By Pastor Becca McCary Do you remember glowing with excitement over your first sleepover as a kid? Two weeks ago the excitement among the kids of Washington Cathedral was palpable. As we planned the first winter all-nighter for the elementary kids, we expected about 10-15 people. However, as check-in began on Friday night, it quickly became clear that the excitement had spread to so many friends and family members that we packed the room to the brim! Their light and excitement filled the church café. The kids were glowing.
We loaded up the church bus, packing in kids as tight as we could. There was laughing, yelling, and singing the whole way to Pump It Up in Lynwood for their glow in the dark party. The kids played hard, sweat pouring from their little brows, smiles beaming across their faces.At 8pm, as we loaded the bus to head back to the church, one of the first grade girls, giddy with the new experience of a big kid party, asked with hope and enthusiasm, "is it midnight yet?” She was thrilled to be a part of something so fun and so new.
The rest of the evening carried more new experiences: running games in the church, a magic show from Pastor Rey, and for many of the kids, clad in footy pajamas, their first sleepover.
In less than 24 hours the kids got to hear the good news about Jesus in five different 10 minute lessons. So Sunday morning at the 11am service, as the kids began their new worship program, a different excitement, a different newness, and different glowing took place. The kids sang to God from their hearts, drenched in gratitude for the love of God. Their excitement over their first sleepover became coupled with an excitement for God that would bless their friends and community.
When was the last time you were genuinely excited? Are you doing what these kids did two weeks ago, allowing God's light to touch you so deeply that you can't help but glow too? God's love is always available to us, all we have to do is open ourselves up to it.
No matter what reasons you have to be bored, discouraged, or even burned out, take heart from these words about Jesus in John 1:5, "A Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." God's light is ready to shine in your life and there is nothing that can overcome it. All you have to do is let it in.