Sing, Love. The Master is Listening...

One of my favorite authors and people of all time is Angie Smith. Angie Smith has written many books including I Will Carry You, What Women Fear, and her newest--a children's book called Audrey Bunny. I love the way Angie writes. It's as if you're sitting with her exchanging life stories over coffee. Six years ago, she and her husband Todd (lead singer of Christian group, Selah) found out that their daughter would not likely live outside the womb. They chose to let God have His way with the situation and gave Him the glory throughout the entire pregnancy and since.

Sing, love.

I found Angie's blog when I was 19 years old. My friend Sadie had been reading it and mentioned it to me for whatever reason. (God, obviously.) This was right around the time when I was grieving over my dad's 2nd death anniversary. I went to her blog site, sat there and read her story. I went back as far as I could and read and read and read. I laughed often. I cried a lot. But mostly I was just in awe of the way Angie relies on God. Her writing is truly fantastic as well. God gave her an amazing gift when he created her. Angie is really special to me. Her daughter, the one who passed away, Audrey and I share a birthday. I turned 20 the day she was born. My...our birthdays haven't been the same for 5 years. That day never passes without me thinking of Todd, Angie, and all 5 of their girls.

Sing, love.

Anyway, Angie wrote a devotional book recently, which I love. It's called Mended: Pieces of a Life Made Whole. Several of these chapters have stuck out for me, some of which I would love to write about. But tonight's read was the chapter entitled "He Loves You". She focuses on the sparrows and how God loves us more than them.

"What is the price of two sparrows--

one copper coin?

But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground

without your Father knowing it.

And the very hairs on your head are all numbered.

So don't be afraid;

you are more valuable to God

than a whole flock of sparrows."

Matthew 10:29-31 [NLT]

She talks about how she was searching for answers in her walk. "I decided I wanted to know what it was that made this bird so important. I had gone through a very dark time in my life, and I was looking for Him, for answers, for a reason to believe He even cared, let alone loved me." She says she "just wanted to know that she existed to Him."

Sing, love.

She continues on to say that she was reading an article on a specific bird. "I skimmed it until I came across a sentence that explained how this certain type of bird learned how to sing." She became overwhelmed at what she found. "...this particular bird cannot learn to sing in the daylight because it is always concerned with the chatter around it. Instead, its cage must be covered so that it is in complete darkness. Then it is able to hear its master and will learn how to sing." 

Sing, love.

Angie points out that even when we are in our darkest hour, He is there. And He loves you. 

-katie

You can find Angie and her story at her website here. Go. Read her and Audrey's story. You won't be sorry.