him, because to know him is to love him. 

Indeed, “yes” still leaves me here in Africa—alone. “Yes” still leaves me separated from my family and friends—for a year.  “Yes” remains uncomfortable and lonely.  But the Creator of the universe loves me, and so I am finally compelled to live for him who died for me.

Jessica Young, a Wayland Baptist University graduate, is serving with Go Now Missions in Kenya.

Over pumpkin spice lattes, a young woman asked me about the meaning of baptism. Over green tea, a sorority girl celebrated the reality that in Christ she is made new. Over caramel macchiatos, a new friend described her desire to read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation so she can know how great this God is to whom she prays.

As I walk away from coffee dates, I exalt Christ, thanking him in my heart, for going before us and preparing our time.

I am privileged to meet with multiple young women one-on-one each week to study the Scriptures and to wrestle through hard issues in life. Some of these women are not yet believers but want to understand the character of God and his story before they choose to commit their lives to him. Also, I meet with new followers of Christ and with ones who have been disciples for many years.

  STUDENTS ON MISSION

The hunger within these students to comprehend the very words of God is beyond explanation. The Holy Spirit has stirred within their hearts a desire for spiritual things, and undoubtedly the Spirit is drawing them closer to Jesus.

To sit beside a 20-something-year-old girl who just read an unfading promise of God for the first time and then come to discover that very promise was meant for her is an exhilarating thing. Stories in the Bible I’ve heard for so long, they have never heard. And they are awestruck by the hope that fills Jesus’ words.

I long to approach the very words of God with the same fresh and eager eyes as they do. They are not merely gaining knew information; rather transformation of their life is happening. Limitless treasures are embedded within the pages of this precious and holy book we call the Bible. Day by day, I witness eternal truth set the hearts of young women free. Together, we learn how we can apply the deep truths of Scripture to our lives in practical ways. I learn from these young women, too.

Jane Owen is a student missionary correspondent serving with Go Now Missions in the Pacific Northwest.

He probably has no idea who his next meal will come from.  He has too many years under his belt to do manual labor and not enough sight or strength to hold a good job.  

I wish I could communicate better with him but each time I pass, “Hello. Peace be to you,” must suffice. I want to hear the stories of the years that have left the scars on his body. I want to ask him what he ponders all day. I want to tell him that there is a Rescuer who promises us that we don’t live by bread alone.

Imagine that sentence Jesus uttered as he was teaching the disciples to pray: “Give us this day our daily bread.” He trusted his Father to provide it for them everyday. He didn’t have stockpiles of bread in the pantry and loaves of money in the bank. The money he used was a shared fund and then was also shared with those in need. He wouldn’t make sure he had enough for 10 years before he gave to those who didn’t have enough for ten minutes.  

I want to conform to the pattern of Christ—love as recklessly as he did—not worrying about the clothes I will wear or the things I will eat. I want to be Christ to others.

I know our God is faithful. Let us start to look to him for our daily bread.

Tiffany, a student at Texas A&M University, is serving as a semester missionary in Northern Africa with Go Now Missions. Her last name is withheld for security reasons.

I currently am in Nyeri, Kenya where my partner, Andrew Lancaster, and I will teach at Nyeri Baptist High School, coaching basketball and cross-country.

I keep thinking back to how God called me here.

My passion for Africa was at an all-time high. I couldn’t function with out thinking about Africa. I needed to go. I felt God was calling me, but I still had my doubts.

I prayed: “I’ll go, but only if you are sending me. How will I get there? How do I know this is you? Help!” I felt willing to give up anything to serve God—even running track and cross-country after making it on the team as a freshman walk-on. But I felt so unworthy, so inadequate.

As I prayed outdoors, the wind blew open the pages of my Bible, and God directed me to Isaiah 6. It was the passage where the prophet expressed some of the same feelings I had, and where God asked the question, “Whom shall I send?”  And Isaiah replied: “Here I am. Send me.” 

Not long after that, I went to a computer lab to check my e-mail. I discovered a message from Brenda Sanders at Go Now Missions. She had heard my story from my BSU director and was wondering if I was interested in going to Kenya for six months—if I felt like it was the Lord’s will. The staff and others were praying for someone to go serve with Andrew Lancaster. Jesus sent the disciples out in pairs, and they wanted Andrew to have a partner. And by the way, she said, Andrew is a track and cross-country runner. 
Through more prayer, fasting, and seeking the Lord, God made it crystal-clear that he called me to Kenya for six months.

To God be the glory!  I’ve been sent.

Al Johnson from the University of Texas at San Antonio is a student missionary correspondent with Go Now Missions.

Each week, around 10 unbelieving international students gather with a handful of Christians to enjoy a home-cooked meal, play games and discuss the Bible together. On the first night we had it, individuals showed up simply because they have received a flier—and the Holy Spirit was drawing them—and they were eager to make American friends. For many of them, it was their first time to read from the Bible or even hear about the story of Jesus. Some of the students have lived in America for only a month.

We passed out Bibles, showed them the table of contents and explained what chapters and verses were. We read through chapter four of 1 John, starting with verse seven. They followed along, wide-eyed and intently reading. They had questions. Some of them have religious backgrounds of Buddhism or Hinduism. Many contributed their thoughts about God being identified as love.

After talking several minutes, the opportunity arose to explain how God’s perfect love was shown to us when he sent his only Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for our sins on the cross. We tried to convey the gospel in simple terms, without using church lingo. Foremost, we wanted to embody Christ’s love and build real relationships with them.

On the drive home, a radiant Vietnamese girl said to me: “I am excited! The Bible is easier to understand than I thought.”

The following week, my Chinese friend talked about a time when she felt lonely, sad and afraid. She said: “I remember learning from the Bible that I was loveable and treasured. Then I was comforted and felt the warmth and love of God. I experienced God’s love driving away fear.”

Over the weekend, she and I took our friend’s dog for a walk through the newly harvested wheat fields. We marveled at the majestic sun setting and she said, “Even though I do not know how to pray to him, I do believe that God really is big.”

I tried to explain prayer is simply having a conversation with God. She held my hand as we helped each other walk up and down the steep, rolling hills. We encountered wild deer and skittish mice. Most importantly, though, God’s presence was unmistakable, and our friendship deepened. I am excited she is going to teach me how to cook spring rolls very soon.

Jane Owen is a student missionary correspondent serving with Go Now Missions in the Pacific Northwest.

I had what I thought was a really cool message prepared about being transformed or something like that. But as I was going up to speak, God told me to speak on Psalm 118:8—“It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.” 

I had no idea why I was supposed to speak on that, but after chapel, a guy named Silvanas stopped me and wanted to talk.  His life has been amazing. I can say that now because it has all led up to that moment we talked. So many things had happened to him. He even attempted suicide, but people saved him.  He didn’t trust anyone—not even God. 

I told him, “God loves you.” 

He said, “If God loves me, then why did he allow all this to happen to me?”

I was able to use my own past—how I asked God so many times: “Why did all this stuff happen to me? Why did God allow that? Why did I have to go through those things?” 

While I was talking to him, God showed me yet another reason. It was so I could speak to Silvanas at that moment. He accepted Christ! God saved him! 

We went to one of the teachers and told him what Silvanas had just done. He agreed to help disciple him and set up an appointment the next day to talk. I gave him several verses to read that night. I can’t explain how amazing it was to see God move like that.

Andrew Lancaster, a student at Wayland Baptist University, served in Kenya with Go Now Missions.

Later, I overheard them say, “I wish we had a game to play.” I pointed out the stash of board games I discovered earlier, recommending Taboo. They invited me to join them to make an even-numbered team. It was a great game. Together the four of us laughed, shared stories, and enjoyed coffee and conversation.

People in the Pacific Northwest quickly notice I am not a local. I don’t think I have an obvious Texas accent, but apparently I do say, “y’all” quite frequently, and it makes them smile every time. I cannot explain why I am in Pullman, Wash., without explaining that I moved here to work at Resonate church.

My new friends were not familiar with the church or with Christ, and their countenance changed when I mentioned it. Thankfully, their personalities and language did not change when they found out I was Christian. It was unusual how they thanked for me accepting them. As we were exchanging contact information and saying good-bye, one of them asked me what my necklace meant.

The charm on my necklace is a pottery jar with a cracked heart on one side and a cracked cross on the other side. I explained that when you literally look through the broken heart, you can see the cross shining through.

“It illustrates what I believe,” I explained. “We are clay in God’s hands, and he is the Potter uniquely molding every one of us. We all have brokenness in our hearts and lives, but the love of Jesus has the ability to shine brightly through the broken places.”

I could see the perplexity in their eyes as they tried to comprehend this abstract metaphor about God’s role in one’s life as a loving Creator and Designer. They seemed to recognize that the cross of Christ was valuable to me. I am certain I am an imperfect vessel, but I rejoice in the reality that God still uses imperfect vessels to shine the light of his gospel.

My friends from the evening have since contacted me, and we plan to get together soon. I love when God intervenes—when he interrupts our daily routines and brings into our path someone in need of a genuine smile, word of encouragement, and glimpse of his kindness. It is a great responsibility and privilege to bear the name of Christ. People are desperately longing to be loved, noticed, and accepted. We love because Jesus first loved us, and we have been called to redistribute the hope that fills our hearts to a beautiful but broken world.
 
Jane Owen is a student missionary correspondent serving with Go Now Missions in the Pacific Northwest.
 

They come from all different backgrounds, and they have thousands of stories they each are dying to share.

After finishing our daily Bible story, pray around the circle. Each child gets the opportunity to pray if he or she desires. So, naturally, each one takes the situation and runs with it. Whether praying for a cat that they had that died several years ago, or for an uncle with a broken foot, it’s a blessing to listen to each prayer.

Recently, because it was such a perfect day, we decided to have Bible story and prayer time outside. In the middle of the prayer, a ferocious wind began to whip through, and the trees started rustling in quite a distracting manner. Instead of taking it in simply as a gust of wind, the boy next to me leaned over and whispered, “The trees are praying too.” That innocent little comment from that boy’s heart completely made my day and made me realize how wonderful and huge God is, and how he is different things to different people.

Whether it’s a reminder of how big God is with a gust of wind, or a prayer said for a broken foot, how wonderful it is that even first and second graders can understand his power and majesty in all areas of life.

Summer Spears, a student at Texas A&M University, is serving as a semester missionary in Tahoe City, Calif., with Go Now Missions.

Stuart was able to share the gospel without pushing A. J. at all. A. J. accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior that moment. God’s presence was with us.

A. J. then asked if he could have not just a New Testament but a full Bible. So, Stuart gave him his pocket Bible. Stuart and I showed him a few verses, and we bookmarked them for him and underlined them. A. J. began to cry and said he was so happy. Then he told Stuart he wanted to talk to God. So, A. J. prayed to God and asked him to never let him forget what God had done on this day and to follow him always. A. J. is 9 years old. God’s presence was with us.

It was great to see the fruit of our labors. There is no way possible that this would have been successful if we had not let God just take over us and what we were trying to do, because our plans will falter and fail. God’s plans are so incredibly amazing, and I pray he keeps us guessing about what he is going to do next through us.

Sean Hanson, a student at Sam Houston State University, served as a Go Now Impact student missionary in Alaska.
 

God knits hearts together so his kingdom can be advanced. When people share the singular goal of magnifying Jesus, manifesting his love to a perishing world, and mobilizing disciples to become disciple-makers, authentic community is formed. I have experienced that in a mere two weeks.

The first week in August, we attended a Lifeway conference in Glorieta, N.M., with 1,400 other collegiate ministers. It was a valuable week. As a team, we left greatly inspired to pray big prayers and expect big things from our very, very big God.

Week of Welcome is approaching where we will have opportunities to hand out flyers with food attached to them and interact with literally hundreds of students. Food and flyers are cool, but forming relationships is key.

Do these 20,000 Washington State University students know how much Jesus loves them? I wonder if God could use me to embody the love of his Son and plant seeds of hope in their lives.

God has mandated that I live as a missionary to my generation. Washington is one of the top two unchurched states in our nation. I need to ask God to give me Christ’s eyes and to embolden me, filling me with compassion so I can unreservedly reach out to those far from him.

God already has begun to introduce me to girls who realize they need Him. Countless coffee dates are anticipated!

God has given me infinite reasons to trust and praise his name. Pray I remain rooted in his sufficiency, as the days ahead cannot be about me. Fill your affections with the cross of Christ, and you will not be able to keep God’s steadfast love to yourself. We are loved with an eternal love, and we must give this love away.

Jane Owen is a student missionary correspondent serving with Go Now Missions in the Pacific Northwest.