Miracle Testimonies from World Youth Day

Are You Called to Go to World Youth Day?
By Mike Gibson

Do you think you are called to go to World Youth Day? Have you considered it? Do you automatically come up with a “no” using your rational mind? Do you come up with many excuses? Do you give God a chance to answer the question? Do the obstacles seem to be too much? Have you given God a chance to work miracles in this regard? Did he not multiply the five loaves and the two fish (and have an abundance left over)? Did he not calm the sea in an instant? Did he not continually work miracles in people’s lives when they believed? Do you think he can work miracles in your life today?

So, where are you? Maybe these are challenging questions. Maybe money is a big issue for you in this difficult economy. Maybe it is hard to see that our God is a God of abundance. Maybe you haven’t seen many miracles in your life. Maybe you believe Jesus did perform miracles back then, but it is hard to believe he can work miracles for you in this particular area. Maybe you are like the man in the bible that says he believes, but asks the Lord to help him in his unbelief.

I am writing this as a testimony that God does work miracles in people’s lives. I can testify that he did one for me concerning my decision to attend WYD in 2005. You can call the process a miracle, maybe many miracles, or perhaps “grace”, but the idea is that He was doing something wonderful for me in that decision-making process and onward.

The journey began when I received good advice from a Sister. She said to pray and ask God if he is calling you to go to WYD. I was unemployed at the time. At first the idea sounded ridiculous, but I did pray about the possibility. Different things in my prayer life and ordinary life seem to keep encouraging me onward, so I took it one step at a time. This sister told me to just act as if you are going. God will either provide the means and open doors, or various doors of opportunity will close for you. I took her advice and was amazingly surprised at how the journey unfolded before my eyes.

I began taking important steps along the way. I helped at some fundraisers, realizing that my work would either help me or others go. I continued praying and entered into the spiritual journey with others who were considering the trip. Each step along the way became ever more amazing. As time went on in this process, a job opportunity opened up, and I accepted. Because of the timing, I felt this was another encouragement from God and his way of helping me to provide for the trip. As many more doors opened ahead of me, my gratitude deepened, and I became ever more convinced that God does work miracles in our lives both big and small.

I can testify to many of the simple and larger miracles before and after the trip, but there is too little space here. Whether you call it a miracle or grace, I did get an overwhelming sense of how much God loved me.

I simply want to convey to any one reading this that He also loves you in a deeply personal way. I also want to encourage you to pray and discern if God is calling you to attend the upcoming WYD in Madrid. If you get any kind of positive sense that God may be calling you, follow that calling one step at a time. Whether the steps are easy or more difficult for you, just know that the adventure with Jesus during the process will be priceless and eternal.