WWJD? I found myself reflecting on this very question down in Panama City Beach, FL a couple weeks ago. It was literally a 24/7 wild party for the entire week.

Have you ever told someone sincerely, “I’ll pray for you!” and then wondered, “Oh no. What have I done?” You have the best intention of praying for them, but you feel like you don’t know how.

The combination of the president’s inauguration speech and the anniversary of Roe v. Wade this week serves as a drastic wake-up call to the current state of our country.

I love Facebook. I love posting, adding, liking, and commenting. I’m a fairly regular tweeter, pinner and instagrammer. I generally embrace all things cool, hip, and/or trendy (in hopes that I might be considered some of those things). In short, social media is my jam.

When I first tell students about starting a conversation with a new person in order to talk about Jesus, it’s interesting to say the least. If I had a dollar for every disbelieving laugh, terrified look, or flat out “I can’t do that,” well, I probably wouldn’t have to fundraise my salary.

About two years ago, Curtis Martin, the president and founder of FOCUS had an idea: What if we dedicated a group of missionaries to work with students online? My first reaction was less than enthusiastic. My mind raced to a number of thoughts about why this wouldn’t work.

Jesus became a friend of mine during college at University of Colorado. We were introduced through friends and FOCUS missionaries. My involvement in a FOCUS Bible study stirred me to keep introducing Him to others.

Greetings from the Emerald Isle!
After many days of preparation, flying thousands of miles over the U.S. and the Atlantic Ocean and fighting ardently against (and losing to) jetlag

Though not as often as prior to getting married, now and then I still take kind-hearted people up on the invitation to speak. I’ve always found the entire thing a bit strange, getting paid to travel and speak about matters of faith and life. In fifteen years, no engagement has ever been the same.

Sometimes people ask me, “What’s your favorite thing about being a FOCUS missionary?” Well, that’s a tough question. There are a lot of things we do as missionaries. But by far, one of the coolest things I get to do as a missionary is have a front row seat to watch god do amazing things in people’s lives. Looking back on my year serving at the University of Texas at Austin, one particular story still leaves me in awe.