Back College student goes from agnosticism to relationship with Jesus

September 27th, 2012

College junior, Nick Masie, was battling depression and anxiety. His grandpa had just died. And, only months earlier, he'd broken up with his girlfriend of two years. On top of it all, he was agnostic and had no higher power to turn to for answers.

"I kept trying to fight through all the hard stuff. I didn't have anyone to talk to," he said. "I was just filling up with so much anger and hate. It got to the point where I was like, 'This just isn't me or what I want to do. I can either let this consume me or do something about it.' I knew something had to change."

That was six months ago. And that's when he was introduced to Jesus through Brentwood Baptist member and fellow University of Tennessee student, Kacy Slayden.

"I'm not even sure how it came up, but she happened to share the gospel with me," Nick said. "I always looked at the Bible as a book of fairy tales and old stories that weren't really applicable to my life. But the way she explained it to me made sense. I could tell what she was saying was genuine. She wasn't trying to change how I thought, but she really was concerned for my soul."

Kacy pointed Nick to KairosNashville.com—particularly to one message shared by Pastor Mike Glenn on a Tuesday night at Kairos.

He said, "I listened to the sermon the whole way through and it really resonated with me. That was the first time I felt the Holy Spirit move in my heart and life. I didn't quite know what it was yet, but I knew it was a big deal. I knew something was different about me in that moment. I felt myself being drawn to Jesus."

Nick spent this past summer in Nashville and began attending Kairos every week.

"I remember the first thing I knew I had to do was read the Bible, so I powered through the New Testament. Even now, I'm working through the Old Testament. And the funny thing is, the more I read it, the more I want to read it. The way I look at things and think about things is completely different. My eyes have been opened to a new perspective."

The change didn't stop there. Nick began attending Brentwood Baptist on Sundays and felt a tug toward missions and service.

"I thought, 'I have this new faith and I'm doing my best to understand it, but I really want to put it to work.' I was tired of focusing so much on myself. I wanted to give back to others, so I got involved in Mission 615 and served dinners to the homeless in downtown Nashville, then I signed up for the mission trip to Haiti."

Some of Nick's friends encouraged him to stay stateside since he was a new believer. They thought an international mission journey might be too much for him.

"But I felt called to go there," he said. "I thought it would prepare me to evangelize within my own community back in Knoxville. And when I showed up for the informational meeting, I knew it was for me."

Only eight people were on the trip to Petit Goave, Haiti. From August 4-10, the team discipled the youth at Philadephia Baptist Church, served at a homeless shelter and orphanage, took Bibles to prisoners and talked with them, and hosted a mid-afternoon sports camp for kids and teenagers.

During the sports camp one afternoon, Nick dislocated his shoulder. He was rushed to a local clinic where he waited for hours on a doctor.

"There was a woman giving birth to twins nearby and a goat was running around the clinic. I just kept thinking, 'I wish they would pop my arm back into place already.' But there happened to be Americans at the hospital who weren't even supposed to be there. They helped put my shoulder back in place. I even saw God working in that situation."

Over the past six months, everything in Nick's life has been turned upside down—in the best way possible. He still misses Haiti and the people he met there every day. But his newfound relationship with Christ has given a new life of worship, Bible study, and service—even opening up some new possibilities as he starts his junior year at UT.

"I walked away from the summer with a lot. I'm already doing a little mini small group with some of my friends at school. We're discussing the Word together. And I'm searching out a place to serve here. I really feel called to that stuff. I'm just ready to live out my faith every day right where I'm at."

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