Charted

What is Charted?

Like a master surveyor, Jesus gives us clear directions to find a fulfilling, purpose-filled relationship with Himself - a map to the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Charted is a daily devotional written by the junior class at Fountainview Academy (Class of 2019). Based on the book Steps to Christ, this book explores the path to the Originator and Provider of Genuine Joy. We don't have to be confused about the way. The certainty is in the journey: divinely Charted.

Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend... When Jesus
was upon the earth, He taught His disciples how to pray. He directed
them to present their daily needs before God, and to cast all their care
upon Him. And the assurance He gave them that their petitions should
be heard, is assurance also to us. – Steps to Christ, pg. 93
It was late November 2016, and that particular Sabbath
afternoon, I was wearing jeans and a T-shirt in the cold rain. It did not
bother me at all; I was lost in my thoughts.
After two hours, my friend Hana came outside. When she saw
me, she ran back inside and brought me a jacket. Then began one of
the most important conversations of my life: Hana began telling me
about her conversation with her dad about prayer.
“Look, Sticky, prayer does not work for me; the answers that I
have received to my prayers were mere luck!” I argued.
She tried to explain to me what prayer can do, but being the
stubborn person that I am, I refused to listen. Knowing that I love
reading, Hana told me she would give me the book Prayer by Ellen G.
White, so I could decide on my own what to believe. When the cold
started seeping into our bones, we headed inside. But before going in,
Hana did something that changed my life forever.
She told me she felt impressed to do the same thing with me
that her dad does with one of his friends. The idea was to get together
once a week and open our hearts to each other and then open them to
the most important One: God. We would bring all our burdens to Him
in the secret of her room, record our prayers, and see how God would
answer them. Of course, I said yes to the idea; I thought it was the
perfect time to spend more time with her. Despite my own motives, this
was the start of a life-changing experience.
As my relationship with Hana started to grow, my relationship
with God began to improve. In the past, I only prayed when I needed
something, but now I talked to Him just as I would talk to Hana. Talking
to God, having the assurance that He would hear me and take care of
whatever I was dealing with, is what gave me the strength to keep on
going without being scared of what the next day would bring.