"We're all Stayin'"

In February at the Juvenile Detention Center, we believe the Holy Spirit did an unusual and wonderful thing. Karen had come for her monthly concert. She sang song after song about Jesus. Then Susan would say a little about the Savior after each number. Song after song was offered up to and about our Risen King.

Karen ended the concert with a powerful song "He's alive". There was a kind of breathless silence afterward, where you knew that something more was supposed to come. As Karen was singing "He's alive, He's alive…He's alive and I'm forgiven, Heaven's gates are open wide……."

Susan was thinking that it was time to allow some of the kids a chance to pray about their relationship with Jesus. After all, He had been the focus of the evening…and He should be the focus of their lives.

So Susan told the group of about fifteen young people that they were going to do something different. Anyone who wanted to stay and pray about their relationship with Jesus could, while the rest could go back to their cell blocks. No problem, no big deal. They just needed to choose what they wanted to do.

She asked the officer if that was all right and the officer said that sure, it was fine.

Then he said, "Alright, raise your hands if you want to go back to the pod." No one raised their hand. Everyone looked at one another, at Karen, and at Susan. Still no one raised their hand. The officer smiled. (It looked like he wanted to stay too.)

Then one boy said, "Well, it looks like we're all stayin…"

AND SO THEY ALL STAYED AND THEN THEY PRAYED.

And we need to pray for them…that God's will would be done in their lives.