Blessings in unexpected places

I am just amazed at the blessing of relationships right now, particularly unexpected ones.

I have mentioned before, that I am a member of a website which is mainly for Worship Leaders, and people who want to be involved in worship on a regular basis.

I joined this website just before Christmas last year (2006). I expected that by being a member of this site that I would be able to dive more into worship as a habit, as a lifestyle, as a part of my everyday life. I knew that I'd be meeting other worship leaders, and talking about music, and church and all of those things. I knew I'd meet people--as well as you can 'meet' someone on the Internet. But I didn't think that I would actually MEET people.

So, the realization that REAL relationships were being formed, happened first for me when I went to Passion in Boston in October. I had found out through the site (which is known as 'Frequency') of a few other women who were going to Passion, and we decided that we should room together. So--it's a long story, and I've written about my experience at Passion before (here, here and here), but the three of us formed a very deep bond very quickly. It was like, since the foundation of our relationship was centered on worship, that we just clicked. We have been that way ever since. We are frequently in contact with each other. There were other women that I met up with there too--who I also formed very close bonds with--I was just surrounded by these amazing women!

One of these women, has actually met her future husband through Frequency. It's an amazing story--and we are still all in awe over this. How could you meet someone to marry through a chat board? But that just gives more credibility to what we are really all about. It's how real this site is. I know you probably think I've lost my marbles as I say this...it's like nothing I've ever experienced.

Now I am planning my next Passion event, which will take place in DC in February. Once again, I am rooming with a few other women/young women. Most of them I have already met in person, but there are others going to this conference, and we have plans to meet up. I'm very excited to meet more of these wonderful people!

I am also amazed at this site, since we really are letting each other into our lives. What is real in our lives. One man, his name is Nate, has been going through a really tough time. His wife has Cystic Fibrosis, and just as she was going to start physical therapy in preperation for a double lung transplant, they found out that she was pregnant. Well, the past few days have been on pins and needles. She's been in the hospital for a bit now, mostly in the ICU, trying to keep the pregnancy going as long as possible. This baby wasn't due until April. I think she was around 24 weeks maybe? Well, today they had to do an emergency c-section. The baby was born, 1lb 6oz, and is on a ventilator of course, but seems to be okay otherwise (at least as far as they know) Mom is on a ventilator, and they're keeping her asleep until tomorrow--she's back in the ICU. But--my point is that Nate has shared a lot of this information with us so that we can be praying. That is very personal--but he wanted our prayers. It's been amazing.

The best way I can describe the relationships on this site, is to look at it like a church. We really have formed a 'church' in a sense. To go onto this website, is like you are walking into the foyer of a church, where the coffee and donuts are being served. The conversations taking place, the laughter, tears, everything you would expect to see going on--happens here.

I am so blessed by these people, it is hard to explain. And I'm sure hard for you to understand--and you all probably want to come and check my head to make sure I haven't gone off of my rocker. But you don't have to, I am completely lucid. :) Just reminded how blessings can come out of unexpected places, that's all.