Stephanie - 18 years old

Stephanie nailed it.

Stephen Ave

I met her downtown as she was out promoting the work of an agency that rescues animals from abuse.  She had a mustache on a necklace that she would hold up to her lips to get people's attention.  I stopped to say hello, and she said she had a question for me.

"Good," I replied, "because I have a question for you."

"Well, I'll answer your question depending on how you answer mine" she said.

"Fair enough."

"What's that?" Stephanie asked looking at the questionnaire in my hand with the title "Spiritual Questionnaire" in big letters.

"These are the questions I'm going to ask you about.  But you first."

So she told me about her agency which sounds like a good one.   I told her that our treatment of the environment and ecology depends on how we view the world.   We tend to either deify creation or denigrate it.   Stephanie used the term 'creation' herself so I was curious as to her beliefs.

"Okay, now we're done with my part, I'm curious as to your questionnaire," she said with a look of curiosity.

I told her what I was doing, and she said she was game.

Stephanie is from a Roman Catholic background, but now goes to and evangelical Bible college.   She said that she looks back on her experience with the RCC and saw it only as obligation.  In fact the folks she knows who still go there seem to do it out of obligation.   She spoke of a personal relationship with God now that is "real & relevant" for her life.

She'd like to ask God, "What is my purpose?"   I'm guessing that's a good question whatever your age, but especially pertinent for an 18 year old.  She had plans to go to Israel in the fall and wanted to do some humanitarian work, and then go to university to study international relations.

When asked what she would say if God were to ask her why he should let her into heaven, Stephanie answered, "Are you kidding me?  You're a Christian aren't you?"  I nodded.  "I've done nothing.  It's only by grace and I need the Lord Jesus to save me."

"I like your answer," I said, "but not everyone who says they are a Christian gives the kind of answer your do."

"Really?"

"Yeah.  Look here."  And I showed her the answers from a previous conversation where a professing Christian lady said that if God asked her why he should let her into heaven, she would say, "Why not?"

"Wow," Stephanie said.

"Yeah, wow.  Well, I don't need to ask you the last question...."

"Why not?"

"Well, because you nailed the answer."

"Ask me any way."

"Okay, if you would rate your goodness on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being very good and 1 being very evil, where would you be."

She laughed and said, "Uh...a zero!"

I smiled.  "Same here."

I wished her well saying that I trust the Lord will use her wherever she ended up.  I encouraged her to continue strong in the faith and thanked her for the conversation.

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Colossians 3:17, "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Lord, I pray that you would use Stephanie for your glory, and enable her to live all of her life for the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to you through him.