Breakthrough

Life is a series of breakthroughs, especially since I started walking beside Jesus.

One minute, I doubt what I think He says to do. Then, before I know it, I've broken through and I'm so excited to do whatever it is that I can hardly sleep at night.

Over this past weekend, I attended an "open mic" night at a church in Gastonia. On Saturday morning, I was feeling a little lazy and questioned if I should even go. The Holy Spirit encouraged me to show up, so I did.

I stepped out and sang my first original song. It would be my normal, skiddish habit to simply sing songs everyone knows, but I felt a boldness come over me that afternoon about singing "Run To You".

You see, I believe God has laid a somewhat unusual (perhaps, unpopular?) genre on my heart: Christian Blues. Everyone knows Christian music is light and Blues is heavy - two opposite ends of the spectrum. But I recently saw a young man on television (Antonio Pontarelli) who took his years of classic violin training and molded them into his love for rock music. So...why not Christian Blues?

I felt very natural singing "Run To You" in that church on Saturday night, and I was extremely encouraged by how well-received it was and how it ministered to many. I am grateful to God for nudging me to go, and to step out of the boat in the process. I believe He's pushing me to continue diving deeper into the abyss of the creativity He's given me.

Too many of us stay safe in our comfort zones. I am notorious for doing so my entire life, but God is changing me and I pray that the way He works through me will encourage you and many others to do something different. To be bold and follow a new path. To trust Him to take you places you never dreamed of.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the thoughts and plans I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome." Sure sounds to me like Jesus wants to show us the kind of life that stretches way beyond the ordinary things we face every day.

Have you put your faith in Him yet? Will you step out of the boat and grab His hand?