Young Musicians

If you had told me 10 years ago that I would be one of the directors in the children's music ministry, I would have thought you were crazy. No way would I ever teach anything.....let alone music.

But it's amazing what God can do when all He has is a willing participant. I started my 'career' in children's music as a sub 7 years ago. If a teacher were out for any reason, I would go and take their place. This meant I had to know how to 'teach' all of the small group activities that came in the quarterly pack as I never knew from one week to the next who's place I would be taking. It wasn't a whole lot of fun, to be honest, but it did start me down a road that, frankly, I couldn't imagine not being on right now. Afte subbing in 3rd grade, I became a permanent teacher....just helping out the director and helping the kids learn the words to the songs they would be singing for the church. The next year, the 2nd grade director ended up going back to school to get her Master's Degree, leaving that age group without a leader. I was approached about being the director.....I was excited about the opportunity, but scared to death. I really didn't know what I was doing and I did not have a particularly fun time.

The next year, the 3rd grade director moved on to other opportunities, leaving that ministry role open. After some prayer, I realized that part of my difficulty was the age group.....I do much better with older kids, so I decided I would 'graduate' with my second graders and move on to directing the 3rd grade Choir. We had a great year! The next year, the 4th and 5th grade director stopping directing.....Are you seeing a trend here? Yep....I did it again, I moved up as Director of the 4th and 5th grade Choir. By the time the kids I began with in 2nd grade moved to middle school, I'd been their director for four straight years and they were the most precious years for me. I was able to get really close to every child and still today...2 years later...have special relationships with a lot of them.

Tonight was the first night of the new year of Young Musicians and this year began like every other.....How many kids will we have? Will they behave? Will they think I'm a goofball? Will they like to sing? Will they want to come back next week? Will I run my teachers off?

We had 32 children tonight....what a great group of kids. Most I already knew. Only a couple I had never met and we had a great night. This year's theme is Created by God, the Master Designer. We had a chance to talk about what a designer does and what God's purpose was for designing each of us.

We read Ephesians 2:10, "For we are His creation—created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them." It was a good time to remind them, that even though they may get in trouble....even though there are times when it seems like we can't do anything right....we were created to do good works!!! I was also able to share with them the fact that God created us so He could have fellowship with us. He doesn't need us. But He wants us. He wants to spend time with us each and every day! It was a precious time.

We sang one of my favorite songs..."How Great is Our God." And we ended our night watching a DVD about praying all of the time. In the morning. At noontime. In the evening. When we're down. When we're worried. Pray. Without ceasing.

I love teaching children music......but it's not just teaching them the words and notes and helping them understand time signatures and dynamic markings. It's about believing every word they are singing. It's about understanding why we sing praises to our Lord. It's about living every word we sing. It's about worshipping a Living God....the Maker of Heaven and Earth, a God so powerful He was able to create every living thing on this earth, but yet is so loving and so tender we can go to Him, lay our burdens at His feet, fall into His arms and know we are loved.

Thank you, Father, for Your gift of music and Thank You for using me to share Your gift with these precious children.