Extreme Love

Wow.

What else can I say?

Wow.

What a day.

I’m overwhelmed…with extreme love.

It’s been an amazing weekend so far.  Last night we had an incredible time of worship.  Our worship team is so talented, and they have such hearts for Jesus.  Our worship time was moving, precious, and beautiful.  A perfect way to begin a weekend of being overwhelmed with extreme love and extravagant worship.

Then we went into our first teaching session.  We had a terrific speaker who gave us lots of great insights from the woman at the well.  I sat with my Bible study girls, who, obviously have a little bit of troublemaker in them.

Then – my favorite part – the Praise Party!  After our final worship session for the night, the worship team let loose.  They turned on “Shackles” and we danced our hearts out for each other, celebrating our victory in Christ!  I danced with Cindy, in our twin-colored shirts.

We spent the rest of the evening playing games, eating food, and enjoying each others’ company. I finally collapsed around midnight, knowing the morning aerobics class would come way too early.

And it did.  But I went, and so did a few other friends from our Chik cabins.  And I must say, it was worth it.

But really, I think the most overwhelming part of the day for me came when I finally had some time alone in the afternoon to visit the worship stations.  There was an entire room in one of the buildings that was dedicated to a personal, multisensory worship experience. We were invited to go at our leisure, to take our time while in the room, and truly allow ourselves to be lost in worship – for as long as we wanted.  To reflect on God, who He is, what He has given us, and what we can give in return.  The room was darkened, with quiet, instrumental music playing.  Each station was decorated uniquely with items to touch, feel, listen to, observe, taste, smell.  As I moved throughout the room, I had opportunity to sit and meditate on different attributes and aspects of God, and to open my eyes to new reasons and new ways to worship Him.

There were strawberries and chocolate…so I could “taste and see that the Lord is good.”

There were fragrant candles, and roses, and bottles of perfume and incense, to help me recognize the sweet aroma of God’s favor, and of the sweet incense that my prayers are to Him.

There were textures of all kinds for me to feel.  Warm, cuddly blankets and shawls as I dwelt on the warmth of His comfort…the desire He has to be near to me, and the security I can have as I shelter myself in His presence.

There was a station dedicated to faith, complete with mustard seeds.  We were instructed to take one, hold it in our hands, and dwell on the amount of faith it represented.  We were reminded of God’s promise that with faith only the size of this mustard seed, we have the power to move mountains.  Many of us took our seeds with us as a touchstone to remind us in facing our own personal mountains.

And then there was the fire.  A place of confession.  A place where we could write down all the things that – like the woman at the well – keep us from truly worshipping God, keep us from drawing near to Him, keep us away, keep us in bondage.  And in a symbolic gesture, we held those lists over the fire, representing God’s complete forgiveness.  With our hearts clean, we were now ready to move to the next station…

…where we took communion.  Just behind this station was a large cross with pillows all around it.  We could take communion at the cross, or just use it as a reminder of all we have to celebrate.  Of His sacrifice for our sins.  Of His punishment on our behalf.

And in response, we had the wall of thanksgiving.  A place to record the joy, the praises, the gladness we felt for all that God is, has been, and will be.  For all that He has done.  For all He will do.  For choosing us…and continuing to build us into the women He wants us to be.  The testimonies were amazing, heartfelt, and powerful.

Extreme Love.  Extravagant worship.

In a word, I was overwhelmed.