My name is Jordan Tarant and I am from Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada. I was born and raised in a Christian home with 2 awesome parents and 3 amazing siblings. They have shaped me a lot into the man that I am today. When I was about 8 years old I accepted Jesus into my heart and we began a relationship together. However, I didn’t realize how important or amazing that relationship was until many years later. Life for me growing up was pretty average for a North American. I went to school, hung out with friends, played some sports, went camping, vacations, etc… Then in junior high life began getting a bit different. I began having an attraction for the opposite sex. Females bodies were now appealing to look at. This led me into a long struggle with lust and pornography. I had different people in my life who I trusted to confess this sin with. After high school, God spoke to me and told me to tell my youth pastor. I did this and it was a good decision. He helped me fight in this struggle. He taught me a lot and discipled me for 2 years. I matured a lot and my relationship with Jesus grew and grew. It was not easy, but totally worth it.
After high school I moved out of my parents house and got a job stocking shelves. A few months later I went to a youth retreat at Living Faith Bible College. Here God spoke to me and said “This is where you will be going”. I told my youth pastor who was discipling me and he said, “Ya, that’s what I was sensing too”. This confirmed it for me and I went home and asked my parents if I could move back in. They graciously said “yes” and I moved back home. I continued working and had a few other jobs before school. I worked for 2 years before going to Bible college and I raised enough for a full year of tuition ($10,000). I began September 2011 not knowing how many years I was going to be going for. I said, “Maybe 1, maybe 4, only God knows”. At the end of my 1st year I found out about the World Race. I was hooked the moment I saw a promo video on YouTube. I knew at this point God was calling me to do 2nd year at Bible College. So I went with the intentions of after 2nd year I would go on the World Race. God changed my plans however when Living Faith started a program where students can take their 1st semester at a sister Bible College in Uganda. God put the offer on the table and I knew I was supposed to go. I had a lot of joy about it and a peace about putting off the World Race for another year. So in 2013 I went to Uganda for 3 months and had an amazing time! I ended Bible College after 3 years and received a Diploma in Christian Ministry. People ask me what I can do with that, and I don’t really know yet. I didn’t go to school for a degree, I went because that’s where Jesus sent me.
So since I was in junior high (grades 7-9), I began to get interested in missions. I knew by high school (10-12) that I would be a full time missionary. God has already taken me to many places. In grade 11, I went on my first short-term missions trip within Canada to a native reserve in Saskatchewan. My next place was Haiti in 2010 and 2011. After my 1st year of Bible College, I went to the Philippines for 3 weeks. This was amazing and I really want to go back there. The Philippino’s are awesome people and I loved playing basketball (their national sport). In fall 2013 I went to Uganda for Bible College and on the weekends I got to do ministry with the students. Their passion for Jesus and ministry was really contagious.
In January 2015, I left to go on the World Race. I went to India, Nepal, South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, Latvia, Estonia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It was an incredible year and God did so much in me and through me. You would have to read all my blogs to get a glimpse of all that He did. But even with that, there was more growth I had that I haven’t shared In my blogs. God has now brought opportunity to Squad Lead in April and I am super pumped to go out again to the nations. This is my heart beat and God knows it better than I do.
God has taken me on some wild rides thus far in my life and I am only 24. I have grown so much in maturity in Christ and know I still have a long way to go to be like Jesus. My desire is to keep learning, to keep reaching out and serving the maker of this universe. I desire to be in heaven with Him, but there is work to do first. I live each day seeking Jesus and experience much joy because of it. I desire to die so that I may gain life.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. -Romans 8:12-13
