Praise God -- Jessica Comes to Christ This Morning!

I write today with a heart brimming over with joy, because another stray sheep has found its way home and joined the flock!

One of my first memories of Jessica, 19-year-old mother of 2-year old Brianna, is walking in on a conversation between her and Callie, a short-term missionary that spent a year with us. Jessica was new to the Institute and explaining that she didn't want anything to do with "church" because she obviously had baggage about past experiences, but that she was interested in God. It was a good moment to encourage her to seek God, separate Him from the church which is made up of messed up people, and that congregating with other believers nonetheless is an important part of one's spiritual growth and journey.

In that moment, I thought, "Wow, she's hungry, but she just doesn't know where to get fed." I immediately felt an affinity for her refreshing honesty about her feelings about spiritual things, her wounds that I could identify with, and her refusal to give up on God by maintaing a seeking and humble spirit.

For those reasons, she was one of the first girls that I invited to participate in my discipleship group when we started in April, and I prayed and prayed that she would come. She has participated faithfully, taking notes, sharing and asking questions and growing in leaps and bounds. She's begun to share about changes she needs to make in her life, obviously feeling conviction in some areas. At last week's bible study, she shared that she'd been experiencing temptations like never before, strange things that she's never wanted before, like going out to the bars to dance. Chio, my Costa Rican discipleship partner in crime, and I encouraged her that Satan was obviously ticked off about her growing near to God and throwing her extra stumbling blocks to try to keep her from Him.

This week during our regular morning devotionals at the Institute, I spoke yesterday about the perfect love of God versus the broken love we humans can give, and Chio talked this morning about the story of Nicodemus and the "rebirth" requirements of gaining entrance to heaven. After the devotional, Jessica went to Chio and said she was ready to be reborn! They prayed together and Chio texted me right away with the good news.

God has done an amazing work in Jessica's heart, and I thank him for the chance to be a small part of it. I share the process as I know it just to share Jessica's story and her steps in coming to the Lord and things He may have used to draw her to Him. But the reality is that it was not our conversations, our friendship, our bible studies or devotionals, or our wise words that brought her to this place, it was all God! We can plant and water, but only He can make the seed of faith grow. Why I don't know, but He deigns to use lamed and weak gardeners to accomplish His purposes, and I am so grateful to be included in His plan for this special girl. Ministry in this context is sometimes brutally discouraging, but fruit like this makes it all worthwhile!

I praise God for Jessica's salvation and for the impact that I know she will have as a believer in her family, the Institute, and the community of La Carpio. She is a beautiful, fun, and outgoing person and will radiate the sweet fragrance of Jesus. Please join me in praying that she will continue to grow to maturity in Christ and glorify Him, and that God will protect her during this vulnerable time from the enemy's attacks, in which I'm sure he will be trying to convince her that it didn't count, that it doesn't make any difference, and that her decision will not change anything for her. But we know different...

Joyful, Andrea