blessings in disguise

so frustration led into total and complete worship tonight. its a long story but the basic rundown goes: we were asked to play a couple songs for the whole church tonight for a special service. at first we were too loud and we weren't really sure if we could really play any quieter. time was running low seeing that we were going to be going prayer walking around the community within the next 30 minutes. so as a band we decided that if we were even going to play (most of us were set on not playing cause we were too frustrated and in the wrong mindset to lead any type of worship service) we should atleast stick together and get back at the same time. we walked around the community and prayed for the families living in the neighborhood we were assigned and at the end we all met back up and prayed in a circle in the neighborhoods little community center area thing (i really dont quite know what it was, it looked like a gazebo with a parking lot). we prayed first of all as a group for the community and secondly for guidance on whether or not we should play. on the way back to the church i wasnt even still sure if we should play but when we got to the church we talked about it and decided just to go through with it. the first song was hosanna by hillsong united. it went very well and people seemed to be responding. we closed the set with in christ alone which is a great, awesome hymn. by the third verse i heard atleast 15-20 people start clapping and really just praising God. we finished that last verse and chorus and pastor looked at us and said "play that last verse again" and so we did and it got even more of a response. im not quite sure what it looked like cause i dont even think i had my eyes open for any of that song but i do remember hearing many, many voices singing loudly. it was pretty powerful. God really showed up and took our frustration right out of us and turned it to joy, praise, and worship. its funny how some of the best worship services always seem to start with a very bleak outlook.

i will possibly be working at a christian camp this summer leading worship. a friend asked me if i would be interested. the funny thing was, 5 minutes before she asked that i was praying that God would help me find a job for the summer. the best part is that the guy thats over the praise band at this camp is the same guy i led worship with at the channel (a christian coffee shop here in town) for a bible study they did on sunday nights around christmas. it was a blessing and a half.

tomorrow im recording some cello parts for my friends new cd. (you can check her music here) she wasn't too happy with the way the first cd sounded so shes making another run at it and hopefully we'll have some of the new stuff up by the end of the summer. im pretty stoked about it. i recorded some for her last year but shes got some great new songs, some worship, some just about life, and some about love. its a good healthy mix. recording from 10-3ish and then maybe a cookout at my house with some friends and then definitely a bonfire with some smoreage goin down (if smoreage is even a word).

three words on my weekend so far: God is good.

three words to always keep in mind: God is love.

-mike