Meeting a loving God:
>I'm on a journey...it's a journey I share with others too as we mature in our understanding of God and of who we are because of his influence in our lives.
>For most of my early years, God was someone I thought or talked about on Sundays. He was a bit irrelevant, far away and tied to the traditions and ceremonies that I thought church consisted of.
>It wasn't until I got into high school that I really began to explore my faith for myself. The youth pastor at our church played an influential role in my spiritual awakening. Not only were the Friday nights super fun, we also spent time studying the Bible and discussing issues. I remember going through a book about how to share your faith with your friends. It was pretty radical!
Through these meetings, I gradually came to realise that Jesus plays an important role in the everyday lives of those who have committed to a relationship with him.
>My first significant encounter with God occurred when I made the decision to publicly announce my choice to give him full control of my life. Afterwards, I remember feeling a surreal peace, contentment -- and excitement too! It was as if God became 'real' to me that night, as if I met him personally for the first time after a long period of only reading and hearing about him.
>Having an on-going love relationship with God has changed me in significant ways. I no longer depend on intellectual achievements or people's affirmation to feel good about myself... instead, I rely on the promises of his love for the 'new' me, whom he continues to transform daily.
God's pure, unadulterated love enables me to truly care about my family, friends, and even strangers. I long to share with them that we are valued far beyond our wildest imaginings, in spite of the depth of darkness in us.
>As a student, your life can get a bit one-sided. If you're not studying all the time (like me!), then you're partying or relaxing at the pub. It's as if we swing from one extreme to the other -- and all too quickly. Life becomes superficial, materialistic, and self-gratifying.
We live like we're convinced nothing ever lasts so why bother? We throw ourselves into flurried activity to escape the deep restlessness of our hearts that cries out for something more. Some of us devote our lives to the pursuit of the transitory (money, security, reputation) to gain satisfaction and fulfillment in life.
>My faith in Jesus challenges me to think outside of the box. It causes me to question cultural mindsets and philosophies -- even my own motives. It spurs me to yearn for significant, long-lasting things, like friendship, joy, contentment -- instead of what will pass away... academic success for example.
>Because of my faith, I desire to influence rather than be influenced, to question rather than passively accept, to be authentic rather than hide behind a mask of polite disinterest or self-assurance.
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