“At sea, there is a lot of time for conversations,” says Dan, a Cru grad from the Naval Academy. While at sea, he serves our country in the Navy as an assistant navigator on his ship and has the opportunity to develop deep friendships. He says, “When you stick 1,000 people on a ship for months, needs come out and how you walk through life in those pressures and demands is evident to everyone.” This reality has opened the door for Dan to have numerous spiritual conversations with people aboard his ship.
Dan didn’t always plan to join the military, but is now happily serving in the Navy. Originally, he went to the Naval Academy to play baseball, but quickly learned that it wasn’t the path for him. Early on at the Academy, he became involved in Cru and grew deeper in his faith through Bible study and discipleship relationships. He also began to see how God could use him to minister to others in the military. God started his ministry by equipping him to reach out to classmates. As he built relationships with these men, Dan’s compassion grew for them and the many others serving our nation who do not know Jesus.
Dan has often considered becoming a missionary overseas, but he has traveled the world as a Naval officer, often visiting countries that are closed to missionaries. Whenever Dan is in port, people want to talk to him and get to know him.
“Early on in the conversation I’m going to talk about my walk with Jesus,” he says. While he is not able to develop lasting relationships with these people, he is able to plant a seed that he believes God will continue to grow.
As he mentioned, life in the military is pressure-filled, so prayer is foundational to Dan’s ministry. Even though the confines of the ship give him little personal space, he is dedicated to spending time in prayer and the Word while he is deployed. This keeps him going while he is away from his local church who encourages him to continue seeking Jesus and be a light for Him in the Navy. Dan firmly believes God will answer his prayers for his comrades.
Dan is a Sent One!
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