“I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
Isaiah 42:6-7 NIV
As I walked into the lobby of Fountaingate Fellowship the next morning, I could smell the amazing aroma of coffee, baked goods & everything seemed to be extra yummy smelling today. I could hear the whir of people talking & sharing with each other. I saw the line of smiling & chatting men & women all the way to the doors, for the café. There were couples, families & friends gathering in groups, at tables & all around the lobby. I walked Jr over to check him in, while Sr was taking a smoke break out front. C-2 was rushing around, she was a coach & therefore had plenty to do. D-2 was also a coach, he was grabbing breakfast, then heading out to prepare.
I ask Jr if he wants anything, he says no thanks mom. So I stand there, trying to stay out of the way. Then the beautiful smiling K comes up & says good morning...Jr wants to go in with the other kids, so I take him over then make my way back to K & she leads us inside the sanctuary...it was so strange, it was like I had never been in there before...even though I was in there the night before. It looked different. The first thing I noticed this morning was how large this room was. A peace just came over me. It was very open, no walls. There were NO WALLS....It was WIDE OPEN. Ready to be filled with Praise & Worship being lifted up to our Father, the One Who loves us completely. He doesn't care if our voices crack, or we sing off key...He's thrilled we are lifting up our hearts to Him. It's also very bright in this special place. I walk up to the chairs we had last night & put down my stuff.
We sit down & K asks me some questions about myself. She knows I came from Arizona. "I've been praying for y'all....for a few weeks. Every since God shared He might bring y'all down. We all started praying for y'all..." I must have had a shocked look upon my face, because she just smiled & said "He gave me some words for you already & I'm really excited He chose me to share your very first EGR!!!" I hugged her. I felt like she loved me, she didn't know me from Adam, but she really loved me. I knew she was here for me, that God had placed this woman right here just for me.We talked a little more. I got to learn from her that she & I had a whole lot in common. Both before & after accepting the gift of salvation. I always look up & say, "I know this is you, thank you."
People began finding their way to the seats they had chosen the evening before...As a man came up to open up the wonderful weekend God had planned for us, in prayer. Then the Worship band came on stage...God opened up the speakers & pure joy, love, praise for our Daddy came pealing out of the mics...& worship had officially begun.
The music was a mix of songs I knew & didn't know. But each one was hand chosen, by God Himself. He picked songs that would get us moving & dancing & reaching for Him...He built up the excitement, He lifted our praise level all the way off the charts. Some songs were great reminders & others that would enlighten us. Each one chosen to prepare our hearts, open them up nice & wide to receive whatever He had for each of us that day. Where ever He was planning on meeting us & whatever He would be teaching us. There were ladies with flags/banners waving them & walking on & off the stage waving them. As I looked around I thought, well what would our church family think of the level this group worships at??? Some people star at those of us who raise our hands to Him in praise. I lose myself in worship & I can feel the eyes on me...wow I love that they are so completely worshipping God, that they don't have any clue whats going on around them...That is my favorite way to worship, totally & completely. Have I been doing that lately??.....I haven't...that was my answer. Just that quick & to the point.
As if she is in on the private conversation going on with my Holy Spirit at that moment, K says do you want to go down front?? I don't even answer, or hesitate, I just get carried down the aisle to the crowd dancing down front....I can literally feel my heart opening wider & wider...I hear the joy of my praise lifting up higher & higher....I can physically feel my head going back, my chest lifting up & His Spirit in me connecting to the Heavens above...there is actually a physical feeling I experience. By the end of worship, I felt like I was being held up by the Spirit connection with God Himself & His Spirit in me...it was so super natural....I remember not wanting to stop worship that morning..I never wanted that level of connection to go away....worship ended & we headed back to our seats...
I had never been to an EGR before & I had no idea what to expect, other than what we had heard from a couple of others. It is kinda of like a convention in a way. But there's no one trying to sell you anything. In fact people are begging for what God is offering...& it's TOTALLY FREE. So they explain what the sessions are about...We are free to choose which we want to attend, certain ones were for different groups, such as teens, etc. I just chose to let God speak through the ones He wanted me to attend...so I pretty much stayed for it all...one question kept going through my mind..." Omgoodness am I ready for this???"
I answer silently, Oh YES...I can do anything through Christ Who gives me strength....Phil. 4:13....So I am choosing to let God decide what areas I need the work in right now...etc. Take down the walls I've built Daddy, take my hand & lead me down Your path.......
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