The Asbury University Revival and the 190 Mile Cookie Delivery
How Far Art You Willing To Drive To Deliver A Plate Of Cookies
What in the world happened at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky this past month?
If you haven’t heard about, then let me fill you in on the details. Asbury University is a small Christian college in Wimore, Kentucky. On the Asbury campus, there are 3 chapel services offered for students each week. During the chapel service on Wednesday, February 8th, at the conclusion of a seemingly ordinary campus chapel the students in attendance felt convicted to stay in the chapel and continued to pray and worship. Other students on the Asbury campus caught wind that the chapel service was still going on and also felt convicted to join them as well. By the end of the day on Wednesday, thousands of Asbury students were still in the campus chapel worshiping and continued the chapel service 24 hours a day for two weeks.
As people in Wilmore (population 6,000) and the surrounding area learned of the revival, they came to the chapel as well to be a part of the revival as well. As news of the revival started to spread via social media, people from all across the United States, Canada, and even other countries essentially dropped whatever they were doing and made a pilgrimage to Asbury University to experience what was happening. During the two week revival, it is estimated that over 50,000 people came to experience the Asbury revival. A story in the New York Times even referred to the revival as “Woodstock for Christians”.
I found the events revolving around the events unfolding the Asbury Revival fascinating, encouraging, and refreshing. I often have felt that the young people in this country have many challenges that no other generation has ever faced before, and it was encouraging to se young people strive to make efforts to embrace and strengthen their faith.
As the revival was coming to a close on February, 24th, I came across an online article in “Christianity Today, ‘No Celebrities Except Jesus’: How Asbury Protected the Revival”. It told the story of how volunteers worked during the revival around the clock to keep those 50,000 revival crashers, their shofars, and their demon excorcisms in line, The Asbury revival might have truly been a Christian Woodstock, but they were determined to keep the event from looking like Woodstock.
Anyway, this articles reports about a woman in Indianapolis, Indiana was so touched by the thousands of people inspired to travel to the Asbury campus that she decided to spend a whole day baking as many chocolate chip cookies as possible, and then drove from Indianapolis to the Asbury campus in Wilmore, and in genuine hospitality showed her support of the event.
Using my phone, I clicked on the navigator app on my phone to calculate the distance from Indianapolis to Wimore and the distance is over 190 miles.
Looking at the map on my phone showing the route and distance from Indianapolis to Wilmore, I honestly sked myself, “How far would I drive to deliver some home made chip cookies?” As a chef, husband, father, children’s ministry helper, and Boy Scout leader, I can’t recall delivering any cookies more than a few blocks. So in reading about this woman’s conviction and how she followed through on that conviction really left an impression on me.
Then I had another thought. As incredible as making a spur of the moment 192 mile cookie delivery is (and I not to detract from such an effort), I know plenty of people right within my midst who could really benefit from getting some chocolate chip cookies. People that are across the street, People at my job, people at my church, people on the street corner, people who I know, and people who I don’t know would be genuinely touched and blessed if I just baked some cookies and shared them. There doesn’t have to be a huge revival happening or a gathering of thousands of people. The reasons to deliver a plate of cookies can be so obviously simple: I am concerned about you, I know you haven’t been feeling well, I heard that you lost your job, Happy Birthday, Happy Anniversary, My condolences. I was just thinking of you are just a few reasons to get in your kitchen and bake some great cookies to deliver the to the people around you whether it be across the street or 192 miles away. And in doing so I am thoroughly convinced that a plate of cookies can open doors of understanding, concern, ministry and blessing others. So I ask, How far are you willing to drive to deliver a batch of chocolate chip cookies?
Chocolate Chip Cookies 1 Cup Butter, Softened ½ Cup Shortening 2 Cups Sugar 2 Cups Brown Sugar 4 Eggs 5 Cups Flour 1 Tbsp. Baking Soda 1-12 oz. Package, Chocolate Chips
Directions: Using a large bowl, add the butter, shortening and white sugar, and thoroughly blend them together for about 3-5 minutes. Add the brown sugar, eggs, flour, and baking soda. Mix the ingredients together forming a uniform cookie dough.
Add the chocolate chips, gently folding them into the dough and mixing thoroughly. Divide dough into small dough balls about 2 inches wide, and arrange fough balls on greased baking sheets with 12 cookies (3 x 4) on each sheet.
Bake cookies in 375 degree oven for 8-12 minutes. Repeat process until all of the cookie dough is used. Recipe makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies.
I loved this story! Hadn't heard it before but so glad I know it. Thanks for sharing! And I'm definitely going to be following this woman's lead and making cookies to give away (locally). :-)