“There's this saying: ‘They are the nicest people you’ll never know,” my girlfriend said in a somber tone.  “I’m not sure how to meet people.”

She was reflecting on her recent move to a new town and I was her conduit of encouragement from two states away.

“Have you thought about a different church?” I replied in an upbeat, proactive voice, hoping that my revelation might help. It didn’t turn out to be much of a light bulb though because of course my wise friend had already ventured down that rabbit hole.

“We’ve thought about it, but all that’s here are glossy mega-churches or tiny congregations where people have been for years.” My translation of my gracious friend’s words: We don’t want to hang out with only senior citizens.

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Ten years ago the Mickey Mouse Club crew of the early 90s came of age by all getting record deals.  Britney, Christina, Justin and Jessica.  Jessica was the odd one out because, if I remember the E! True Hollywood story correctly, she tried out but didn’t make the cut. The Texan youth pastor’s daughter had a gift: the girl could sing! Different people would stop by the church to see her and possibly sign her, and her family “shopped” her around chasing after this dream.   As the story later surfaced, it turned out that she wanted to be a Christian recording artist but no one would take her.  

One label after another turned her down.  Why?  Her boobs.  They were too big for the world of Christian music.  Her life then took the trajectory we all saw plastered over the tabloids and MTV.  It would seem she’s come full circle now, finding a home in the Bible Belt’s country genre – a place where Christians will still listen and you can keep your boobs.  (Welcome to my frankness.)

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