We want to be right in the middle of it!
When I was younger, I was a naturally caring person and I valued stability so becoming a nurse seemed a logical choice. I remember liking to sing so I joined choir at school and auditioned for the advanced traveling choir in middle school. I also started the youth worship team at the age of 14. I would say that it was a passion of the heart and not really something that I had a lot of training in at that point. I remember, as years passed, singing in the youth worship team in, and then years later at my brother’s church. It became what I did to serve at the church. As years passed, I knew that it was God brewing this in me. My voice changed the atmosphere, glorifying Him. Was it perfect, no! Was it genuine and pure, yes! My husband-to-be and I spent a lot of time in worship together and later started to lead the worship team together.
Photo by Josiah Gibbs Photo by Josiah Gibbs Photo by Josiah Gibbs
I humbly say all this because it has not been an easy road for me trying to keep up with what seemed so natural to others in the voice arena. I would not say that I have a voice that shocks you or that I always sing perfectly, but I have invested a lot of years and many tears working on the natural ability I do have. When God calls you to something it doesn’t mean you don’t have to work hard for it. Stepping out of my shell was something that needed to happen. I sowed years into developing the singing voice I have and learning to sing harmony. The hurdles that we face along the way give you a choice of whether to be wiped out and wither away or know that this is what God will use you for, and fight for it. As we are in God’s presence more and more, He is perfecting us on the inside. Practice perfects what we do on the outside (this is practical advice). My husband does Voice lessons, and helped to teach me during this season. They are a must to keep skills up and learn how to use your vocal instrument safely, effectively, and correctly for a lack of better explanation.
I have written before about how I have had great vision and a knowing about what God will do with my husband and I in the realm of worship. I see a big impact for Him. We strongly feel that the big impact has nothing to do with fame or us at all, but everything to do with His glory. We are all called to this. My husband and I have surrendered and we are placing ourselves right in the middle of whatever God has in store. We want to be ready for His outpouring of miracles, signs, and wonders. We want to stand and worship in spirit and in truth. We want to align ourselves to see the lives of His people miraculously impacted by His glory. We want to worship God with our lives.
We started going to a new church in 2017 that strives for the same thing. We joined Victory: A Church of His Presence in its infancy and were able to help in its launch from the beginning with the pastors and a small team. We were given good advice once by our pastor in a message that he shared. He basically said that if you want to see something develop in your life start running with those that are doing it.
Without sounding to churchy, we needed to be with those who hungered for revival. I know the unchurched may not know what this means, so basically, we are striving to see more displays of the power of what God can do over the power that the devil has on peoples’ lives. We desire to see people in entire regions become impacted by the promises that God declares in the Holy Bible. This is what we live for! This isn’t hype, as our pastor says, it’s a decree for our region and America.
