I was blessed today by getting to be a part of leading an amazing worship set at my school, Davis College. The week has been full of lengthy practices and a crazy busy schedule, causing quite a bit of stress for everyone involved on the worship team. There were times when I myself was feeling less than excited about attending draining 4 hour practices, but getting to lead God’s people in worship today was worth it in the end. Today’s worship set brought me back to that place where I was able to really lose myself in worshiping my savior and just stand before God with so much joy overflowing from my heart. I was able to get back to that place where I first fell in love with praising God through music, and it was very refreshing. After the set, my best friend told me that my smiling face reminded her of how Moses’ face must have looked when he came down from the mountain after speaking to God and was glowing. I think her analogy was probably pretty accurate.
I believe it is so important to give your passions to the Lord. I gave my passion to God through worship today and He blessed my works. Not everyone may be able to lead worship through music, but there are endless other ways in which one can worship the Lord. What is important to God is the genuineness of our heart and that we are truly giving our all to Him. I also believe that when we use our passions to give glory to God then He will always bless us in return. My blessing came through the joy I felt after singing praises to God at today’s service. What is your passion and how can you give it to God so that you can bless others and be blessed yourself?
God never fails to amaze me with His plans for my life and how He times everything out perfectly. Just a month ago I was dead set on going to college in Nashville, TN, the seemingly perfect place for an aspiring musician like myself to call home. I had set my heart on living in Nashville since I first visited the city when I was 15 on a family vacation and was so set on it that no other options had ever crossed my mind before.
But something about Nashville just wasn’t sitting right for me. I kept feeling myself get swept back and forth by emotions telling me I need to go, and others telling me I need to stay. I didn’t want to leave my family, friends and connections, but I kept telling myself that this was just the only way it had to be. But, as He has many times before, God proved me wrong.
I was performing at a Christian music festival called “Thee Spiritfest” and was approached by someone after the show. He was a representative from a local Christian music label, and was very enthusiastic about my ministry and performance. He went on to tell me that I was talented enough to go to Nashville and pursue my music, but when I told him that it was already in the works, his response really surprised me. “Don’t go down there.” ‘Huh???’ I thought… He went on to describe his understanding of the current state of the music industry in Nashville and why he believes that it is slowly crumbling and local artists nation-wide are going to be playing a large role in sharing God’s kingdom. I listened to what he had to say and took his business card, feeling intrigued and once again feeling on the fence about leaving.
Then I noticed one of the tables set up at the festival that was housing a representative from a local Christian school, Davis College. My good friend Libby was going to Davis the following semester, but I had never really paid the school much mind other than talking about her going there. I started to wonder if my Nashville plans really were falling through and what God could do with my life if I stayed here instead.
Two weeks later I found myself enrolled for Davis College under a student ambassador plan where the college agreed to lower my tuition if I performed shows representing them at venues they provided. Basically they wanted to pay me to sing music to God and attend their school. I was ecstatic! Doors in my life kept opening and opening and opening and finally I was painfully aware that God needed me to stay in New York.
So here I am today after my first day of classes at Davis. My cost for college is now about seven times lower than it would have been at Belmont. I recently got in touch with that local record label and plan on working with them producing new music for the Lord in the near future, and possibly signing on to their label. I could go on and on and on naming amazing doors of opportunity that God has opened since He closed the door for Nashville. I am so glad that I was in a place where I was able to trust in His leading, and change everything in my life so quickly in order to follow His call. During the past month God has blessed me more than I could ever imagine and I am soo excited to see what else my future at Davis brings for me and where God can take my dreams as I continue to give them to Him.
My friend Libby and I during our orientation at Davis College.
bring Him more than a song... 