If you know me, you know that I work for Cru and that I LOVE college students. College is such a unique period of your life; it’s like a greenhouse for personal growth. David and I are in college ministry, so we’re getting to see people make decisions to follow Jesus for the rest of their lives, with their whole lives. It truly is the best thing that we could be doing with our time and every couple days it feels like God reminds us why this job with Cru is SO important and worthwhile.

We had one of those moments recently and it was the absolute perfect way to end another school year. Every year we throw a big picnic for the students to say goodbye, and this year we added something special! Towards the end of the picnic, we all took a short walk to the river’s edge and watched as ten of our students, ten of our brothers and sisters were baptized in the New River. Baptisms are both a solemn commitment and a celebration! In 2 Corinthians 5:17 it states: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” And baptism is an outward sign of this change in your heart. So ten of our students, who had decided to follow Christ with their lives in the last few years (some the last few months!!), decided to proclaim their faith in the most bold way.

They shared their stories with their community and were baptized in the name of Jesus. It was beautiful! It was so cool to see them baptized in the river as well. I mean I’m all for getting baptized in a horse trough in the middle of church like I did :], but there’s something really special about being out in creation, just like they would’ve been when this sacrament started.

It was definitely a highlight in a long year of standing in awe as our God changes Radford.

Brian :]

Greg :]

Luke :]

Michael aka Stumpy :]

Lea :] This one is special! I cannot believe that I only met Lea four months ago, but it’s true! I’ve got to walk alongside her as her eternity was changed by Jesus and seeing her finally be baptized after months of wanting to was just…emotional. And tear-filled. And beautiful.

Aya :] Okay this one is special too. I’ve been discipling Aya for the last year and have walked through SO much change with her. Goodness gracious it was quite a year. But Aya clung to Jesus through it all and this was the perfect way to end such a beautiful and tough year.

Lindin :]

Dustin :]

Ben and Steven :] Okay, this one had me crying. Steven is actually one of my classmates from college! We did the whole Cru thing together in college and Steven saw his life dramatically changed by God after graduation. Meanwhile, his little brother Ben was having the same type of change here at Radford. So they were baptized together!

Because baptisms end with rejoicing! So much joy and laughter and celebration!

So thankful to be a part of this beautiful community. Most of the time I think they get sharing life SO much more than I do. I learn so much from just rubbing shoulders with them.