Kaleidoscope Congress

I don't even know where to begin! This weekend was PACKED with amazing things!
Thursday wasn't so great for me. We were driving (my sister and I) down to Hershey and I wasn't feeling well and I got really sick. ALL OVER THE CAR! It was not a good experience at all! My sister kept saying when we stopped so I could clean it "we're going home, we're going home!" I had been looking forward to this weekend for a long time and there was NO way I was going home!! So I shouted back at her "NO WE ARE NOT! I'M FINE NOW! WE ARE GOING TO THE CONGRESS." So after I cleaned up we drove the rest of the way there and as soon as we got there it was just a huge crowd of uniforms. I went down to where the meeting was and waited outside to see some people. I went to bed after, which is sooo not like me. I normally stay out really late but I was feeling really light headed and weak. I think the devil was trying to steal my joy. He knew how much I was looking forward to this weekend and how much I had been praying for it. Well the devil couldn't steal my joy!!! I love God and people too much!
Friday morning I still wasn't feeling to well. I went to the giant center for rehearsals. Then I ran the GNY Music and Creative Arts Booth upstairs. The friday night meeting was awesome. The Brooklyn Tabernacle Singers were phenomenal. It was like there were angels singing! Then both General Clifton and Pastor Jim Cymbala spoke. Both were very powerful. Pastor Jim spoke to the Army and based it off of this scripture. Isaiah 51:1 (NIV) "Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn.." I think it was just what everyone needed to hear. God definitely spoke through Pastor Cymbala and the Singers.
The rest of my Friday night was spent in rehearsals for the Saturday morning meeting.
By Saturday I was feeling a lot better. I have never been so nervous in my entire life though. My video testimony was being shown. My heart was racing and I couldn't sit still. Everyone seemed to like it and it even made some cry. As long as God was glorified that is all that matters to me. Our National Leader Izzy Gaither spoke. His words were very powerful and lead many to the alter. It is a beautiful thing to watch people fall on their knees and fully surrender their life to the Lord. Especially when you know the person. It makes me cry tears of joy. The final piece of the meeting was amazing. During every rehearsal for it I would cry. It was a piece arranged by Dorothy Gates entitled "How Great Is Our God." It was a medley of My God is So Big, God is God, How Great is Our God and How Great Thou Art. The GNY youth band played along with Jon Knaggs and Kevin Berry on guitar, Simon Morton on Bass, Gavin Whitehouse on piano, Raymond Livingston and Amber Medin singing along with Alexa Davis and Bill Rollins, the Eastern Territorial Songsters and a group of dancers. It was absolutely amazing.
Then we headed over to the Star Search celebration. I will be honest I wasn't there long but what I was there for it was good. Then Saturday night was the Rebecca Saint James concert. Phil Laeger opened which was awesome but I was disappointed that he was only there for like 15 minutes, I would have liked to hear more of him. Then a woman named Vicky Beeching sang. She was pretty good. Then Rebecca Saint James was on. I guess she really isn't my style so I left early. I went back and ate with some friends and then sat in the lobby and chatted till the early morning.
Sunday morning was another amazing meeting. Everything the General said spoke to me. He was awesome!!! The commissioning of the Officers was beautiful. I love it. This makes me cry too. jeeze I'm an emotional wreck! Oh well. The response to the call to officership was huge too. And many others this weekend that I spoke to were also called to officership and weren't on the stage so there were even more! WOW! I think that the Army is in GOOD hands. :) Sunday afternoon I ate lunch in the park with John Clifton, Olivia Munn and Mhairi Smeaton. We had some intense conversation!!! I love it though. And I love how open people are about their faith. It is so encouraging. The Sunday afternoon appointment service is always fun! Cheering and singing songs like "Onward Christian Soldier" is always a blast for me.
Overall the weekend was amazing. It was so good to see people that I haven't seen in a long time :) I was soo happy to see the Ashcrafts. They are awesome people who have helped me so much in my walk with Christ. I love them!
God was glorified, lives were changed, relationships were made, friends were reunited and it was a weekend I will never forget.