I wish I was Latino. The Aurora PraiseFest tonight at East Aurora High School was such a powerful experience. It was mostly in Spanish, which I actually enjoyed. I didn't catch as much of it as I would have hoped, but enough that I wasn't completely in the dark. But, even if I hadn't understood a word, I would have had one of the most "spirit-filled" experiences of my life. So, why do I wish I was Latino? Because I love how they put every once of their being into praising God---jumping, dancing, singing, clapping. I love God, but just raising my hands when I sing is out of my comfort zone. We experienced the same thing in church in Costa Rica this summer, but tonight took it to a whole new level with so many more people literally dancing in the ailes to God. I am so thankful for my dear friends Obe and Jack who sponsored and organized tonight's event and have invested and sacrificed so much in the past couple of years to help the Hispanic community in Aurora experience God in new and different ways. I know I will never be Latino, but I am hoping if I hang out more and more with the Hispanic community that I will learn to not care so much about start and end times, to be able to just "be" in the moment more, to put relationships above all else, and to let my love for God pour out from me.
