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Amy Grant - Buy 1 Get 1 Free!
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Buy One Get One Free!!
Story behind the benefit:
Maureen Willard was a member of the 1989 graduating class of Westminster Christian School. Westminster was acquired by Big Oak Ranch in 1990 and became Westbrook Christian School. In 1988, Maureen was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Due to the severity of her illness, Magic Moments offered Maureen a wish. Maureen had a very strong faith in Jesus and was very bold about sharing that faith. So, Maureen told the Magic Moments Board, “Let me pray about it.” When Maureen would lay in bed during treatment, she listened to Amy Grant’s music. Amy’s music ministered to Maureen during the strong chemo treatments she was having to fight the cancer. So, Maureen’s wish was to visit Amy Grant and encourage her to perform a concert to benefit Big Oak Ranch. The Board at Magic Moments was very moved by the unselfishness of Maureen’s wish; so in 1990, arrangements were made for Billy Eyster (a long-time supporter and a member of the Big Oak Ranch Board of Directors) to take Maureen to visit Amy Grant at her home in Franklin, Tennessee. The morning after Amy won the 1990 Dove award for her recording of “Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus” as the country recorded song of the year, she answered Maureen’s knock on her door. Maureen was excited. She shared her heart with Amy, and there was an immediate bond between the two. They spent all day together. Maureen told Amy which songs helped her through chemo and hard days and encouraged Amy not to compromise on her music. After this visit, Amy called Billy personally to say that Maureen impressed her so much that she wanted to donate a horse to Big Oak Ranch in honor of Maureen. The horse was named Yogi. Yogi became the mascot that ran onto the field with the Westbrook Christian Warriors at the beginning of each football game.
Maureen had a deep love for Westbrook Christian School, Big Oak Ranch, their work, and particularly all the individuals involved in both ministries. Bill Willard, Maureen’s father, said, “The loving Christian environment of Westminster contributed significantly to the development of Maureen’s strong faith and commitment to Jesus Christ. After her illness made further studies impossible, work as a volunteer at the Ranch gave meaning, purpose and fulfillment to her final days.”
Maureen died February 14, 1991, at the age of 20 after a three-year battle with the disease, and before her wish for a concert by Amy Grant to benefit Big Oak Ranch became a reality. Maureen’s dream of meeting Amy Grant was fulfilled, but her wish for a concert did not come true…until now some 25 years later. God is faithful; and even though Maureen is no longer here, her testimony lives on and touches and benefits lives today.
“And by faith (she) still speaks, even though (she) is dead.” Hebrews 11:4b
Buy One Get One Free!!
Story behind the benefit:
Maureen Willard was a member of the 1989 graduating class of Westminster Christian School. Westminster was acquired by Big Oak Ranch in 1990 and became Westbrook Christian School. In 1988, Maureen was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Due to the severity of her illness, Magic Moments offered Maureen a wish. Maureen had a very strong faith in Jesus and was very bold about sharing that faith. So, Maureen told the Magic Moments Board, “Let me pray about it.” When Maureen would lay in bed during treatment, she listened to Amy Grant’s music. Amy’s music ministered to Maureen during the strong chemo treatments she was having to fight the cancer. So, Maureen’s wish was to visit Amy Grant and encourage her to perform a concert to benefit Big Oak Ranch. The Board at Magic Moments was very moved by the unselfishness of Maureen’s wish; so in 1990, arrangements were made for Billy Eyster (a long-time supporter and a member of the Big Oak Ranch Board of Directors) to take Maureen to visit Amy Grant at her home in Franklin, Tennessee. The morning after Amy won the 1990 Dove award for her recording of “Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus” as the country recorded song of the year, she answered Maureen’s knock on her door. Maureen was excited. She shared her heart with Amy, and there was an immediate bond between the two. They spent all day together. Maureen told Amy which songs helped her through chemo and hard days and encouraged Amy not to compromise on her music. After this visit, Amy called Billy personally to say that Maureen impressed her so much that she wanted to donate a horse to Big Oak Ranch in honor of Maureen. The horse was named Yogi. Yogi became the mascot that ran onto the field with the Westbrook Christian Warriors at the beginning of each football game.
Maureen had a deep love for Westbrook Christian School, Big Oak Ranch, their work, and particularly all the individuals involved in both ministries. Bill Willard, Maureen’s father, said, “The loving Christian environment of Westminster contributed significantly to the development of Maureen’s strong faith and commitment to Jesus Christ. After her illness made further studies impossible, work as a volunteer at the Ranch gave meaning, purpose and fulfillment to her final days.”
Maureen died February 14, 1991, at the age of 20 after a three-year battle with the disease, and before her wish for a concert by Amy Grant to benefit Big Oak Ranch became a reality. Maureen’s dream of meeting Amy Grant was fulfilled, but her wish for a concert did not come true…until now some 25 years later. God is faithful; and even though Maureen is no longer here, her testimony lives on and touches and benefits lives today.
“And by faith (she) still speaks, even though (she) is dead.” Hebrews 11:4b