I do and I ask God to help and guide me.

Four of our young people affirmed their Christian faith today, leading us in worship, daring to share tiny pieces of who they are and what they believe with the rest of us.

For my own confirmation in eighth grade, I wore a powder blue dress made by my grandmother, pantyhose in the suntan shade and a pair of regrettable brown loafers. When my pastor revealed the verse he had chosen for me -- Blessed are the meek --  I wanted to kick him in the shin with my ugly brown shoes and run out of the church.

One of today's confirmands sported purple hair, a matching tie and new black converse as he quietly and confidently shared the careful words he had chosen about his mother's great faith and example. One deftly negotiated the chancel steps in five inch heels, bravely expressing both her faith and her doubts. Another shared a story about God's presence and protection while wearing the first dress she'd owned in years - stretched far beyond her comfort zone in every possible way today. One shared how powerfully God had worked through others to speak to him - surprising him with clarity and faith the rest of us sort of envied. Although the two young men would probably not appreciate this description, there was also some sweet, sweet singing that brought me to tears - favorite songs the kids shared with the congregation.

People lead busy lives and Christian education, including confirmation, often takes a back seat to other commitments - sports, jobs, piles of homework, weekends at the cabin, an opportunity to catch up on lost sleep.  Almost everyone I know has an opinion about how to properly educate our youth and hopefully keep them involved in the life of the church after a day like today. Some Wednesday nights I went home shaking my head after confirmation, wondering if we had accomplished anything together. Our conversations often veered from the Creed to broken relationships at school, from the Lord's Prayer to prayers for better grades, from God's love to budding romances, from the Ten Commandments to ten or more worries about the world we live in. Hopefully, despite our missteps and theirs, these young people know that they are loved and celebrated - by me, by the congregation, by their families and by our generous God who has blessed each unique one with gifts to share.

Do you believe? It's really very brave to stand and declare in front of everyone:  "I do and I ask God to help and guide me."  Please pray for the young people in your lives and celebrate the courageous things they do and share.