LeAnne's Big Give: An Answer To Prayer For A Broken Arrow Teen

I can't tell you how moved I've been with all the nominations for LeAnne's Big Give. I wish I could have filled everyone's request but we've had to choose just a few.

Today, I want you to hear the story of one young man's ministry and how he believes being chosen is an answer to prayer.

It's Sunday morning at The Assembly Church in Broken Arrow. 18-year-old Brance Bess is leading worship and that guitar he's playing is brand new.

But let me tell you the story of how this came to be.

Brance was born to CL and Leslie Bess. He started playing guitar when he was two and he grew up loving his dad.

"He was just all-American, country boy. He wore boots to work, he had calloused hands. He worked for every dime he ever made. Greatest dad anybody could ever ask for," said Brance Bess.

When Brance was 13 his dad suffered a seizure and died.

His mom was six months pregnant with his little brother. It was just him and his older sister trying to get through this together.

"Our world fell apart in our eyes but yet God was building us up to be able to help other people to tell them that everything is going to be okay. You can get through it," said Leslie Bess.

Brance says he was hurt and broken.

"That's where God sees an opportunity for growth. When something is broken, and back in that baby stage because a broken and contrite heart He will not despise, you know, God will not overlook that," said Brance Bess.

Brance poured himself into church, and music and traveling on mission trips. And it was on one of those trips something happened that would prompt his mom to write this letter for our Big Give.

"This past summer his guitar was crushed during the trip to Ireland and I would love to see him blessed with another guitar," said Leslie Bess.

So last week I showed up at the church where he works full time to give him his new guitar.

"She's always been the lifeblood of my ministry. She's been encouraging me and speaking into me and praying for me and crying for me, crying with me holding me up and supporting me through everything," said Brance Bess.

"I see strength, I see faith, I see joy, I see a young man of God and I see hope," said Leslie Bess.

Brance believes this gift was an answer to prayer.

"It's been kind of heart lately, 'cause I've been like ok, I don't have a guitar, what am I supposed to do God? What are you doing? I know you're doing something but where am I supposed to go now, where do I go from here you know," said Brance Bess.

With his new guitar, Brance says he now knows for sure his ministry will continue. He says now this gives him more opportunities to write and he's going to start recording his own music.

And I want to say thanks to all the folks who nominated others for our Big Give. The response was far greater than we could ever imagine.