Chapter 11: A Test of Strength

Noah had been feeling lighter these past few days. The small moments of grace—his talk with Eli, the comfort of Proverbs, the quiet peace in his prayers—had reminded him that he wasn't alone in this journey. He wasn't completely free from doubt, but he was learning to live with it, to walk with faith even when he couldn't see the path ahead.

But life had a way of testing even the smallest sparks of faith.

It started during lunch. Noah was sitting with Eli, flipping through his Bible when another classmate, Jason, walked by. Jason was one of those guys who always had something to say—usually something loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Seriously?" Jason scoffed, stopping at their table. "You actually read that stuff?"

Noah looked up, suddenly aware of the other students watching. His chest tightened, and the confidence he had felt moments ago shrank into nervous uncertainty.

Eli, always calm, shrugged. "Yeah, I do."

Jason laughed, shaking his head. "Man, I don't get how people still believe in fairy tales." He turned to Noah. "What about you? You believe in all that?"

Noah swallowed hard. His hands felt cold. The weight of every eye in the cafeteria seemed to press on him, waiting for his answer.

A part of him wanted to stay quiet, to avoid the attention. But then he remembered the verse from Proverbs—"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." He wasn't afraid of God, but he was afraid of this moment. And maybe, just maybe, this was a chance to trust.

He took a shaky breath. "Yeah," he said softly, then a little stronger, "I do."

Jason smirked. "Wow. Didn't expect that from you, quiet kid." He shook his head and walked away, laughing under his breath.

Noah's heart pounded in his ears. He wasn't sure if what he said had made any impact. Maybe Jason didn't care. Maybe the others watching didn't either. But as Eli patted his shoulder and gave him a small nod of approval, Noah realized something—his faith had been tested, and he had stood firm.

It wasn't a grand moment. It wasn't a deep theological debate. But he had spoken up. He had chosen faith over fear. And somehow, that was enough.

That night, as Noah prayed, he whispered a quiet thanks—not just for the strength to answer Jason, but for the strength to keep believing, even when it was hard.