More in: Baptist Campus Ministries

All articles in: Baptist Campus Ministries

Six Years Later

Baptist Campus Ministries: Brad Simmons
Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Six years: that is how long I have been living in Wichita and working for the Heart of Kansas. That is also how many school years I have been working towards reaching the students at Wichita State University. Things have changed a lot over that period of time, both personally and in ministry.

Over time, our ministry has changed focus from American commuter students to international residential students. It has grown from a few local students to over 60 students from dozens of countries. We have graduated several students from our ministry and many have gone home, or entered their careers. Personally, I have moved twice, gotten engaged, gotten married, had a little girl, have another little one on the way, started and finished seminary, and am preparing to move again. Anyone want a cute little house in Riverside?

The only constant in all of this has been God. God's faithfulness to take me, move me, use me, and transform me into a vessel for his use has been an incredible journey. On June 21, I plan to attend my ten year high school reunion. I will see people there that I have not seen since the last day of high school. They will be floored when they find out what I have spent the last six years doing and I do not blame them. Sometimes I can't believe it either.

God's constant work of changing me and changing the students that I have worked beside over the past six years has been an awesome blessing to experience and observe. I thank God that he is constantly there, but more than that, I thank God that he is constantly at work changing me and using me to influence change in others.

Six years is really not that much time, but what wonders God can accomplish in us when even the smallest amount of time is committed to him. May God continue to work in your life, in the lives of those in your family, and in your church, so that you may be used by him to transform the lives of others around you.