BST's Blog

As I suspected, we're really not done with the recording. There are still some things left to tweak. I think we're even going to have to cut a couple of songs because of royalties and things. So, the saga continues. Jessica at Creative Trust (our record label) reminded me this morning that we are still in good shape--even early. That was encouraging.

I wanted to share something I came across this morning. To give some context, let me tell you briefly about last Spring. I was really struggling to figure out God's plan for me--in ministry and with my family. I had been reading Isaiah and I came upon Isaiah 35. It burned in my heart as I read it and it was just one of those moments when you realize the Lord speaking to you. Several days later I received a letter from an old friend who said she had been reading Isaiah and felt the Lord impress upon her to send me this passage. It was the same passage I had been reading. It was a cool "God thing". Actually, I'd be more accurate to say it was a complete mind blowing, Holy Spirit moving, faith affirming experience. As I continued to meditate on the words of Isaiah 35, this is what I felt God was saying to me about my own life--

Come to me in humility and I will open your mouth and a new song will pour forth. Lay down pride and self sufficiency. Stop living in the old reserves of a former walk with Me. Lay down false idols, comfort, and your dreams. Lay these down and see the man I will resurrect.

Needless to say, I felt like God was preparing something for me. Looking back over the last year, I consider the decisions I have made. We were offered the deal with the record label shortly after that season of prayer, we decided to stay in Nashville instead of moving to a different church, and I have been blessed to be a part of a brand new worship time on Saturday nights at Otter Creek geared towards post-moderns using our very gifted instrumentalists and other people blessed in the creative arts. These all felt like God inspired things. I just wonder, in the midst of it all, if I went straight to the "I will open your mouth and a new song will pour forth" part. He's definitely done that in ways I never could have imagined. But, I am convicted today in reading these notes from last April that what I need to focus more on is the laying down of pride, self sufficiency, false idols, my comfort, earthly dreams, and the temptation to walk in "old reserves". Whew. Major conviction!

God is transforming all of us from one degree of glory to the next. Sometimes I wish that process were microwaveable. What a matchless, creative, generous, merciful God we serve!

Help me Lord to be obedient. Help me to trust You. Give me a greater desire and the strength to lay down my life and find the one You have for me.