Annaston Stokes stood up at her 2025 Tioga High School graduation and delivered a prayer that moved everyone in attendance.
What Annaston did took real courage. This wasn’t a prayer at a private Christian school with other believers. This was a public high school graduation with people from all different backgrounds and beliefs watching.
Yet she stood there, unashamed, and prayed boldly in the name of Jesus. She didn’t tone it down or hold back. That takes guts. That’s the kind of bold faith we need to see more of.
A Prayer for Her Fellow Graduates
Annaston didn’t hold back as she prayed for her fellow graduates. She started by thanking Jesus for being there through every hard time. “You were always there,” she said. “There has never been a day or a minute that you weren’t in it.”
She asked God to help her classmates focus on heaven instead of earthly things. Then she got specific about what many students face. She prayed for freedom from addictions, pain, depression, and rejection.
“In your presence hearts are mended and chains are broken,” she declared. She asked Jesus to “mend the hearts of these graduates and break every chain at your name.”
Remembering the Worried Parents
The prayer covered more than just students. Annaston thought about worried parents too. She asked God to give them “peace and clarity in knowing that you got their children in the palm of your hand.”
She wanted parents to have peace that goes beyond what we can understand.
Honoring the School Staff
Annaston didn’t forget about the school staff either. She prayed for everyone from administrators to janitors. She knew they work hard but don’t always see results.
“They may not see the impact or what they’re doing,” she said. But she asked God to let them “bear the fruit from being the laborers in the harvest field.”
A Powerful Conclusion
The prayer ended with a powerful request. Annaston asked for God’s Spirit to touch everyone there. She wanted no one to “leave here tonight without feeling your spirit and presence.”
She finished by praising God’s power: “Kings and kingdoms bow down to you. What a God you are. What a faithful God you are.”
Going Viral with Faith
The video of her prayer has been watched by millions of people online. Comments poured in from viewers who were moved by her boldness.
One person wrote, “That’s not religion, that is a relationship! That’s the difference between.” Another person wrote, “I pray my kids would have the heart to stand before their class and preach the Truth.”
Another person wrote, “This world needs a LOT more of this! John14:6”
The Impact of One Willing Heart
Her prayer reminds us what God can do through just one person who isn’t afraid to speak His name. When we step out in faith like Annaston did, God shows up in ways that touch hearts and change lives.
It doesn’t matter if we’re young or old, in a big crowd or small group. God uses willing hearts to make a difference.
WATCH: Annaston Stokes Prays Boldly at Graduation
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thank you Annaston….your evident strong faith in Jesus-Christ is inspiring this old 92 years old…Hold on to the faithful God!