Tuesday, May 30, 2006

A Blogging Phenomenon

This is the most unique (and sad) story I've heard in a long time, but at the same time it's very beautiful. I say that, because of the way this family has dealt with the loss of their daughter from a car crash, originally thinking she survived, only to find they have been caring for someone else's daughter in the hospital for several weeks.

Check out the Laura VanRyn blog.

UPDATE: This blog has been removed by the VanRyn family. I'm sure it was a reminder of the hardest time of their lives, so I understand. I read the last entry and it stated they were thankful for the support from all the readers (which numbered over 325,000 when I last checked the profile view count). Anyway, I'm glad they blogged while they did, because they shared the gospel straight ahead with many people who would never have heard it, and it was in a way that inspired - not hammered. God bless the VanRyn family.

Thanks to Yahoo! posting a story about it, about 100,000 people have read the blog as of the posting of this entry. That's a lot of people reading an amazing story of love and faith.

UPDATE 07-06-06
This blog is now alive again, but I was unable to comment as I'm not a team member. Regardless, it's still there in its entirety, and it's still just as moving.

UPDATE 01-23-07
All of the links in this entry seem to be dead now. I hope this story will be adequately told one day.

2 comments:

Becky said...

Hi Mark (and Chana!),

Just your new kindred spirit writing you back...
Isn't it amazing how the Lord works? How the death of a beautiful young Taylor U student has brought together so many brothers and sisters in Christ, to pray, to mourn, to rejoice together, as one family? I'm a Hoosier by birth, but I lived in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for about 3 years, so I feel really connected to this whole story. I couldn't help but share my feelings on Laura's (now Whitney's) blog.
Thanks for reaching out to me to say hello! I would absolutely LOVE to chat with your wife. I don't share much about this on my blog, but I too am writing a book. Not a novel...not yet, anyway. But I'm a writer by nature; I'm compelled to let words spring forth and take life on paper (or screen)!!! So, please feel free to contact me; my e-mail address is rebekahmancilla@yahoo.com.

I would love to talk to you guys!
Becky

(p.s. -- are you guys, um, famous??? I've never known anybody with an IMDB page...eek!) :)

Mark Keefer said...

Hi Becky,

Thanks for the note. Chana now has your email address so you guys can talk 'writing'. Happy June!

Mark

p.s. yes, we're very, very famous. ;)
You're funny!