A Message to Sarah Horn
I planned to write a review after seeing “Wicked” last week. Let me just say it’s sensational. Based on the legendary movie “The Wizard of Oz,” “Wicked” may be the best musical ever produced in the 21st century, and the music score could challenge to be the best in musical history.
Over the weekend, I developed a “Wicked” obsession. I truly enjoyed its music and wanted to hear the show’s more popular songs, including For Good, which features a duet of Glinda, the “Good Witch,” and Elphaba, the “Wicked Witch,” at a climactic part of the show.
As I’m searching on YouTube, lo and behold I discover an inspirational moment caught on video, which occurred last month. Kristen Chenoweth, Wicked’s original Glinda and famous actress from Oklahoma, was performing at the Hollywood Bowl and selected a random member of the audience named Sarah Horn to sing For Good with her on stage. That’s right, random. They did not rehearse.
I am probably one of the last to discover this video, considering it has well surpassed 3 million views, but if you have not seen the video, watch it below.
It’s easy to appreciate Horn’s experience of stardom. The way she easily interacted with Chenoweth on stage and, of course, how she revealed her singing talent which shocked many, including Chenoweth, compares to the kind of stories found in movies.
Read her own take of the experience, and you can tell she was not a plant, as some reporters initially wondered. As well as Sarah performed, it is no surprise there would be skeptics, but with Sarah’s humble demeanor, Kristen’s animated behavior and even the orchestra’s conductor turning around to look when Sarah started to sing, there is enough evidence to prove this was not scripted.
I was happy to find out Horn teaches music at California Baptist University, and something else I found fascinating is Sarah’s father praying 11 years ago that some day she would sing with Chenoweth. I watched the interviews she did after her amazing moment, and I have concluded she demonstrates faith in her life.
So here’s my message to Sarah: I hope this could be the beginning for you. Young people today need someone who reflects a more positive image and morally sound judgment. I believe you can offer that.
I hope you have the opportunity to speak to the “Glindas” of the world who struggle with believing that people are brought into their lives for a reason. Hopefully, you yourself know what that ultimate reason is, and God will use you to share it.
Best wishes, Sarah. May the change for the better that you sing about lead others to make the greatest change in their life (II Cor. 5:17), and may God use you for His glory and for the good of others.
Amazing! I hadn’t seen that video.
It is amazing! Thanks for sharing Stephanie and for visiting Word Slingers.
Thank you – Sarah is my daughter
It’s great to hear from you, Mr. Horn. Thank you for posting and for visiting Word Slingers. My message to Sarah is sincere. I know her experience is an inspiration to many. Please share with her I am one of many who is praying for her and rooting for her to accomplish great things.
Christopher – I will tell her. God is working in Sarah’s life in a lot of amazing ways. For me God dealt with me that night. I had been praying daily for almost 2 years about some broken relationships…and I felt He was not answering my prayers. In recent weeks, I had grown upset with God and I was telling Him so… you’re not listening to me, praying to you about these things is a waste of my time and heart strings.
God told me that night “Gary, I do listen to your prays. I even listened to your “wish prayer” and answer it in My time. Sarah is in my hand, so are the others you pray for. I will also answer you … however in My time.
That’s a great word of testimony. Thank you for sharing.
My father sent me this link. Thank you so much for your message to me and for your prayers. 🙂
Wow, Sarah! It’s my pleasure! This is like that scene in “Julie & Julia,” when Julie finds out that Julia Childs has learned about her blog. Of course, Julia apparently was disgusted by it, but that’s beside the point 🙂
Congratulations on all your amazing experiences this past month. I hope you have had time to breathe.
I just found it a bit bizarre that this was in a Christian post when “Wicked” (though I have not personally seen) is based on sorcery and witchcraft. Are we not suppose to guard our heart and minds to that of this world?
Hi Jill,
Thank you for visiting Word Slingers. I agree, we should guard our heart and minds on witchcraft and sorcery. However, just like the well-accepted movie The Wizard of Oz, the adapted musical does not feature such in a promotional fashion. C.S. Lewis, who many Christians have admired for centuries, wrote his Chronicles of Narnia, which also contain references to magic and witchcraft.
While I am sure we would agree on most issues, I just think we need to be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater when it comes to works of film and art that contain these elements. And as you say, “of this world,” neither “Wicked” nor “Narnia” are of this world.