The cost of following Jesus

We'll call her Sarah (to keep her identity confidential). Sarah was from a devout Muslim household and one day came across the Gospel of Luke. She was captivated the the Man who filled it's pages, so much so that she decided she was going to know more about this man. When her mother found out all hell broke loose and she found herself homeless. Finding shelter at a school friend's place, Sarah kept seeking and learning about Jesus. One day she saw an advert for a Christian Camp and decided then that she was going to attend and learn all she could about Jesus. This is where I met Sarah. She'd come by herself. No friends to support her, and messages from her mother condemning her for attending a Christian Camp - that's couragous! One night after preaching the Gospel and calling young people to place their trust in Jesus Sarah came forward. Tears rolled down her cheeks as things suddenly made sense - this Jesus she read about in the book of Luke had died for her! She made her decision to follow Jesus. That night I had no idea the cost she was paying to make that commitment. 

Later that week she took the mic after I offered the opportunity for the teens to share what God had done in in their hearts at camp. She explained her background, the hardship she had gone through to learn more about Jesus, the experience she had with Jesus at camp and her desire to follow him. There was hardly a dry eye in the room. The whole room gathered around Sarah and prayed with her. God touched her in a powerful way. 

That camp not only did Sarah meet this Jesus she read about in the book of Luke, and chose to follow Him, but she stepped out in obedience - very aware of the cost - and asked to be baptised! We clearly walked her through what this meant and after reading Matthew 10:26-39 we asked her again if this was something she wanted to do. "Are you kidding me? Absolutely!" was her response. 

Jesus is in the business of changing hearts and lives and drawing people to himself. What an honour it is to be used by Him to be a little part of God's work in reuniting people with Himself! 

Please keep us in her prayers as we seek to continue to be faithful to the great commission and see "Every young person in Aotearoa reached with the message!" 

Luke Collis
Visionary & Evangelist
UNASHAMED