Andrew, Ph.D. student in Civil Engineering
I, like most international students, had a goal of coming to the United States to study technology, get a great job and earn lots of money, buy fancy cars and a big house. I worked really hard and tried to satisfy myself with all these goals. But I felt so exhausted and anxious. I started asking myself, are these things really the meaning of my life? And the answer that I felt within was no. But what is the meaning of my life? I found out the answer when one day, I met a group of Christians from Believers at LSU who shared with me that humans are vessels (Rom. 9:23) designed to contain the life of God and only God Himself can satisfy man’s innermost part. From their speaking, I learned that man can experience God through the Spirit and the Spirit is like living water that can saturate, nourish and cherish man. After that conversation, I never had to ask myself again what the meaning of my life was. Now, I am enjoying pursuing Christ in order to be saturated with God and desire to experience Him in my daily life.
I also enjoyed spending time with many supporting families in the LSU community. I am very encouraged to see families with kids, grandparents, and recent graduates who have learned the secret of keeping themselves day after day in this “living stream” of fellowship with the Lord Jesus. Seeing their life being full of praise and joy, I want to be just like them! From the Bible studies and ministry meetings, I have learned that the Christian life is like the process that a piece of wood experiences while buried under a river with moving water. It is gradually reconstituted with minerals and finally becoming beautiful petrified wood (1 Pet. 2:5). In the last two chapters of the Bible, it reveals that precious stones are used to build up the New Jerusalem which is mutual dwelling place of God and man in eternity.