Last year a student (let’s call her Jessica) walked through the doors of BCM on a Tuesday night. She was a freshman, her life was a mess and she “felt like she needed God in her life” but didn’t know where to start. One of the prayers I pray pretty regularly is that God would draw students to Himself and allow BCM to be part of it! I had received a grant that would allow me to have some money to take new students at BCM out for a cup of coffee and a gospel conversation. I texted her and asked if she would like to meet me for coffee. She said YES!
That morning I learned about a pretty tough upbringing. Her mom was 16 when she had her and her dad disappeared when he learned of her. Her mom had a lot of health problems so Jessica did all the chores and took care of her mom while in junior high. It was so hard for her. Feeling overwhelmed and unwanted pushed her into an abusive relationship with a boyfriend which lasted for many years and all through high school. Jessica was determined to make something of herself and she decided she was going to be the first person in her family to go to college. She started researching what you have to do to get into college. She made the best grades, was on the honor roll, and applied for scholarships and financial aid all on her own. She also lost 100 pounds in high school. She was DETERMINED!!! She was able to get enough scholarships to pay for her education, room and board the first year of college. She became a part of many clubs, a sorority, intramural basketball and of course BCM!
I asked her about her church background and she said “We don’t go to church, but I really feel like I need God in my life.” I realized she was not a Christian and had zero understanding of any religious lingo. I started talking to her in simple terms about Jesus, His love for her and His sacrifice for her. I prayed for her intently. She just didn’t understand and we had to start at the beginning!
This was the day before my 20 year old son passed away suddenly. Satan was at work trying to hinder this relationship and conversation. Connecting with students was so hard when your mind and heart were absolutely broken! We started taking Jessica to church every Sunday morning. She lived in the same dorm my son Josiah lived in. Every Sunday after he passed away, I was on the verge of a panic attack pulling into the exact space I did everytime we had picked up Josiah. The last time I dropped him off, the night he passed away, 30 minutes later I ran inside to sirens and the flashing lights of an ambulance, fire trucks and police cars. Satan did not want us here, and he was pulling out all the stops to make this go away and to make us stop loving college students.
Fast forward to the night of our church’s IF Gathering. We had an emotional conversation about grief. The people around Jessica’s and my table shared about grief over a divorce, a lost brother, a son’s suicide, an abusive relationship and I shared my own losses of my 20-year-old son as well as my 40-year-old brother within three months. I never felt more broken in my entire life. On the way home this girl was told the complete plan of salvation for the hundredth time.
She recalls this night as the night she started following Jesus! In July, she told our pastor she wanted to join the church and be baptized. She was baptized on her 21st birthday! She is part of our leadership team this year and she is telling sorority friends about Jesus. She is encouraging friends who went to church as children but don’t go anymore with her story! She even spoke up in class when someone was talking negatively about the Christian religion. She said: “Not all Christians are mean! My church is awesome and so is BCM. They loved me when I felt like no one else did.” Knowing Jesus is changing her life, and God has a big plan for her!
LaDonna Wilkin is a BCM Campus Minister at Indiana State University.
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