Keeping—and Growing—Their Faith
When Matthew first started college at Florida State University, he felt lost.
“Campus was huge. I didn’t even know where I could go to get my groceries. I didn’t know where I could go to meet people or ask questions,” he remembered.
A few months into his first semester on campus, Matthew shared his struggles with his dad over the phone. “Why don’t you go find a Christian community on campus?” his dad suggested.
The very next day, InterVarsity campus minister Peter was on campus praying. He saw Matthew, a student he didn’t know, sitting outside waiting for class to start. Peter felt an unmistakable prompting from God to go talk to Matthew.
After this miraculous encounter, Matthew got involved in the InterVarsity community. He made great friends and no longer felt alone, but still, he struggled.
Hoping For Instant Change
Back in Indonesia where Matthew grew up, he was raised in church, but had a shallow faith. “I thought of God as just, like, a creator, and we can do whatever we want as long as you make sure you repent,” he said.
He attended InterVarsity Bible studies and tried to read the Word on his own. “I was hoping there would be some kind of change instantly. Maybe it would make more sense as I keep on continuing to do it,” he thought. But, in his discipleship journey, things didn’t make more sense right away, and Matthew began doubting that God cared for him even more when he started feeling rejection from not being able to find a job or internship.
Feeling Seen & Understood
Later that year, Matthew was convinced by his InterVarsity friends to attend the Urbana Student Missions Conference.
At the conference, Matthew met a worship leader and an InterVarsity staff from Indonesia. They met with Matthew, shared their life stories, and prayed for him. He also went to an international student small group gathering where he met others from similar backgrounds.
Matthew felt seen and cared for by God in these moments, and the conference served as a turning point in his faith. He returned to campus less anxious, more trusting, more joyful, and more secure in his relationship with Jesus.
“My whole life, there was this emptiness within me,” Matthew said. “It wasn’t a temporary thing anymore where I believe in God for like 10 seconds. But it’s everlasting.”
Now, Matthew is mentoring other international students, so that they aren’t lost and alone on campus like he was. He’s not only faithfully following God, but he’s also sharing the good news of who he is with others.
“[If Peter wouldn’t have come up to me that day], I probably wouldn’t be a Christian anymore. I probably wouldn’t go to church or read the Bible. I probably wouldn’t have a faith anymore and would probably just focus on being stressed every day. I probably wouldn’t have this amazing life, this great path, and this great community of friends.”
