It ain't over 'til the cute lady sings!

My friend, Blair, sang in church this morning.  It was beautiful and inspiring.  I do not think there was a person in the service who was not moved to worship through her voice.  It was the first time she had sung in church in eleven years.

Blair's son attended our preschool.  The church had a workday to complete some projects on the playground.  Blair and I just so happened to end up working beside each other.  I say "just so happened,"  but I believe it was a divine appointment.  She and I struck up a casual friendship that day.  We would always stop and chat at church, and we went out to lunch.  Because of our busy lives, we didn't get to spend a lot of time together, but we always enjoyed the time we did have.

She knew nothing of my journey until March when she received the letter in the mail saying that Jason and I were divorcing.  Blair called me the next week.  She simply said, "I want to be there for you."  Remember, we were not really that close because we had not been able to spend the time we needed to build that relationship.  I also had another casual friend, Cindy, who called within one day of Blair's call with the same offer.  I am so thankful for these two and for all of my other friends who have helped me through the journey.  So many times we see people suffering, and we think, "I would like to help, but I don't really know them, and I am just not sure what to do."  Both of these wonderful ladies said, "I don't know what to say.  I don't know what to do.  But I want to be there for whatever you need."  Let me encourage anyone reading this.  If you know someone who is struggling, just offer to be there for that person.

I had dinner with Blair.  We laughed, and we cried.  It was a good visit.  Blair told me that in the past she had sung solos.  She said that she had felt God nudging her to start singing again.  She went home and later that week heard the song, "His Hands," by J.J. Heller.  Please allow me to share some of the lyrics with you.

I have unanswered prayers
I have trouble I wish wasn't there
And I have asked a thousand ways
That You would take my pain away
That You would take my pain away

I am trying to understand
How to walk this weary land
Make straight the paths that crookedly lie
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave Your hands

When You walked upon the Earth
You healed the broken, lost, and hurt
I know You hate to see me cry
One day You will set all things right
Yea, one day You will set all things right

Blair told me that she started singing that song in the bathroom every morning.  She said she would always sing it for me as she prayed for me to have the strength I needed to make this journey.  This summer she sang it for us at a Bible study.  That is what led to her singing in church.  Everyone's immediate comment was, "Where has she been all this time?"  God has definitely blessed her with a beautiful voice and a tender heart and spirit for sharing in song.

I cried when Blair sang last Sunday.  This time, I cried happy tears. Especially when I heard the last verse...One day you will set all things right!


As I sat there listening, I had another thought. "The enemy may have won a battle in my life.  But God is NOT going to let it be in vain."  He is not sitting up there thinking to Himself, "Well, I am sorry that happened.  That is just too bad."  He is working through this terrible situation to bring about good things.

Most of us know Romans 8:28 by heart.  "All things work together for good, to them that love the Lord."  I love how the Message paraphrases it: "That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good."

God placed that song on Blair's heart to sing for me because of my journey.  As a result of that, a talent that had been in hiding for eleven years came out today.  I am certainly not the only person in that congregation on an Unplanned Journey.  I know for a fact that there are others there facing far more difficult things than I have had to face.  I wasn't the only person who needed to hear that song.  Others needed it as well, and today they received that wonderful blessing from God.

I will never believe that my journey was God's will.  However, I will always believe that He is able to use it to bring about wonderful new things.

I hope to have a video of her singing this song posted soon.  Please check back for it.  You will be blessed!