Behind the Music: Brandy McNally

I've taken a lot - a LOT - of shots at Brandy Campbell, our host for the time we were in Colorado Springs. Now, she lists on her website that these shots weren't completely truthful (a notion which I summarily dismiss); however, that not withstanding, I wanted to take a few moments to talk a little about her, how important she is to us, and how her leaving really left a void.

When we headed to and left Colorado Springs, our boys commonly referred to "Brandy and Sabrina" as though they were a single person. Brandy and Sabrina (Price) used to fit right in at our house; one might've thought they could've been charged rent...especially toward the last couple of years Brandy was in town, Sabrina was around a lot more, and they were roommates.

Tammy and I have always been, are now, and probably always will be very social people. We like spending time with our kids and each other, but we also like spending time with other people, too - playing cards, playing games, watching television, or just talking - that's fun for us like nobody's business. It doesn't have to involve money...in fact, with the new emphasis we've taken on becoming debt-free, we'd prefer it not include a huge outlay o'funding. We want to spend time with people that we call and people that call us - it's a two-way street.

On a side note, since Brandy left and Sabrina is on the road a lot with her ministry, that list of drop-of-a-hat fun friends has dried up somewhat. Don't get me wrong - we have great, great friends in Hannibal...but just not too many who probably welcome us calling at any given time and saying, "Hey - get over here and let's do something fun, even if it's watching paint dry...if you're here, we'll find a way to make it fun." We've - or who's kidding who - I've probably been the cause of a lot of answering machine purchases in this region! People probably don't mind hanging around Tammy, but I'm pretty certain they're probably not big fans of me hanging around too often.

You don't realize how good of a friend you have until he or she is gone. We both still feel that void today...most noticeably on Friday or Saturday nights when we're sitting at home. But enough self-pity...

Many times, when I find an opening, I kid good friends unmercifully. And if you've read this blog over the last few days, you know Brandy's been square in my sights. But, I hope she knows how deeply she's loved by this family and how deeply she's missed on a continual basis. We're so proud of the ministry and the huge steps of faith she took in moving to Colorado Springs to start a brand new chapter of her life, and we've seen first-hand God moving dramatically in her life to take her to a level of servanthood she probably didn't even know existed. I can guarantee I'm not anywhere near that level. It's amazing to watch someone who is.

She's traveled around the country and around the globe on mission trips - not because it's her job (though in this most recent case it was), but because she wants to and feels God is calling her to go and share. Let me put this into perspective - she's one of millions around this world who feels God's purpose clearly and completely and is answering it with all her being. But we know her; she's just like family. So, I wanted to make sure to set the record straight - though I wouldn't trust her directions to cross the street, I completely and totally trust in the direction she's receiving and following in her life. We can all be so blessed to have that kind of clarity and opportunity.