Every week in Youth Group, the kids give praise reports and prayer requests. Some are testimonies of how God provides in ways unimaginable. One of the young men told of how he needed some work done on his car, and God provided him a new tire at no charge. COOL. One said he got that $80 backpack he was wanting. Now maybe that doesn’t sound so totally ‘rad’ to you, but it was a big deal to the youth who testified of it.

I hear genuine prayer requests, like my mom is going to the doctor and they suspect cancer. I can hear the pain, fear, and concern in that request. I take joy in being able, as a group, to pray for that request. One of the kids last night asked us to pray that she got a laptop computer for her birthday. I prayed that she had a GOOD birthday, no matter what she received. Honestly, sometimes the kids are just being silly when they ask for prayer. That’s OK…At least they’re in the house of God and know what prayer is.

But last night was different. Last night I heard a praise report from someone unexpected. The praise report touched me so deeply because it was a life changing event in this young person’s life. All I could think after she gave her testimony was WOW….This young person has always amazed me, but below the surface she has some pain. She is loved by her family, but I could sense she didn’t believe it. I won’t share the name; it would probably embarrass her and her family. But I will share the testimony. I hope it touches you the same way it touched me.

It went something like this. “My mom and dad told me they were proud of me. They told me they were happy that I’m their kid.”

She shared that when I asked if God had done anything wonderful in their lives that week. It was the best testimony I'd heard in a long time.