5&2

Hey Friends!

Before we get started on our journey about the Promises of God I have to share with you the most amazing experience I had with my Mom over the summer!

Full disclosure - I LOVE THE CHOSEN!!! - If you have not watched it or heard of it - where have you been?!?! Seriously - watching The Chosen has been a game changer for me! It has helped me see Jesus in a new light - they show Jesus tending to a wound on his arm....who ever thought about Jesus needing first aid? One episode shows Jesus completely exhausted.....who ever thought about Jesus being tired? They show Jesus joking around....who ever thought about Jesus joking around? They do an amazing job of making the disciples real - human - normal - broken, like us - relatable.

It captured me from Season 1, Episode 1 when Jesus met Mary Magdalene where she was, at her lowest point. As you know she was possessed by 7 demons and Jesus healed her. When Jesus heals Mary and says "I have called you by name; you are mine" I completely lost it and sobbed as I do each time I watch it because He met me at my lowest point as well - He calls me by name; I am His.

I could go on and on but I do want to tell you about our trip. Expect references to The Chosen going forward. :)

This was the trip of a lifetime - In June 2022 we went to Texas to be part of The Chosen filming of when Jesus fed the 5,000 for season 3!

I asked Mom in March if she'd like to go with me and she was eager from the get-go and began planning our costumes right away (she's the creative one, I got none of that in the divvying out of the genes). All who came had to bring their own costumes, period appropriate of course. Mom did an awesome job making us look like two poor Jewish women. See pics below. Hubby has joked that they certainly won't show me on camera, I am way to white. Ha - True story.

Sadly, we live in different states, so I flew to KY from NC on a Sunday, spent the night at my parents and got to see more family during that quick touch down which blessed me beyond words.

Texas Day 1 for The Chosen - We headed out early on a Monday morning as we had to be tested for the COVID before we got on the plane. Then onto the airport - props to my Daddy for carting us around and getting us everywhere on time!

Travels were great till we went to get the rental car in Dallas - there was a long line and a long wait. However, it was the most amazing experience! Slowly there were others with a 5&2 T-shirt on or a The Chosen Army T-shirt on arriving to get their rental car too. It was a Field of Dreams "If you build it they will come" moment.

We talked with so many folks from all over, each one filled with the same excitement as us - it was incredibly awesome to meet brothers and sisters from all over! At last count 50 states and 32 countries were represented with the farthest coming from Australia!

This was by far my favorite part of the whole experience, that so many believers came together for one reason - Jesus! Many of us ate together, visited, shared stories, prayed, worshiped together - Surely what we experienced was a little glimpse of Heaven.

Equally as awesome to me was the opportunity to talk with other random folks about The Chosen, who recognized my shirt - in the airport, on the plane. We also got to talk with the fella that helped us at the car rental desk about Jesus.

I was really surprised at the number of folks that came alone - I don't know that I would have been brave enough to go all by myself. The number of families of 4 or more there also surprised me - it was so wonderful to see little kids there. What an incredible life changing experience for a kid?!

We met so many people and I could tell you about all of them, but that would be a whole bunch of words. The one who stays with me the most is a little man we met from Canada. We didn't even get his name as we stood in line for our car. His story - goodness....go ahead and get your tissue. Two weeks before our trip, he'd lost his wife of 50 years - they would have celebrated their anniversary while in Texas. He said with a huge smile "it was her dream to come to this, how could I not come?" He told us all about his beloved bride and even had a picture of her in his Bible to show us. He never cried or was weepy at all, he was filled with joy and he smiled the whole time. He knows Jesus....that is the only way he could be joyful.

Texas Day 2 for The Chosen - that day was a free day, we didn't have to be onset till Wednesday. We originally planned to go to Waco and see all that is Magnolia but during breakfast we learned about a tour of Capernaum Village we could take.....this is where they filmed part of previous seasons. So we went there instead and we are so glad we did!

At Capernaum Studios they have a walk through garden of the Bible from Creation to the Empty Tomb and the village of Capernaum (see pictures below). Most of the folks touring were there for The Chosen too, some were even in full costume already. It was awesome!

After Capermanum Village, we stopped at this little cafe and again we found Chosen folks there, we ate with new friends, one lady from California and sisters from South Dakota. We visited like we'd always known each other, so cool.

Texas day 3 for The Chosen - We were up early and ready to go in full costume. We had to be at the meeting point, the parking lot of a football stadium at 9:00 so we could be tested for the COVID again. Once our test came back good-to-go they wrote something on the windshield and moved us along. We parked and got in line to board a charter bus, go through security and be assigned a color for the group we would be part of.

I have to say this was the most organized large event I have ever been to - it was very impressive - I do love organization!

We were given instructions for the day and we waited - and visited - and sweated - it was hot, really hot. While folks waited, they had music, games for kids, picture stations (if that is the right term), gift store, snacks and water, lots and lots of water.....did I mention it was hot?

The crowd was so large, they had to film in groups then they will do some sort of film magic to make it look like we were all there at the same time - very cool!

We were in the pink group - it was time for us to go to the set, which was an open field. There were hundreds and hundreds of us there on the field. Our part was to be chatty and excited over what Jesus had just done and had said, like it was time to leave but we were so excited we didn't want to.

So Dallas tells us we have to chat with each other but not make a sound. Um Ok. Here's a trick he said....you count but don't speak. One person will mouth 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 then the other will mouth 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 - while seeming excited and happy, you know, not just standing there bored looking - easy easy.

So Mom and I being excited, mouthed 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 - 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 back and forth to each other for nearly 2 hours with breaks between takes. We'd sit and drink between takes - did I mention it was hot? We have giggled and giggled over the "acting" we did.

I didn’t capture as many pics on set as I wanted to cause ya know we were busy with our lines.

After a full and glorious day we headed back to the hotel for much needed rest. Did we meet any of the cast? No. Do we expect to be seen on the TV? No. - We didn't go with either of those expectations, we were just excited for the experience and it did not disappoint!

I am thankful for the alone time with my Mom and the fun that we had! I’d certainly do this again - my cup is full.

“As soon as Jesus heard the news, he left in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed on foot from many towns. Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. That evening the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said, “That isn’t necessary—you feed them.” “But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish!” they answered. “Bring them here,” he said. Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers. About 5,000 men were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children!” ~ Matthew‬ ‭14:13-21‬ ‭NLT‬‬