That is saying quite a lot, but there was such a spirit of unity that gathered the many people from all walks of life together under that huge white tent in Bedford, VA last night.
Colleen Criste, the woman who made it happen, began with a vision that she received in her sleep last December of a tent, the word "revival", the idea of ecumenism, the number 500, and the speaker "Fr. Dave" whom she had heard at Steubenville Youth Conferences, though had never met personally.
As she gazed out at the crowd from the stage in the front of the tent, she was overcome by the fruition of that dream (exactly nine months later to the day) that we were all participating in. God had foreseen and ordained it and through many mysterious circumstances, had brought each and every one of us together for this night of praise.
Tonight as I think back over the day and the message that God has for me, I am sure it is about His unstoppable love.
So many times in our lives we feel rejected, uncertain, reluctant, and dismayed. These feelings are the result of wounds we receive when we encounter something other than the Love of God.
Two days ago a woman who read my blog wrote, "I love you and am praying for you " as you attend this revival with Fr. Dave, whom I so admire too!
And then last night as our revival was coming to a crescendo, the woman I had been sitting next to all evening suddenly grabbed my hand in praise and worship, smiled at me as she warmly squeezed it, and even kissed it before she let go....
How is it that these two women were able to be such channels of love for me at a time when I felt somewhat awkward and alone in this gathering of strangers in such a faraway place from home?
These women were tapped into God's love and able to let it flow out of themselves and into me!
When I returned to my little camper in the woods I turned to my bible and read 1 John.
"My dear people, let us love one another since love comes from God and everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Anyone who fails to love can never have known God, because God is love."
Let us pray for those who hurt us or make us feel unwelcome and unloved.
Let us turn not to them, but to God, the Source and Giver of all good things, especially life itself, to find our value and our place.
It is in Him that we live, and move, and have our being, and indeed our very identity: Beloved Children of God.
Amen!
❤️ Ronda
Posted Sat. Sept. 24, 2016 7:30 AM
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