This time last year, Niamh gave her life to Jesus at a worship night in her University city. Before coming to University, Niamh in searching for a source of hope, began to explore spirituality. No one ever told her about the hope of Jesus, and so Niamh began exploring paganism. This is her story:
Before University
"Growing up, from the age of 10, I struggled a lot with anxiety, panic attacks, and depression, and this really affected how I saw myself, how I saw the world, and the thoughts I had. Around the age of 12, I began having really dark thoughts, and I began looking for a purpose and for something to give me meaning to live. This is when I came across crystals and witchcraft.
I believed each crystal held different properties, and I’d carry them around with me to protect me or reduce my anxiety. It started off quite innocently, but the more I began to learn about them, the darker it began to get. I began doing rituals, spells, burning candles, and saying different chants.
1st year at University - Term 1
After 7 years of continuously believing in crystals and witchcraft, I came to university in Lincoln.
In November, I went to a house viewing for 2nd year, and the house we looked at had a church at the end of the garden. I remember seeing that and thinking to myself, maybe I’ll go there one day. I didn’t think any more of this until a month later when I saw a nativity set in the window of another church- this got me thinking, and so over the Christmas holidays, I began to research Christianity.
1st year at University- Term 2
I discovered that Lincoln Uni had a Christian Union, and so when I came back to university after Christmas, I decided to go along and see what it was about.
The thing that struck me most was the worship- I had never heard a worship song before, and when they played the first song and I heard everyone singing, I felt a rush of emotion go through me. I felt complete peace, it was a feeling that I just can’t describe.
I knew from that moment that I wanted to feel that feeling again and learn more about who God is.
That night, I got invited to church and decided to go along that Sunday. After a few weeks I also went along to a ‘worship encounter’ night, it was there in that moment that I encountered the Holy Spirit speaking to me, and that night on the 25th February 2024, I decided to give my life to Christ.
Now - One year on
Since then, Jesus has fully turned my life around. I have been blessed with some beautiful friendships; my mental health has been improving so much. I am now secure in who I am as I have found my identity in Christ.
One big change in my life since finding Jesus has been physical healing. I had an acute long-term hip condition that stopped me from participating in sport, walking up a lot of stairs, or anything that had any kind of physical impact on my hip.
Over the summer, some people prayed for me, and I had partial healing and experienced no pain for a short time.
The pain did come back, however, in January, we went to the Do It Again worship night in Nottingham and my friends prayed for me again. The second they laid hands on me and began to pray, the pain I was experiencing fully left my body.
Three months on and I still have no pain whatsoever! I have been using the stairs, walking up Steep Hill in Lincoln and playing football with my friends.
This healing has allowed me to start going out onto campus evangelising, spreading the gospel, and sharing this light with others."
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The Times released an article last month stating that 62% of Gen Z would identify themselves as either ‘spiritual or very spiritual’.
There are so many other students like Niamh who are searching for hope and exploring spirituality.
Niamh said ‘before knowing Jesus I was continuously surrounded by darkness, now I know God and I see his light.’
We have a call and a responsibility as disciples of Jesus to introduce a generation lost in spiritual darkness to the hope of Jesus - The Light of the World.
How can you play your part in seeing those lost in darkness finding hope in Jesus?
