"You now have five minutes... to drill your CSM hosts... you can ask us any question and we will answer... go..." This little Q&A icebreaker eases the tension and students ask silly questions like "What's your favorite color pixie stick?" One of my girls this week got straight to the point and asked the question that mattered most...

Ironic. Not even fifteen minutes earlier, I told my co-host that I was not going to bring my story into the debriefing session. We spent the day working with kids, many of which come from impoverished and/or troubled homes. Meaning I can offer some insight based on my own experiences, but I try not to do so too often because this is not about me and I don't want to continually refer to my story. Even though I vowed not to use a personal story this time, when she asked for my testimony, I knew I could not pass up this opportunity. It is impossible to separate my walk with God from my struggles in life because God has been so gracious to me and it is truly His story to tell. So, I gave the group a topical, vague overview... and some insight and encouragement, but stuck to my guns about not getting into much detail. The following evening a few of the girls asked me to fill in the details...

Though I still do not know what that dynamic between sharing and not will be with groups- or in life for that matter, I will never pass up an opportunity to share what God has done for me if asked. This is the second week in a row that the group asked questions that led to me telling my testimony....

There is something to be said about the power of a testimony. Revelations 12:11 says "They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony". Something to ponder. What if my very testimony- the story of God working in my life- helps someone else overcome their problem or their prejudice or their fear? If I refrain from sharing when I have insight, what does that say about my willingness to share my faith and the truth about God?

Our willingness to be open and confident - to speak the word of God in truth and our testimonies with bold assurance- is an essential component of our faith. Sharing one's testimony goes beyond sharing words though. Words are nothing if the life we lead doesn't reflect the words we speak. If we claim to be changed, we should live in a way that shows those changes...

An example from last night, if we claim to believe in the power of prayer, we should be devoted and expectant in prayer... Prayer.... Living out faith in public. What is more public than praying in a park with a group of students? Our testimony that we believed in prayer was the fact that we were genuinely praying aloud in a public area. A man saw our faith and asked us to pray for him and his faith because he does not believe in God. I prayed through the Gospel with him and for healing in his life, and the youth leader prayed for his heart and his journey... and I think that it is awesome to be allowed to play a small part in what God is doing in that man's life

Oh, the power of a testimony- in word, in actions, in life... the question is whether we limit the power by passing over opportunities... my reason for not speaking or not acting when I have the opportunity is generally a fear of people and people thinking poorly of me. That loss of reputation or favor with people is nothing compared to a lost opportunity to see the Blood of the Lamb and the Holy Spirit working through our lives to help someone overcome...

Just some unedited thoughts to ponder.