Rebecka is from Gothenburg, sweden and came to study in York last year when she became a christian.

Before coming to university I wasn’t a Christian, I had never really met anyone particularly passionate about Jesus and quite frankly I didn’t care if there was a God or not. Starting uni was a big change in many ways (I moved all the way from Gothenburg), and this is really a time in life when many are figuring out what sort of person they want to be and the life they want to live. At least that’s how I felt, and in the middle of all that I met people that follow Jesus, young people that went to church every Sunday. To me that was really special! So a seed was sown, and I wanted to know what it was all about, my previous experience of church being very limited.

Initially I sought answers to big theological questions, I wanted to know what Christians say about the arguments non-believers have.

It was interesting and definitely opened up new perspectives but I didn’t get the real deal before I actually began to seek God, through prayer and the Bible. I started to learn just how good and powerful God is, and that he is real and living right now. When I came to church, God continued to lay before me opportunities to grow in my faith, to get to know him and experience him, much of which was through the wonderful Christians around me. My life got turned upside down in the best way possible!

Every day Jesus helps me deal with anxiety, helps me feel more comfortable with myself, he gives me strength to go for it even if it feels scary.

As well as turning to him for comfort in hard times it’s also through him I have found real joy and freedom. “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).

I strive to make use of my own experiences in my evangelism and something I try to emphasise when inviting people to church is that they can come as they are. I know in hindsight that I could have gone to church so much earlier, I didn’t need to be a Christian first.

I also know that even though I have a burning desire for my friends to learn that life with Jesus is just next level, I can’t convince them myself, only God can move in their hearts.

What I do is pray for Jesus to reveal himself to them, and for us Christians around them to find boldness, timing and be sensitive to each particular person and situation. Personally I like building relationships and I’m all for late night DMCs, if the topic of faith comes up I try to remind myself to listen to what God might want me to say right there and then, because he knows us all inside out and the path to finding him is going to be different for everyone.

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