Opening the Lid on the God-Box

Extreme friendships...

Extreme worship...


Extreme team...




Extremely funny...

After my kids come home from our youth events, I always ask them, "What's the one big thing that God taught you?" I want to share my one big thing.

God is too big to be put in a box.

I like order and organization. I'm a lover of clarifying, decluttering and lists. But God often doesn't work within the confines of my checklists OR my preconceptions. This was one of those weekends where He simply busted the lid off my God-box.

The best story to illustrate my lesson started when Carol Davis and I were learning how to stretch a canvas for our artist. Carol stood up to stretch and said, "Amy, Luann and some man are stretched out on the floor face-down praying."

The custodian for the church had walked through on the way to empty the trash can when he stopped to talk to Luann as she set up the book table. One of the books had caught his eye, and he asked Lu if he could buy it for his daughter.

After a long conversation about this troubled young woman, Luann suggested that they pray, and this broken-hearted man stretched out prostrate in his grief. Luann prayed (I'm sure as only Luann can pray) and then invited this man's daughter (I'll call her K) and wife to the event.

We were disappointed when they didn't come on Friday night but elated when they introduced themselves on Saturday. That day was K's spiritual birthday! Tears streamed down her face as Luann introduced her to the whole group as their new sister and charged them to love and teach her.

Extreme...

Unexpectedness as the work began before the event.
Boldness as Luann engaged this man and probed deep into his heart.
Drawing as God brought K and her tired mother into His presence.
Joy as we celebrated new Life!!

If you've got a Facebook page, you can check out a hilarious (anything Carol does is guaranteed to make you laugh) video log at the Encouragement Cafe page.