Michael W. Smith and a star-struck teenage girl
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During my junior year of high school, the Billy Graham Crusade came to town. I was copy editor for the school paper, so I managed to talk my way into a press pass. When the press conference for the first night's musicians began, the only available seats offered no clear line of sight to the front of the room (which I needed, because I was photographer as well as writer for the story!), so I crouched near the side.
When Michael W. Smith came in, I was determined to ask him a question. However, the press assistant running the conference didn't see me, squatting against the wall and balancing my camera, notebook, and pencil as I raised my hand to ask a question. As the assistant announced that no more questions would be taken, Michael W. Smith interrupted him, saying, "I'd like to take one more question from that young lady," pointing to me.
If you know me well, this will be hard to picture, but I was speechless. The question in my mind previously was forgotten. My mouth didn't work. I was humbled by this famous and godly man noticing me and breaking the rules to allow me to ask him a question ... a question I couldn't bring to mind or speech.
I did regroup, after being asked a second time, and ask the only question that came to mind: "If you only achieve one thing from the stage tonight, what would you want it to be?" (Well, let me be honest. I did consider asking if his oldest son - handsome and right around my age - was available, but I exercised restraint.)
I can't even recall his answer, though I think I included it in the article which I'm sure my momma saved. But, as I consider this instance in light of my current role as Access Ministry coordinator at our church, I think this provides a few takeaways for us:
When Michael W. Smith came in, I was determined to ask him a question. However, the press assistant running the conference didn't see me, squatting against the wall and balancing my camera, notebook, and pencil as I raised my hand to ask a question. As the assistant announced that no more questions would be taken, Michael W. Smith interrupted him, saying, "I'd like to take one more question from that young lady," pointing to me.
If you know me well, this will be hard to picture, but I was speechless. The question in my mind previously was forgotten. My mouth didn't work. I was humbled by this famous and godly man noticing me and breaking the rules to allow me to ask him a question ... a question I couldn't bring to mind or speech.
I did regroup, after being asked a second time, and ask the only question that came to mind: "If you only achieve one thing from the stage tonight, what would you want it to be?" (Well, let me be honest. I did consider asking if his oldest son - handsome and right around my age - was available, but I exercised restraint.)
I can't even recall his answer, though I think I included it in the article which I'm sure my momma saved. But, as I consider this instance in light of my current role as Access Ministry coordinator at our church, I think this provides a few takeaways for us:
- We need to intentionally look for those who are on the margins of church. It's easier to look toward those who are right in front of us rather than looking to the left or right. What I love most about John 9:1 is that Jesus saw the man who was blind; when he transforms our lives, we're more apt to notice others as well.
- We need to be willing to speak up when we do notice those on the margins. It's easy to divert our eyes. It's harder to do something more than that.
- We need to regularly ask ourselves, "If I only do one thing on Sunday morning (or any other ministry time), what would I want it to be?" Or, better yet, what would God want it to be? What is the one thing that would most clearly glorify him?
How do you intentionally notice those on the margins of your church?
And (be honest!) what musician had you star-struck as a teen?
Edited to add: Thank you to Rick Warren for sharing my post with his followers and for all who retweeted it. Please check out the other posts and resources I have here (you might find the why and how pages helpful; I'm updating them right now to include more posts since I haven't done that in a while!), and email me at shannon@theworksofgoddisplayed.com if I can offer your church any help as you welcome people with disabilities.
And I just found some pictures! I do apologize for the quality; I certainly didn't have a fancy camera in high school. The first one is of Michael W. Smith and the media guy, and the second one is MWS on stage (with me only about five or six yards away, standing on the field with the rest of the press, thankful for my interaction with a considerate man of God).
And (be honest!) what musician had you star-struck as a teen?
Edited to add: Thank you to Rick Warren for sharing my post with his followers and for all who retweeted it. Please check out the other posts and resources I have here (you might find the why and how pages helpful; I'm updating them right now to include more posts since I haven't done that in a while!), and email me at shannon@theworksofgoddisplayed.com if I can offer your church any help as you welcome people with disabilities.
And I just found some pictures! I do apologize for the quality; I certainly didn't have a fancy camera in high school. The first one is of Michael W. Smith and the media guy, and the second one is MWS on stage (with me only about five or six yards away, standing on the field with the rest of the press, thankful for my interaction with a considerate man of God).