Lynne Spears asked for prayers. The Web answered.
As Britney Spears' problems have mounted, online support campaigns have sprung into action, offering the troubled pop star good vibes, inspirational poems and even the promise of her own day.
Megan Carruth, a 25-year-old online marketer from Minnesota, launched one of the sites, Prayers for Britney (prayersforbritney.com), in January after hearing Spears' mother, Lynne, respond to her daughter's first hospitalization by issuing a modest request: "Just say prayers."
Carruth's site went up five days later. The pep talks, the positive thoughts and, more than anything, the commiserating commenced shortly thereafter. A sampling:
- "I am 31 and a divorced mother of 3. I am thankful that my ex-husband didnt [sic] have the money to contest the divorce and custody of my children...Stay prayed-up and stay strong."
- "darling britney—take care of yourself, keep yourself safe—if you feel low wait it out, it passes then pick up the pieces and carry on."
- "Even if you don't want people to pray for you !! We will still be there for you!! Please, Honey Reach out to someone, Reach out to your Friends!! They can help you!!"
In all, there are nearly 200 posts. Carruth says she's heard from thousands more. So far, all but one of the emails has expressed support.
"I think that's pretty gosh darn impressive," Carruth says.
Over at the Official Support Britney Blog (supportbritneyspearsblog.blogspot.com), started only days ago, a drive is afoot for a National Support Britney Spears Day about one month from now, on Mar. 1.
"To show your solidarity," the site encourages, "sport your Brit tees and gear, pick up a copy of Blackout, or just blast 'Piece of Me' while driving down the pike!"
The official Spears site run by the singer's record label, Britney.com, has also become a repository of encouraging words. (Not blessed with the antibashing rule as enforced by the likes of Prayers for Britney, its message boards have also become a forum for rants against everybody from Dr. Phil to Spears' pregnant younger sister, Jamie Lynn.)
If there was any question as to what it is about Spears that has so inspired, then Carruth, for one, has an answer.
"She's a human being, she's struggling, she's hurting...and that makes me sad," says Carruth. "I hope that she gets well in the same way anyone who's sick and hurting gets well."
The congregation of Southland Christian Church in Lexington, Kentucky, expressed the same hope last fall when it shipped off as many as 500 letters of support to the Grammy winner.
The campaign generated headlines but, according to Cindy Willison, the church's communications and ministry services director, no response from Spears or her camp.
"I'm sure that people in that business are probably suspicious of any outreach to them," Willison said this week.
Still, the online effort goes on. Carruth says she would be "absolutely thrilled" if Spears happened to read her users' posts.
"They're very, very heartfelt," Carruth says.
And compared to the rest of the virtual, if not real, world, her site, she says, "is a safe place."