Crusading Campus and The Great Commission

My friends Micheala, Carolyn and Tristan and
me at the Washington Memorial

That title sounds like something scary doesn't it? I was doing some reading in Victory Over The Darkness by Neil T. Anderson that I am reading with someone for discipleship. Discipleship is a committed relationship to another person with a teacher and student aspect. (I am currently discipling a student so therefore I am leading a study in a particular book. This can look different to every relationship but typically when someone decides to disciple another person they are investing themselves into someone else's life to bring them closer to Christ and to encourage and challenge them to bring others to Christ.) I learned about discipleship when I joined CRU, an on campus organization that is committed to fulfilling The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). As I got baptized just one week ago today I thought this was something very important to talk about as it relates to the ministry on Plymouth State University's Campus.

When I first came to PSU I heard about CRU but could never find anything on the website about meeting times and I searched high and low all of the postings about groups on campus but never bothered to ask anyone about it until my sophomore year. I had just moved on campus as a Community Advisor (which is the same thing as a residential assistant) in September and was sitting behind one of my now good friends Tristan. I saw him wearing a cross necklace every day for the last year but never asked him about his faith. He was talking to someone next to him in University Chorale about a bible study. And I stopped him immediately and asked "Wait there is actually a bible study here on campus?!" And in fact there was, and it was meeting that night!

Fast forward to December of that same year. Me, Tristan and two of my now best friends Carolyn (who got baptized with me last week) and Michaela went to a CRU conference in DC. Also at this time I was on crutches for the third Christmas in a row. (My stress fracture from boot camp only came back in the winter.) Enter a man I call a great friend now, Matthew.

Matthew came up to me on one of the first nights we were in DC for the conference and asked what was wrong with my ankle. And I thought back to the prayers I made about it, asking God to help me understand why it kept happening and why I was still suffering. Throughout the week we heard testimonies of people who suffered very long times before finding healing or understanding why. So I was content with the answer that I was suffering for a reason, and I was just trying to find joy in that among the other things that were happening in my life at that point.

I told Matt that I had a reoccurring stress fracture on my left ankle and that I knew I was suffering for a reason, and that something great would come of it for the kingdom. Matt looked down at my ankle and back up at me, and said "You know, Jesus is going to heal your ankle tonight." To which straight up laughed. I told him, "No really, I don't understand why this is happening, but I know because it has happened so many times that God has or will make a purpose of this." Matt looked at me again and smiled, and said "Really. Jesus will heal your ankle tonight. Here's my number, text me after worship tonight and we can talk about it." So I took this kid's number, who I just met, and sat in worship wondering what was going to come of it, doubting God's power here in the states because I thought that those crazy healing stories happened on mission trips.

If you read my first post, you know where this story is going, feel free to scroll down and look at the video.

So after worship I met up with Matt and we talked for HOURS discussing our life stories and the mission trip he just got back from and all of the crazy stuff that happened to us and was happening to us at the time. We were in the hotel lobby until around 4am before Matt asked to pray over my ankle. I told him that it was okay and he asked if he could take off my walking boot. And I was like, "Well you can't touch it, it hurts so much at the slightest touch sometimes." Matt assured me that it wouldn't hurt and that we would be extremely gentle as he prayed over me. So I reluctantly let this kid I just met give me medical advice and he removed my ankle boot revealing my one pink fuzzy sock. He told me he was going to pray now and I braced myself for the discomfort that I prayed I could not show in my face.

Me and Matt after the New Years Eve Party,
1 day after praying over my ankle

He cupped his hands over my ankle and I felt them start to warm up like a heating pad. It didn't hurt at all, and I opened my eyes to see what he was doing because it felt like he was massaging the part of my ankle that was killing me for three years, but his hands weren't moving at all! I quickly shut my eyes because it was so weird but amazing and I wanted to soak it all in. Matt was very authoritative in his prayer, calling God to heal very specific bones in my ankle, ligaments and muscles. I was surprised how much he knew from the very little I told him about the injury. When He finished praying he smiled and asked "How do you feel?"

I said it was nice, but he could clearly tell that there was doubt on my face. So he stood up and said "Okay we are going to walk." So I grabbed my crutches and stared to put on my walking boot and he stopped me and said "No, we are going to test God."

And I was like TEST GOD?! Isn't that something we are NOT supposed to do? And so I looked at him and said "Matt, I don't know..." and he grabbed my hand and said we could stop at any time, but we were going to try.

So if you haven't seen the video in my first post, this would be a great time to see what someone captured for me. A truly amazing moment where God literally gave me a new ankle. It was weak but not in pain, like all the muscles have never been used before. Like the bones never had any pressure on them before. It was amazing and of course I started blubbering, God has that effect on me. (See baptism video where my pastor calls me a 'hot mess'.)

So if you are reading this post and you are wondering what could God ever do for you, He can heal an ankle that has been broken on and off for three years. He has given you an identity that is found in Him, because He made it for you when He created you in His image. You are more than your injuries, your college major, you failed relationships, your sins, your stumbles and your past. You are son or daughter of the King. You have a family right here on campus that wants to meet you, love you, and do life with you. We want to see you in Heaven. We want to see your life on earth bring happiness to you and bring glory to the kingdom! Come see what Campus Crusades for Christ is all about on Wednesdays at 7:30 in HUB 109. Check us out on Facebook too.