For You, i sing, i dance. I rejoice in this Divine Romance.

Phil Wickham is a genius. i could end right then and there. 

but, lets be real.

also, in knowing that this entry is titled with a Phil song, you should know how the rest of this is going...........

my first weekend here has been completely and totally incredible. so much music. so much diversity. so much talent. so much knowledge. so much learning. so much laughing. so much fun.

so much of my Father continually revealing Himself. so much of His sweet whispers in my ear. so much encouragement. so many opportunities. it is so mind boggling how much He has been working. do you realize that i have been here just one week, and yet there has not been one day, not one day, where He hasn't given me an opportunity to blatantly share His story, His opportunity, His life and love. every single day since my family left, i have had a conversation (short or long) with one, or multiple people about who He is, and what He is about. how incredible. completely, and totally mind blowing-i just can't believe it. and the beauty of all of it is that people are genuinely interested. they are seeking. they are very willing to talk, and usually bring it up. now, that is probably the good work of my Jesus, making things easier on me to start, but at any rate, there are opportunities for people to discover the character of my Jesus! how exiting=]

as i write this, i wonder how often those opportunities really are there every day, and we pass them by. (sidenote, i totally just had a scene from Pirates of the Caribbean flash through my mind, where Jack Sparrow talks about seeing the moments of being a good man...seeing the and liking to wave to them as they pass by... how true=]) is this because we are too busy, unwilling, or worse in my opinion, using only our own eyes to see the world, and are therefore blinded by what it is that He is really trying to show us? i feel as though the last one is  the most probable. so if you remember, pray that they hearts of the people here would be yearning-and that they would find it in Him, and if He choses to use me, how blessed am i!! (dude, that was so King James of me right there....)

i am very quickly realizing that there are probably veeeery few people here that share the same vision as i do for music. the sort of"motto" i guess you could say that i have taken with this whole journey "Ministry First"--i felt like it encompassed everything all in one, to remember that my Father always comes first, and from that His people, and their lives, stories, hearts, and relationships, and then music. music is the outlet that i've chosen, or rather been called to, in order to see all of this come to fruition. but in this Ministry First philosophy, i am noticing that not many people here share the specific vision of seeing all this come through contemporary Christian music. i have been fortunate enough to have met some pretty cool Christian kids already, and very musically talented, but no one yet who pictures themselves going in the same place that i do--CCM. they all want to live lives worthy of His name, and use music to that, but not directly into the industry like i do. (another sidenote- i may or may not be the only lover of pop music here, which could be an elhugo reason why no one wants to go to contemporary Christian. i mean, who doesnt like a little mmmbop???) hmmm. but then again, God is God and i am not, and however He wants to use me and music together to call to His people, i will do so gladly=] (easy to say now, huh?)

and even still, its early. only a few weeks in. something  i learned over the summer is that His timing is perfect. it wasnt an easy lesson, but suuuuuuch and important one. so right now im taking it one step at a time, loving people, listening to His voice and His gentle nudges, focusing on what i can do in the here and now, and what i can learn and how i can improve musically. starting classes on tuesday, which are insanely sick by the way. ear training 1, harmony 1, pop/rock/country vocal lab, rhythm ensemble, intro to music tech....and some others. ha-be so jealous. what are you taking? oh, econ? id rather give myself a swirly, thanks.

thanks for putting up with this slightly bipolar entry.

and sorry that they're always so long.

but thanks for following and caring.

loveyoubunchesbye!