Learn about one student’s journey to a beautiful new beginning.
“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him,” Colossians 2:6 (NLT)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. See His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take,” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)
As we head into the New Year, I want to share some unconventional advice. Instead of creating a list of goals and the all-too familiar New Year’s Resolutions, I encourage you to just give up.
I am not at all talking about losing hope or giving on your dreams. I am talking about putting a stop to making resolutions. New goals and resolutions are not inherently bad, but they are almost always about relying on our own strength. Following through on our New Year’s resolutions means depending on our own determination and are often fueled by our own limited, temporal human willpower.
Scripture tells us to, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. See His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take,” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT).
In encouraging you to “give up on yourself,” I want you to cast your complete reliance on your Heavenly Father with all your heart. This is the secret to a successful new beginning!
Speaking of truly trusting God’s will, the following testimony shows what can happen when we rely on that still, small voice. One of our staff members sent in a story about Marie, an international student, who experienced a “new beginning” after attending an International Students, Inc. event.
Before attending one of our ministry retreats, Marie called herself a Buddhist. She knew nothing about God and did not understand why Christians would say that knowing God could grant someone eternal life.
Our staff member writes:
“God began revealing Himself to Marie during the retreat, where she met siblings Luke and Esther. Following the retreat, Marie attended a get-together at Luke’s house and met his parents. ‘It was then that I first heard God’s calling for me—His echo to a lost, wandering child,’ Marie said. ‘I felt it in an instant. It was sweet-sounding and truly beyond what I could comprehend.’ Luke’s mother became Marie’s spiritual mentor, helping to guide her forward on her spiritual journey. Marie said, “Peace is with me in all the things I do. I feel accepted and every time I think of how God would love me so unconditionally as to send Jesus to die for me, I can’t help but cry.’ God sought this girl until she found Him. It’s not something she takes for granted. Today, Marie feels completely new and eager to live according to the Word of God.”
No matter what time of year it is, or what our current life situation is, we can always be made new through the blood of Christ. Genuine change transcends our external resolutions and goals. True change involves much more than relying on our own willpower. It all starts with having the Spirit of the Almighty God at work within us, sanctifying and building us, conforming us into the very image of Jesus Christ.
For More Information
Read more testimonies from international students who have been blessed by our ministry’s staff and volunteers!
Learn more about how you can get involved with ISI.
“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him,” Colossians 2:6 (NLT)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. See His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take,” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)
As we head into the New Year, I want to share some unconventional advice. Instead of creating a list of goals and the all-too familiar New Year’s Resolutions, I encourage you to just give up.
I am not at all talking about losing hope or giving on your dreams. I am talking about putting a stop to making resolutions. New goals and resolutions are not inherently bad, but they are almost always about relying on our own strength. Following through on our New Year’s resolutions means depending on our own determination and are often fueled by our own limited, temporal human willpower.
Scripture tells us to, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. See His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take,” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT).
In encouraging you to “give up on yourself,” I want you to cast your complete reliance on your Heavenly Father with all your heart. This is the secret to a successful new beginning!
Speaking of truly trusting God’s will, the following testimony shows what can happen when we rely on that still, small voice. One of our staff members sent in a story about Marie, an international student, who experienced a “new beginning” after attending an International Students, Inc. event.
Before attending one of our ministry retreats, Marie called herself a Buddhist. She knew nothing about God and did not understand why Christians would say that knowing God could grant someone eternal life.
Our staff member writes:
“God began revealing Himself to Marie during the retreat, where she met siblings Luke and Esther. Following the retreat, Marie attended a get-together at Luke’s house and met his parents. ‘It was then that I first heard God’s calling for me—His echo to a lost, wandering child,’ Marie said. ‘I felt it in an instant. It was sweet-sounding and truly beyond what I could comprehend.’ Luke’s mother became Marie’s spiritual mentor, helping to guide her forward on her spiritual journey. Marie said, “Peace is with me in all the things I do. I feel accepted and every time I think of how God would love me so unconditionally as to send Jesus to die for me, I can’t help but cry.’ God sought this girl until she found Him. It’s not something she takes for granted. Today, Marie feels completely new and eager to live according to the Word of God.”
No matter what time of year it is, or what our current life situation is, we can always be made new through the blood of Christ. Genuine change transcends our external resolutions and goals. True change involves much more than relying on our own willpower. It all starts with having the Spirit of the Almighty God at work within us, sanctifying and building us, conforming us into the very image of Jesus Christ.
For More Information
Read more testimonies from international students who have been blessed by our ministry’s staff and volunteers!
Learn more about how you can get involved with ISI.
RSS Feed