Parking Lot Prayers.

Get ready to read about one of my favorites moments in my entire life and easily my favorite moment since my Christian walk has begun.

Last night I was at Imagine Christmas rehearsal rushing around to get props where they needed to go, trying to keep the young ones entertained, putting on stage makeup and visiting with some of my favorite people. We were about 5 scenes into the rehearsal when the fire alarm went off.

We had started using a new fog machine on the set and most of us figured it was due to the fog that the alarm went off. We gathered to evacuate the building while the young ones asked questions and scampered around and some of the lead adults instructed everyone on where to go.

What was amazing is what happened once we got outside. Most of us were half dressed (in terms of what we should be wearing outside in the winter), some of us were without shoes on the cold ground and all of us knew that we still had a lot of work to do left on the service before we could leave that night. What did we do once outside? Gathered around in a circle, held hands and prayed. We didn't complain about the cold or about how we would have to stay late. Nobody groaned about the "new stupid fog machines". Instead, we were thankful that we had rehearsals to figure this stuff out. We thanked God for that and prayed that He would bring this weekend together seamlessly and go before us in this work for Him.

It was beautiful. Forty or so people gathered around in a huge circle in the parking lot. Shivering, anxious, thankful and praying.

These parking lot prayers reinforced for me how beautiful my St. Paul's family is and just how good God is.