- Amanda C. "your concert was amazing and it really made me think about a lot of things"
- Amy C. "You were exactly what i needed that day..."
- Anya M. "i made it through all my hard times, and i believe its because god knew i'd be saved.."
- Cortni H. "I have had those rough times of depression and thought about the unthinkable a few times.."
- Emma P. "For a while I had lost all faith in god and everyone around me but..."
- Holley T. "You made a huge impact on our lives today. You gave me the wake up call i need..."
- Kelsey B. "Hey (: all i really wanted to say is thank you for the wake up call. you really have me thinking now and i always needed that!"
- Jazlin "I want to make a difference in my school and in my life, so others can know the same great God I do..."
- Jenna W. "i've been through all and its been hard. it helps to know that we're not alone..."
- Katrina C. "you opened my eyes and im going to stop putting on masks to impress different people..."
- Lena J. " all you did was give me a hug. and that hug made me believe that there really is a way out..."
- Megan W. "I was deeply touched by your words and broken..."
- Morgan D. "Your assembly was a little after the loss of a friend of many at our School...I walked out almost in tears because i know what you said is true. No problem or challenge in life is worth taking yours..."
- Mike R. "I am a ex- gang member who is trying to folllow the lord and wanted to tell you your music and testimony has helped me. "
- Rachel B. "you truely inspired me today. You have such a good story..."
- Rachel D. "I was at a time in my life were I figured that if I fell off the face of the earth nobody would notice..."
- Sarah C. "I watched as my friends, who have delt with drugs,realized what they were doing was wrong"
- Tori C. "You were the first person to get me to put down my wall..."
Amanda C. "I'm from Hastings high school. I just want to say that your concert was amazing and it really made me think about a lot of things. I really think it's great how you teach kids about exceping god. Although I excepted him along time ago I know many people there that hadn't until tonight. So thanks for he wonderful show and helping my friends and peers except god into their lifes fo he first time. Your a really great person." (Back to top)
Amy C. "When you came to my school, it was probably the best day of my week!! I really needed to hear what you had to say. I have suffered along time under my self abuse and I have the scars to prove it. You were so inspirational. You were exactly what i needed that day. if i had not heard you speak that day, i probably would have went home and popped pain pills or something to make me forget all my problems. Thankyou, you saved my life." (Back to top)
Anya M. "hello. my names anya. im a freshman at thornapple kellogg high school. you came and spoke to our school on tuesday, i believe. i just wanted to thank you for taking the time to speak to so many teenagers. i attended your concert last night. and it was amazing, well done. i cried. you made me realize things no one else could. ive been through times where i felt like my world was falling apart and i couldnt deal with it. it was hard. but i made it through those times. i was lost for so long. and when you talked to everyone at the end of the concert. i just broke down.
it made me think of the friends ive lost due to drugs. i made it through all my hard times, and i believe its because god knew i'd be saved. it helped me so much. it may have stopped me from doing something stupid in the future. i felt like i connected with you. you really did save a life. thank you so much." (Back to top)
Cortni H. "Bill, thanks so much for coming out to delton!!! it was just so generous, and god knows our school needed that! After all of the people we have lost (Nick, Dustin, Josh, Lexi, Cameron) it was just so inspirational! I myself have had those rough times of depression and thought about the unthinkable a few times in my life. Its very stressful for many kids now adays with school, parents, friends, boyfriends/girlfriends, sex, drugs,alcohal, bullys, ect. and i do beleive that you touched many people at out school with you speaking skills! i can't thank you enough Bill and everyone who helped participate.i hope you set a good example at my school, and i also hope you enjoyed your time. You are an AMAZING person, and keep doing what your doing! GOD BLESS YOU!!" (Back to top)
Emma P. "wow bill, i want to say thank you so so much. Sincerely. You guys have really opened my eyes and it really touched me. I just lost a very good friend last month who was addicted to meth and did drugs like none other. For a while I had lost all faith in god and everyone around me but within the past year I've realized that life should be nothing short of happy and the assembly and concert I felt really completed me. Thanks again. I am truly grateful :) " (Back to top)
Holley T. "Thank You soooo much for coming to our school (thornapple kellogg high school) today and speaking out to us. You made a huge impact on our lives today. You gave me the wake up call i needed and i thank you for that. Thanks for helping so many kids get back on track. I love what you do! You kept us all intrested and we didnt want the assembly to end. THanks so much! (Back to top)
Jazlin (This was the testimony of a student from an assembly, a student who was apparently sensitive to God's voice-because they heard it even though Bill didn't speak it specifically) "Hey Mr. Ballenger, So I just wanted to thank you for coming to our school today, Thornapple Kellogg. So during your message today I couldn't stop wondering if you were a Christian? Because I don't know how you can have that big of a change in your life without having God involved. I am a Christian, and have grown up in a Christian home and really have never experienced any of the extreme hurt like others have, but I want to make a difference in my school and in my life, so others can know the same great God I do and have a relationship with Him. If you are a Christian, I'd really be interested in hearing your testimony. I'm deffinitley in prayer for the students who were touched by your message today. I really wish there was some way to bring in God into your message, even though I know you probably can't because you're in public schools, because for those people who are hurting, God is the perfect comforter. Thanks Again for coming! In Christ, Jazlin" (Back to top)
Jenna W. "my name is jenna weatherwax you can to my school today (thornapple kellogg) and i just wanted to thank you for talking to my school. i've been through all and its been hard. it helps to know that we're not alone. ive been through many foster care homes and torn from my family went i was ten. the last 10 years have been vary hard. my way of coping with the hard time was cutting and tryin to hurt myself. but i havent done it in almost two years im finally starting to enjoy life for what i do have instead of what i dont have. you help me realize that im not alone. thank you vary much. (Back to top)
Katrina C. "hi, my name's katrina and u came to my school earlier today in Middleville. i jus wanted to say tht ur amazingg! u really opened my eyes and now im going to stop putting on masks to impress different people(: i actually started crying at the assembly because u opened up the truth and u told us ur story. my sister broke her jaw when she was 16 because she was drunk and rode a bike and lost control. my uncle overdosed before he went into the navy(may him R.I.P.) seeing my sister's and how messed up there lives were made me relize that one of us had to make my mom proud and that one is going to be me. i thank you with all my heart for going across the nation telling kids to not take the detour because they mite not make it. sorry for telling all this stuff its not like u need to know about how messed up some teenage girl's life is in Middleville. Thank You again. I knew God sent someone to help us with life and point us in the right direction. Im glad it's you(: P.S. I love your music. You are trulely gifted. " (Back to top)
Lena J. " Mr.Ballinger, hello, my name is lena.I currently attend Hastings high school and i just want to say thank you one more time. I don't know if you recall the girl that came up to you with tears in her eyes. that girl was me. all you did was give me a hug. and that hug made me believe that there really is a way out. your speech really moved me; it made me realize that i am in way over my head! my life is spinning out of control and i need to do something. like you said "It's time to take off the mask." so i am going to do that.
usually when somebody comes to talk to us, it doesn't bother me. but you did something different. I m still trying to figure out what it is. you really made it hit home for me.anyway, thank you. sincerely,
Lena , Hastings, Michigan high school
Megan W. "Dear Bill, I recently attended one of your concerts it is was the one in Delton, Michigan I was deeply touched by your words and broken because our school unfortunately did not allow it when we brought it to their attention I attend Lakeview Middle School in Battle Creek, Michigan our school was is in deep need to hear what you had to say recently we lost a student ... a scary thing I just wanted to say enjoyed your concert and it made a huge difference what you said thank you once again, Megan" (Back to top)
Morgan D."Your assembly was a little after the loss of a friend of many at our school.You talked about (how) one choice can change lives of us,and others.I know you get lots of these E-mails telling you that you helped save lives,or correct the thoughts of Suicide.I'm adding another story to your list.I'm just a fourteen year old girl that goes through every problem other teens go through.but I suffer from Depression attacks and where I take it out on my body by working it to hard and Not eating,This assembly was just a week after my last thought of ending my problems.I was moved when saw everyone get so teary eye'd and choked up,When you said that you knew for a fact that everyone that has been killed or took there our live would walk in there and told us to listen to you.I knew it was True. I walked in to the gym thinking it was just gonna be one of those ones where you just try to force no drugs and stuff down our gullets, and I walked out almost in tears because i know what you said is true. No problem or challenge in life is worth taking yours." (Back to top)
Rachel B. "Bill, I am a student from TKMS, and you truely inspired me today. You have such a good story, and i was glad that my school, friends, and i got to hear it. I hope that my friends took today like i did, and decide to make good desicions like me. So, thanks for coming out to Middleville, and i hope you visit schools like mine for a long time so others can hear your story. Thanks again, Rachel " (Back to top)
Rachel D. "All I have to say is thank you. I'm a sixth grader from Delton Kellogg Middle School, and, so far, this year has been the hardest year of my life. I was at your concert at the High school, and it was a lot of fun and you guys did really good! But, by far, my favorite part was your speech at the end. I was at a time in my life were I figured that if I fell off the face of the earth nobody would notice. Then I was thinking, "well why don't I?" You made me realize that whats inside of me is most important, not what other people think. Thank you so much." (Back to top)
Sarah C. "I'm from Thornapple Kellogg Middle School. And I just wanted to thank you for coming and speaking to us. I've heard everything you've said before but it never really clicked in my head. But when you were saying it something really got to me. And I watched as my friends, who have delt with drugs and all that, realized what they were doing was wrong. That it could affect their lives forever from this point. Anyway, thank you for the wake up call you gave me. (Back to top)
Tori C "Hii Bill. Your concert was awesome in Delton. And your message about God really touched me. You were the first person to get me to put down my wall, let go, and cry. I felt so very relieved and free after. I loved it. I had been keeping alot of pain inside. I appriciate your visit sooo much. Thank you, (Back to top)