On The White Fence

Chapter 3: Cry Night

*Warning: God's presence is evident and tears will be shed*

"Guys get down here or you're gonna be late the one Wednesday night we are actually able to host!" I yell pearing up the wrap around stairs of the lighthouse inspired house we live in and about five girls come running down the stairs making everyone else behind me laugh.

The five girls find their friends and quickly sit down so I turn around to see everyone sitting comfortably on the couches, chairs, the counters in the open kitchen, or floor. Even Axel is here as he sits next to Ryder who is just smiling at me, waiting for me to get started. I sigh and grab my Bible before speaking up again.

"Do we want the game first or after?"  I ask already knowing  that the game we always play will just keep them excited and inevitably have them miss the whole sermon if we do it after. Luckily they pick the before so I explain the game and warnings for the newcomers and start it off myself.

We call it Mining For Moments which explains the whole game pretty well. I walk around the room holding the Bible out as if it was a metal detector while I walk around everyone in the living room and kitchen. The room gets really quiet to see who I pick as their eyes follow my every move getting wider and wider by the second, some even leaning in.

The game is pretty simple and isn't supposed to be used for emotional reasons but more for education. You walk around the people the Bible held out and let God pick the person you give the Bible. They open up the Bible to a random page and read the first verse they find.

We keep it light and most times it is just funny and random, very few times has it actually touched someone's heart but it just reminds us when to take things seriously. Also that not everything is a sign from God and that if you think it is you should look into it more before jumping to conclusions. Today I handed the Bible to this freshman girl with bright red hair and clear blue eyes named Julie. I sit down in front of her as we listen to her rattle off the first verse she sees.

"He said to Jacob, quick,  let me gulp down some of that red stew; I'm famished. Genesis 25:30." We all laugh and she passes it to someone else before coming back and sitting next to me giving me a kind smile.

We spent about fifteen minutes playing this game and let me tell you, when you take the Bible out of context there can be some pretty funny verses. My personal favorite was the last one that was said by Ryder, "These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! Acts 2:15."  We laughed for a little while because after we thought it had died down we started laughing again.

Now allowing them to get some pizza and drinks before I dive right into the deep stuff for tonight. Youth Pastor Zack wanted me to talk about building and growth so yeah, I was given a tough subject tonight but I just hope I can get my message across.

I let them get all their food which takes about fifteen minutes before they sit back down all over the place and I cough in nervousness before I sigh and send a small prayer to God before I start.

"I want to tell you guys a little story," I say slowly as my parents dim the lights and turn the fire on to set the scene. It gives the room a camp vibe, kind of like a cry night at camp it has that thick emotion that you can't escape even though you know what's coming. I am half expecting the fire to start dancing around like in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.

"There was once a far-off land, across the sea where all of our fantasies lived. Amongst these fantasies was a little girl, and a little boy. They didn't have just one name, they had every name and you could call them anything you wanted. They would dance all day and sing while they tended to the dreams and fantasies of the humans in the other land."