A Surprising Way to Encourage Your Kids’ Faith

[As I listened,] my eyes filled with tears as a memory came to mind. “This is not nearly as hard as what you are going through, but would you mind if I told you a story?” I asked the mother and daughter.

Twenty years before, as a new follower of Christ, I had started grad school at Harvard and made it through three layers of auditions for the famed Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium, the university’s demanding traveling choir. I had long planned to do just two things in grad school: study for my master’s degree and be a part of this choir. I wouldn’t have time for other friendships or be able to attend Christian fellowship meetings, but I had sung competitively my whole life; it was a huge part of my identity.

Moments before I was called into the final audition (which was mostly to make sure I gelled with existing choir members) I realized, Huh, I haven’t prayed about this. I quickly prayed, “Lord, I’m sorry I didn’t think to ask. If you want me in the Collegium, let this go well. If not, let Your will be done.” As I walked in, I felt a warm glow as the other choir members said, “We’ve heard a lot about you. It’ll be nice to have a grad student in the group!”

The warm glow didn’t last long.