In September 1999 I stepped foot in a little country church in Smithton, MO a town of 532 people. I was a big city girl, who had a bible school degree and was working as a full time youth pastor in Seattle, WA. I was a tongue talking, hand raising, bible believing youth group growing believer. In my Lutheran Church I was considered radical, charismatic, and to some of those choir robe wearing friends of mine, probably a little bit crazy. So, when I walked into that little country church, I thought I knew all about God. Little did I know, how little I actually knew. I walked through that door with a big spiritual attitude, minutes into that first service I realized, these people knew something about God I did not know.

I saw things in that building I had never seen before, I heard things from that preacher I had never heard before and I, honestly, was afraid of God’s power that I witnessed in that place. It wasn’t scary like I was going to get hurt, it was scary like, there is a power greater than me that I did not know existed until that day in September 1999. I went home that night shaking on the inside. I was there for the weekend to attend a pastors and leaders conference, but this youth pastor was not returning to that place ever again, at least that is what I said. The next morning, I was in line with the other hundreds of people waiting to get inside, but the day sessions were not as scary to me, so the Lord was gracious to me. But Friday night was power like I had never seen before, heard before, experienced before and though I still had the fear of the Lord, I no longer resisted it, now I wanted it.

I tell you that story because we think we know God more than we really do. We as humans have a tendency in our short term earth existence to think we are so powerful, but when we encounter the God of power it puts us and all who think they know so much in place. The fear of the Lord is a good thing, for it reminds us that we are not God, there is only one God, one Way, one Truth, one Life, one King of kings, one Messiah and when He arises, we will all fall down. Our world and church is in need of an arising God and a falling down people.