Once upon a time, this music mamma was a music single queen singing in restaurants, leading worship for hours in larger and larger venues, getting radio play and interest across the country. Then, I met Prince Philip and the three princesses and felt a renewed calling into a ministry that would take me away from all of that. In great joy I packed those 12 cases of beautiful shrink wrapped CDs bought with most of my life savings neatly into the garage. They have been with us through three big moves. I still sing a solo every now and then for church and have written a couple of lullabies for my baby knights, but I haven’t belted a love song or a classical piece in several years now. Whenever the longing for the music adventures of my past would creep in, I would update my reverbnation site and then stuff it down with a sigh.

Then, last year the divisional music director for our denomination asked me to be involved in a project recording traditionally choral music as a solo piece with introductions from the composers. I had expected to enjoy this distraction from daily ministry and all of the COVID restrictions and disappointments of the year. What completely blind-sided me is the longing it awakened in me for music, music that is challenging, music with top notch musicians and production equipment, writing… something deeper than the church choir (which I enjoy) and singing a song I’ve sung thousands of times as a solo again or learned just the week before with a performance track. Somehow in all of this I’ve realized that this music, this is not something I can or should lock away ever again. Just because it wasn’t immediately a part of my local church ministry does not make it less a part of my calling or of less importance. I always thought I had needed to “burn the ships,” but it turns out not putting wind in those sails could have steered me straight to burn out.

What deep longing, desire, soul-filling desire has God placed in you? Will you find a way to let it be used? Will you find a way to give yourself and all around you that gift?

Look at the World is one of the three recordings I was a part of in this six part series that most embodies my general outlook on life-the beauty of and care of Earth and each other and recognizing our Creator. I hope that you are as blessed by listening as I was by participating.