The pageant helped to plug Jason into Southeast. He was new to the church and new to Louisville. He said that he is not sure he would have stayed at Southeast if it weren't for the pageant because of the friendships and connections it brought him. Through the pageant he was able to connect with other ministries and began life long friendships. He said that the relationship he developed with the other disciples as well as the corporate worship during the actual performances were always a "mountaintop" experience for his faith and played a large part in keeping him in the Word and accountable to living by His Standards.
My first year to see the pageant was 1999 and at the time I was not a Christian. I remember sitting there, almost entirely unmoved. I thought it was a nice production, but at the time I was bitter towards the idea of God and I remember that I didn't even cry once during the performance. I became a Christian a few months later and so when I went to see it in 2000 as a junior in high school I remember that the moment the announcer said over the loud speaker, "The story you are about to see is true..." I remember tearing up, moved before the show even started.
In 2001, Jason was again playing the role of a disciple, Thomas. I was a senior in high school and that year I went to see it several times. Each time I was wrapped up into the story and moved to tears during several different scenes. I remember during the scene where Jesus was dancing with the disciples I remember thinking how much I wanted the Lord to be the love of my life and I wanted such a close relationship that I would love to dance with Him. I remember watching the disciples and wanting to so badly to be among them... little did I know that I was watching my future husband.
That summer, I graduated high school and had decided to go to the University of Louisville for college. While it wasn't my first choice by any means, my tuition was free and my books were paid for and so I agreed to go in order to get my pre-requs out of the way before transferring to a different college (at the time i wanted nothing more than attend George Washington). I began attending Southeast on a regular basis that summer and saw in a weekend bulletin that they were looking for a stage manager for next Easter Pageant. I had always wanted to be involved so figured why not inquire. I ended up calling the new director, Shane, and having a phone interview with him. He ended up wanting to meet me in person along with the producer and an assistant director. A week later I met with Misty, Dale, and Shane. We went over my theater experience (which looking back was very limited, but as a freshman in college I thought it was something to brag about, ha). And I remember Dale ended up the interview by asking me why was I so interested in being a part of the pageant. I paused and then began to talk about how the pageant had ministered to me. I don't remember my exact words, but I do remember that I teared up and almost started crying. Dale (in typical Dale fashion) smiled, thanked for me sharing, and said he appreciated my words.
Not long after I received a phone call from Shane saying that while they did not want to use me in the Stage Manager role, they did want me on the production team. Without a clear title yet... I would be a go-between for the stage people and the directing team. I was asked to attend all the meetings. I'll never forget our first meeting, it was on 9/11/01. I remember that while we still held the meeting... we ended with prayer for our nation.
That November we held auditions for the 2002 Easter Pageant. I was there every night helping and I remember getting to know a lovely lady named Sandy. One of her first questions for me was if I was married. I responded no (I was only 19). During the men's auditions, if a man was single, she would whisper, "he's not married". I appreciated her heart, but honestly didn't think much of anything as at the time I really did like someone else. I remember Jason was talking to Sandy because they had known each other from a missions trip they had taken to Cuba. He walked away and she said, "He's dating someone, but they aren't married and he is a really great guy." I simply said, okay, and never gave it (or him) another thought.
A month later, as I was praying for my future husband (something I had done almost daily since becoming a Christian) I felt the Lord whisper into my heart that I was about to meet someone. I remember telling my accountability partner that saying, "I'm not sure what this means or what it looks like..."
A month later rehearsals were about to start. I was excited, but sadly, I had to miss the first week of rehearsals because of a death in my family. Finally, I was able to join in and my primary role was to take blocking notes and then to read for any role of someone who was missing. On January 22, 2002, I had my first rehearsals with the disciples.
I parked my car and began walking in. I noticed a tall man in a blue sweatshirt walking in as well. We both entered through different doors and as soon as we walked into the atrium the smell of pizza was very evident. He turned to me and said, "Smells Like Dinner." I smiled and said, "I was thinking the same thing." We continued walking towards the rehearsal room, but he was farther ahead of me because his legs are longer. He opened a door, walked through, and then noticed I was coming so he held the door open. At the next set of doors, he opened the door and allowed me to walk through first. I remember thinking, "He just scored some points" as I looked at his left hand to make sure there was no wedding ring. We both began walking down a hallway and he said, "Are you heading to pageant practice?" "Yep" "What part do you play?" I told him I wasn't in the cast, but on the production team. He asked if this was my first year and I said yes to which he responded, "I didn't think I had seen you before." I stuck out my hand and said, "I'm Darby" he shook my hand and said, "I'm Jason, or Philip (the disciple he was playing that year)." I smiled and asked him if this was his first year and he said no... it was his third... he had played John and Thomas before... I remember he said, "12 disciples in 12 years is my plan." With that we were both arrived at rehearsal where we were going to blocking the Last Supper.
That night there was one disciple missing, so for timing reasons, I stood in for that person and just so happened to be seated next to Jason. I observed him as interacted with the other men and while I can't explain it, I simply knew that I was going to marry him. He was created for me. Normally, I would always stay after rehearsals and meet with the directors, but tonight I quickly gathered my things and said I had to leave. I made sure to walk out with Jason, but allowed him to start the conversation. He asked what I did and I told him I was a student at UL for Political Science. He admitted that he was not interested in politics and he said, "it takes a special person to get into politics and I am afraid I am not him." I asked him the same question and he said that he was going to start medical school in the fall. So, of course, I threw out the fact my dad is a doctor... I mean, I had to establish some sort of common ground, ha. We arrived at our cars, said goodbye, and went on our way.
A few days later, I was going through the cast list because I wanted to find out the last name of the "Philip" I had recently met. I read, "Dugger" and I literally made an audible gasp. I had always wanted to marry someone with the last name of "D" -- okay, so if his last name had been Smith... I would have still married him, but this was such a neat thing for me that I couldn't help but become excited.
That Friday, the 15th, a group of us were hanging out talking after rehearsal. Jason was telling me that he was involved in the Spanish service at the church. I didn't even know there was a Spanish service, but I told him how I had felt like the Lord was wanting me to teach myself Spanish and so had been studying it since December (I had taken Russian as my language in college). He invited me to check out the worship service sometime. Then the conversation turned to summer plans and Jason mentioned starting medical school. Sandy, the woman who had known him from a mission trip, said, "So, what does that do to the wedding?" In that moment, my heart sank and I thought, "of course a man like him would be engaged." However, his response was, "Sandy, we aren't engaged." She said, "I know, but you know what I mean." Then he paused, looked down, and said, "We actually don't know what is going to happen. We are praying about that right now." It was an awkward moment. Sandy felt horrible, Jason was uncomfortable, and I was sad. Not long after Jason excused himself and then I left as well.
I remember getting into my car and starting to cry. I turned the radio on and there was Eric and Leslie Ludy (favorite authors of mine on the subject of dating) and they were talking about marriage. I remember crying and praying and saying, "Lord, if I got this all wrong... please change my heart. If I heard You correctly and Jason is my future husband, the please allow him and his girlfriend to break up."
About a week later, my prayer was answered as Jason and his then girlfriend broke up. I was excited, but tried my best not to show it. I kept my distance and keep allowing him to start up the conversations... he did. And our friendship flourished during the next few months of the Easter Pageant and seeing each other often at church.
Aside from Jason, I met so many other people as well... people who are still my close friends today. Women who I learned so much from with regards to what it means to be a Godly woman and wife. And my first pageant experience became for me what the previous years had already been for Jason. It was a mountain top experience, but one that also carried through in new friendships that have lasted for years. The people I have met through the pageant have been nothing short of amazing.
Each night before performing, we would gather as a cast and simply worship. This quickly became some of my favorite times. And each following year it continued to be a highlight of the entire experience. Here we were asking God to do an incredible work through us.
I continued to be on the production team 2003-2006. Jason did not come back 2003-2005 because of his medical school responsibilities, but each year was equally as amazing as that first year in 2002. I met people who spurred me on towards Christ. I worshiped alongside people who love the Lord with all their hearts... and I was able to have a front row seat in telling the story of Christ. I'm pretty sure a majority of the people who attended our wedding were friends from the pageant... such an incredible chapter in my life.
In 2006 Jason and I had been married for a year and he was in his last year of medical school. We were pretty sure we could both be involved in that year's pageant and so we were. He was a disciple (Andrew) and I was again on the production team. Being a part of the pageant together as a married couple was a highlight for us.
Shortly after moving back, we were told that the Pageant was going to come back for one more year... and then it would be gone forever. Jason and I looked at each other and knew we couldn't miss out. We were married with two children and Jason had crazy hours at a hospital 2 hours north of the church... it didn't really make sense for us to do it, but we couldn't say no. It had simply meant so much to both of us for so many reasons that we couldn't be this close and not participate. We were unsure how things would look... we both took on much smaller roles than we had ever had in the past, but it was all we could afford between Jason's work and our children... at first we wondered if we would struggle with being only being used in a very small capacity, but we quickly realized that there was no way we could have done more and there was no where else we would have rather been.
Jason was not a disciple this year, but he was still in the disciples' dressing room. And even though I wasn't on the production team I still was able to carry on some of my backstage traditions such as "watering the disciples" and cooking dinner for them each night. And the nightly worship was still there... each night I was able to hold hands with my husband and sing to my King.
On the last night of pageant, we sang "Jesus Paid it All" and during the line, "Oh Praise the One who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead." I couldn't help but become overwhelmed as my mind went back to 2002 where I had met Jason, through 2003 when the pageant friends rallied behind me during my MS diagnosis, 2004 when I joined pageant friends who started studying the Proverbs 31 woman, 2005 as they supported me during my first year of marriage, and in 2006 as they all said a heartfelt farewell as we moved away. I thought about what my life would have been if I had never been in the pageant... I most likely would not have remained at Southeast and wouldn't have met Jason... my life would have been void so many amazing people.
In 2007, shortly after our first miscarriage, I remember that song (Jesus Paid it All) was very impactful in my life because I was going through a very deep depression and the only thing I had was Jesus... He truly raised my life up from the dead. I was dead to the world, I was emotionally dead, etc... He saved me, He rescued me, and He brought meaning to my suffering. I get emotional every single time that song is sung. I am brought back to that place where He was my only lifeline. So, add those emotions which are always present during that song and combine them with the closing night of the Easter Pageant... being led in worship by Greg Allen... a man who I met through the pageant and he is honestly the reason Jason and I are married... he provided us with so much counseling and direction during our courtship. He married us, I babysat his kids, and now his children are babysitting my children. Greg was leading worship and I was surrounded by friends who have encouraged and prayed for Jason and I over the years. I was standing next to women who I have learned so much from in regards to being a godly wife and mother, and I was holding hands with the love of my life... the answer to all my prayers for a future husband... and the man I met at pageant 9 years earlier. There was no better way to close the show than for me to praise my Lord for all He had done in and through the Pageant... especially in my own life....
Oh Praise the One Who Paid My Debt and Raised This Life Up From the Dead.
Can't wait to see what He has planned for us next! So grateful for the years of memories and the lifelong friendships we have now thanks to the pageant!
