Revive Us O, Lord

I am as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs.  Midways revival begins tonight.  This is my first revival to host....my first to speak at....my first of many I hope.  Tonight we will kick it off with a covered dish dinner at 5:30.  It will be my first covered dish dinner at the church and because I am not the greatest of cooks....I am a bit nervous.  I have made Mrs. Betty Jean's sugar free pie so that I can have a dessert.  Frank is making his famous fried pork rice dish.  I will be taking a few other little dishes.  I was going to take cantaloupe....but over the course of a few days I have eaten it up.  *sigh*.  The service itself starts at 7:00 pm and I will be bringing the message tonight.  can you hear my knees knocking?  You should because they sound like a jack hammer....but I can barely hear them above my heart beating out of my chest.  Monday night the message will be brought by Dr. Lewis Archer our District Superintendent.  My dear friend and former singing partner, Dennis Floyd, will be bringing the music message.  I can't wait to hear them both.  On Tuesday night my sweet Frank will be preaching and I will be singing....the dynamic duo.  I will close out the Revival on Wednesday and will be singing and preaching.  We will have an ice cream social following the service.  Southern churches are noted for Revivals and Homecomings.  Midway is no different.  We have Homecoming in May, Rock Mills has it at the end of April and Midway has revival the fourth Sunday in July.  Southern churches also are noted for 5th Sunday night singings too.  When I was a child my mom and dad would visit my grandmother and we would go to my great uncles tent revival.  I remember the person bringing the message wringing his hands as he begged the people attending not to leave without being right with the Lord.  I remember him(my great uncle) yelling at the audience.  I remember crying because I was afraid.  You see, I grew up in a First Methodist Church....our pastor never yelled at us like this person would.  Our pastors all spoke in soft tones and I loved hearing them speak.  But, revival is not about being comfortable.  It really is about getting right with the Lord.  "The term Great Awakening, (which is what we now call revival) is a term used to refer to several periods of religious revival in American religious history. Historians and theologians identify three or four waves of increased religious enthusiasm occurring between the early 18th century and the late 19th century. Each of these "Great Awakenings" was characterized by widespread revivals led by evangelical Protestant ministers, a sharp increase of interest in religion, a profound sense of conviction and redemption on the part of those affected, an increase in evangelical church membership, and the formation of new religious movements and denominations. You know we need revival today.  The Christian nation needs to take a stand and tell the world about God.  There are people within the shadow of our steeple that are unsaved and do not know about the love of Jesus.  We need to quit being so comfortable and get out there and let the people hear the Good News.