"Trust Me, and don’t be afraid."

Last night was just another example of why I love my job, and why we really do need to TRUST God. 

K-LOVE held a National contest where listeners could win a FREE private concert in their living room with one of our artists, Chris August.  All they had to do was submit a story on why we should pick them to recieve the free concert.  We picked 5 winners from across the country, and last night, the first private concert was held in Indianapolis.
Indy’s winner submitted this story:

"Just under two weeks ago, a little 5-year-old girl from our neighborhood was given her wings and became God's newest angel. As we all scrambled together to help the family with food and monetary donations, I couldn't help but want to do more. This family has been on my mind everyday. As soon as I heard this contest on KLOVE, I knew that it was the perfect opportunity to bring a little bit of light back into their lives. Since they are already Christians, having an in-home concert with Chris August would hopefully rejuvenate their purpose of living. As for the rest of the neighborhood, it would be such a wonderful chance to introduce them to our one and only faithful, loving, and living God. This concert would be a great way for our neighborhood to unite with one another, while in the presence of our Lord. The concert would be a tribute to our precious little angel. The families in our neighborhood has been on emotional roller coaster lately. By getting together and having a concert in honor of the little girl would remind the family in mourning that we are constantly supporting, thinking, and praying from them. Most importantly this concert would show the entire community that God will never leave us, even when we are walking through a valley of darkness."

I was a bit nervous going into a home of someone who I had no idea who they were – if it was going to be safe – the type of people, etc… My devotion yesterday morning started with “Trust Me, and don’t be afraid.” I spent yesterday praying that God would just have his hand over the evening and bless those who attended.

These events were initially thought of to be “small, intimate gatherings” in the winners living room. I had talked with the Indy winner before the event and they told me there were inviting some of their neighbors over for the concert, based on her story she submitted. They were expecting maybe 75 people. When I arrived at their house yesterday, I arrived to 100 chairs (donated from a local church) in their side yard and K-LOVE blasting on the speakers. (One of their neighbors is a professional DJ, and had set up his entire sound system for sound.) The family told me they were praying for 75-100 people, but since they only had 5 days to notify their neighbors, it probably wouldn’t happen. When I took the stage to intro the Indy winner (they had a make shift stage set up from a tractor bed) there were around 200-250 people.

I asked the winner to share what she shared with K-LOVE – why she wanted Chris August to come and play at her house. When she finished her story, they invited their neighbors (the parents of the little girl who passed away) to the stage and they let off a bunch of balloons and had a moment of silence for the little girl. Chris then took the stage and instead of opening with one of his more upbeat songs (like he normally does) he opened with his new song “This Side of Heaven.” I don’t think there was a dry eye in the area.

Once Chris started playing, more neighbors started arriving and setting up lawn chairs. By the end of Chris’ set, there were 350 people gathered around. The host family had donation bins laying around the area and ended up collecting $1700 for the family that lost their daughter. (Her dad is unemployed and they had no health insurance when she passed away.) 

A lot of the neighbors who ended up showing up were un-churched and had not heard of K-LOVE before. Because of the winner's letter to K-LOVE, we were able to bring Christian music to their neighborhood and help the winner witness to her neighbors in a very unique and powerful way.

And God calmed my nerves by giving us a VERY safe and warm family to work with.  I felt like God was saying "HEY YOU!  Don't you know by now that I'VE GOT YOUR BACK?!?!"

The winner started her junior year of college this morning and is majoring in non-profit management and has a dream of working at K-LOVE and Air1 someday. I asked her if she would be interested in volunteering with us last night and she started to cry and said she would love to!

Yes - my job has long, crazy hours.  (You all remind me quite regularly...) But it's worth every second of it after nights like last night.  I was truely blessed last night by watching a small neighborhood, the body of Christ, come together for one family in need.  How Awesome is our God!



Chris August talking to the attendees

  


Part of the crowd gathered to watch Chris perform