Chris' prayer: Matt Maher's "Void"

I remember sitting in science class in seventh grade learning about vacuums. I remember learning that I didn't really know what a vacuum actually was. I had grown up thinking that it was something that sucked other things in, just as the device we use to clean our floors does. It sucks debris, air, toys, clothes, anything it can get its hands on into itself...or so I thought.

Mrs. Bates taught me, and I will never forget exactly how she put it, that "a vacuum is nothing and does nothing." I feel like there is this vacuum, this big piece of nothing, that is built into us as humans. We can choose to fill that vacuum with anything we wish, and we often do. But there is only one thing that will truly fill that empty space inside of me– the truth in Jesus Christ.

What I want is You.

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Megan's prayer: Matt Maher's "Void"

That would make me really happy,
If they desired my position.

Growing up, all I really wanted was to be popular. I wanted to hang out with the "cool" kids. I wanted others to want to be me. I knew what I wanted.

haha. It's funny that I actually thought I knew what would make me happy. It took years - lots of years - but I've finally realized that God knows what will make me really happy. He let me try the "popular" thing, but knew the whole time that isn't what I truly wanted in my life. He knew that wouldn't truly make me happy.

It took me a while, but I finally listened to God. Now I am really happy.

Cause what I want is you.

Jen's prayer: Matt Maher's "Void"

A few weeks ago a bible study I sometimes go to had a special night to pray just for celebrities. And these lyrics reminded me of it:

Prom-time princess, beauty queen;
see all the admiring faces.
Chasing after blind ambition,
they don't see the King of Heaven's graces.

We were talking about how these celebrities become so focused on their looks and having these fancy cars and homes and such that they can never be humbled enough to realize there is something missing in their lives. They get all these "admiring faces" toward them that they don't need anything else. The funny thing was, even though we were talking about Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton, it made me realize that sometimes I can easily be just as blind. I can get caught up in shopping for name brand clothing (well, mine being more like Express, Gap or American Eagle instead of Prada or Gucci) and forget that my true riches are in Heaven. I am continually praying that God makes me realize that all I should want or need is Him.

Katie's prayer: Matt Maher's "Void"

Yesterday we had this big diocesan wide pastor and youth minister training day, all about JPII, New Evangelization and how that fits into youth ministry. Before the actual training started, we had an optional mass said by the priest who would be speaking at the training day. His homily and the few bits and pieces I caught throughout the day really struck me. Here's basically what he had to say.

God is God, and we are not. (I know, I've already blogged on that, but it ties into his next point.) The reason the way things are the way they are is because that's how the maker of the universe designed it to be! His youth minister would be totally in tune with how the Holy Spirit wanted things to go, even if that meant scraping his plans at the last minute. Even if his core team spent 4 hours making the perfect environment, if it's not what the Holy Spirit was leading him to do, it wouldn't happen.

It's so easy for me to get caught up in what I want, that I'm not focued on what the King of the universe wants for me. I'm not at in tune to God as that youth minister. But I sooooooo badly want to be. But you know, that's something I can't really accomplish on my own. I need God's help. And to get that help, I have to be willing to run to him and ask him for it.

'Cause what I want is you;
what I need is truth.
Will someone tell me that for a change?
Nothing ever holds in a world lukewarm,
so come and fill the empty space inside of me.

Catie's prayer: Matt Maher's "Void"

Jesus, won't you tell me I'm worth something?

It's funny how God uses people to tell you exactly what you need to hear. He definitely did that for me last night. Actually, He is constantly doing that. However, so many times I don't recognize it, I think people are just saying it to be nice, whatever. I don't recognize God using other people to subtly say, I haven't forgotten you, you're amazing, and I love you. Maybe if I took what God kept telling me through other people to heart, I could get out of this funk I'm in and really start living for God.