How Cole’s Distrust for God Turned into a Passion for Missions

In high school, Cole realized he didn’t really trust the claims of Christianity. “When I would read through the Bible or hear its teachings and compare them to my own experiences, my conclusion was that God couldn't be good and he couldn't be loving, like was portrayed,” he says.

“I spent most of my high school years looking into that, but it just kind of got worse and worse the more I dug into it, talked about it, and prayed about it,” he says. Things were looking pretty grim for Cole’s faith, and by his senior year, he realized that he didn’t trust it at all. By that time, he didn’t even consider himself a Christian or have any faith in God whatsoever.

But there was something interesting about his situation. He says, “Even though I didn't trust Him and didn't know Him, I knew I needed Him.” So, he decided to go to Lancaster Bible College to try to figure it all out. And after his first year there, nothing changed. “It was kind of miserable,” he says, “because I was surrounded by people who loved Jesus more than I'd ever seen. “I wanted this relationship, but I felt like I couldn't get one because I didn't trust him and I didn't think I could.”

Cole tried talking to people with doctorates in theology, getting mentors, and reading the Bible for himself, but nothing worked. He says, "I would spend hours just crying out to God in prayer, but nothing ever changed.”

Then during his sophomore year as several things seemed to be falling apart in his life, he prayed the prayer that he had prayed countless times before: “God, reveal Yourself to me.” And something finally changed. “I actually thought it was a fluke,” he says, “like the next day I would wake up and be unable to trust Him again—but I was able to trust Him, and very quickly, my whole life changed.”

Instead of facing all his problems on his own by bottling them up or trying to get through them himself, he now had someone to lean on. He had hope that even in the midst of his struggles, there was somebody above it all who was good and who loved him. “I’ve never felt more peace,” he says, “and now and I'm looking to give my whole life to Him.”

Last summer, Cole told God, “Wherever you lead me I will go.” Then an internship with Fellowship of Christian Athletes fell into his lap where he got to pour into others day after day and point them to Jesus. “It was the most fulfilling summer I’ve ever had,” he says. Yet by the end of it, he realized that it wasn't the kind of ministry God made him for. “I wanted to give more of myself to ministry than just a few days a week or for camps a couple of times in the summer,” he says.

That desire is what led Cole to consider missions, and this summer he’s going with Encompass on a team internship to Thailand and Cambodia, where there are very few believers. During this trip, he and his teammates will experience cross-cultural life, connect with our ministry partners there, and engage in the kind of relational ministry Cole is so passionate and gifted at.

We’re so glad that God finally revealed Himself to Cole, because now he’s completely on fire for Jesus. Ask God to do mighty things through Cole on this trip, and consider partnering with him as he explores how to best serve God with his life.