Jayden entered the University of Arkansas as a hurting and anxious freshman, coming from a difficult home life and with minimal spiritual background. She rushed Tri Delta, hoping for a fresh start, but what she didn’t expect was how God would begin to move in her life through the relationships she formed there. Her “grandbig” in the sorority had just returned from a summer at Kaleo and was eager to share what God had done in her life. She shared the gospel with Jayden and they began to work through Jayden’s questions about God. “Could God love me despite my faults?” “Will my anxiety keep me from God?” “How can God heal the wounds from my past?”
A few months later, Jayden signed up for Kaleo. At that point, she hadn’t fully committed to following Jesus, but her heart was hungry for spiritual growth. That summer, God began to work in profound ways in her life. For the first time, Jayden started opening up about the pain and struggles she had been carrying. Her D-Group, an intentional small group of women, became a safe place for her to share her burdens and witness God’s faithfulness in the midst of suffering.
By the end of the summer, Jayden had made a decision—she was ready to give her life to Jesus, fully trusting Him with her fears, anxieties, and past pain. In her words, “God has shown Himself to me through people. He is a God who supplies more than we would ever need. He is the good shepherd and He leaves the ninety-nine to go after the one.”
Returning to campus in the fall, everything has changed. Jayden experiences a newfound peace that is evident to everyone around her. No longer does she turn to temporary fixes or distractions; instead, she runs to God in prayer, seeking His provision and strength. At Kaleo, she and Sophie began praying for Jayden’s roommate, Faith, to come to know Jesus. She felt a sense of urgency to share the gospel with Faith, even though she was nervous. Jayden took the bold step of telling Faith about Jesus. Faith was impacted by Jayden’s courage and the visible change in her life. She continues to show spiritual interest, and Jayden is hopeful that God will continue to draw her closer to Himself. She now has two “littles” in the sorority, and is eager to share Christ with them, just as Sophie shared Christ with her. Jayden is praying to see her new “littles” come to know Jesus as she has.
Through her journey—from questions and doubts, to seeking God’s truth, to boldly sharing the gospel—Jayden’s life is a living testimony of God’s redemptive power. She is no longer defined by her anxiety or past pain, but by the peace and joy she has found in Christ.
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