While waiting for clothes to dry in an all-night laundromat, Matt and Desirae weeded through the home and garden and sports magazines on the table. Suddenly, a magazine with a very different look arrested their attention. On the cover was a picture of Jesus with Mary and Martha. It was the August 2004 issue of the Lake Union Herald. The headline, “Seeing Others Through the Eyes of Jesus,” made them curious to see what was inside.

Christ had always played an important part in Matt’s life. But he discovered when he went to college that to have Christ as a part of your life—even an important part—is not enough. Having his faith challenged, Matt discovered he needed to find Christ for himself.

Also from a Christian home, Desirae began to slip away from her Christian values while she was in high school. Now in college, she was on her own, away from home, and needed a significant friend in her life. Living without her values, she too had been sucked into the college social scene by the spiritual vacuum in her life. And unfortunately, she found herself in a very bad relationship. It was time for something better.

God, in His mercy and grace, was about to do some amazing things for these two students at the University of Wisconsin–Stout. He began with Matt, who responded to God’s personal call by praying through scripture. He came to the conclusion that God didn’t want to be a part of his life—God wanted to be his life. So Matt decided to make a serious commitment to devote his life 100 percent to Christ.

Matt found a little community church to help him continue in his new faith. The pastor had a passion for ministry, and it came through in every sermon. Matt found himself being moved by the Spirit of Christ. There was genuineness in the pastor’s voice. At times, he even shed tears as he spoke.

Not wanting to keep his new life to himself, Matt began to bring some of his friends to the little church and their lives were changed. One of those friends was Desirae. She had come to Minnesota with him (she thought) to visit his parents. But Matt had planned all along to find a way to bring her to the little church.

Desirae recounts the story: “We were in Duluth. I don’t remember why we were up there. I think we were visiting Matt’s family. Matt was telling me about this church, so we decided to go. We were running a little late but we were encouraged to go anyway. I had a good feeling about the church because he had talked about it a lot. So we went to service and it was a very powerful service.

"I really felt Jesus there. The pastor asked people to raise their hand if they wanted to give their life to Jesus—and I raised my hand.”

Matt tells his side of the story: “My intention to get her to Duluth was to get her to that little church. At about the same time she raised her hand, tears rolled from my eyes. I felt that this was my purpose in life. She was the third person I helped bring to Christ.”

Life changed for Desirae and a new thing happened in their relationship. They discovered that there are so many pleasant things to do that are pleasing to God and helpful to others. They made friends with other Christian couples and worked together to bring other people to their new world of happiness.

While reading the Herald, late that night in the laundromat, Matt noticed the One Voice article by Christina Michelle Wilson and the advertisement encouraging others to submit words of faith, hope, and challenge to the Herald. He immediately thought of his experiences leading his three friends to Christ and wondered if the Herald would be interested in printing an article of his experience.

When Diane Thurber, Herald managing editor, opened up her e-mail one day, she was happy to see we had received another submission for the One Voice column. She found Matt’s story encouraging and interesting, but wondered how he had come in contact with the Herald.

She forwarded the story to me for my review. I too was inspired by Matt’s story and asked Diane to find out how he found us. Here’s some of Matt’s reply:

“Hello Diane and any others reading this! Interestingly enough, I discovered your awesome magazine at the local laundromat while waiting for my clothes to dry. I was there with my girlfriend and, inspired by the magazine, we had nearly two hours of deep talks regarding the Lord. She is one of the three friends (who) were the focus of my article.

“Every time we went back to do another load of laundry, we would search for the latest issue of your magazine. We have also discovered that it is published online, so we oftentimes will read it together sitting in one of our apartments.

“I have always wanted to get this story out to readers in a magazine which I felt really stood for similar things that I stand for. I think your magazine, and from what I can tell your churches in Michigan and other areas, are really wonderful things.

“May God bless each and every one of you!”

When I read Matt’s reply I arranged a meeting. Last week I had the opportunity to meet Matt and Desirae, and found them to be full of God’s Spirit and eager to serve Him. I was curious as to what counsel they might give to our student readers. Here’s what they said:

Desirae – “I would just like to say (the drinking and partying) is a waste of money and time. And it’s not what God wants to see you do. I really strongly believe that God has a plan for everyone that includes a lifetime partner and you just need to wait. You have to weed out the bad ones to get to the good ones. I found the best at the end of the worst.”

Matt – “Growing up in your teens, you all know the pressures that you’re faced with. When you give into a lot of those sins and temptations, it’s an artificial happiness—a temporary artificial happiness that never fills the void. There’s only one way you can do it. And once you do, your life will change forever. You will look for eternal happiness in Heaven, which is just an amazing feeling. You will live (each) day in a natural high because you will have God at the center of it. It’s absolutely amazing.

“Focus on the actual important thing. School is important; starting a life is important. But focus on what is actually the heart of why we’re here, our purpose on Earth. It’s all in the big picture and is the only thing that matters.”

As I spent the evening with Matt and Desirae, it was obvious to me that God was at work in their lives. From what they shared of their experience, it was obvious that God is at work in the life of that little church too.

Because of His great mercy and abounding grace, God is at work all around us. Praise Him for His work wherever you see it. Affirm the evidences of His work that you see in the lives of those around you. Join Him in reaching out by sharing your joy and your faith and lead someone to Christ. You might even want to share your Herald.

By the way, whoever is leaving the Herald at the little laundromat in Menomonie, Wisconsin, thank you, and keep it up!

Note: Read Matt's One Voice article on page 42.

Gary Burns is the Lake Union Herald editor.