Straight from audition to debut

Trust in Jesus. There have been so many opportunities to practice this over the last few months. And here is another. I remember longing for Bob and I to play and sing together and yet another wish God has fulfilled. Bob and I will be leading worship next week. And now that it's going to happen, I'm VERY nervous. Bob can handle it - no problem. And I'll be relying on him to help remind me that this is a God thing - not a Dena thing. I'll sound good by His grace and NOT my own doing. And as long as I concentrate on this being to the glory of God I know He will carry us. It's funny - in all my wishes, I relied on the talent God gave me to sing. And now that it's here - smile - my ability to sing a pleasant tune isn't enough and He's given me the chance to give the glory back to Him. How awesome.

Don't know what we'll be singing yet but I'll keep this up to date. Please pray for me. My trust in Him and the strength of my voice and my nerves through Him. Humility and trust. What a wonderful chance to show Him how much we love Him.

"Audition" Update

I just wanted to update that I passed with Brandon last night. He gave me the seal of approval. I kind of just sang along with them while they practiced - some melody but mostly harmony. We had some of the songs we practiced and he didn't even need to hear them. Who knows how they'll use the offer, but I think we can handle helping out with the summer band absence.

Oh and I heard this awesome song today that you have to check out. Natalie Grant - "I Will Not Be Moved." It is really a great song and it would be great to try out a song like this when the band returns in the fall.

An Audition of Sorts

Last night my typical list of things to do got bumped for something unusual. Bob has worship band practice tonight and Brandon asked if I would come with tonight so he can hear me sing. ICC has a bit of a worship team conundrum for the summer. All the regulars but Bob are off to the ends of the earth for various summer activities and we are without a backup plan. So Bob suggested that we try and help out - guitar and voice to lead a few fill in weeks. So they want to hear how I sound. Presumably to make sure I don't sound like some of those American Idol wannabes on the first few shows. At first I was kind of backpedaling. I had a momentary lapse in confidence - what if I'm really not very good! It made me nervous and uneasy just to make it almost official. So Bob and I practiced several songs last night and I'm much more comfortable. I'm not saying I sound fantastic but I feel better and I think we could manage. Suffice it to say that he's a better guitar player than I am a singer.

I have to say it's actually kind of cool to work with a guitar. When you want to change key because the song is too low, Bob just capos the guitar and moves it up a half step. Not like a piano where moving it up means you have additional sharps or flats and that changes all the notes and chords. Pretty cool and he can get songs into the range that really works for me!

He really wants to do this which was one of the things that helped me push through the lapse. And he did offer a comment that has made me think a lot since he said it. "I think you need to just let it rip. I think you are too cautious." He's totally right. And it has some pretty far reaching applications - I need to stop being worried about looking bad and just sing my heart out. Say a prayer! I'm gonna belt it out tonight - for better or for worse.

Sometimes it's clear what God is doing

The other day, I got an email that freaked me out. I've struggled for the last several months with my service role at church for a number of reasons. And just over the last several weeks, I've found a sort of balance. And this email, took my anxiety up a few notches. Frustration over organization, feeling like ideas are too easily dismissed, and anxiety over increased responsibility in the midst of that. I must have started a reply 10 times before I prayed and another 6 times after. I finally came up with a lengthy response that I thought was appropriate. I was calm about the situation when the right words finally came. I sent the email.

When I returned to my sent mail a short time later to reread what I wrote - I was surprised. There was no email.

I will admit that more than once during composition, I considered whether email was the right forum to address any of this. But when the words finally came after struggling, I thought, "Okay, this must be the right direction." It was. But somehow God must have felt I needed the release of the writing and not the sending of the email. Needless to say, I did not rewrite the email. God may not always speak clearly to me in words but He certainly can shout some things loud and clear in His own way.

UPDATE: My email did go and things turned out okay. God provides a way to make everything right. Right for His will. I'll be teaching a reasonable number of times and to be part of the meeting and seeing that things are coming together. Things aren't so bad and again a message that I'm supposed to connect with others so that I don't assume to know all there is to know. And much to my chagrin, I discover after I connect that I have a peace. That setting boundaries is not wrong and getting upset is not God.