“I Gave My Life to Jesus in Lockdown 2020”: Michelle’s Story
For many people, the lockdown has provided nothing but bad news. However, it is important to remember that God is working through all the difficulties to bring people to Himself.
Michelle’s Upbringing
“I knew of the Lord but I did not know Him,” states 20-year-old Michelle of her upbringing in a nominal Christian household.
“We stopped going to church most Sundays and just continued living our lives ignoring God.”
As she grew older, Michelle recalls becoming a rebellious teenager – living for herself and getting trapped in destructive and sinful habits in the search for happiness.
But God was drawing Michelle back to Himself.
“Last year I was struggling with how to make it through the whole Coronavirus situation financially. I had less than twenty dollars left in my bank account and no hope for my future.
“One night as I sat in my room feeling depressed, miserable and mad at myself, my eyes caught onto an old, somewhat dusty bible – I stared at it thinking ‘Really?’
I was struggling with how to make it through the whole Coronavirus situation…
– Michelle
Transformation in Lockdown
“But deep within me I thought, ‘What do I have to lose?’”
“So I began searching for Him. Initially in a self seeking way – I wanted Him to bless me with money. But as He spoke to me through His Word I got something I didn’t see coming. Eventually being in lockdown at home seemed more like being locked in my room with the word of God.”
God transformed Michelle’s heart and mind over the weeks and months that followed and it was during this time that she came across Youth for Christ on the internet and reached out.
“I needed help,” Michelle recalls.
“I was at home, alone and on fire for Jesus but no one could understand why, even myself.”
Thanks to your support a YFC missionary was able to begin a discipleship journey with Michelle, connect her into an online prayer group with other young Christians and, as lockdown restrictions eased, help baptise her.
Michelle with YFC missionary, Lyndal. When COVID-19 restrictions lifted, Michelle drove to Brisbane to be baptised in YFC Director Cindy McGarvie’s backyard.
“He is the Way, the Truth and the Life”
This year Michelle’s desire to live for God and share her faith with others led her to join the YFC team as one of our first Abide Interns where she’ll live in a community with other passionate Christians to go deeper with Christ.
“The impact of giving my life to Christ has opened doors I never thought possible. I never saw Jesus as the focal point in my life but now everything is for Him because He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
“I recently baptised my little sister and I’m wanting to do so much more.”
Through your prayers and gifts for the Youth for Christ mission, you’re standing alongside young Christians like Michelle to help rescue and restore the youth of our nation through peer-to-peer evangelism and discipleship.
Thank you!
___
Originally published on Youth for Christ. Image by Youth for Christ.
Recent Articles:
17 March 2025
4.3 MINS
Every species can be threatened by disease. The bureaucratic instinct is to kill every member in any threatened herd to ensure all sick ones die. But there are major flaws in this scorched earth policy that threaten animal and human flourishing.
17 March 2025
3.8 MINS
A deal between the new government, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and the Syrian Democratic Forces in north-east Syria could bring a measure of peace and relief for persecuted Syrian Christians caught up in the recent fighting. But will cooperation and goodwill endure?
Romanian Government Stops Election, Then Arrests the Winning Candidate Georgescu “To Save Democracy”
17 March 2025
4.1 MINS
Romanian presidential hopeful Calin Georgescu has been arrested due to alleged ‘Russian interference’ and after being smeared as a fascist. If this narrative sounds all too familiar, it is.
14 March 2025
1.8 MINS
An Australian court has ruled against Kirralie Smith, restricting her advocacy on women’s sports. What does this mean for free speech?
14 March 2025
3.7 MINS
An advertisement for Clive Palmer’s political party read, “There are only two genders – male and female.” Could the Newcastle Herald please advise us on how many genders exist? George Orwell, eat your heart out.
14 March 2025
3.3 MINS
Financial conflicts of interest, unusual wait times, ballot shortages and substandard voting information have plagued the WA election and revealed major integrity issues.
14 March 2025
9.1 MINS
The new report from the Australian Human Rights Commission, titled “Collateral Damage”, sheds some predictable but important light on the human rights abuses during the Covid years. But it still falls far short of a proper investigation.