I’m certain that no matter how long the Lord allows me to serve college ministry, I will forever stand in awe at the way that God uses our students to take the Gospel to those who have never heard. It is never lost on me this blessing of having a front row seat at the way that God is using students and the way that students are stepping out in bold steps and a blind “yes”.

I am so thankful to receive updates from field workers serving around the world but one specific update has greatly encouraged my work in sending students. The update had a picture of American students there for the summer and the students they have been discipling and the caption read:

“Many great things are happening on an island to the west of us where the ladies are currently serving. People are hearing the gospel for the first time, professions are being made, and new relationships are being established while students are being discipled – this is everything we hoped for! Pray that the team continues strong and proceeds with great wisdom.”

While I’m OVER THE MOON excited for the decisions that have been made, the line in the update that moved me to tears was this – “this is everything we hoped for!”

Our field personnel are in the thick of Matthew 9:38. They are praying earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers to join them into his harvest. They are praying right now for our college students in America to come and serve alongside of them. All the while, our students are praying for ways that they can be used by God to serve people around the world who are hurting, feeling hopeless and grasping for anything that might make them whole when what they need is someone to come and tell them about Jesus.

• To the student that is reading this – our field personnel are praying for workers to come serve alongside of them. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. They are praying for you. Never in your life will you have the flexibility to go and give your time like you will in college. Don’t miss out on how God wants to use you to take the gospel to the nations.

• To the college minister who may be reading this – Your students are seeking ways to be used by God. They need to be challenged and stretched beyond their comforts and given opportunities to serve. Don’t let them slip through the cracks.

• To the parents who may be reading this – I’m not a mom yet and I can’t quite know how hard and how scary it is to even entertain the thought of your babies going and serving in another country. But here’s the thing : God created you and your kids on purpose for HIS purpose and he LOVES them even more than you do – as hard as that might be to fathom. If your child feels called to go and serve for the summer, even when it’s scary, take a step back and recognize that the same God who created them is calling them to go and do great things. Use this as a way to deepen your own walk with Jesus alongside your child as you pray for them and walk this journey of obedience with them. Don’t miss out on how God wants to use you to send your child to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.

• To the pastors and church leaders who may be reading this – Students are thirsty for church family and true connection within the body of Christ. Invest in college students and seek out ways to equip them to serve the church, the community, their campus, and to go out and join the work that God is doing around the world. As your church prays for our missionaries around the world, recognize that our missionaries are praying for our churches to send them workers to join in their efforts. Be a church that invests in their students and that sends workers to go and make disciples.

May our knees be tattered and torn as we join in praying with our field personnel for workers to join the harvest. And may we boldly ask how we can be a part of both the going and the sending.