Geaux Tigers

Tonight’s update comes from Death Valley…in the heart of the storied campus of LSU (Louisiana State University for those in nether lands far from the South), where the HGIOG Tour rocks on Cajun style from the Pete Maravich Assembly Hall (Pete was an amazing shooter of the basketball for those who might wonder), that very place where Shaq himself roamed...and smack adjacent to the new 3 million dollar habitat that is home to Mike V, the Bengal tiger that embodies the spirit of this fine institution. [Mike V, by the way, gave us a warm welcome to the campus today (see photos above)...and as I checked throughout the day continued to sleep. But after all, Mike V is nine years old and aging a little (Mike’s birthday, by the way, is October 19, 1997, in the event you would like to send something this fall for his tenth), and I’m told sleeps almost 20 hours a day…an impressive stat no doubt, even on a college campus. Tradition has it that Mike V roars before each LSU football game, striking fear in the opposition and igniting the home crowd in a ravishing fury as they sing the fight song, “Make Mike the tiger stand up and roar.”]

Wow! Powerful stuff.

(OK, that was uncalled for...this place really does have incredible tradition and really cool people.)

But enough about Mike V (though in the spirit of equal time I felt compelled to continue our short lesson on collegiate mascots for those who were enthralled by the legend and lore of the Penn State Nittany Lion from our earlier post…though, in fairness and honesty, I did omit Smokey, the Bluetick Coonhound who leads the crusade at UT…but then again, I do have Auburn running in my veins and can only get excited about a limited number of rival SEC mascots in the same week...so forgive me.

On to tonight...

Tonight was a beautiful night. We prayed for something special…not just night #30 or a concert vibe. This town and state have been rocked hard by mighty winds and waves and we wanted to both celebrate the God who puts things back together and breathe on this town the life that comes from the Spirit of God. I loved this night...loved what was happening in the room...and believe that God did/is doing more than we could imagine.

Just coming back to LSU was a bit moving today, given the last time we set foot on this campus was a Wednesday. I remember because it was Wednesday, September 12...24 hours after the bombings of 9/11, events that changed our lives and the world around us. That Tuesday we were in Atlanta rehearsing for the Passion Experience Tour as planes crashed into the World Trade Center towers, and we were instantly faced with the choice of heading home to safety or loading three buses to begin a multi-city tour beginning in the Student Union across the way. We chose the latter, believing that our message was move important that our comfort... and though still in a daze, shared a night of worship here that we will never forget.

In a way, our return reminds me again tonight that life on this planet really never is all it's cracked up to be. Though there are just enough tiny stretches of sunshine to make us think it’s pretty cool, in reality it’s planes crashing into buildings and innocent lives lost. It’s hatred and war...violence, brokenness, sin and strife. Yet there is an unfathomable mercy from above... and a grace that repairs shattered dreams. That’s our story tonight in the midst of it all and His name is Rescue and Unfailing Love.

So we head to Little Rock, praying mercy over Death Valley tonight…and a different roar.