Written by M.T.
LOL is not just an acronym for laughing out loud, but for loving out loud, too. And I just know that our resounding prayers and praises permeated the walls of SAC Ballroom A to the ends of the Earth and towards our Heavenly Father. But Love Out Loud is not a night solely for worship, but a time to feed His sheep as we were commanded to so many years ago. To honor that commandment, the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Stony Brook dedicated Love Out Loud 2011 to the Distressed Children & Infants International Foundation.
As the emcees of the night, Kevin Thomas and Marian Gerges, announced that InterVarsity would be sponsoring two children in dire need – it hit me. Our support – our love – for our less fortunate brothers and sisters does not have to end with Love Out Loud. It persists daily, and people on the other side of the world are being fed – are given sustenance – from God through us. It is one thing to donate money to an organization, but to actually see the faces of these two children really moved me. These children – this little brother and sister of mine – suffer daily from inescapable third world lifestyles. But despite the geographical barriers that separate us from people who really need God’s love and ministering, I know that our heartfelt prayers resonated to the lands they live in.
But this night would have held only a fraction of its emotional impact on me had it not been for the plethora of performers on stage and staff literally feeding the students of this campus to a hearty Italian meal. It was inspiring to see so many students compelled to attend, perform, serve, and simply watch people utilize their own, unique gifts of the Spirit for a common cause. Even though Love out Loud is but a memory of the past, the lives touched that night live on, eternally changed, today.
“Lord, you have made me happy by what you have done; I will sing for joy about what your hands have done. Lord, you have done such great things!” – Psalm 92:4-5
Lord, you have made me happy by what you have done with Love Out Loud through my brothers and sisters, through me, and through the power of Your love and words. I know that on April 14, 2011, you reached (and changed) the hearts of many. And I pray that this night lives on in us all, as a testament to how great, how alive You really are. You are so good. Amen.
