Our 5-year wedding anniversary occurred shortly after this letter was mailed off. Ryan knows how much the Priceless movement means to me, so he actually gifted me a handmade card and a Priceless necklace. It’s the same necklace Joel Smallbone is wearing in the “Protecting the Princess” video that I posted in a previous blog.
After writing this letter, I felt like I was starting to process some of my own emotions. I used to have random bouts daily to weekly where I’d feel like crying for no reason. In the last few months, I’ve experienced that once. And it wasn’t a lie, either: I’ve been watching my church’s sermons weekly when I can’t physically be there. Otherwise, we drive from Appleton to Richfield to enjoy Pastor Mike‘s wisdom at Northbrook. I won’t get into my job because that’s a whole different blog, but this change in me also made me decide that I could stick it out and return after my vacation with a renewed passion. In the midst of all this stuff going on in my life, this happened:
Upon receiving these messages, I went on the For King & Country site right away and placed my order for a t-shirt and a bomber jacket. I already knew I wanted merchandise, but it was even more clear to me at that point that it would mean a lot.
We stood in a long line behind many other fans who paid a lot of money to talk to Joel and Luke. I’ll admit, I was kind of angry when another small group came in behind us because we were, for a few minutes, the very last people in line. Anyway, it was surreal to look my self-proclaimed brothers in the eyes, shake their hands, and give them a hug. They introduced themselves and I said, “I know who you are.” They smiled and asked if I wanted to take a picture with them, and I said, “Can I waste 5 minutes of your time first?” Luke laughed and Joel told me, “Yes, you can have 5 minutes.” So I went on to tell them that I really respected their message and how they create an environment where people can feel God. I gave them each an envelope with some photos of me, Ryan, and our cats and told them it was so they could see the faces of another young woman who they’d unknowingly brought to Jesus. Luke thanked me profusely and Joel said it was sweet to hear how much they’d impacted me. They were both just so gentle and genuine and that’s why I’m proud to support their music and merchandise.
Journey to Heaven 