CoLaborers International https://colaborersinternational.com

“For a while and in a variety of ways, I felt God showing me that part of following Him means loving others however I can, and that faith necessarily involves action. Last spring, I felt this very strongly on my heart and was praying over it. The next day, I noticed a poster for CoLaborers International by the mailboxes on campus, and especially prominent was a reference to James 2:14-26, that faith without deeds is dead.”

Jared

This is how we met Jared. Something as simple as a poster became an opening for change to occur, in the lives of students as well as in the lives of people overseas. It’s when we respond to God’s moving that He moves in our lives in big ways.

We looked at the talents, resources and ideas available to Jared. What already lay before him and how can he honor God using those gifts? We prayed about how to use these things in a way that would refresh the faith of him and his friends while meeting needs of projects overseas.

The idea came to put on a hike-a-thon and prayer retreat. We sent list of prayer requests, photo albums of children being reached in India and Mozambique, as well as iron-on teeshirt transfers to Jared and his schoolmates.

They hiked and walked and prayed together. Each hiker had the opportunity to get sponsors to pledge money for each mile they walked to go to meet project needs and help the specific children they prayed for.

By the day’s end, weary hikers felt renewed in their spirits. Their faith encouraged, their ears tuned to hear from God. The prayer time had been powerful and their eyes opened to God’s beauty around them. In the quiet of the hike, their hearts sang and their spirits encouraged by God’s spirit.

“Not only was the retreat a way to show others how and why God can use us, but it was also a way to love the people who were interested in loving others. The retreat caused us all to draw closer to God as we drew closer to each other. God showed up most importantly, and that made all the difference.”

Jared