More than a Student

I wrote this entry back in early May but I am just now getting around to posting again.

I have a hard time calling this person a student of mine. For starters, we are the same age and she is currently getting her Phd. But she is more than a student to me. She is one of my dearest friends, challenges me in my walk with God, holds me accountable, cries with me and laughs with me. She is an inspiration to me.

A few months ago I led a training on GIGs. A GIG is a Group Investigating God, basically a one on one Bible study with a believer for someone who is seeking to learn more about God. At the end of a GIG the person leading has a great opportunity to ask if the other person would like to accept Jesus in their life. I had asked everyone in the group to pray about whom they want to lead a GIG with. I also told them that the following week I would ask them who that person is. I wanted to hold them accountable to sharing the gospel with others. I believe that we as Christians are lacking in sharing the good news with our family and friends around us.

Before the meeting ended my friend new exactly who she wanted to do a GIG with. She excitedly told me that another girl who had been in our fellowship the semester before (I’ll call her K) had been put on her heart to do a GIG with. K had been around for a semester and was struggling with the difference between Christianity and Mormonism. I thought it was a great idea, then I remembered that K was doing an internship this semester on the other side of the country. My friend asked me if anyone had ever done a GIG through Skype. I hadn’t, but I didn’t see why a Skype GIG couldn’t be done. And we both thought that it was important enough for K to hear the gospel to take the challenge of doing it through Skype.

The next week my friend asked K to be in a GIG. K said yes!

They started a four part series in discovering who God is. I was told that each session was hours long. I have never lead one that was more then an hour or so. Each session was full of hard/great questions, tears, laughter and a deepening friendship. It was very exciting.

The morning of the last GIG my friend and I were driving to church. We processed, talked through and prayed about how she would lead and invite K into a relationship with Jesus.

I got a text very late that night that K decided to enter into a relationship with Jesus! My friend stays in contact with K, discipling her, while we are waiting for K’s return to Vegas.

I forgot to mention that my friend is from China. She willingly took on an “American” structure and tried it with another Chinese student, and through Skype.

I am so blessed to have her in my life. Thanks Joy for being my friend.

Myself and Joy on the Great Wall of China. (December 20, 2010)