God plus .music. plus .details. usually equals amazing

Last week I heard that the Chapman family was going to be at a really cool venue in our area;

Obviously Steven Curtis Chapman is a big star, but as most know, their family has also suffered the unthinkable loss of their daughter Maria through a tragic car accident at their home, and I wanted to go because I knew that they were choosing to minister out of incredible pain.

Pain that I understand on a different level now.

Well, between the great firefighting schedule and the last minute price of the tickets, the evening was not to be.  I'm really working on not nagging my man.  I told him I'd really like to go and left it.

God, please could we go. . . if this would be a good thing for us, You could totally work it out minus my nagging.  I'd really like to go, God.

So then, this week, painting up a storm all by my lonesome, I heard the dj on the radio say if you are the first to email me the name of the last song, I will send you tickets to the Steven Curtis Chapman concert. 

I dashed for my phone and emailed her. . . but I never win anything and when I didn't hear back, I went back to my original plan of praying that God would somehow miraculously give Daniel the time off and make him buy the tickets.

Two days later, I received an email back annnnnd - I won the tickets!  I just couldn't believe it. . . I know it's not a huge thing to others, but to me it was just confirmation that God totally cares about my heart.  And it was huge to me.  {And God did work out the time off- seems He's big enough to handle that.}

The Chapman's have an amazing story.  God's grace was so evident in their lives tonight.  All along I have ached and prayed for Maria's brother, Will, the driver. . . such a heavy burden to carry for one so young. Tonight we were able to witness the healing hand of God as he played the drums in his own band, and then for his dad.  So cool. 

Back to the firefighting glitches in schedules and events - Daniel had.to.leave. at nine, and we were both disappointed about that; more and more disappointed as the evening progressed.  At 8:30, I whispered, "Do you have any favors you could call in?" and he was like, "Are you kidding me? This late? No, but I'm so sorry we have to leave." 

One more little thing to give to God.  I gave it.  I knew He sent us there, so if we had to leave, obviously, He was okay with that.

So we left.

And guess who was in the exit doorway.

Will.

Wow, God.

We told him we'd prayed for them.  Told him in three sentences why we were there and that their story had helped us so much.  Told him it was amazing to see him up on stage, using his gifts, still. He gets tragedy.  He lives it.  He was so sweet and at the tender age of nineteen, has a depth that deep sorrow brings.  I wanted to capture the moment, freeze it, document all the crazy similarities (like his necklace with Maria's picture and mine with Gabe's) but some moments are so special and such gifts that you just gotta live them.

Sooooo. . . I think I know why God made us leave early.

taken *before* the concert and all of the tears. . .

Will and Caleb Chapman

Steven Curtis Chapman singing It Is Well

Loved seeing Steven and Mary Beth's real, real hearts.  They aren't just talking the talk, they are living their faith through the fire.

For more about the Chapman family, visit their website.