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Shannon's

Prayer Letter 



January 2016
 

ENCOUNTER 2015  

                 

  SC Lowcountry Cru at Encounter 2015- students from CofC, Coastal, and the Citadel spent 5 days over their Christmas break to grow in their relationship with the Lord. Many of them making significant life decisions.
 
(Note: this is long... but good!)
“My life changed forever on December 31st 2015. It was an amazing change. I bet you're wondering how? Well I was getting more involved with Cru at Coastal. I heard about an opportunity to go to this conference called Encounter. And at first I was like no way. Not my style - lots of people I don't know. But the broke college student in me heard about a way to go for free. So, I was like eh why not. There were so many awesome speakers to listen to, songs to sing and people to meet. I can say it was like the most awesome experience ever. And before this I just figured my good deeds and being a "good" person was enough. I mean I talked to God when things got hard, but here I learned that, that simply wasn't enough and that really being saved meant a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Once I learned that I felt so unworthy and felt as if I couldn't make the changes alone. But God sent me some vessels (Cru friends). I surrendered all of me. I chose to walk the path He has designed for me. I'm so excited to share the Gospel through Cru and all over Coastal Carolina!”  -Adreanna, freshman at Coastal Carolina (from her Facebook status)

I first met Adreanna (pictured left in the Coastal Carolina t-shirt) during an outreach, where we used a worldview survey called Perspective Cards to engage in spiritual conversations. Little did I know, that the “random” survey would end up with her giving her life to Christ a few weeks later at Encounter. 

One night during the conference, before she fully surrendered her life to Christ, Adreanna brought me a list of questions she had been thinking about all week; questions about what she had been learning about God. This was the first time she had been around this many Christians, hearing from incredible speakers and experiencing authentic worship. That 1:00am conversation was well worth losing a few hours of sleep!

During the Day of Faith, we took boxes of food to low income housing with the intention of getting into spiritual conversations. Adreanna was terrified! She was amazed at how open people were to talking about God. Upon returning to the hotel, students were asked to call a friend or someone they know who isn’t a Christian and ask them to take a New Year’s Eve survey about their goals for 2016. The purpose was to get them to take a step of faith and ask how they can pray for their friend as we spend time praying in the New Year. 

Hands shaking, Adreanna called her suitemate, Tyra.
 
Adreanna went through the survey with Tyra, as Tyra was on the way to a party. When Adreanna asked how she could pray for her, Tyra asked if she would pray that she would know forgiveness and how to forgive. WHAT?! Clearly God was orchestrating something.

Since placing her faith in Christ, Adreanna has been praying for Tyra to also know Christ, especially after the New Year’s Eve survey. Since the beginning of this semester, Tyra noticed the significant change in Adreanna and started asking questions about God. January 20th, Tyra placed her faith in Christ!  

After Tyra prayed silently to herself, she looked up with tears in her eyes. I said “welcome to the family!” and she reached across the table and grabbed my hand and sobbed (along with me and Adreanna!). 

“Tyra and I (Adreanna) are the influencers in our suite. We are the ones who always got everyone to go out and get drunk with us. Now, I’m excited to see how we can both influence others for Christ.”

It doesn’t stop there.
 
Adreanna had her friend Nicole fill out one of our spiritual interest surveys at the Club Recruitment Fair on campus and invited her to Cru that night. The following week, Adreanna and I met with Nicole to tell her more about Cru and get to know her.

Nicole grew up going to church occasionally, but it wasn’t a big part of her life. I asked her if anyone had ever shared with her the basic message of Christianity. She said no, but that she would like to know. So, Adreanna and I shared the gospel with her. January 20th, Nicole placed her faith in Christ!
 
Tyra and Nicole are spiritual twins!  
 
Nicole, me, Adreanna, and Tyra after Cru the day they both placed their faith in Christ!
 
The following night I received a text from one of our student leaders, Brandi: “Chelsea accepted Jesus tonight in Community Group! We were talking about the Gospel of John and about accepting Jesus. She asked, ‘what does it mean to be saved?’ Everyone answered and she wanted to know more. Adreanna brought out her KGP (Knowing God Personally booklet) and Serena (another student leader) leaped at the opportunity to go through it!”

Needless to say, God is on the move in the hearts of Coastal Carolina students. We are praying in faith that each of these decisions for Christ will grow deep, in good soil (Matthew 13:23). Pray with us that Tyra, Nicole and Chelsea will grow in their knowledge and love for the Lord as they learn more about their decision to follow Christ.

 
“Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.” -Habakkuk 1:5   
 
 
The picture above is a picture 7 and a half years in the making. It brings tears to my eyes to think that a dream I had to start a Greek ministry would come to fruition! Praise the Lord for His provision and wisdom over the years! This picture is of the very first CofC Greek Impact Bible study…ever! Girls from Alpha Delta Pi, Zeta Tau Alpha, Kappa Delta, Phi Mu and Sigma Delta Tau were there (that’s 5 out 10 chapters represented!). 

We are going to meet every other Wednesday night at 7:00 to discuss what the Bible says about good gifts God has given us but we have abused (i.e. beauty and appearance, relationships, sex, alcohol, success, etc.).  

Not only is there a Greek Bible study happening this semester, but also 3 Greek discipleship groups. These groups are designed to go deeper and help believers become spiritual multipliers by being equipped for living on mission in their sorority. It is my prayer that these girls would fall more in love with Jesus and desire their sisters to know Him too! 
 
 
Whew! You made it to the end! Sorry for being long winded, but the Lord is doing too many exciting things not to share them all! Thanks for going to battle with me in prayer for these students God has entrusted us with.
 
 
 
 
Joyfully serving with you
   

                                                                                         

 
 
 
 
My mailing address is:                                                                               
                           
Shannon Justice
129 Coming St
Apt C
Charleston, South Carolina 29403

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