Ministry is defined as the work of a religion. Up until this summer, I didn't think everyone could have a ministry. It's a word associated mostly with pastors and deacons - not 19 year old girls. Spending 10 weeks in Ocean City, New Jersey changed that for me. This summer I learned what ministry God has called me to.
It began with strengthening my own faith, however. The first half of the summer just helped me fall more in love with God. Without that, ministry is useless. Part of falling in love with God meant falling out of love with myself. My awareness of my sins was heightened. The second half of the summer strengthened my own personal ministry in a variety of ways. I learned that my heart hurts most for the "successful" business people of America. My passion is to help the ones who don't think they need any help.
I learned how to disciple Christian women and walk through life with them. That was the role I was assigned when the staff left the mission. So I had no choice to step up the plate and dive into each woman's struggles and find gospel-based solutions. It was the greatest privilege in the world to get to lead these women as we got to know God more. They taught me so much more than I ever taught them.
I learned how to share the Gospel in new ways. Being out on the boardwalk talking to strangers almost everyday really just made me come in contact with new doubts and new struggles from each person. Every person is different so finding a way to share the same Gospel to different people can be tricky. But it was the most rewarding and preparing thing I could have ever learned. One specific story was a girl from East Asia. After talking to Cru people on the boardwalk and coming to one of our meetings, she became a Christian in our last week there. I got the amazing privilege of meeting up with her the next day to go through more in depth concepts. She came in ready to learn and willing to give her current life up for God. We got to talk about the Trinity, the cost of following Jesus, Jesus' life, how to read the Bible, and even how to start sharing this with her friends back home. I saw God completely change her life in a few hours, and it was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. God is at work in this world, and I got a front row seat to watch it.
Between discipling, sharing, and learning my own gifts and passions and how they fit into God's plan, my life was changed. I have a ministry now in my life and back here at my college campus. All of what I learned I want to continue to do at my spiritually dark school. I know God wants that as well. I just can't wait to see what He's going to do.
Thank you all for coming on this journey with me! Feel free to ask me in person about what God did in New Jersey!
Kels - Faithful Follower
