Vacation Part 1 - Meet And Greets!

Whyyyyyy hello there everyone! We just got back home from our vacation! I have sooooo much to tell you guys. I'm super tired, and don't have all the pictures together yet, but to sum it all up, we went to Elevate 2018, in Phoenix, Arizona! It's a 3 day Christian music festival filled with amazingness... Long story short, Jon Steingard, the lead singer from Hawk Nelson went to Starbucks with us and rode in our car, Darren said very encouraging things to me since I deal with anxiety, Micah Tyler gave us a free autographed CD, aaaaand uh-
O
The lead singer, Joel Smallbone from for KING & COUNTRY shook my hand

IT'S SUCH A LONG STORY YOU GUYS

First off, let me tell you guys the lineup for Eleveaaaaaaaaaateeeeeeeeeee,

Friday, June 22nd

gets distracted by the 2018 elevate pictures on their website
i remember that!!
of course you do gracie you were there
anyways
gets to pictures of darren and gets excited
om that picture of Mike tho... XDDDD

Mallary Hope
Hannah Kerr
Plumb
Hawk Nelson
Tenth Avenue North

Saturday, June 23rd

Mia Koehne & Justin Unger
Branan Murphy
Micah Tyler
Ryan Stevenson
Jordan Feliz (can I get a witness?!)
Building 429
Phil Wickham

Sunday, June 24th

For All Seasons
David Dunn
Stars Go Dim
Jonny Diaz
We Are Messengers
for KING & COUNTRY

Jon Steingard going out to Starbucks with us and riding in our car sounds soooooo fake
But you guys I have proof

And since that night he had to play at Elevate, we dropped him off at the arena! No, he didn't have his car.

He was running in 110 degrees, in Phoenix. Where the arena was, wasn't the best area... XDD

 It's hard to say exactly how we met him because of personal information, but my dad connected him through email and calling earlier this year, and we finally got to meet him!

My mom got me an awesome Hawk Nelson poster at the concert. :ooooo

I keep rambling Hawk Nelson this, Hawk Nelson that, and y'all might not even know who that is. XDD It's a Christian band, that sings some songs you've heard on Christian radio, like, He Still Does (Miracles), Drops In The Ocean, Live Like You're Loved, Words, and Diamonds.

Oh, and about him riding in our car. XD I was literally saying when we were driving over to Starbucks, "We should ask if he needs a ride to the arena..." Me and my parents just kinda laughed it off, then when he asked for a ride, I was just like, wot is happening. XDD We had Air1 on in the car, a Christian station, and I'm not even joking, He Still Does (Miracles) comes on the radio. I was like, "Is it weird hearing your song on the radio?" And he was just kinda like, "Wha- oh- this is Miracles." Then he said how in some airport shuttles they play K-LOVE, and when his song comes on, he just kinda sits there awkwardly. XDD It was really funny.

I also met Darren from my favorite Christian band, We Are Messengers! He's the sweetest guy ever. He's exactly who he is in videos and concerts. I met him first at a meet and greet with him, Jonny Diaz, David Dunn, and Chris from Stars Go Dim. I first would like to say that David and Chris totally caught onto me being obsessed with We Are Messengers. XDD It kinda makes me laugh just thinking about it. My mom told the person that was gonna take a picture of us that I wanted a picture of just me and Darren, and David was like, "Yeah take a picture of just us too!"

If you're wondering why Chris's arm is in a sling, I guess he tore his muscle. o.o

Honestly, I didn't get to say much to Darren because I was just in another world. XDD I really wanted to tell Darren how much his music has mean't to me since I struggle with anxiety though. (He did say thank you for buying his new t-shirt though, hehehehehe)

During the intermission after We Are Messengers, me and my mom had to use the bathroom. My dad was talking with someone, so we decided to look at the merch tables upstairs, aaaand guess who was theeeere? Darren! It wasn't that long of a line, so we decided to see him again. He was so sweet, and remembered me from the meet and greet a couple hours before that. After I got this picture with him,

I told him how Magnify has mean't a lot to me in my struggle with anxiety. And he just said the sweetest things to me. He put his hand on the back of my head and said, "May God give you a sound mind. A peaceful mind. Like real peace. I love you, I'm proud of you. Keep on fighting." After he said all that, I really felt like I was going to cry, it was just so sweet, and mean't so much to me. That day I was kinda having some anxiety, and after he spoke that over me, I really did feel peaceful. 

The picture above maaaay or may not be my new desktop picture? (Of course the one without my face blocked out. XDD)

Here's a picture of when he was talking to me,

OKAY I'VE RAMBLED ABOUT DARREN FOR A LONG TIME

So, about Joel from for KING & COUNTRY shaking my hand...

The meet and greet with for KING & COUNTRY was going on at the same time the We Are Messengers one was, and when me and my mom got out of the We Are Messengers one, for KING & COUNTRY was just finishing up! We could see them inside of the room they were in, and they were walking out of it when we came up. I was literally just staring at them. XDD He comes up to my dad and shakes his hand just out of no where, and then he comes up and shakes my hand, and says, "Hey!". I was just like

😶 hi

Then after dad talked to their manager for a second, I stared at mom, and was like, "What just happened...?"

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Wow I've been working on this post for so long now... And this was only supposed to be the short post. Welp, you'll get more of this rambling and pictures on like Thursday or Sunday. XD

Also, I just wanted to make it clear that I didn't mean to brag at all in this post. DX I'm still hyped from the concert, so if you see this on AJ, I'm going to be very...

Concert-ish

Excited

Talking about the 3 day concert excessively

Idk anymore

Okieeeeeee

Oh gosh I forgot to tell you guys I met Tenth Avenue North, Hannah Kerr, and Mallary Hope...

Oops

Alrighty

Awh, the picture isn't even on my computer...

Stay tuned on Thursday or Sunday for that and actual concert pictures. XDD

Anyways, all in all, it was seriously the best weekend of my life. I can't wait for next year! :) (As long as we go next year. XDD)

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Here's todays Bible verse!

Galatians 6:9

So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up.

We shouldn't do good things just because we want a harvest of blessing, but we have that to look forward to when it's difficult to do good.

God made you. Uniquely. Beautifully. Intentionally. Purposefully. Wonderfully.

Alternative siggy. XDD