This past Friday I went to a Bible study with a couple of friends. It was the second Bible study session that we’d been to, and when we got there, thirty kids from the ages of fourteen to twenty-four were crowded in a living room sitting on tables, floors, couches and chairs, talking and laughing with each other. The girl hosting the Bible study described what was going to happen: worship, then we’d read a passage and discuss it.

“There’s not really a limit for how long worship goes,” she said. “We’ve got a bunch of songs prepared, so just…let the Holy Spirit flow.”

We started out and it was just one guy playing a guitar and singing, but instantly everyone began singing as well. Within a few minutes, several people were on their knees, hands in the air, others pacing the room, some standing, and some praying over the person next to them.

Almost two hours later, we were still going.

Several people cried—both guys and girls—and everyone could feel the Holy Spirit moving in the room, touching the hearts of all those there. It was incredible, I literally can’t describe it.

When we finished, we only discussed the passage for about thirty to forty minutes, as we’d been worshipping for the majority of the time, but I’m pretty sure everyone was fine with that because a revival was happening in that room.

One thing really stood out to me from this night: everyone there—whether or not this was our second time meeting or the first for some people—made their love for Jesus and for each other known.

When I walked in the first time, the week prior, was I awkward and nervous? Yes, but I didn’t feel like I had to impress anyone or be cool. The last thing on my mind was to try hard to be accepted by the other teens. Because I was there, I already was accepted.

I felt this later that night when most of us drove to the Waffle House down the road. It was ten o’clock at night, and about seventeen of us squeezed into three booths for a late-night meal together.

Chocolate milk was blessed, waffles were eaten, and waitresses were likely annoyed at our loud volume. (We were having a good time, I’m sorry.)

That night, several of us made new friends with other teens we had met just once the week prior. Despite all of our very different backgrounds, we were all there for the same reason: to share the love of Christ and to learn more about Him.

The second chapter of Acts describes something so unbelievably important for anyone who says they are a Christian. Now, obviously, a relationship that fears the Lord is your priority—because if you don’t have Christ but say you’re a Christian, what does that mean?—but you need a community of others who love the Lord and revere Him too. A community that bonds and grows in His love and spreads that love to all those around them.

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Acts 2:42-47 NIV

The last sentence in that verse is also applicable to Overflow (the Bible study’s title, referring to the movement of the Holy Spirit that we hope will overflow into our everyday lives) because one girl who joined this past week for the first time was recently saved a couple of weeks ago. I won’t share her story for her privacy, but the Lord is working in incredible ways and the excitement that everyone in Overflow has is so contagious.

If you remember a post I wrote a couple of weeks ago (Don’t Let Anyone Look Down On Your Youth), I shared a story of how a mother witnessed her son and his friends start a Bible study in their living room. When I’d read this story, I got chills and was longing for something exactly like this and surprise—I got it. It’s something I’ve been praying for for ages and the Lord really does give whatever we ask in His name. (John 16:23)

Overflow has been a blessing, and all it takes is some simple moments in a living room or a Waffle House.

I’ve said this a lot lately, but I’ll say it again:

Big things start in small moments.

I’d love to hear in the comments: how has God been working in your life or relationships in the small moments?

Thanks for reading, have a great day!
~Willow

[Note: this whole post reminded me of Bryce Crawford’s testimony, how he got saved in a Waffle House and gave his life to Jesus. I highly recommend watching the video if you don’t know his story.)