Joshua Drumm and his girlfriend, Julie Jeppersen, were very much involved in the “perfect” student lifestyle at Alma College. Julie was a cheerleader and Joshua was on the football team.

Not feeling spiritually satisfied, it seemed their lives were falling apart. They described themselves as "fair-weather" Christians, who prayed at family meals and gatherings. Joshua had difficulty coping with the fact his father had been arrested and sentenced to prison. They both felt something was missing in their lives so they decided to begin studying their Bibles.

As a result, they gave up cheerleading, football games, and working on Saturday. “[We] became real Adventist Christians,” said Joshua. “Our lives have been blessed ever since.”

Joshua and Julie married and moved to East Lansing, Michigan, where Joshua became a second-year medical student at the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM), and president of the Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA). They also joined the East Lansing University Church.

One Sabbath afternoon, as Joshua and Julie ate lunch at a member’s home, Joshua overheard church elders, Gary Heilig and Kevin Brooks, discuss the need for a speaker for Hope for Our Day, the church’s fall evangelistic series. Joshua quietly suggested a church member should be the speaker. Immediately, the elders asked if he would be interested. Joshua responded that if the church asked him, he would consider it.

Long after he had forgotten about this conversation, Joshua received a telephone call. The caller said, "We are so excited and are looking forward to you preaching at our Hope for Our Day series.” Startled, Joshua said, "I am?" The response was, "You didn’t know?"

Joshua accepted the responsibility, realizing that it would require some adjustments to his life. Newly married, in medical school, president of the largest medical student organization on campus, working in a part-time job, and now studying and preparing for the fall meetings—it seemed the heavy load would stretch him too thin. His solution was to change his medical education from a four-year to a five-year program.

He began preparation for the Hope for Our Day meetings, which were held in the medical school's main classroom. Over 40 medical and undergraduate students came to the series. Because of their class loads and schedules, many were not able to come to every meeting.

In response to the meetings, Joshua and Julie are now leading out in three weekly Bible study groups. Two groups meet in students’ homes and another meets in the home of a church member. The groups are discovering more of what the Bible teaches about Christ’s saving grace and how to live the Christian life.

Joshua is looking forward to his next series of meetings this fall. This time he will travel to Angola, Africa, to speak for a Global Evangelism event.

Joshua and Julie are not sure what God has in store for their futures, but one thing is for certain—they are glad they began their spiritual journey with Jesus, and have committed themselves to always be available to answer God’s calls to service.

Bruce Babienco is a Lake Union Herald volunteer correspondent.