A Stranger. A Friend.

 A Stranger. A Friend. 

Rachel Held-Evans

I had never heard of Rachel Held Evans until about a year ago. I heard her work referenced once, I don't even remember why or in what context. I immediately searched for her book "Searching for Sunday". I downloaded the audiobook that was narrated by Rachel and due to a poorly attended Open House I was hosting, I had three hours to listen to her uninterrupted. I was all in. I immediately felt a connection to this sarcastic, funny, ex evangelical, heterosexual, LGBT ally and as I found out later, an Episcopalian. 

This brilliant woman, without any theology training, told a story about her life and experiences looking for the church of her youth within the modern-day challenges that often cause many to leave their church homes. I got it. I had to leave my church home early in life too. Hers came later though. I am glad that it did. I am glad that she went searching for Sunday. I am glad that she shared her journey with all of us that have searched along with her.

Her book left me wanting more, more time with Rachel and her mind, her humor and her perspective. Although there was not dialogue with her obviously, she answered any and all questions I would have asked her. I was so drawing to her, her message, her stories that I did what a lot of people do, I went to her Wikipedia page. That is when I found out she was deceased. What? In her thirties? Why? How tragic! 

I went to Youtube and found her funeral. I watched it, I cried. I needed closure. The sadness I felt was strange. I was grieving over a stranger. But, if any of you know Rachel from her books, Twitter (now X) or You Tube, then you know that you DO feel that you know her, immediately. She is your friend. Although, for many of us, she is a stranger. A stranger only that we never met her in person. There is a part of Rachel in all of us though that have the shared experience of searching for Sunday.