God works in mysterious ways… Like me, I am sure many came for the weekend family formation with their own expectations. Would we be getting a series of tips and dos and don’ts? Formulae for happy families or more?

While I certainly didn’t get the expected package…I believe God knew how to minister to each of our individual needs in His own miraculous way. The charismatic and spirit-filled formation leaders in the husband and wife pair of Darren Michael and Anna Coelho if nothing else, taught us how to open ourselves to the working of the Holy Spirit, to fill our craving souls.
For someone not accustomed to High Praise and Worship and resting in the Spirit, I rested in the Spirit no less than 4 times that weekend…as the mighty gush of the Holy Spirit filled Faustina Hall and Darren and team laid hands and prayed individually over almost everyone of us there.

Through the sessions, what struck me… and stayed with me, was Darren’s advise to” Give; always Forgive and be daily filled with Thanksgiving for the Lord” – necessities for everyone who longed to serve the Lord.

The Youth praise and worship team, SEEDs spared nothing in raising the level of thanksgiving to new heights of deep imploring for God the Father’s presence, the guidance of the holy Spirit and the loving embrace of the Son.
In the end while amazed at the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit moving through the Hall and amidst us it was only when I let go of the need to understand, rationalize and make sense of what was happening … to suspend disbelief on how God could work powerfully through me and others- that renewal and in-filling truly began.
I looked at the young people so simple and open to the working of the Holy Spirit and in contrast us adults so unwilling at times to let down our guard- that we make it hard to allow God to fill us with His Spirit.

Time and again God re-focussed my gaze on the Cross with Jesus crucified, placed right before us. The thought kept coming to me…What could look more foolish than the King of Kings to lie naked except for a loin cloth arms outstretched in total surrender and dying for all to see…DYING for ALL. He showed us what it means to be totally small in the eyes of All and in that act become the Saviour of ALL.
I pray for the ability to abandon my cares and my self-consciousness. As His precious child; He knows best how to take care of me and give me all I need if I but open wide my arms and heart to Him. I was happy to receive much-in-filling and fuel for the journey ahead and am grateful for the chance to re-encounter Father God through the powerful working of the Holy Spirit.
Praise God and Thank You Jesus

Your loving daughter,
Sharon Chandra