Thursday, January 22, 2009

Singing For Joy

For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the works of your hands. Psalm 92:4

Way back in the early part of this decade, I sang in a praise team, and "Sing For Joy" became one of our favorite songs to sing; it also became our motto of sorts. It just seemed like a natural thing, to be singing and smiling and giving praise to God. Even though the praise team had since dissolved, "Sing For Joy" still remains one of my favorite songs. Maybe one day I'll get to record it along with "I Love You, Lord".

I don't think it's any secret that I love to sing. I've loved singing all my life. I used to sing in private, at home, and then in school choruses. Finally, when I was seventeen, my cousin Kathy had to almost literally push me out onto stage at Bloomingvale PH. I've thanked God every day that she did, because I felt the power of God that day. It was then that He called me to music ministry.

It's not any big secret that I love children's choir, either. I've been working in children's ministry just as long as I've been singing, starting off as a helper in the nursery and children's church at Bloomingvale. I was even the Sunday School teacher for the elementary school class when I was nineteen. After Richie and I were married, I continued to sing at Screven, but Jan Fort (the minister of music at the time) recruited me to teach the fifth and sixth-grade Kids For The King class on Wednesday nights. This, I know, is when God called me to Children's Ministry.

I was crazy about those kids. I made a great friend out of it, too, when I met Susan, who became my hair stylist. (She and I have a similar philosophy--it's just hair; it'll grow back.) Trey was in this class, and we discovered they were all kinds of hilarious, especially when they read the skits that went along with the week's lesson. Soon, Jan had them performing in Sunday morning worship!

Jan also directed the children's choir, and I got to witness first-hand how to be a song-leader. I learned so much from Jan, like patience and using humor. After Jan had moved on, Lil Martin came on as the minister of music at Screven, and I assisted her in the children's choir. Lil loved big, lively music that got the kids moving. One thing both women instilled in me is that being in the children's choir isn't just a thing to do. Its a way of leading worship. I had never thought of children being worship leaders, but that's exactly what they're doing when they're up on that stage, whether they realize it or not.

I was surprised as anyone when God moved us over to Ringel Heights, but He proved once again that He has great plans for me (Jeremiah 29:11) and that He will work everything out for the good (Romans 8:28). Turns out they don't have a children's choir, but they've been praying about starting one. I won't even have to give up singing because they have a singing service every 4th Sunday. That's God right there, folks.

Praise him!

Toodles!




4 comments:

Goude Gossip said...

Good Luck, Josie. You are such a talented singer.

Lynn said...

I'm so happy for you. Ringel Heights is blessed to have you.

twcasselman said...

That is great, Josie! I bet you are a wonderful singer - wish I could hear.

Josie Thames said...

Come visit Ringel Heights anytime--I'm singing two songs Sunday night at 6!