We arrived home last night after a whirlwind of non-stop days and sleepless nights in Paris. It's hard to believe I'm sitting in my kitchen right now, soon to pick Holly up from Nana's and Papa's.
Thank you, thank you to those who prayed for us and for Passion Paris. Because of your prayers, and the heart of our Father who desperately loves this dark city, the lights of Paris shone brighter than ever on Tuesday night. We had no idea what to expect, but as students started lining up around the building to enter, we knew that something special was about to happen.
As soon as the lights went down and the room erupted in loud applause, all the stresses of the day and the days (months!) before melted away. We watched as the students of Paris worshipped openly among their peers - many for the first time in their lives. The French are very private and reserved in nature, especially when it comes to their faith. I completely understand that...this is a place where it is illegal to have campus ministry or even advertise religious events on university campuses. In fact, this year is the 40th anniversary of the student riots of 1968 in which the nation's motto became "No God, No Law." These students are the same people that are the country's leaders and politicans today.
But Tuesday night, this new generation of believing students expressed their love for Jesus openly and powerfully. They jumped up and down with Chris Tomlin, went crazy when Matt Redman walked on stage, and danced in the aisles to David Crowder*Band's "I Law the Light" (yes, these Texas boys brought bluegrass to Paris!).
In the end, I am so thankful that the planning and waiting for Passion Paris was as difficult as it was. Our team was forced to be on our knees, totally dependant on our God to make this happen. When our registration numbers were low, there was the temptation to open it up to all ages, or to market it through mainstream media (which Passion avoids in favor of grassroots, word-of-mouth marketing). But our prayers were always answered with "Just trust Me." So we did. And God's faithfulness blew us away. God gets all the glory, and our faith grew immeasurably. Perfect combination.
3 comments:
Glad you are home safe!
Nana and I miss Holly "soooo..." much. Even more, we are in awe of the witness that occurred in Paris through the tireless efforts of Matt and you and so many others. This dad and father-in-law is blessed beyond all measure.
Amen!
Thanks for the update! What a great testimony. I'll never forget one of Andy's sermons back in 2001 or so...
He said that when your faith intersects God's faithfulness, that's when you know God.
So true.
Praise Him for His glory and faithfulness revealed!
Love you guys!
Candace
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