Dearest Lindsey Stirling,

Please excuse the rude, very critical and judgmental comments that have been made. Your dress was beautiful and modest. You are stunning. I think people assumed what it was rather than actually checking to see what is wasn’t…which is tragic and has angered me beyond belief.

We “Christians” could exercise a lot more Christianity. I am absolutely embarrassed that people have made their unfounded opinions public and you have suffered for it.

Can I offer you instead, my own opinion of you?

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You are beautiful, and lovely. I love your style. You are incredibly, crazy talented. I have always loved watching you. When you did that one on one with the youth of our church, I already had a HIGH opinion of you. After watching it, I can honestly say, I now think the world of you. We live in a world that is all about “self”, yet you choose instead to give of yourself, to serve, and to be an example of the believers. You are young…yet selfless, which is something that some very seasoned adults still struggle with and that impresses me incredibly. You have passion and a zest for life and I love watching a master love their craft in such a magnificent way. You are beautiful, wonderful and incredible. It is evident in how you live your life. Your true character is revealed when you are on top of the world, yet still honor the God that blessed you with it. Very few in the limelight do…and for that you get my lifetime respect. And if someday down the road I notice a tiny imperfection in you, I will breathe a sigh of relief that you are just like me….but I will still scream the loudest when you walk on stage. This world could use a lot more Lindsey Stirling’s. I have never been so proud to call someone “my people.” You are my favorite person, and I love you!

Love,

Dawn Armstrong
The Missionary Mom

I offer this kind reminder to everyone as an aid for the future….

1. When in doubt, always think the best in people. The first rule of an Christian Heart.

2. Facebook, twitter and Instagram (and blogs) offer the best and most honest character reference there is. When you take to any of those to criticize another human being, not only are you saying something that is really hard to take back because it can be shared or screen shotted, but you are showing your true character. You are willing to completely disregard the feelings of another human being that is not there to clarify the situation or defend themselves. This is wrong on so many levels and makes me so unbelievably sad. And even more tragic, when you are no longer angry or find out that you were wrong, those stinging words remain there for years for others to read, unclarified and unapologized for. Even more sad…it the cruel string of comments and “likes” of these types of posts. What are we doing “liking” something that says something defamatory and mean about someone else?? This is not Christian.

When we do things like this, we have no idea of the pain we cause another. The tears that are shed. These deeply hurtful remarks or opinions… cause such unneeded anxiety, and in some cases have caused suicides. This world is tough enough, with all due respect… Knock it off.

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Having mentored young girls for most of my adult life, I can tell you that most girls feel like, “If I can’t be perfect, then I don’t want to be anything else.” I have spent my entire life trying to help girls realize their true beauty and worth in this world. You have no idea the sometimes lifetime damage that you can cause a young women in her formative years by such disdain and cruelty as to attack her character as she is emerging into womanhood. Please stop. I don’t really care what you think about her clothes.

Let me take this opportunity to say out loud what has needed to be said for a long time.

Lets reteach what Christians do.

If you see a young girl (or for that matter an old woman) in a mini shirt and revealing top, a body full of tatooes, who smells like smoke and she might even be completey drunk….

And she walks into church…. You keep your mouth shut, you hug the stuffing right out of her and show her which way to class. You sit with her and be her friend. God brought her to you for a reason and it is probably more for you than for her. Keep that appointment. You act like you don’t notice a thing. And if those judgemental thoughts come creeping in, get on your knees and pray for forgiveness. Some sins and weaknesses are visable, get over it. Lucky you if you get to go home and hide yours.

Train your mind to instead to do a silent cheer and think how good our God is, because he is surely working on her heart and your own. She showed her face in church cause she needed help and she knew where to find it. You better dang well be that help!! The sin is on you if you don’t. You train yourself to be grateful for these opportunities. God just taught you true charity and love though this woman. If there isn’t room at church for the visable sinners, then we all should just head on home.

That’s what Christians do. They show love, not cruelty. They show mercy and charity. They give warmth and radiate light. Our culture seems to consistently rush to judgment instead of simply trying to understand what someone may be going through and offering service and love. Why do we insist on picking each other apart? Must we continue to push everyone away from Christianity because no one has the stomach to survive it? In our faith, we choose not to wear crosses because we would rather not focus on the crucifixion, but instead honor and cherish the resurrection. Yet we tend to focus a lot on the crucifying of our own people and pay no mind to the blood that was spilled on their behalf (and our own!) When we look at someone and only see their sin, we are not honoring the atonement. We are actually perpetuating the continual crucifixion of our Savior, who already died for all of this. The atonement covers all of this. How can we go to church each Sunday, and have not taken this basic teaching into our hearts and minds?? None of us make it without HIM. We need each other too badly to conduct ourselves in this manner. Please just stop it!!!

In the words if every mother that ever lived,

“If you can’t say something nice, keep it to yourself.”

Love,

Dawn