Are you crying? Are you CRYING!?!

The answer to this question is yes.

Always yes.

Look. I can't help it. I am a cryer. It's what I do. It's who I am.

TV show, movie, song, commercial, hearing someone's story, in worship, in prayer time...Yes.

I like to believe that it is the empathetic side of me who can partner with emotions and experiences of others.

If you've been around for any length of time you know I love me some Annie F. Downs. Her personal saying is "Always Annie" when she cries or talks about crying. This happened on her podcast yesterday with Meredith Andrews. When she said it, I thought, "That's it!" and I giggled. "Always Stacey" doesn't have the same feel as "Always Annie" but I get it! "Steadily Stacey" is just weird. So for me, what I say is, "It's the Jesus in me." Doesn't roll off the tongue the same but let me tell you the story.

A few years ago a friend of mine and her kids were walking into church when her 4 year old pointed to me on the platform and asked, "Is she going to sing?" My friend told her that I was going to sing. She then asked, "Well is she going to cry?" Okay, kid. I get it. I cry! My friend said, "I don't know." and laughed but then her little girl said, "I hope so. It's Jesus coming out of her eyes."

And that, my friends, is IT. No longer do I apologize for crying or wearing my heart on my sleeve.

Don't get weirded out by my tears. They're just Jesus coming out.