My husband and I attended a memorial service a couple of weekends ago. Friends and family shared beautiful memories about the deceased. The host closed the service with a famous reading, "The Dash" by Linda Ellis. It was perfect timing for us to hear the well-known verses again. It did something to us, especially my husband. There was this Carpe Diem - "Seize the Day" kind of moment.
You may have heard of a revival brewing at Asbury Univeristy in Wilmore, Kentucky. My husband and I discussed going several times and hoped to make it out someday. But, after listening to the poem at the memorial service, the someday turned out to be that Saturday. Spontaneity doesn't come easily to me, but witnessing my husband's eagerness and excitement, inspired me to accept the changes and to go with it.
My adventurous husband, two dear friends, and I made a less than 24-hour trip to Kentucky. It's still unbelievable what we did, but it was very much worth it. When the four of us debriefed about our whirlwind journey, we agreed we witnessed the handprints of God all over it. What I noticed and loved about our time at Asbury University was the pure and innocent atmosphere. Nothing flashy but simple. They didn't have famous speakers or professional musicians on stage, just a few students from the college who led us in worship because of their hunger for Jesus. They had time limits for outside guests like us, but people under the age of 25 could attend worship at any time. There was no specific agenda except to worship the Lord and read His Word. The worship was so impactful; it provoked genuine repentance like never before. It was like we accepted Jesus all over again and fell back in love with our First Love.
Kevin Brown, The President of Asbury University, said, "I am a firsthand witness of radical humility, of humanizing compassion, raw confession and honesty, a self-emptying consecration, and life-altering commitment," Kevin said. "What started with students has, over just a couple of weeks, swelled to thousands upon thousands of hungry-hearted guests. What is happening here is truly extraordinary."
It's hard to adequately describe our impromptu venture, except that we encountered Jesus in a raw and intimate way. Being in the sanctuary with hundreds of students provoked my husband and me to pray even more ardently for the next generation. I have family members and friends that fall into Gen X and Z age brackets, so I have a personal stake in witnessing the move of God here and now for their future. What we do now will impact the next generation and the ones to come. I heard Kris Vallotton from Bethel Church, Redding, CA say, "Live for a generation you will never see."
God is awakening the earth and calling His sons and daughters back to Him. Stop talking. Open your ears and listen. No matter where you are in your journey, God is inviting you to greater intimacy with Him. It's not too late; we can change the course of our "dash" and make a significant impact.
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