Today's Christian Standard enewsletter includes a blurb about Southland Christian Church; SCC recently asked members to write notes of encouragement to Britney Spears. Senior Minister Jon Weece issued the invitation, writing on the church blog, "[Britney's] life is in shambles and filled with bad relationships and devastating life choices. If she were your next-door neighbor in the same situation, without the money and success, wouldn't you care about her problems? Wouldn't you pray for her and offer her support and encouragement? Take a few minutes and write a note to Britney Spears, and bring it to the front of the stage between worship services this weekend. No preaching. No criticizing. Just love. As a church, let's love Britney the way Jesus loves her."

Southland consistently finds creative, tangible ways to demonstrate love for others (remember the thousands of dollars in restaurant and grocery store gift cards for the families of last year's plane crash at the Blue Grass Airport?) but this is my favorite by far. 

Like millions of others, I've watched video clips of Spears' lackluster performance at the VMAs, clucked my tongue in disapproval at her over-partying and under-parenting, and stared in amazement as she shaved her own head. What I never did was pray for her. 

I didn't get to leave a note at Southland last weekend, but here's what I would have written.

Dear Britney,

We're all writing these letters with good intentions--we want to be kind and loving in ways the paparazzi, the media, and even some of your friends and family have not been. But although we mean well, the fact remains that none of us has the slightest idea what your life must be like. We have not earned millions of dollars as teenagers, or been blinded by cameras every time we leave the house, or had our every action dissected by a news media that should be much more concerned with Katrina recovery efforts. 

So no matter how noble our intentions to sympathize, we can't really empathize. We get that, and know some of our words may fall short because of it. 

We've also been judgmental of you. I've been judgmental, and I don't even know you. 

However, I know someone like you. She acts impulsively and sometimes stays in bad relationships too long. She's been let down by people she thought were good friends. She's hurt men and been hurt by men. She occasionally struggles with handling her money well, and she has to work out a lot and eat right or else the pounds creep up on her too. (And she hasn't had two kids like you have--for the record,  you look great). She wants peace, and sometimes would like to just be left alone already.

She's me. 

I don't know what your particular life is like, the immense pressures you face, the temptations you battle or the regrets you carry around. But I know what it's like to feel pressured, tempted, and regretful. So I'll stop judging you and start praying for you, starting today. And if you ever find yourself in Lexington, I know a truly great church that would love you just the way you are.

Jen