Grace

Last Thursday night, the Firefighter and I met my parents in Old Orchard Beach and went to a Sandi Patty concert together. It had been a hot day; I mean, HOTT day. So it it warrants 2 Ts. We're not really used to super hot heat up here in Maine; that day it was in the 90s, and making it even worse was the humidity- it was almost unbearable. The saving grace of that concert was that it was outside at the Salvation Army Old Orchard Beach Pavilion, which is an outside concert hall- and there was a breeze! As the sun went down it cooled off quite nicely, and it was an enjoyable summer evening.
As we made our way to our seats, I began to realize that the Firefighter and I were most definitely in the minority- by far, some of the youngest people there...and the concert hall was barely half full. Where was everyone? Hadn't other people been raised listening to Sandi Patty sing? Weren't they as excited as Mom and I were to hear her LIVE? What an occasion!
After what seemed an inordinately long opening act by the local town manager (who is a Christian- what a testimony for him to be playing in his own town!), the moment of truth finally had arrived. What would she look like? What will she talk about? Will she sing our favorite songs? Probably most importantly, what will she be wearing?
Ms Patty did not disappoint. Out she came, and she was wearing this long, silky, flowing black and white shirt with beautiful big flowers on it. Her hair was very chique, and her shoes. Oh my, her shoes. Let me just say that I was wishing for a camera during the entire concert, so I could photograph those beauties to show my sister. They were at least 4" heels, black and cream colored, and they just SHONE in the stagelights. Be still my heart.
Back to the concert.
Sandi Patty came out, and started right in with several songs, most of which I'd never heard. While I was listening to her, enjoying her beautiful, talented voice, my mind started wandering.
When I was growing up, Sandi Patty seemed like THE female Christian singer of her time. She was right up there with Steve Green. Mom had all her tapes, and we listened to them with the volume cranked. Then, she took a mighty tumble. A mighty public tumble. She had an affair with one of the people involved in her ministry. She fell from the spotlight of praise and appreciation for her oh-so-talented vocal abilities, and soon was in another spotlight- the one of revealed sin and glaring humanity. And judgment, I would dare say. She had fallen to the lowest point in a Christian "personality"'s ministry- one where she became an object of ridicule and disappointment.
I've read her book, Broken on The Back Row, and in it she discusses the personal pain, embarrassment, and shame for what she did. But she doesn't stop there. After several years of floundering, not knowing exactly which of the stones cast at her would be the one to finally crush her, she saw a glimmer of hope. She saw the forgiveness offered by the Savior she had previously so loudly proclaimed. And she listened to her own music. She sought forgiveness from Him, and then began the arduous journey of gaining other's forgiveness and trust again.
I was thinking all this as the background for the big question in my mind: how could she step on that stage that night, knowing full well that most in the audience knew her past? Knew what she'd done? Did she think, every night before going out to perform, about how the crowd would receive her? Were there more stone-throwers in the audience, waiting to attack at the slightest opportunity?
The conclusion I finally came to later, as we discussed it at Tim Horton's after the concert, was this. Yes, Sandi Patty did sin, and it was devestating to the career that had been built. She had been THE women's ministry singer of her time! And she threw it all away for personal pleasure. However, she was repentant of her fall. She has gradually made her way back into the public eye, singing about the grace that she has experienced first hand. She has apparently taken the lessons she learned through her fall and is now sharing them with others.
Now that's a ministry opportunity.
Saturday morning we were home, and as I puttered around the kitchen getting meals ready for the weekend, I had one of her classic CDs blaring from the stereo, and I was singing my little heart out along with her. Now that was a concert to behold! :)

If you're interested in listening to some of Sandi Patty's music, visit her website.