Some Kind of Crazy Praise

What makes you throw your hands up and shout, "HALLELUJAH!!!!" For me, it's when I feel a fresh move of God in my life. I definitely got THAT and much more this past weekend. I attended a Tres Dias woman's retreat that made God much more personal and intimate to me. If you have ever attended, you know what I mean.

In the 24 hours I've been home, I have heard from two friends and a pastor - "You seem different, so on fire for God!" My best friend told me, "You have a peace about you that you've never had before." Yes, it's called Fourth Day.

I've had three days of a very intense encounter with God, wrestling down personal demons, granting forgiveness, and catching a burning vision for my ministry. But the secret sauce is the fourth day. Because every day after this experience is called The Fourth Day. Today is the literal fourth day, but tomorrow and next week and next year are, as well.

It's been hard for me, the writer, to articulate exactly what the experience meant. And yet, as those who know me will attest, I always try to articulate. There is no way to explain all the nuances of God's grace I experienced, but I can share some of the big things I noticed in myself.

• A sharpened vision of my ministry.
• A re-committment to getting my book out as soon as I can.
• A burning desire to serve others and be Christ to the world.
• A sense of contentment with my present circumstances, though they are not what I want.
• A new definition of Christian community.
• A stronger sense of intimacy with my savior.

The first big action item on deck for is my small group. It will be unlike any of my previous groups, or any group I've ever been a part of. Our focus is a personal encounter with Christ through out-of-the-box experiences. It's the same topic and title of my book, Crazy Praise Club. And so it begins, this journey called God given vision. My group members will be prayed for, and encouraged, and challenged in personal growth - I want them to feel my love for them, so they in turn feel Christ's love in a new and personal way.

So, my Fourth Day will, I hope, be a long one, marked by emptying myself and allowing Christ's love to fill the void. Tonight I had leader training, great praise and worship (for the fourth day in a row!), and I am empowered by Holy Spirit. Small group members, hang on - this girl's Fourth Day will be filled with crazy praise!