Almost every Thursday evening while I was a college student, I attended the Cru weekly meeting. And almost every meeting featured a student sharing their three-minute testimony, telling how they came to understand what it means to follow Jesus. My freshman year, I learned how to share my story in that way. I’ve shared it in many different situations over the years.

In January, memories of that process came back to me. At our church this year, we’re studying some of the testimonies we see in the Bible. And as church members we’re being encouraged to share our testimonies in the church and beyond. In January, Anne Marie spoke to the church, teaching everyone how to develop their story. Every week, at least one member shares a testimony. In March, it was my turn. (This photo shows an image from the church’s video.)

Here’s a version of what I said:

Have you ever felt that you need more friends? When I was in sixth grade, I thought I was set for friendship. I spent most of my free time with three other guys. We’d spend our lunch hours and other breaks during school together. After school most days, we’d play two-on-two basketball or watch reruns on TV.

But when I started seventh grade, everything changed. One friend moved away over the summer. The other three of us didn’t have any classes together. One started dating, and one had to work in his dad’s restaurant after school. I saw them once in a while, but not often.

I was lonely a lot of that year. I tried making friends, but I was shy. I tried going out for football, but quickly realized my “athletic prowess” wouldn’t win me any friends. I was so desperate, I even started going to church more often. The next summer, I went to church camp. That was where I finally understood that being a Christian was about more than going to church every week.

It was about accepting the gift of forgiveness that Jesus offers each of us. I prayed and told Jesus that I wanted to follow Him. I felt great, and I knew that Jesus was the best friend I could ever have. Unfortunately, for a boy going into eighth grade, having a friend who was only present in Spirit wasn’t fully satisfying.

But over the next few months and years, as Jesus worked in my life, something interesting happened. I stopped focusing on myself and trying to get friends. Instead, I focused on being a friend. I wanted to hear them talk, instead of expecting them to always listen. I took interest in their hobbies instead of just wanting them to take part in mine.

And as time passed, I realized that I wasn’t as lonely. I was both gaining from, and giving to, a handful of new friends as the love of Jesus moved through me.

If you’d like to see how the process works, and maybe prepare your own version, go to Preparing Your Personal Testimony at Cru.org. And if you want, send it to us so we can celebrate with you.

As you think of us over the next week, please pray for the opportunities we have. Pray for Anne Marie as she teaches an online writing class for Cru staff women from Asia and the Pacific. And pray for me and three other project managers as we work with Cru’s communications and marketing teams to set up a system that will let us all work more effectively together. Thanks for your partnership and friendship.  

— Blessings, Mark

P.S. Our team is trying something different for Easter this year — a comic. See that and other Lent and Easter items at Cru.org/Easter.