Tanya came to know the Lord through Campus Bible Fellowship (CBF), a Baptist Mid-Missions ministry on secular colleges in the U.S. and around the world. Tanya’s CBF group is at the University of Iowa, where missionary Elva Craig serves.
I didn't grow up in a Christian home. My mother's family is Catholic, but she wasn't, and my father's family is Methodist, but he is not. I was never really around anyone who told me about Christ except my uncle and his family. When I graduated from high school I wasn't sure what I was going to do. For graduation my uncle gave me a study Bible.
I went on to Kirkwood Community College in Iowa as a theatre major and enjoyed it very much. But I wasn't happy. I felt lost. I began thumbing through the Bible that I had been given, but I put it aside, still confused. One day I went back to my old high school to talk to a few teachers with whom I was close. On my way out I ran into a friend who now worked at the school. I knew that this friend was a Christian so I asked him about churches around Iowa City. He told me about Faith Baptist Church where he attended, but I never went.
A while later he called me and invited me to the Campus Bible Fellowship Goodwill Crazy Dinner. It was so much fun. Just being around the people there, I could see their joy. I knew they had a love for God and I wanted that too. I went back and talked to my roommate, who was a Christian but hadn't been living for the Lord. I convinced her to come to Faith Baptist Church with me. The night we went, Pastor Waldren was talking about the cross. That's when I realized that I put Christ upon it—my sins. When I went home I knew I wanted Christ in my life. I talked to my roommate about it all during the next week. Sunday night I went to the services again and talked to Pastor Rob, the college pastor. He explained things to me, and then we prayed and I accepted Christ into my life. That was in March 2004.
After that, my entire world changed. I started Bible studies and began going to church and to CBF meetings. In May of 2004, I was baptized the same night as my roommate. I joined the National Guard and went into training where I got to witness to some soldiers and also meet other Christians. While I was there I met Michael, a great Christian man. We are now engaged and excited to serve the Lord together. I'm still attending CBF and want to tell everyone what Christ can do for them and what He has done for me.