Truly a Gift from the Lord

I had been serving as the 2nd and 3rd grade Sunday School teacher at my church for a couple of years and truly did enjoy the kids that I had been working with. However I felt that the Lord was bringing that season to a close. I knew that time was ending and even though I wasn't sure what He had for me next, I wanted to be obedient and allow for someone else to take my place to better serve the next group of kids that were moving into that class.

I was already serving by running the sound board a few times a month for the worship team, but my heart's desire was to actually be on the worship team. It was this that I loosely held before the Lord as there really wasn't a place for me there, being that I sing harmonies, and that the worship team already has a wonderful "backup" singer. But yet, I felt that somehow the Lord would open that door in His timing. Worship has always been one of my passions and the Lord has taken me all over the place with it. In high school I learned how to play the guitar and so was thrown into leading songs at the youth group I was a part of. In college I led worship and co lead worship, playing guitar, and drums. When I went to Seminary and was part of CrossOver Ministries I led worship, and while I was living in Atlanta, I led worship for the Women's Ministry events, and had the opportunity to play guitar on the church worship team with some of the most talented worship leaders I've ever met. Men like Tony Sutherland, Adam Herod, and Shan Wallace, and then Joy Langana Chamblee who used to sing with Women of Faith. Amazing people a

nd it was so humbling to be a part of that group. I remember there were times when Adam would lead worship and he had a lot of funk in his style and I would have to turn of my guitar and fake my way through it because he would play chords I'd never heard of.

Anyway, so worship has always been a part of my life. And I learned a lot, especially from my days in Atlanta, sitting under the likes of Tony and Adam. But there was a time in college, when I wanted to learn to sing harmonies. In fact there were these two girls that I tried to sing a song by First Call with and I was supposed to sing one of the harmonies for it.

And I practiced and practiced and practiced and practiced. And when I sang with the cd, I could sing it just fine and hear it just fine, but when I went to sing it with the two girls, I would always slip into singing one of their parts. I couldn't hold my part. I couldn't hold the harmony. It was a very frustrating experience for me.

So I began to pray. I have told people that I prayed for a year, so it must have been at least a year. But it could've been more. I'm not exactly sure anymore how long it was, but I prayed for along time. I prayed for the ability to hear and sing harmonies. I asked the Lord for that gift. I asked Him to grant that to me, and I prayed all the time and asked Him for the ability to bring Him glory in that way through worship. And then one day, it just happened. I don't even remember the day to be perfectly honest. I don't remember when or where it happened. I don't remember how. I just remember I could hear them and I could sing them. And it truly is a gift. It's very humbling to know that it's a gift and it's one where I have to constantly rely on Him. There are times, and I know it doesn't always make sense, where I don't always hear the note I'm supposed to sing, but I just know that if I open my mouth, He'll sing that right note through me. It's an amazing experience to have with the Lord. And it's one that keeps my humble. I used to sing lead but that wasn't my desire, nor do I truly believe it was the Lord's. I know my struggle with pride and so does the Lord. Most of the time, people don't come up to the "backup" singer to compliment them on their voice or on the worship service, and that's a good thing for me. It keeps me humble. And if they should, as one gentleman did at the Christmas Eve service, I had to be sure to give the glory to the Lord. He told me he enjoyed my harmonies and I had to be very quick to tell him, they were a gift from the Lord and I have to rely on him to sing them, thank you.

The Lord is good, and He is the giver of all good gifts. This past week, 5 months after I stepped away from my Sunday school teaching position, I found out that I will be put into a rotation on the worship team. They want to start giving the worship team more breaks so the same people aren't getting burnt out by being up there every weekend for every service. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. He truly is the desire of my heart, and I am so honored and humbled that He would allow me the opportunity to help lead others into worshipping Him and using the gift He's given me to bring Him glory.