Jayla Wulff was just 4 years old when she committed her life to Christ and the love of Jesus filled her heart with a desire for everyone to know about Him.

“Even though I was little, I would tell everybody that I was a Christian,” said the Laramie, Wyo. native. “I would go to school and ask people, ‘Do you know Jesus?’ I was a mini missionary.”

Wulff held on to that missionary mindset throughout her childhood and began attending FCA meetings in middle school. Now, an active member of FCA as a midfield soccer player at Oklahoma Christian University (OC), Wulff walks alongside others in their pursuit of a deep relationship with the Lord.

Having spent most of her sports career within FCA and church camps, the young soccer star learned early on about prioritizing alone time with God. Making herself available to listen to God’s whispers is what allowed Jayla the opportunity to lean into the foundation in Him that began so many years ago.

“Before I started spending time alone with God, I was often comparing myself to others and I could see that I was easily angered,” she said. “After a relationship with Jesus, I had this sense of growth in love, joy and peace.”

Though her faith deepened and she learned to see the fruits of the Spirit, Wulff admits her life was not without its fair share of temptation and hard choices.

In high school, Wulff’s parents wanted her to focus on school and athletics. Despite knowing that her parents disapproved of a boy she liked, she found herself seeing him behind her parents’ backs. Trapped between the convictions of the Holy Spirit and the temptation of the relationship, Wulff wrestled for several months.

“I felt guilty and convicted about it,” Wulff said. “I would spend time with the Lord in the morning and all I could think about was how I was walking in disobedience.”

When an opportunity to be a Huddle Leader at an FCA Camp presented itself, Wulff suddenly found herself equipped and empowered to take action. She broke things off with the boy the morning before she left for camp.

“I wanted my life to represent Christ,” she said. “I knew that I didn't want to be living a life different from what I'm telling the girls. It was a huge point in my life where I just had to trust and surrender, knowing Jesus is better.”  

With a renewed confidence in her faith, the college junior is entering her fourth year as a camp Huddle Leader. Her strong faith and ability to take bold actions is exactly why FCA staff love her.

“Jayla remained steady in both her professed faith as well as actions,” said Stacy Frude, FCA Laramie Campus Representative. “Jayla has been an unapologetic follower of Christ since we met her in middle school and has taken a bold stance on the Gospel while communicating with kindness and compassion, truly demonstrating God’s call to speak the truth in love.”

Wulff’s story serves as a reminder to build on a firm foundation so the “mini-missionary” in us can share the love of Jesus.

Photos courtesy of Jayla Wulff