About Trent

As a kid, my attitude toward God could have been expressed like this:  "I believe in Jesus, now let me live my life and slide into Heaven."  I wanted to live for me.  In high school, however, I became more involved with my youth group at church in LaCrosse/Onalaska, WI.  Through missions trips and working at Arrowhead Bible Camp, I found that I really enjoyed being used for God's eternal purpose.  But I still wanted to do things my way.  In college, I found tremendous opportunities to serve God with my technical skills (or dumb luck when skill failed).  But I really questioned the idea that God would want to use something I truly enjoyed for His purposes.  That all changed when I talked to Steve, a director in Campus Crusade for Christ.  He told me that IT (Information Technology) was one of the greatest ministry needs- both in our region and worldwide.  I was sold.  I jumped tracks and studied Computer Networking and Security Technology, with full intent to let God use me the way He made me.

So my story really comes down to this:  I wanted to live for me, my way.  Then I wanted to live for God, but still my way.  Now all I want is to live for God, and do it His way.  I find more fulfillment in His plans than I ever did in any of mine.

About Tara

The biggest turning-point in my life happened at age 17 as I got to know Jesus as my Savior.  I was shocked to discover that God saves us by His grace rather than our own works (Eph. 2:8-9).  I then moved from Platteville to Madison, WI, for college, and I immediately noticed Campus Crusade for Christ at the UW.  Surprisingly, they were the largest student group on campus!  My friends were going to the Christmas conference in Minneapolis that year, so I went too.  The speakers were missionaries from around the world who told numerous stories about what God was doing.  My eyes widened as I learned that there are millions of people who have never heard the name of Jesus.  One speaker expressed the need for laborers in France.  Though it's a developed nation, they are considered "unreached."  God was whispering, "You've studied French for 5 years, you've been there, and now you know Me.  Will you go, Tara?"  I almost fainted.  Me?!  I couldn't believe that God had been equipping me for so long, but He's smart like that.

So I went to France in the summer of '05 and began treating Jesus as Lord.  I wanted to be fully-obedient.  And He blessed me.  For example, I met a student who had had a dream about Jesus the night before!  One student wanted to read a Bible, but there were no Christian stores in the city, so we provided a French Bible for her.  The nation is less than 2% Christian, and most people have literally never heard anything about the Good News.  The visible churches were museums, and it's taboo among French to talk about God, much less religion.  But we weren't French, and they all had spiritual questions bottled up inside.  So we were the safest people that many French students got to talk with, and that was quite rewarding!  I feel very called to work with college students wherever He places us-- they are so ripe for the harvest!