God Is at Work

The day before our Fall 2025 semester began, 13 student athletes from our Boise State football team followed each other into the waters of baptism (see above photo). Walking to the river that weaves its way through our campus, they stepped into its waters, one after another, to signal their new life in Christ.

Our Cru campus ministry saw over 300 students attend its first events of the year. They have seen such growth in attendance that they needed to find a bigger location for weekly gatherings.

Hunger and Curiosity

This will be my thirteenth year at Boise State, over which time I have taught hundreds of students. But I have never witnessed the hunger and curiosity of students in the way that I am witnessing it currently.

The question I’ve been asking myself is this: How can the Lord use me?

I teach two sections in the College of Education. On our first day together, I introduced who I am and what they can expect from me as their teacher. This provides students an opportunity to feel more personally connected to me, making me more accessible and relatable. It also opens the opportunity for me to share about my personal faith.

A Millisecond of Pure Panic

I present multiple pictures about myself – pictures of my family, my hobbies, and the things that bring me joy. This semester, I added a picture of me at summer camp with the small group of high school senior girls who I have been mentoring since they were freshmen. I also included a picture of me and several former students at last year’s Cru Vision Dinner. I explained the pictures and the meaning behind them, and how these are important not only to who I am as a person, but to who I will be for them as a teacher.

Then, I open the floor for questions. In my first section class, one hand immediately shot into the air: “Can you give us your personal testimony?” I’ll be honest – there was a millisecond’s worth of pure panic. Then, an unexplainable calm.

Asking Questions, Sharing Celebrations

“Absolutely, I can. It is the most important part of my life.” I proceeded to share my journey with Jesus with my students, every one of whom looking at me with a depth of curiosity I cannot explain. They were locked-in, listening, and not in the least uncomfortable.

Since that time, fifteen students in my classes have individually shared with me about their personal relationship with Jesus. They’ve asked questions, shared celebrations, and expressed conflicts that they are experiencing in their own faith. Not only this, but I hear them talking regularly with their peers about their faith in class!

The day after the tragic killing of Charlie Kirk, I saw “Kelly” sitting alone. I said hello, after which she blurted out with intensity: “I’m going to go pray!” She said that after everything that had happened that week, she didn’t know what else to do but pray. So, she had decided to sit in The Quad with a sign that read “Prayer” and pray with anyone who stopped. 

They Were Disrupted

I celebrated with her, prayed over her, and then sent her on her way. I went about my business, walking in the direction of my car. Getting about ten feet away from where I parked, I stopped dead in my tracks and scolded myself aloud: “What in the world are you doing? Go pray with her!”

We sat in The Quad for the next hour and a half. We were there during three major class transition times, passed by hundreds of students and faculty. We gave a smile, and perhaps a pleasant, “Good morning!” We had about a dozen believing students stop for prayer.

While we didn’t have any unbelieving students stop, they saw us. They saw the offer of prayer. They were disrupted, if only for a moment, to see an option that differed from their current state of existence. I have confidence that the Lord will use that.

The Lord is at work on our campuses. Now is the time to find out where He is working and get in the middle of it.