I’ve been a Jen Hatmaker fan for a long time. She’s such a wise, funny, and kind female leader during a really crazy time in history. Since I talk a lot about things that excite me, a bunch of my best girls have read Jen and love her just as much as I do. Sarah had texted me a few months ago that Jen was finally coming to speak near us! We had already promised each other that if she came anywhere near us we would go. We’ve been so excited for our big day!!!
Chelsea, Colleen, Jen, and Chelsea’s friend Jen were all in too. Chelsea is amazing and made shirts for all of us with fun Jen quotes and facts.
I had been cruising fb last week and heard that Jen and Nichole Nordeman were having a special drawing at each show that one lucky fan would win backstage passes to meet them. We all put our names in for the drawing, and when the show started they announced the winner... CHELSEA WON!!! She jumped up and screamed, and then we all jumped up and screamed, it was sooo exciting!!! Here we are following big Ray out to their tour bus!
We were so excited!
Colleen was smart and got pictures all along the way of our long walk.
We toured their tiny bus and then sat down to visit. I was lucky enough to sit by Jen. Whaaaaat???
She put her arm on the seat behind me and I decided to go full creepy creeper. I was like “I’m just gonna scoot in close here, it just feels right.” And then she hugged me. She huggedme.
I was fan girling so hard!
She’s got such a gift with people that it all felt so natural, like we really are just a bunch of girlfriends. And she pretty quickly got up to show us their weird trap door, so sitting and hugging didn’t feel awkward at all either. It was just long enough. 😂
We were cool as we walked back from their trailer, but then we stopped by their backstage bathroom and totally screamed. Ok, I did. It was just so totally amazing.
Still in shock.
Chelsea had sent me her shirt ideas awhile back about a shirt that would say “Big earrings, Bigger heart.” Big earrings are a trademark of Jen, and also Chelsea and I are not afraid to sport some danglies. We twinned all the way down to our shoes, which was totally unplanned and awesome.
It wasn’t all just amazing fangjrl cuddling. It was also so good and moving. It was a sermon about the Good Samaritan. She talked about how we’ve always been commanded to love our neighbors, but who exactly are our neighbors? Like, how many people do we need to love? She said that the two “men of God” that passed by the man that had been beaten probably hurt that man worse than actually being beaten. And how interesting it is that we know nothing about the man that was beaten. We don’t know if he was wearing something that was asking for it, or if he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, or if he knew better and caused his own harm. And it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter because everyone is our neighbor, and if we are truly followers of Christ, we love and serve everyone.
I had been cruising fb last week and heard that Jen and Nichole Nordeman were having a special drawing at each show that one lucky fan would win backstage passes to meet them. We all put our names in for the drawing, and when the show started they announced the winner... CHELSEA WON!!! She jumped up and screamed, and then we all jumped up and screamed, it was sooo exciting!!! Here we are following big Ray out to their tour bus!
We were so excited!
Colleen was smart and got pictures all along the way of our long walk.
We toured their tiny bus and then sat down to visit. I was lucky enough to sit by Jen. Whaaaaat???
She put her arm on the seat behind me and I decided to go full creepy creeper. I was like “I’m just gonna scoot in close here, it just feels right.” And then she hugged me. She huggedme.
I was fan girling so hard!
She’s got such a gift with people that it all felt so natural, like we really are just a bunch of girlfriends. And she pretty quickly got up to show us their weird trap door, so sitting and hugging didn’t feel awkward at all either. It was just long enough. 😂
We were cool as we walked back from their trailer, but then we stopped by their backstage bathroom and totally screamed. Ok, I did. It was just so totally amazing.
Still in shock.
Chelsea had sent me her shirt ideas awhile back about a shirt that would say “Big earrings, Bigger heart.” Big earrings are a trademark of Jen, and also Chelsea and I are not afraid to sport some danglies. We twinned all the way down to our shoes, which was totally unplanned and awesome.
It wasn’t all just amazing fangjrl cuddling. It was also so good and moving. It was a sermon about the Good Samaritan. She talked about how we’ve always been commanded to love our neighbors, but who exactly are our neighbors? Like, how many people do we need to love? She said that the two “men of God” that passed by the man that had been beaten probably hurt that man worse than actually being beaten. And how interesting it is that we know nothing about the man that was beaten. We don’t know if he was wearing something that was asking for it, or if he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, or if he knew better and caused his own harm. And it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter because everyone is our neighbor, and if we are truly followers of Christ, we love and serve everyone.
I’d never heard Nichole Nordeman sing, but she was really good also. My favorite song was Slow Down and of course the video to it made me bawl. It’s just all so tender. Then at the end she read the Elephant story I shared in our all Women’s Relief Society last December (that I found when Jen shared it on fb). And then Nichole sang a song and then said for any woman that felt like she needed some prayers to stand up and for us to support and share love with her. It was beautiful and moving to see women be so vulnerable to stand up, and just be surrounded by love. The spirit was so strong, the power and love of these good, God loving women was palpable.
And then, to cap the whole amazing evening, we all stood and sang Lean on Me. It was so good. Frankie’s been learning that on the piano and the other night st dinner I played it for the girls and belted it out, and just thought about the lyrics. It’s so true, we all take turns being the strong one and the one that needs help. And we all hate the needing help part. It’s so hard, but it’s how we grow. It wa such an amazing experience and I’m so thankful for it!
1 comment:
What a great experience. I'm glad you kept your composure...as much as you did, Fan-Girl.
A great evening and some GREAT memories!!
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