On the Road with DD!

DD and I are on the road here in the upstate and I am truly loving how the Lord is holding my hand the whole way!  Yesterday, we had the opportunity to share in worship at Covenant UMC in Greer, SC.  I wasn't so sure how it was going to work out, but You already knew all about that, Lord!

 A warm welcome and introduction was given before I shared a composition by Jim Brickman called "Angel's Blessing."  During the fellowship time, I was blessed by so many people that shared the nicest words with me, and I was able to share several brochures about The Sounds of Grace with them.  I also had the chance to make a contact with a local nursing care facility, as well as a beautiful woman who sings to those who are dying!  Lord, you just keep placing people in front of me and I pray that I follow You to use them in the way that You would have me.

The second service was just as beautiful as the first!  The choir sang for both and they were so complimentary of the harp, so since they had already heard us once before, I decided to mix things up a bit and played an arrangement of "It Is Well."  WELL, that just did it!  There was a tremendous applause afterwards, which many of you guys know how I feel about that, and tears were being wiped away simultaneously!  There's just something about that melody that enters our soul and shakes us up, isn't there?  And, once again, after the service, I met so many more wonderful people with the nicest words to share.  The Lord sent someone very special to me who is a pediatric oncology nurse at GHS and now, if everything checks out, DD and I will be playing for the children and their parents on Tuesday!  I love talking about how the Lord has begun a work in me and I....I am praying for strength to be faithful and obedient!  He doesn't need me, but He WANTS me!  Mix that with the grace that He has given me and I don't have any choice but to surrender and work for Him. 

I am also learning that when you completely surrender yourself to the Lord and His will, then it is VERY hard to focus on anything else.  I am so thankful, beyond thankful, for a wonderful family who is supporting me through this journey.  My gratitude to my wonderful husband who is keeping the homefront in check while Im gone....with "a little" help from my mother-in-law and our children :-)

DD is going to be resting today, but I am headed to Furman University to meet with two harpist in hopes that they, too, will want to go and volunteer at Greenville Memorial.  Prayers needed! 

Alright!   Here it is.  Our very first blog.  So, this is what's it all about?  Gotta give it all up to my Savior who is truly pushing my fingers on these keys, because Im fighting this every step of the way right now.  But, He is faithful and I am trying my best to be obedient!  This may take a little tweaking, but I have to admit, there is a little excitement within my bones right now to start this journey with you all.    This journey is one that involves, God, Kipper, and DD!  God is the navigator, I am the earthly vessel, and DD is my harp! 

This journey began on February 1st, 2011.  I had been broken.  A local sinner, redeemed by the grace of our Savior!  I still miss teaching very much, and the concerns about money are still a thorn in my side, but I give them both to the Lord daily!  However, on June 4th, 2012, the Lord took me up to Tuomey Healtcare System with my harp and 8 months later...HERE WE ARE!

After sharing all of the experiences I had from the hospital with my little brother, we have now organized a non-profit organization called The Sounds of Grace.  TSOG has a mission of bringing peace and healing through music by providing live music in healthcare facilities in the Sumter and Greenville areas.  We are partnering up with Tuomey Healthcare System, Covenant Place of Sumter, and Greenville Hospital Systems as well as local musicians from the Sumter and Greenville areas AND The Governor's School for the Arts to begin our mission!  Brochures have been printed, a promotional video is in the works, meetings are upon us, the first board meeting is in one week, awareness concerts and dinners are filling up my calendar and the Lord is just wrapping His arms around me as we speak.  I feel as if I can hear Him say, "Just hold on, little lamb!  I have this and I have you!  Don't fear the world, trust in Me!"

And, my harp, well, it's now become an instrument of peace for me that I never imagined possible!  I feel its vibrations in my heart.  It's my way of running to my God and truly feeling His presence!  Its amazing...I'll show you how it's done!  Anyone can feel it! 

Who would have ever imagined that all this work could come out of a sinful, redeemed woman and a 24 year old harp!  But, I am living proof that ALL things work together for those who love the Lord!  ALL THINGS!  That's good things, that's bad things, that's amazing things, that's even things that the world would cast into the fires of hell!  He uses them ALL to glorify Him!

So, here we are tonight...loved by a God we serve!  I'm forgiven, I'm accepted, and I'm gifted with something special that He is now able to use since I have finally given it back to Him!


Wow! That wasn't so bad after all :-)