Testimony

GOD WILL MAKE A WAY

By Fatima Anne

“Oh man… I haven't worked on my assignment. It's due in a few days! But …I've already registered myself for the WYD Training Day, I wouldn't wanna pull out! But I can't just leave my assignment undone, not if I want to give it my best shot”.

As these thoughts rushed through my mind, I got out of my bed and did my daily morning routine. Yet I knew I couldn't just push the thoughts away.

“Alright, I'll pray. Perhaps you'll show me”. I said to Jesus. “Your Word always brings me light. You're the best one to consult”.

And so I did. It was a struggle to focus when a thought was forcing me to decide on a choice, and also “what if God doesn't say anything?” But as always, the Holy Spirit intervenes and takes over. I asked that the Lord to show me what to do and consciously I proclaimed Him as my Lord and Saviour. Then, as usual, I moved on to the gospel of the day.

As I read Jn 11:45-56, the line “…but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God” just hit me. Isn't that what the World Youths Day (WYD) is all about? And so there it was, my answer staring at me. Thanking God, I got right to my assignment, attempting to do as much as I could on it before leaving for the Training Day event. Wow! You know, when the Lord leads, there's really nothing you can't do. I had so many ideas rushing through my head in that single hour than I would've had if I had stayed working on it, the whole day (at least that's what I assume). He's amazing. I then went and participated in the WYD Training Day* with such joy. I thanked God for giving me such an opportunity.

Its funny how God works. Oh He has His ways. I'm not saying that every time we read the gospel a line's going to jump out at us as answers to our prayers. It's just that there is a difference when we do pray, no matter what happens or does not happen. I find that there's less fear and more strength when I just let go and trust Him.

It's not always easy. To take time off to be in silence with Him, or to make the space to accommodate change, to help a friend in need when you've got your day planned out well. Or to take the risk of leaving something that might feel so important in order to be at a church youth event. It is difficult. And I fall short, many times and find myself making pretty good excuses for not ‘being there'.

It's a matter of choice I guess. Waking up in the morning and deciding consciously that I want to live for Jesus. He'll then make the way. It's not going to be a bed of roses from then on. No, in fact, in may be many piercing thorns. But, at the end of the day, the thorns will look different. Yet the joy comes from knowing that our Lord and Saviour has been with me through those thorns, even when I didn't feel Him.

It always makes my heart skip a beat whenever young people gather for Christ. So, being human, working towards whatever brings me happiness, I go to a certain extent to promote events that's been catered for young people by the church. I talk about it with friends, email the details and keep my small prayer group updated on happenings. But sometimes it makes me feel like giving up. Especially when there is no response, or when there just seems to be lack of effort and ‘I can't make it' replies. It's alright if it's once or twice, but then it's frustrating when that happens regularly. It makes me feel like a fool. It's even harder when I try to make time, especially when it is hard to make time and there's no support. I mean, I want to excel in studies too. I want to watch a movie too. And yet, these don't give me the peace that the Lord does. No matter what I feel, there's this nagging voice within that tells me to keep going, even though I may feel like I'm talking to the walls. And if nobody does respond, then well, I'll be there. So, for that sake, when there's no peer support, I cling on to Jesus as He holds to me and keep His word in mind and heart.

So there I was, at WYD Training Day, meeting new people, making new friends, praying together and sharing our stories about our journey. The immense joy I felt when I saw all other young people fired up for Jesus. I too had the amazing blessing of being present for a short talk by Fr Stan Fortuna, and a concert afterwards. This man of God is so clear in his purpose and so driven by the Holy Spirit you can see it in his eyes and sense it in his voice. Not to mention he's the first Franciscan priest I've met who raps, yes RAPS, about Jesus and His love for us. He's a huge fan of our beloved John Paul II.

I'd like to share Fr Stan's main message for the day, in conjunction with the WYD theme. He summarised the words in Acts 1:4 beautifully. “Do not leave” and “wait for the gift”. Then, “you'll receive power (which is Love)”, and “be my witnesses”. We want power. How do you to get it? By, ‘not leaving' and ‘waiting'. And after receiving power, we are to witness.

That's very simple, yet how many of us struggle in ‘waiting', especially when we're not told how long we have to wait for. And so we respond, “but Lord, I already prepared…”, “But Lord, let's not waste time…”

Fr Stan says, “Until we submit in obedience, the power will not be given”. And “if for the Lord a hundred thousand years is like a day, and a day is like a hundred thousand years, imagine what it means when the Lord says to us, wait five minutes”. You do the maths.

One of the most capturing words of Fr Stan that will stay with me: “Love is a power that God puts in us, so that we can participate in the love with which God loves us”.

God bless you and have a wonderful Easter.

Fatima Anne is continuing her education in Australia . She is doing a B.Ed (TEFL) Primary .

For more stuff on what's happening down under in preparation for WYD08, check out www.wyd2008.org

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