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Yeah right...you've got to be kidding me...WOW!...God, you are so much bigger than I ever thought!!!

Those were the thoughts that raced through my mind one night at a church service as my belief in prayer was totally revolutionized. As a sophomore in high school God gave me a burden to pray for several of my friends and classmates that were living without any relationship with Christ...

They were lost and didn't even know it...I did...and wanted to see that change.

I knew I was quite incapable of bringing the level of transformation that was needed in their lives so I began to pray. There were quite a few people I wanted to pray for and so I began by simply taking out an index card and filling both sides with names. Probably 30-35 people in all. I found out that in a month or so, there was going to be a service at my youth group that would be geared towards explaining the Gospel to people seeking truth. Here was my opportunity to partner with God.

These kids were awesome people who just didn't know that to find truth is to find a person...Jesus Christ.

Every night before going to bed I'd pull out my notecard and just mention their names to the Lord. I'd ask Him to open their hearts and to give me the boldness to extend an invitation for them to come with me to church. God was not only going to have to do His part, He needed to give me the courage to do mine. He kept to His end of the deal....and by His Grace so did I.

Over the next few weeks I handed out little invitation "touch cards" and then showed up to see what would happen. Our little youth group that night went from a group of 20 to a group of 40...I couldn't believe my eyes...15-20 of my friends showed up and were with me at CHURCH!!!

By the end of the night, I had the opportunity to look around the room, when everyone's eyes were supposed to be closed:) and see several of my friends, tears streaming down their faces, surrender their lives to Christ. Everything changed for me at that point. I still have doubts just like the rest of us, but for me, on that day several questions were answered in my heart:

-My Father not only hears but can direct my prayers
-My prayers are more powerful than I realize
-The Good News of life in Jesus Christ can penetrate hearts you never imagined could be touched.

Over the years, some of those friends drifted away from their relationship with Jesus, some are still walking with Him today, and one is powerfully extending God's Kingdom in areas of ministry all over the world.

A divine seed of truth is still planted in all of them. It was first planted in their hearts through prayer.

Let's see what God will do with our prayers.