Big Questions

This semester we are in a series at YL Club attempting to answer hard questions students have about God.  Let me say this is difficult.  We are not God.  However, God is providing words, stories, and truth through the scriptures to guide us.  Last night I focused on the question:  Does God answer prayer?  I learn so much about who God is by stories, of my own life and the lives of others.  I shared the story of my back and power prayer being answered in that healing.  Along with the passage in Luke 18 of the persistent widow.  Also shared an incredible story of a former YL kid of mine and graduate of LSHS.  Check out her story here:  http://vimeo.com/64567340 Joanna also answered questions in an interview.   I asked her does God answer prayer?  Read her response below:

"That is a question I have asked myself many many times. Absolutely. Do I believe that it looks the way we want it to? Not usually. Wouldn't that be amazing if everything we asked to be taken away would do just leave? We have become a people of instant gratification. We don't see past the outcome that we have romanticized in our minds. But what we don't see is that the world is full of darkness and disease and sickness is outside of our Father. We wont be able to know why or how it all works bc we are not God."

Joanna's tumor has not grown in 3 years.  She is living for Jesus in a way that I find incredibly inspiring.

There was so much more shared.  I think kids walked away knowing that YES, God answers prayers but not always the way we think or expect.  We know that He listens.  He carries our heavy burdens.  He promises us to never leave.  He is beside us.  There is no wrong way to pray.  We can simply talk to God.  Ask, thank, listen, be still, pray for others, or even say sorry.  Prayer is powerful.

1 John 5:14 

This is the confidence we have in approaching God; that if we ask anything according to his will, he HEARS us.