This year, my mom had to have surgery to remove a half of her thyroid because of the possibility of cancer. As a result of the effort to remove her thyroid, the left side of her vocal chords was paralyzed. She had trouble speaking above a whisper for more than six weeks.

It was during this time that I had to come to grips with God’s plan. I wanted to hear my mom’s voice again. I wanted to end her frustration because she couldn’t talk. I wanted. Me. I had lost contact that God was in control and that He would come through. And He did!

While my mom was softer than a church mouse, she was as bold as any preacher. She talked openly about her faith. The doctors said that she may never get her voice back. But one morning, her voice did come came back! Almost four months after the surgery, my mom’s voice is just about the way it was.

God taught me that, no matter what, His ways are perfect. I might think differently, but He’ll patiently guide me to deepen my trust in Him. I’ve also learned another thing: My mom has the most beautiful voice in the world—whether she’s whispering quietly or speaking loud and clear.
Sierra, 17, Sykesville, Md.

I’m so grateful for Mrs. Zoe, an adult who used to attend my church. She’s always encouraging me, giving me advice and not letting me give up. We no longer attend the same church, but we keep in touch through e-mails and the phone. I love her positive influence and don’t know what I’d do without her. She’s a great role model for me.
Victoria, 16, Rowesville, S.C.

I’m truly grateful for Jesus dying for my sins. It amazes me to think how much He loves us. I also thank God every day for a family who loves me. I don’t have friends, but God has blessed me with the friendship of animals. My best friend is my horse, and I thank God for giving me such a good friendship through this animal. God is so faithful, and He’s blessed me incredibly!
Jessica, 15, Huntley, Mont.

My youth pastor, Derek Holmes, has changed my life through his godly influence and leadership. Our senior pastor recently died of cancer, and Derek is now the senior pastor. I was baptized on Oct. 22, 2006, and thank Derek for a lot of my spiritual growth.
Samantha, Lexington, Ky.

At first glance, she may look just like an ordinary 50-something woman with thinning hair and a shopping addiction. But Diane Schmidtke is far from that to me. She’s a strong Christian woman who has incredibly influenced my life. She’s my hero.

When she moved to New York six years ago, she didn’t know anyone. But Diane quickly acclimated herself and created her new extended family right here. God knew that I was struggling with the lack of grandparents in my life, and He knew Diane needed some grandkids to love on. It was a great match!

I was constantly at her house, cleaning, cooking, watching TV, talking, eating—whatever. It didn’t matter what we did, as long as we were together. God surrounded us, and we truly became like grandmother and granddaughter.

She’s done so much for me—everything from taking me shopping to sewing up my ripped Raggedy Ann doll. Diane has been a pillar of strength and faith. I loved to stand next to her in church and hear her belt out the hymns. I could truly feel God’s love radiate off of her.

Last year, Diane and her husband moved to New Hampshire, and I was crushed. But I still talk with her at least once a week, and twice now they’ve surprised us with a visit on big holidays. God is still watching out for us, and I’m so grateful that my life was touched by Diane Schmidtke.
Lydia, 17, Fairport, N.Y.

It’s amazing how distance can affect a relationship. You’d think that moving would cause two people to grow apart, but for Sarah and me, the opposite was true. The distance between us and the changes caused by it brought us closer together.

After our high school graduation, Sarah moved away to attend college in another state, and I stayed home and went to community college. Neither of us is very outgoing, so we both had a hard time fitting in and making friends. We would instant message each other in the evenings and talk about our day and what went on at school. She’d tell me how she’d been at school for a month and still didn’t fit in, and I’d tell her how I wanted to try going to the college group at church but was terrified that I’d end up standing alone in the corner.

Through our similar circumstances, we understood and encouraged each other. Eventually, we started sharing Scriptures, and I was able to share how God provided a friend to make me feel comfortable and at ease at my church college group. She, in turn, shared a verse in 2 Timothy that told us the fear we felt was not from God.

There’s no way to tell her how much she means to me and how grateful I am for her friendship. She’s been such an encouragement to me, and I love her dearly.
Whitney, 18, Salem, Ore.

I want to show my gratitude toward my spiritual mother and mentor, Krissy Pietrangelo. She stresses that she and her husband, Steve, have unconditional love for me. (That comes in handy! One time I was trying to help them with the laundry and forgot to check the water level before I ran the washer. Mistake! They just kept loving me!) I love her for accepting me for who I am in Christ and for helping me become a strong woman of God.
“Jacks”, 19, Kimball, Mich.

My mom has always been there for me. She takes care of me when I’m sick, helps me when I’m scared, and she listens patiently to what I have to say. My mom always shows her love for me even when I’m disobedient or rude. I know that my mom doesn’t just display the love of a mother to me; she shows me the love of Christ as well.

As the Bible says in John 1:16, “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.” So thank you, Mom! You’re my best friend. I love you!
Rachel, 16, Greentown, Pa.

I thank God for blessing me with my Christian friend, Jordan Mattie. Since meeting Jordan, he’s been my mentor, (he’s quite a bit older), my brother and my friend. My absolute favorite thing about Jordan is the way God uses him in my life: every single time I have a bad day, he unexpectedly visits or calls and that has encouraged me a lot.
Rena, 18, Nova Scotia, Canada