"I know no matter what, Sojourn will be there."
"I didn't know who else to talk to"
"No other Christians ever welcomed or loved me like you did."
When Katie says these quotes to me about the impact of Sojourn in her life, it fills me with great joy that we've been part of her story of rediscovering God's love. It makes me so thankful for all the people who have invested in me and helped me be here for Katie. But my heart also breaks because I know there are so many more hurt students out there like Katie.
73% of College students feel alone
Over 1/3 feel like not one person has their back.
98% are not connected to a Christian community
Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death behind traffic accidents.
There is an entire generation that is leaving or has left the Church. They are also experiencing massive levels of loneliness, isolation, and depression.
These aren't just statistics. These are our friends and our family. These are your sons, daughters, and grandchildren. These are your neighbors, your babysitters, your barista, or your waiter at your favorite restaurant. This is the next generation of leaders, teachers, and business owners.
More importantly - these are children of God. Each one of these numbers is a child for whom God so loved that he gave his one and only son. Like a good father - God is grieved by his children's pain.
It doesn't have to be this way! It could and should be better. It can be better!
Jesus points to a way forward that worked 2000 years ago ... I think it would work again. In John 13, Jesus says, "As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." By loving like Jesus, the world will experience healing and come to know Jesus.
This is why Providence and why now. Because if not now, when? Are we going to wait for it to get worse? Will we wait any longer before we leave our comforts and love and heal a hurting world?
I hope that you join us on this journey. God's mission moves forward when we love like Jesus together. That's our plan here - to love the next generation like Jesus. We can't do it without you, so I pray you join us. If not now .... when?
- Nate Felkel
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