Praise Him!!!

Let me just say I love what to do....for a long time it was very hard for me to divide my time at church. I loved music and singing with the praise team at our church in SC, but I still always felt lead to help with children's church. I was very "involved" with all parts of church. We were a very small but close church. I loved it with all my heart. Leaving The ROC and everyone in it, was my only reservation about moving to NC. When we moved I thought I wanted to try something different, because I didn't feel like I could find anywhere that would compare to The ROC. So I tried the biggest church I could find. I thought I wanted to be able to just sneak in and hide at the back, and no one really notice. I wanted to find a church that the girls would have lots of opportunities and lots of friends. One church we tried was just that....HUGE church, HUGE children's church ministry. I would sneak in and out every week, without ever really being noticed. I thought it was great at first. Then I started to realize this was not right for us. Even though it was good for the girls at church, if I couldn't be "fed" at church how could I be an example to them at home.
So I was very frustrated. We tried a handful of churches. I felt horrible dragging the girls from church to church each week. I had almost given up. Then....Tahdah!!! There was Breakthrough!! My husband found an article in the paper about their journey as a church, and the grand opening service. I called and spoke with Nate, the pastor, and after just few a few minutes knew we had to go check it out. The first night we went, I could feel the frustration from the girls, especially Tyler. She asked me, how will we "know" this is the right one? I simply told her she would be able to feel it. I almost "joined" the first night, but I wanted to see what the girls thought before I decided. We got in the car, and for a couple of minutes no one said anything, then Tyler says you were right, I just feel it. That is the right church for us, they treated us like they have known us forever!!!! So needless to say we still love Breakthrough one year later.

Here's my point to the whole thing. I wanted to get involved in Praise and Worship right from the beginning, my heart longed for it. It was killing me to not be involved. I almost didn't get involved in anything else, because I knew eventually I wanted to sing!! Well, the Lord started leading me towards the children's ministry, and I kept saying but God I wanna sing. He still said go help with the kids. So I did, because I loved it as well, but I still wanted to sing. After a couple of months, I felt a real burden on my heart for the children of our church, I knew that that was the ministry where I was supposed to be involved in. So I put aside the idea of music ministry, and gave it my all. I didn't feel completely equipped to handle the job, but knew I was ready to try. I thank God everyday that he introduced me to Phyllis. She and I are a perfect match, I handle the events and "extras" while she is very wonderful at the classroom and lessons portions. We compliment each other wonderfully. As we started to pray, plan, dream of what we wanted the children's ministry to be....new ideas were born. We have true Praise and Worship time with the kids!!! Real music, real songs, real emotions, real praise!! Combining my two talents....music and children. God had it planned all along. I have always been around music, played cello for a long time, but was never involved in church music until The ROC. He used that time to train me so that I would be ready for this new adventure at Breakthrough years later. Why do I continue to question Him? He is always 2 steps ahead of me preparing the way if I would just let Him. DUH!!! He already had a place assigned for me, but He had to be sure I was ready for the job.

Ok, so here's the real point to all of this....tonight P&W with the kids was amazing! I always tell them that it doesn't matter how small you are, if two are gathered in His name, HE IS THERE!!! And boy was HE there tonight. I can get more tore up in there with them than I would have ever imagined possible. I could feel His presence so strong with us tonight. It was incredible. And its always amazing to me how quiet they get in those times, they feel it too. I know they do!!

I am just so thrilled to be in the right place doing the right thing. Even when rest of my life is messy....I know that I know that I know that I am absolutely using my best for His glory!!! Thank you God for the opportunity to share that joy I feel with these kids every week.