Story

A friend and pastor told me some years ago that Larry Crabb would be in Germany speaking at the Willow Creek Congress and during that visit he would preach at his church. What a chance for me to meet the author of the many books I had read and which have spoken to me and changed me! The day approached and I was so nervous to meet Larry in my friend's living-room! But instead of having the conversation of my life with my favourite Christian author, I broke out in tears right after I introduced myself and left the room! How weird this must have been for Larry! I also tried to forget this embarrassing moment.
In 2018 a dream came true and I was able to fly across the Atlantic to attend the School of Spiritual Direction at the Cove.
On the opening night – right at the beginning- Larry looked at me and asked: Do we know each other?
I reminded him of the strange encounter several years earlier with that German crying woman in Germany.
What I didn't expect was, that Larry asked me why I had cried. I tried to give an answer that I hadn't had at that time besides that the crisis I had gone through with all the pain made me speechless and left me overwhelmed. During that week at SSD and through a personal talk with Larry I realized what the real pain was that made me cry: the longing for a Papa on whose lap I could sit, share my struggles and be comforted.
Larry has had the greatest spiritual impact on my life. He was my true spiritual papa!
How wonderful that we all will meet him again!
Agnes Brunner/Reutlingen, Germany