Two years ago some Bridges staff friends of mine asked me if I could help a little bit with talent show auditions at Vision 2021. I gladly helped out and had a great time! Then, the following year (2022) I was asked if I would help lead the talent show with an awesome staff friend, Vivi Van Ho. Now, for the second year in a row, I have had the opportunity to co-direct the Vision Conference Talent Show and New Year's Eve Dance Party. 

I know it may be hard to believe, but there is a lot of grueling work and long hours before and during the conference to pull this off. For example, this year we auditioned 60 acts of singers, dancers, jugglers, magicians, rappers, actors, and more. Auditions lasted from 10:00 PM - 3:00 AM  because of how packed the schedule is for Vision Conference. Out of those 60 acts, we had to narrow it down to 13 acts because the talent show only lasts 1 hour on December 31st (New Year's Eve) before a dance party that brings in the new year.

When I first started in this role I thought it was just a talent show, a fun thing to get the students excited about coming to and being at Vision Conference. Last year, though, at Vision 22 in Denver, CO I was watching the talent show from the side of the stage while helping the next act get ready to go on and I looked out at the audience. I saw how people from all over the world, with different cultures, languages, and worldviews were mesmerized by what was happening on stage. Act after act, these artists were representing a host of things: The mastery of their skill, something about who they are as an individual, their culture, their language, their history, their past, and their present. Each act was like a fingerprint, unique and beautiful. 

And then it hit me that this isn't "just a talent show." This is a celebration of God! God, the true master artist, has crafted each of these students with all of their intricacies; their culture, language, and skill. It is His creative work that precedes and, therefore, this mere talent show becomes a celebration of the multifaceted glory and beauty of God on display for the over 740 international students from 70 countries, many of whom do not yet know God as Lord. 

Praise God with us that His glory and beauty were represented and celebrated through this international talent show.

Here are a few photos from Vision 23, including 1 photo of all of some of the talented people who graced the stage on New Year's Eve. Click here to check out a short video Bridges International posted on their Instagram page.

We love seeing God move in the hearts of these students. He truly can and does use any opportunity to draw people to Himself.

• Please pray for the students who attended Jesus who don't yet call Him Lord and Savior. Pray that the things they heard and experienced during that week will continue to minister to them.

• Please pray for the believing students as they head back into their mission field: they college campus. Pray that they would feel equipped, rested, and ready to love and serve students while searching for opportunities to share the Gospel of Jesus with them.

• Please praise God and thank Him for the staff, co-laborers, volunteers, and student leaders who put in so much work to launch this amazing conference.