Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Mulling...

I try not to overuse the word "awesome" as it really is one that only applies to God.

Awesome...eliciting awe.  I mean, really, who else but the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is worthy of our awe?

So I carefully tell you that this past weekend was just plain...well...
AWESOME.

The singing...the stories...the God-ordained moments that happened within an audience of over 100 believers...it was all just so much.  So like Him.

We raised over $5000 for a Ugandan school that cares for 1400 children.  Do you know how far $5000 can go in Africa?  My sweet friend, M, shared the story of how God brought them their daughter from this very school.  I nearly cried as her daughter gazed up at her mama with happy eyes.  How drastically her life has changed.

My husband shared the story of our first trip to Ethiopia and how God used Andrew's songs to encourage and reassure him when he had to leave me alone unexpectedly to straighten things out with the court.  He got through it without crying, but his shaky voice betrayed his emotion.  I love him so.

Two women sat together (one from here, one from Alaska!) and found out they were both going to be in Alaska in August...and arranged to have lunch in Alaska!

Children were sponsored, which means that they were delivered out of poverty into hope.  Hearts were touched literally all over the world just because of this one night.  So like God.

Meeting my favorite singer was a day that I will never forget.  I do not engage in idolatry, do not worship those whom I admire.  But there are those who are inspiring, who have gifts that I dream of developing one day, those who reflect the Lord in how they use those gifts.  Andrew Peterson is one of them.  

Music moves me.  Good words move me.  Poetry and lyrics and great books move me.  People capable of creating those things...
well, they move me.

His music is the soundtrack to my life.  He finds ways to put into words what I find myself bringing before God.  Marriage, God's word, kids, grace, the struggle to remember who I am and Whose I am...somehow he lays it down into a melody that sticks with me and God uses it.  So to meet him and his sweet little girl and  his (very amazing) piano player, Ben Shive, was an incredible honor and I just hope I didn't weird him out.

Ahem.

The music of Sunday night filled the room and filled us up.  Friends who only came because they knew us are now fans.  People heard about Jesus and love and struggle and victory on Sunday night.  It was awesome.

Andrew Peterson said something that stuck with me.  God is creative.  He created us in His image, which includes giving us the ability to create as well.  It may look different in each of us...painting, writing, music, cooking, etc...but every time we create something that did not exist before it is like a window into Heaven.

I love that thought.

So, though I know Andrew Peterson and Ben Shive may never read this, I want to say thank you for the tenth time.  :)  Only eternity knows the extent of how God is using your gifts, and I pray I will use mine just as well for His glory.

And now I leave you with this:

Love.  This.  Song.  So much.





1 comment:

  1. im with you...it was an amazing night, and thank you for letting us be involved and to help and serve. i left encouraged in my walk and ready to share, and create with all the believers around me. again, thank you and kyle and everyone else who put the night on. it was...awesome :)

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