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There are phrases I repeat so often that I worry they are going to become cliche. One of them is that we gather to worship to "connect with God and each other." Tonight, we did just that.

Vanessa and I took the kids to Fellowship Saturday Night. They are doing a series called God Is Bigger, and tonight Gary Oliver was speaking on how God is bigger than our bad days. Since we've had some bad days lately, I thought it would be good for us to go. We actually heard this message by Gary back in November when he preached it on a Sunday morning at Fellowship. It is a topic message on sovereign joy. We appreciated so much more the second time around!

After we got the kids to their classrooms, we settled in to the service when I saw my friend Chip and his wife sitting several rows ahead of us. Chip is the directional leader of Fellowship Saturday Night, and Aaron and I had spent some very special time praying with him on Wednesday afternoon. I had Ness and I move up to sit by Chip and his wife for the service.

After an amazing sermon, we were engrossed in a quiet, reflective and meaningful time of music when Chip got up and left the row. I had several thoughts go through my head - he has to do announcements to end the service, he is going to say goodbye to Gary, or he was going to adjust the heat (it was cold in there). None of those were the case.

After a couple of minutes, Chip returned and kneeled down before Vanessa and I. He held out his hand in which he had the elements of communion. He said, "Robb, Vanessa, don't grow weary in well doing."

Vanessa and I took communion, and then sat there crying, amazed at God's love for us expressed through a friend who understands where we are at right now. We connected with God and each other!