Not in my wildest dreams could I have conjured the events following my post “There is such good …”

The following day, I checked my email as usual and promptly sat with my ipad as if I were holding the most precious, fragile item with shaking hands.

An email – from Germany.

Not just any email.  An email from Rainer Hoess.

Two sentences:

“Thanks for your comfort article at your website (There is such good) Warm and friendly regards from Germany“

I haven’t been in shock many times in my life.  I can assure you, I was, at that moment, in total and complete shock.

It’s not often the subject of something that touches you so profoundly contacts you.  Okay, NEVER does the subject of something that has touched me so profoundly been in contact.

I did not know what to do.  Other than sit – and stare at my email as if it were going to suddenly delete itself if I looked away. 

Do I reply??  I thought perhaps not – I didn’t want to bother him with my gushing compliments and over the top thank you’s for taking the time to write a note to me.  But, then I thought, WHEN am I ever going to have this opportunity again?

So I proceeded to embarrassingly gush and thank.

I hit ‘send’ while holding my breath.  I’m pretty sure I wasn’t breathing anyway.

*Ding*

A reply. 

I’m barely functioning at this point.  How to read when my vision is swimming? Comprehend the words when my brain is doing some odd dance in my head? And how to use the touch screen when I can’t feel my extremities??

I’ll save the rest for the big event, but let me just say, after some 32 emails back and forth later – he graciously agreed to allow me to interview him.

I know how huge this is.  I know. 

And a part of me is terrified I’m going to let this amazing man down.  But he trusts me. 

And I trust my voice. 

And I want to be a part of his generations effort to offer healing and hope. 

I want to focus on his journey.  A man who has struggled with coming to terms with his past.  A past he had no part in, but is still persecuted for. 

So watch this space. 

I’ll be continuing to get to know this funny, insightful, delightful, strong, brave and caring man.

Then I will share some of him with you.