Feet Fitted for the Gospel of Peace - Montana's Story

Last year Montana Wiggins found herself becoming depressed. She had stopped participating in youth activities at church and felt herself drifting away from Jesus, so she decided to step back onto the path of her faith journey.

After returning to youth group, she also signed up for the Winter Retreat opportunity in January of 2023. What a weekend! The messages, connections with friends and leaders, and the whole experience helped to re-center Montana on what matters most.

Montana began praying and felt a peace and joy she hadn’t felt in quite a while and the depression and gloom just melted away. God was opening her mind to pursue more in life. She knew a deep relationship with Jesus was the answer and she wanted to find ways to not just grab it and hold onto it for herself, but to spread that good news to others.

In Montana’s hunt for opportunities, she found Youth With A Mission and signed up for their Discipleship Training School (DTS).  She is excited to get more education in the Bible, broaden her understanding of spiritual truths, and deepen her personal relationship with Jesus so that she is able to more authentically share the hope of Christ. She says, “You can’t share what you don’t know.”

Montana leaves for DTS at the end of September. The training is three months long. A portion of her learning will be on public speaking, something her dad has always encouraged her toward, but there will also be other elements, including outreach opportunities, folded in. Each day will include classroom time and a few hours of hands-on service.

Following the training Montana will be assigned to a country somewhere in the world for another three months. When asked if she has any say about where that will be, Montana responded, “We can request a continent, which is not even guaranteed, but it’s okay because every place needs help. God moves things around and you have to go with the unexpected.” She does, however, feel drawn to Africa.

When asked what excites her about this new venture, Montana says that she is looking forward to being among a wide range of people, learning about stories that are far different from hers. But what she is most excited about is “Falling into a deeper relationship with God personally.”

When Montana speaks, there is a gentle yet powerful eloquence about her that makes her an effective preacher already. She continues, “Peace drove me to help other people. I want to help them find what I have.”

It seems our girl already has her “feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace!” (Ephesians 6:15) Part of that gospel, that good news, Montana says is that “when you fully give your life to God, it is the only way to truly be yourself and the only way to feel complete.” Amen, Montana!

When you give to Missions and Outreach at Ventura Missionary, you are partnering with us to help send and support people like Montana to bring the gospel of peace into the world around us. If you would like to partner financially with Montana directly, click on her gofundme page.