Lenten Devotional by Ric Carl
April 7, 2017
“For in the days of David and Asaph, in ancient times, there were leaders of the singers, songs of praise and hymns of thanksgiving to God.” (Nehemiah 12:46)
When I think of times in my life when I felt brave for something I’ve done, I remember when I first joined the choir over 10 years ago. The choir director Todd asked the congregation if anyone would like to join in on the Christmas service. Well I figured I would go for it, but I can’t sing, read music and I have stage fright. The process of learning the music and seeing if I could sing without sounding like poo was a little scary. What I found was the people in the choir didn’t judge me and they were willing to help. These people taught me everything I know about reading music and they put me in-between Rick and Len. When you are sandwiched between two strong singers like Rick and Len your confidence goes straight up. I started thinking I can do this. Singing at that Christmas service was way out of my comfort zone. I felt like I had to be a little brave that day. Now that I’ve been in the choir for more than 10 years, this has become a safe place for me. I enjoy singing and preforming at Edwards Church. I feel like I am surrounded by good people that I can trust and that I care for deeply. I can feel the love back. Music is now something I look forward to every week.
O God of grace and wonder, we are thankful for the gentle nudges that take us in new directions and the comfort of feeling at home. Amen.