The Prayer God Loves to Answer: Mae’s Testimony (New York)

Stuck in two long hours of New York City traffic, Mae was on the hunt for distraction. She scanned the radio for something—anything. But what she encountered that day turned out to be everything.

Mae was born to an Orthodox family in East Africa. Although she was baptized into the Orthodox faith and grew up going to church, she wasn’t truly immersed in God’s Word. As a result, like the seed that grew on rocky soil (see Matthew 13:5-6), her roots were weak, and her budding faith withered. Over time, Mae felt lost, wandering the world without peace, until one day, she prayed a prayer the Lord always delights to answer. She earnestly asked God to help her develop faith and to believe again.

Not long after, Mae found herself in one of New York City’s infamous gridlocks. Turning to the radio for a way to pass the hours, she flicked between stations and static. Then a voice rang out with a message that cut through the noise and struck her heart—a sermon from Dr. Michael A. Youssef.

Mae shares, “It felt like God placed that message in my life precisely when I needed it most.” That was four years ago, and she’s been listening to Leading The Way ever since—now through the Leading The Way app—and learning from Dr. Youssef’s sound Biblical preaching and books.

“I can truly say my world has changed. I read the Bible and genuinely desire to keep growing,” Mae reflects. And she longs for others to experience the same kind of answered prayer. So when she heard about the AWAKE America Rallies coming to strategic cities nearby, she made plans to attend and gather with fellow believers to pray for revival in our nation.

At the revival rally in Washington, D.C., Mae was deeply moved by Dr. Youssef’s Gospel message, and she wasn’t the only one. Recalling the many moved to tears that night, she says, “I hope many will be awake. I pray that Dr. Youssef continues to preach with such power and helps open more hearts to God. And I hope this movement continues to grow and spread to all states and countries.” Amen, Mae. That’s the kind of prayer God loves to answer.