Joy Reflections are about the things that bring joy into my life. Usually that is my faith, family, or music. This week I get to reflect on two aspects simultaneously. I had a recent experience with music that caused me to consider how God has ordered my life.
Last weekend, I had the pleasure of singing with the St. Louis Concert Choir in a Harmony for Peace Concert at Powell Hall. It was a beautiful experience, with many talented musical artists. As I sat there on the stage, I had one of those moments where I was awed at how God fulfills his purpose in our lives in ways we don’t expect. Let me give you some history so that this makes sense.
One of my earliest memories is singing. My mom said I was two, but I really think I had just turned three. I can clearly remember standing on the platform at church wearing a dress that was black on top and red plaid taffeta on the bottom. I had a solo and I was so nervous that I bunched the skirt up tightly in my hands and sang “Away in a Manger”, showing my undies. Yes, me and hymns go back a long way!
My next more profound experience that involved music and faith came when I was about eight years old. Now I am one of the most pragmatic people when it comes to faith. I’m not much into mysticism in all its different forms. I do know that scripture describes God using dreams to communicate with people. So, if you believe that dreams are only our subconscious mind, I hope you’ll consider, given who he is, our creator is still able to use the natural processes to influence us. At eight I didn’t have such deep thoughts. I only know what I experienced.
I had a dream that was not like any other dream I’d ever had. I woke up knowing that it was different and nearly 50 years later, I can still recall much of it in detail.
I dreamed that God asked the children in my church who would be willing to sing in a choir and travel for him. Only me and another girl said yes (which even in my dream seemed baffling, I mean who wouldn’t want to do that?) So, we two were called to another area in the church to pray and accept the call. I woke up knowing I had made an agreement with God. I didn’t know at eight how it would play out in my life, but I knew I had been asked to sing for God and responded yes (and I was pretty sure I was going to be famous).
Things didn’t quite work out that way, but as I look back over several decades of my life, I see that God has provided many opportunities to live out that dream. In college, I traveled with the choir and an ensemble. When we lived in Greece, I was able to sing the alto solos in Handel’s Messiah in the most acoustical little cathedral (while seven months pregnant). And there were several years performing in a passion play with an excellent choral group from one church.
So, as I sat on the stage last weekend and watched the orchestra rehearsing, it just struck me that even after all these years,
I get to sing for God in a group of wonderful people. What a dream come true!