Volunteering @ Winter Jam.

This past Thursday, I had the opportunity to volunteer at Winter Jam. Winter Jam is a huge touring Christian music festival that runs from November through April. A radio station that I listen to and follow on Facebook (WBGL) posted through their volunteer page on Facebook that they needed volunteers for Winter Jam in Peoria. I thought about it, a lot! It was on a Thursday night. Then it dawned on me...it would be the Thursday before Good Friday. I have Good Friday off of work. Bonus! Peoria is only a two hour drive (I love road trips), double bonus! So I contacted the person that was organizing the volunteers and said "sure, sign me up." I took a half day off of work, went home, changed and headed down to Peoria. Now if anyone knows me at all, knows that I am early to events. Especially one like this. So I arrived at 3:20. The line of people to get into the show was already almost wrapped around half of the building. I thought to myself "glad I don't have to stand in that line." I found the volunteer entry door, but was not allowed to enter just yet. A guy greeted me and asked if I was a volunteer. Told him I was, and he informed that I was at the right location. This guy was a big biker looking dude. Bald head, long goatee, leather jacket on. Nicest guy you could ever meet. We talked and exchanged stories about concerts and things that we had been to in the past. We checked in, and that's the last I saw of him. Bummer. I meet some really cool people that were also volunteering that night. As the leader lead us down the hall, I just assumed that I would be working the WCIC booth. No, we were to work in the actual artists merch booth. The ones that were performing that night. We were to sell their t-shirts, cd's, patches, necklaces, whatever. We were teamed up with an actual person that was responsible for that particular booth. So I met the guy that was in charge of the one I was working. Ken was his name. Super nice and super awesome guy. I knew there was a reason that I didn't raise my hand for other booths. God wanted me at this one. We hit it off right away. For the rest of the night, we traded 'dad jokes' with each other. So the evening started, and let me tell you, I was in my element. Meeting and greeting people. Talking with, praying with, ministering to, being blessed by them, as I hope that I was being a blessing to them. I heard story after story. The people just needed someone to listen to them, and listen I did. A woman came by the booth and she noticed one of the shirts that we were selling. It had on the front "Faith, Not Fear" She looked at it, and kept on going. A few minutes later she came back by and said that she would take one, because she had a lot of fear in her life at the moment. She told me that she had some stuff going on and the saying on the shirt really spoke to her. As she was walking away, The Holy Spirit told me to pray for her. By the time that I realized what He was telling me, she was gone in the sea of people. I thought to myself "man, I just blew that opportunity didn't I?" Then I started praying and talking with The Lord. I said "alright Lord, if this is from you, then You will bring her around again." Guess what? She came back, albeit a few hours later, after the show was over, but she still came back. I started thanking The Lord for this third opportunity to minister to her. I told her that The Holy Spirit wanted me to pray for her after she bought the shirt. So I asked her if it was alright to pray for her. She agreed. I prayed for strength and boldness for her, not fear and anxiousness. After I was done praying, she told me that she felt something break off of her. She felt different that when I started. I praised Jesus for that. After that we said goodbye to each other. As I found my way to the van, I was thanking God for answered prayer. I prayed that when I left home that afternoon, that He would use me in a mighty way. That He would use me to make a difference to someone that night. To use me to be His hands and feet! I think that He came through, BIG TIME!! Hallelujah!