“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” — Ephesians 3:20
Sometimes God answers our prayers in ways we never could have imagined.
And sometimes, His answer comes wrapped in the arms of an eleven-year-old girl.
It was a Friday afternoon, and I was headed across town to speak to 230 students in grades six through eight. Two hundred thirty adolescents. Just before dismissal. For an entire hour. Remind me again why I said yes to this invitation?
If you've spent time with middle schoolers, you know that Friday afternoons aren't exactly prime time for sitting still or pondering life's deeper meaning.
But I had a message on my heart and a prayer on my lips.
Lord, if just one student hears something they need today, if one heart is touched or inspired, this hour will have been worth it.
Just one, Lord. That's all I'm asking.
My topic was Live Your YES, an invitation to discover purpose through three simple actions:
Y — Yearn. What stirs your soul? What difference do you dream of making?
E — Explore. Step outside your comfort zone. Discover your gifts and embrace new opportunities.
S — Serve. Look beyond yourself. Find a need and fill it.
Yearn. Explore. Serve. Three little words. One life-changing YES.
As I shared stories, sprinkled in some humor, and encouraged these young people to recognize their worth, I felt my heart filling with joy. This is my sweet spot: helping students discover that kindness isn't just something we do; it's a way we choose to live.
At one point, I shared something pretty personal.
I told the students that I don't charge for speaking engagements. Instead, I offer them in loving memory of my younger brother, Mark, who died unexpectedly of a heart attack at just 53 years old.
I didn't dwell on his death. I wanted them to know how he lived.
One of Mark's greatest joys was traveling to Nicaragua on mission trips. For a dozen years, he faithfully served alongside people who shared his passion for making a difference.
Looking back, I realize Mark was living his YES long before I put those three words together. He yearned to make a difference, explored opportunities beyond the familiar, and served with a joyful heart.
His life reminds me of 1 Peter 4:10:
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.”
Mark used his gifts in Nicaragua. I use mine to encourage young people. Different mission fields. Same calling.
When the presentation ended, students gathered their belongings and headed home. As I packed up, I wondered whether my words had found a place to land. Had anything I said mattered? Then, out of the crowd, a young girl approached.
"Can I have a hug?" she asked. Well, anyone who knows me knows I'm not one to turn down a hug. "Of course!" I answered, opening my arms.
She stepped into my embrace, then said something that stopped me in my tracks.
"I knew your brother, Mark." Wait. What?
Of all the things I expected to hear that afternoon, those five words weren't among them.
She explained that she was preparing to travel to Nicaragua with the very same mission group Mark had served alongside for all those years.
And then came the detail that nearly took my breath away.
Her mom is Suzie, the leader of BASIC Nicaragua. The very woman who had led Mark's mission trips all those years. I could hardly believe it.
Here I was, an hour and a half from home, speaking about Living Your YES, and standing before me was an eleven-year-old girl preparing to serve in the very place where Mark had found so much joy. What are the chances?
I hadn't gone looking for someone who knew Mark. I hadn't planned to say much about Nicaragua. And I certainly hadn't expected a young girl to hand me such a precious connection to my brother.
But there she was. And suddenly, that Friday afternoon felt like more than a speaking engagement. It felt like a sacred appointment.
I thought of Proverbs 16:9: “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.”
I had planned to deliver a message. God, it seemed, had arranged for me to receive one.
Mark's earthly journey ended far sooner than any of us wanted, but the good he set in motion didn't end with his final heartbeat.
His kindness kept traveling. His service kept speaking. His love kept reaching.
And now, another young heart was preparing to carry that same spirit of service to Nicaragua. I had walked into that room praying that one student might be touched by my message. What I hadn't considered was that God might have a message waiting there for me.
I drove home with a full heart, a few happy tears, and a renewed sense of wonder. I had asked God for one. One young person who might be inspired to carry kindness forward. And He sent me an eleven-year-old girl who was already doing just that. I went there to honor Mark's memory. And somehow, in a room full of middle schoolers on a Friday afternoon, his memory came walking right up to me.
With open arms.
Sometimes we pray to be the blessing, only to discover that God has already prepared one for us.
And sometimes, heaven's sweetest reminders arrive in the form of a hug.
Oh, and this also reminded me that love doesn't end just because a life does; thank you, Dad, to encouraging me to write this one down, so I can keep on remembering.
