That Girl

****Final update, I pretty much promise. There is a sweet reader named Nancy who has written me asking for a Bible Study recommendation, and although I have sent several to the address listed, I keep getting a "permanent failure" message!" If you are Nancy, please give me a different email address and I will send you some awesome recommendations!!! thanks :)****

****Updated again to say that I forgot to open this post up for anonymous comments (I was wondering why in the world so many people were writing to tell me they were having problems posting!!!!), so I'm going to extend it until noon on Wednesday so everyone will have a chance:) See you then! And now it really is open to everyone. Promise!****

****Updated to say keep 'em coming!!!!! This is so FUN!!!! David Crowder has no idea what he's in for...Muahahahaha....I have actually just been looking for a reason to type Muahahaha because I think it looks funny. Thanks for the "correct" spelling, Julie P :)****

I received a letter earlier this week from a Sunday, and it moved me to tears.  I love to hear people's stories and to feel such a connection to others that this somewhat distant form of media provides.  I wish there were more hours in the day for me to respond to my emails, because they have been a source of much joy to me. There comes a time for many of us bloggers (and I know, because I have become friends with several of them!) that we just plain old get sick of hearing our own voices.  We think, "Who are we that these people would want to invest in our words?" I met face to face with one of my favorite bloggers a few months ago, and as we chatted, I felt like we could finish each other's sentences.  

We often feel inadequate with a platform that we earned through some incident in our lives that boosted us into the blogosphere, much to our own surprise. And along with it came great love and many amazing things, but also a great desire to be authentic, which can sometimes result in transparency that is then up for scrutiny. It is such an odd thing; to sit behind a computer and ask the Lord to fill the pages with your truest, deepest offering and then pray for those who read it to see the Author Who wrote every bit. You all probably notice that I don't post as much as I used to, and I guess I have to say, in the words of this precious blogger friend, "Man, am I sick if myself :)" 

When I read her words (thank you, S- you are a rare combination of hilarious and true...just the absolute real deal), I literally laughed out loud because I couldn't have said it any better myself. For the record, my friends will tell you that I am so not exciting in real life, and in fact, the other day I took the dog out and realized that the majority of my neighbors don't even know I have a blog :) 

I so long for it to not be one-sided, which is  why I absolutely love getting to know you all. 

Long intro, but stick with me. It's a great story.

The letter I received was from a sweet girl named Lauren. In it, she beautifully told the story of her mother being called to open a Christian Bookstore called "Blessings." Not only did the bookstore sell books, but it further lived out the Gospel by keeping a fully stocked pantry for customers in need.  She began an organization called ACCTS which gathered members from each church in town for monthly meetings to discuss ways to impact the community with the love of Christ.  Some of this outreach included school supply giveaways, sponsoring the National Day of Prayer, and the largest event-a banquet held for the poor. They would put the tables in the shape of a cross, decorate the room in ornate, beautiful decor, and invite the downtrodden, forgotten, poor, mentally/physically/emotionally disabled etc. to a feast at the table of the Lord. They were sent home with a full bag of groceries, and I'm sure, a taste of how they are loved by the Lord.  

In June of 2006, Lauren's mother was diagnosed with cancer for the second time.  She fought it for 18 months. During that time, she threw a party for a woman who had her last cancer treatment on her birthday-a true testimony of what it looks like to be a selfless, Christ-centered woman.  Even though she was sick, she celebrated those who were well. Inspiring, isn't it? Oh that we could all portray the grace of the Lord this well...

Lauren told me the details of her mother's illness, and the sad day when she received a phone call saying that she needed to come home quickly because they suspected they had run out of time.  The hospital room was filled with friends and family, and they gathered around her mother and sang "Mighty to Save" over her before she passed away that evening.  Throughout the letter, Lauren describes her mother in a way that every mother would desire, and I am blessed to have learned of such a brave, precious woman who faced adversity with the peace that only comes from Him.  

Lauren goes on to say that she found my blog the same month that Audrey died, and wanted to share something special with me, but hadn't quite found what it was. 

The next part is where I lost it. Totally. Lost. It.

Because of how difficult it is to go to her mother's shop (which is still family/friend operated), she said that she hardly ever stops by there. A few weeks ago, she needed to go in, and even though she tried to get out of it, she ended up going.  As a fan of Gerber daisies, something caught her eye on the front of the display rack.

Does it seem like a lot of moments came together that day for this one little Gerber daisy CD? Well, as she says, "If you believe that all of these things just happened, I have some oceanfront property in Arizona for you..." :)

Trust me (because it is the single most often asked question I have had since the inception of this blog!!!!), this was not just any CD.

It was an unwrapped, brand new copy of a very old CD that nobody can seem to get their hands on.

You may recognize the title.

"All I Can Say."

Yes. And amen. I did a happy, happy dance that made my family uncomfortable. 

THE CD with the song that plays first on my blog, performed by the (now) David Crowder Band. At the time I believe it was an independent release and they didn't even call themselves by this name. I could not believe it. A CD released more than ten years ago, that was sitting on the front shelf of a bookstore which had belonged to a woman who lived her life inspiring others to feast on the goodness of the Lord. When I listen to the song, I am invited to do the same. It brings me right to the banquet, where I could sit and sit until the day He calls me home.

So of course I couldn't keep this treasure to myself (and have no fear, I do have a copy that was sent to me by an old friend of theirs, so you aren't taking it from me!).  I am so thankful to Lauren for her generosity, and I am going to go ahead and open up the comments section until Tuesday at noon. Then, I will randomly pick a winner and send the CD!!!! So please don't leave a comment if you don't want the CD, because trust me, based on the hundreds of emails I have received, there are MANY of you that do!!!!  And also, I am hoping that there are a zillion comments because I will then have to notify Mr. Crowder and tell him that a re-release may be in order due to the incredible demand. 

I'm just saying...it is the best song ever. 

Ever. 

(Except for all the Selah stuff, ahem...:))

So, make sure and leave a comment and feel free to "meet" Lauren (she goes by "That Girl" online) and tell her how sweet and gracious she is. I believe she is quite a chip off the ole' block. Thank you, Lauren, for sharing your mom with all of us. 

I can't wait to meet her one day...

Much love,

Angie