Priceless Contest Winner: Hunter Kallay!

Thank you to everyone who submitted your “Priceless Story”…they were all truly incredible.

Hunter Kallay’s Priceless Story

The value of something is determined by the price people are willing to pay for it. For my little sister, no amount of money would suffice. Mara is someone that brings a light to everyone around her. She is turning fourteen this year, and is getting to a point in her life where her friends are changing and becoming new people. They are starting to do things that she doesn’t necessarily agree with. In today’s culture, the Christian values she was raised with are not promoted, and I know that often she feels like the minority. As a Christian author who is pursuing a life of ministry, my heart yearns that she might know Jesus more deeply and follow Him boldly despite some of the negative influences of the culture around her.

Mara is not like other people her age. She has the heart of an angel. She rarely ever thinks of herself; her thoughts are always about others. She volunteers to serve in the church twice every weekend and never compromises her behavior. I remember the little moments when she was younger. We would bicker like siblings do, and I wouldn’t think much of it. Later that night, however, I would find a hand-written card on my bed that she wrote me, apologizing for being mean to me, even if I was at fault. Her heart is pure and loving. Whenever I go on a trip, she is the first to text me to see how I’m doing. I know that is partially because she cares how I’m doing, but it is maybe even more so because she misses me. It is these little things that make me smile.

More than anything, the world craves passion. So often I see teens who are apathetic about their faith and who go with the flow, which is not always good. I think that Christians have a calling to be bold and to stand up for what they believe in. Mara has that sort of passion. She loves boldly and is true to who she is. The world groans for people like her to step out in faith.

What I find very cool about Mara is that often I hear her singing around the house. What is awesome about this is not the quality of her singing voice (LOL ;) but rather what she sings. Often, it is a song by For King and Country, her favorite band. I love the positive, Christian influence they have had on her. When I look at the world and see the corruption of many of our youth, my heart breaks for those who are lost and headed down the wrong path. But when I see the behavior of Mara, and when I hear her sing the truths of God, singing about how priceless she is to Him, I am overwhelmed with how true that really is.