Pause.

Last night Daniel and I were blessed to attend a concert of the Christian group Selah. It was easily among the best Christian concerts that I have ever attended. I am not a fan of over-produced music. I would much rather hear a sincere soul singing songs of praise from the heart with nothing but a guitar and a piano backup. That is exactly what this was. All three of the members of Selah are incredibly talented. But even more than that, I was blessed to hear their stories of faith and struggle. I found myself praying during the concert, asking God to help me to grow in my faith in the ways that they described. It was a time of clear-headed contemplation for me. A Pause. And that’s what their name means – Pause. “Selah” is a musical term used in the Psalms in between sections. Selah is the thought, the quiet, that comes amidst the praise.

I have been familiar with the music of Selah for several years, but this was the first concert of theirs that I have attended. Two things drew me to go:

1 – The concert was to benefit the Hope Clinic for Women, where I have volunteered for almost six years.

2 – The lead singer’s wife, Angie Smith.

Angie and her husband Todd have a remarkable story that they have shared freely. They have three little girls, and a little over a year ago Angie was pregnant with their fourth. When she went for the anatomy scan ultrasound, they were told that the baby had kidney failure and other significant problems and would not live for more than a few moments after being born. They were heartbroken and determined to make the life of baby Audrey meaningful. Amazingly, they have never wavered in their faith, and they share freely the story of how God worked through the short life of little Audrey. She lived for about two and a half hours after being born last April.

Angie started a blog, Bring the Rain, to keep friends and family updated on what was going on. The popularity of the blog exploded, and she now has thousands and thousands of readers who have been touched and inspired by their story and the strong faith that shines through. Here are a few links to her most moving posts. Make sure you have your kleenex closeby….

The Beginning of the Story
Letter to My Daughter
Carry You – a slideshow of pictures and a recording of the amazing song that Angie and Todd wrote for Audrey

God bless!