We are increasingly hearing stories of students in the UK having miraculous encounters with the risen Jesus. Each story is unique, powerful and awe inspiring. Here are two which have come out of Loughborough...
Student Encounter 1 - Stained glass window
Sam went to university not knowing Jesus and went through the first two years getting involved with the usual university life. He decided to go on a year abroad as far away as possible and found himself in Montreal, Canada, where he couldn’t help but notice the christian presence in the city. He decided to start reading a bible and look into worship music. The moment of encounter happened when he was walking home on a snowy evening and came past a church which had its light on. He looked up and saw a stained glass window of Jesus and froze as he stood in awe. In that moment he encountered Jesus and got on his knees. Sam has now come back to university and has plugged himself into a local church hoping to see many of his mates encounter Jesus also. Earlier this month, Sam decided to get baptised!
Student Encounter 2 - Hot Porridge
Alice spent a year inviting her friend to church. At the start of this academic year this friend decided to come along and ‘try church’ to see what her friend would not stop talking about. The first Sunday she brought along her boyfriend for support. Her boyfriend (who also had never been to church before) stood in the time of worship and took in his surroundings. He described afterwards that he had experienced something he had never felt before… ‘It was like someone had put a huge puffer coat over me and then was pouring hot porridge down my throat, I felt this heat in my chest!’. He asked, what is that? We met for coffee three days later to discuss what had happened where he shared he had finished reading the gospels! We spoke about the Holy Spirit and how it can fill us.
“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.” - Joel 2:28
Jesus is on the move and touching hearts. What an honour to be in a time where we are seeing the realities of Joel 2 so clearly in student mission.
