“I couldn’t have been happier with the turnout last night,” said Crowley businessman Ted Carmichael, one of the organizers of the Acadiana Festival of Life. “A lot of people wanted to change their lives last night.”

The evening was highlighted by Grammy award-winning musician Jason Crabb, who was backed up by The Community Choir (led by Crowley’s Reverend Jimmy Broussard) and the intense, passionate speaking of Jay Lowder who be on hand for each of the event’s four nights.

“Jay Lowder is such a dynamic speaker and he is spirit-filled,” said Carmichael. “You could feel the spirit of God in that meeting. When he gave the invitation for people to come forward to accept Christ into their lives the chairs just emptied. ”

Lowder relayed a story about how his young son idolized NBA basketball star Vince Carter. When Carter’s team came into town Lowder brought his son to hopefully meet Carter prior to the game. They tried again and again to get Carter’s attention so that he could come sign Lowder’s son’s t-shirt and at one point Carter actually looked up and made eye contact with the Lowders. However, not having known them, he simply walked off.

Then Lowder relayed his message to those in attendance.

“It’s the same with the Lord,” he said. “If you don’t have a personal relationship with him, regardless of how much we know about him, he may simply view you as someone he doesn’t know.”

The Festival of Life was expected to have an even larger gathering on Monday with young people in attendance for the event’s student night. There will be a car given away as well as laptops and ipods.