On the last day of training
camp in Georgia, our teams were sent out for a day of ATL (“Ask the Lord”). We
had the entire day to go wherever God led us and to do whatever God told us to
do. I had never done anything remotely similar to this beforehand, so you can
imagine my initial skepticism. I was with a team of five other girls who had
never done anything like this either. Before we left camp, we spent a long time
in prayer, asking God to give us pictures in our minds, visions, words…anything
to go off of.
camp in Georgia, our teams were sent out for a day of ATL (“Ask the Lord”). We
had the entire day to go wherever God led us and to do whatever God told us to
do. I had never done anything remotely similar to this beforehand, so you can
imagine my initial skepticism. I was with a team of five other girls who had
never done anything like this either. Before we left camp, we spent a long time
in prayer, asking God to give us pictures in our minds, visions, words…anything
to go off of.
As I was praying, I kept seeing this grocery store in my mind. I
thought, “Maybe I’m just imagining this because I’m hungry – maybe it’s my own
doing, not God giving me a picture.” But the image kept coming back, and more
vividly. So I hesitantly told my teammates that I was seeing a grocery store.
One of the other girls then admitted she was seeing food and God had placed the
passage of Jesus feeding the 5,000 in her mind. Then another girl mentioned she
had seen children. Another teammate mentioned she had seen a mother with two
boys who had blond hair. One of the other girls started nodding her head, and
she said she had seen two boys with blond hair, who were about 4ish years old
who were wearing blue and white striped shirts.
thought, “Maybe I’m just imagining this because I’m hungry – maybe it’s my own
doing, not God giving me a picture.” But the image kept coming back, and more
vividly. So I hesitantly told my teammates that I was seeing a grocery store.
One of the other girls then admitted she was seeing food and God had placed the
passage of Jesus feeding the 5,000 in her mind. Then another girl mentioned she
had seen children. Another teammate mentioned she had seen a mother with two
boys who had blond hair. One of the other girls started nodding her head, and
she said she had seen two boys with blond hair, who were about 4ish years old
who were wearing blue and white striped shirts.
After everyone from my
team had a picture in their mind, we decided to just hop in the car and drive
where we felt led to go. As we pulled up to the first stop sign, we prayed
about which way to go, and God led us to the left. Asking God about such small
details seemed kind of bizarre to me at first, but considering none of us were
from around that area, we needed detailed guidance! We kept doing this for each
stop light and God eventually led us to a grocery store. We sat in the car and
prayed before entering, asking God to lead us.
team had a picture in their mind, we decided to just hop in the car and drive
where we felt led to go. As we pulled up to the first stop sign, we prayed
about which way to go, and God led us to the left. Asking God about such small
details seemed kind of bizarre to me at first, but considering none of us were
from around that area, we needed detailed guidance! We kept doing this for each
stop light and God eventually led us to a grocery store. We sat in the car and
prayed before entering, asking God to lead us.
Walking into the store, we
were all skeptical. I felt downright weird and a little bit crazy in the head. We
split up and walked around the store for about five minutes. Nothing happened.
We weren’t feeling any direction, so we regrouped in the middle of the store
and prayed. “God, direct us!” Since God had given us the story of Jesus feeding
the 5,000, someone asked, “Has anyone seen any bread?” At that moment, my eyes
were drawn to the small table behind us. On the table were 12 loaves of bread.
The loaves were “buy 1 get 1 free”, meaning they were “multiplied” just like
the Feeding of the 5,000. All laughing as the excitement built within each of
us, we placed all 12 loaves in our grocery basket, and then headed to the snack
isle to cure our hungry stomachs.
were all skeptical. I felt downright weird and a little bit crazy in the head. We
split up and walked around the store for about five minutes. Nothing happened.
We weren’t feeling any direction, so we regrouped in the middle of the store
and prayed. “God, direct us!” Since God had given us the story of Jesus feeding
the 5,000, someone asked, “Has anyone seen any bread?” At that moment, my eyes
were drawn to the small table behind us. On the table were 12 loaves of bread.
The loaves were “buy 1 get 1 free”, meaning they were “multiplied” just like
the Feeding of the 5,000. All laughing as the excitement built within each of
us, we placed all 12 loaves in our grocery basket, and then headed to the snack
isle to cure our hungry stomachs.
As we were searching for
snacks, all the sudden, we see this woman walking past our isle, pushing a
shopping cart with two little boys…both with blond hair…and they were wearing
blue and white striped shirts. Tears and laughter immediately filled all six of
us. All the images God had placed in our minds back at camp had just occurred
right in front of our eyes! Talk about utter shock and amazement.
snacks, all the sudden, we see this woman walking past our isle, pushing a
shopping cart with two little boys…both with blond hair…and they were wearing
blue and white striped shirts. Tears and laughter immediately filled all six of
us. All the images God had placed in our minds back at camp had just occurred
right in front of our eyes! Talk about utter shock and amazement.
Two of the girls from my
team went up to the lady once she was in the check-out line and told her they
wanted to pay for her entire cart of groceries. She looked shocked and said,
“Why would you ever want to do that?” They told her that God had led them to
help her, and the woman immediately started crying. She said she had just moved
there, did not know anyone, and was going through a divorce. My teammates asked
the woman how old her boys were, and she said, “They’re twins and they’re 4
years old.”
team went up to the lady once she was in the check-out line and told her they
wanted to pay for her entire cart of groceries. She looked shocked and said,
“Why would you ever want to do that?” They told her that God had led them to
help her, and the woman immediately started crying. She said she had just moved
there, did not know anyone, and was going through a divorce. My teammates asked
the woman how old her boys were, and she said, “They’re twins and they’re 4
years old.”
It’s difficult for me to
tell this story without tears of joy and awe falling down my cheeks. I have
never experienced God’s power and love in the ways I experienced that morning. Complete
awe for my Creator consumed my entire being. How are we so blessed to serve a God who not only came to earth once to save
His people, but who is actively
working and never leaves the earth He created? It blows my mind to think that
God absolutely loves to reveal
Himself to His sons and daughters. God destroyed any limits or boxes I had Him
in that day. We serve an INFINITE God who is limitless! His beauty, goodness,
power, faithfulness, and unconditional love leave me wanting only to fall on my
face before the LORD in utter reverence.
