Is it Sunday yet?

Yesterday we joined a church out here, Bridge Fellowship, that we absolutely love. The pastor, Scott Rambo (yes, you read correctly, and no he doesn't preach in a red head band, although I wouldn't put it past him) is amazing. He's a very enigmatic and energizing speaker whose doctrine and theology is dead on. The church has a fairly young congregation (20s-50s), and I'm hoping we can find a place to plug in and make some new friends. They have awesome music, too! Y'all all know that's pretty high on my important-meter. The service is praise team-led and the worship minister/lead singer, Valerie Dean, sounds like she should be recording her own CD any day. I found out last night at our newcomers dinner that they hold auditions twice a year for the praise team, so I am anxious for the next round. Man, I have missed being on a praise team! Does this picture ring a bell for anybody?!?

For those of you who have no idea who these people are, this is my old praise team from my Dad's old church. That's me on the far left in the pink shirt. I MISS Y'ALL!!!

As much as I loved the choir at my church in Cali and the people in it, my heart has always been in praise team-led worship. I get so much reward from being front and center on the stage, actively engaging people in worship, and seeing their response to the Lord up close. I thank God all the time for giving me the gift of, and a passion for, music and performance so that I can experience being on stage, facilitating worship, emotion, and a bond between those in the audience and God. It is very powerful and humbling all at the same time to look out at the audience and see tears of joy, humility, forgiveness, adoration – you name it – all because they are experiencing God's power through music and/or drama and knowing I was directly utilized by the Lord to make it happen. Sometimes it feels like I literally helped open the front door of heaven so that even one person could walk through and meet God. It's hard to explain – that's the best I can do. I know not everybody is cut out to be on stage, but I praise God all the time for that gift. As a pastor's daughter, I was blessed with more opportunities that usual to sing and act on stage. It has been a growth experience for me to learn to wait for God's direction and let Him provide the opportunities as they came. I am hopeful that I can continue to be utilized through music and drama at our new church. As with our church in Cali, FCC, some of the talent on stage is so above and beyond amazing, it's a little intimidating. However, I am hopeful there will be a place for me.