approach

i've never done this before, but then again... i've never experienced anything quite like what happened tonight before, either. (how's that for a set up?)

a few weeks ago, our pastor spoke highly of an aspiring new Christian musician who was scheduled to perform tonight at zoar baptist church in central, louisiana. i'd never heard of this artist, but my pastor is an accomplished musician, so i hold his opinion in high regard... and besides, our worship band is from zoar, so attending was just as much about supporting their church as it was about supporting an aspiring new musician. (i must say that the ring was well-represented... we made up about 1/3 of the audience - how cool to walk into a church i've never been to and see my community there!)

everyone, meet phil wickham. he's from san diego, pronounces baton rouge as "baton rou-gay" and would have loved to have seen the saints and the chargers throw down in the super bowl. alas... oh, and he calls crawfish "craw puppies" which can only be an hysterical combination of "crawfish" and "hush puppies"... fun personality aside, he is quite talented. but that doesn't really tell you much about him, does it?

well, this should help. first, here is his website. second, i am making an exception for him and relenting on my total anti-myspace stance long enough to give you a way to find out more about him. be warned - myspace is of the devil... i joke, i kid... i don't. anyway, here is his space; it's got some great music (we sing always forever at the ring - it's beautiful), tour dates and such. (whew - no lightening! - let's get past this paragraph and on to what the night held, and not push our luck...)

so the night started with the student pastor, brian, opening us up in prayer. wow - that man can PRAY! so few words, so much power and love unleashed... talk about setting the tone for worship! i'm sitting there, in a foreign place, surrounded by loved ones and strangers, and we all entered into God's presence in such a powerful way. did i mention that man can pray??? holy cow. then there's this guy just standing on stage, just him and his acoustic guitar. now, i'm sitting there, blown away by brian's prayer, and this music begins. i really don't know what to expect - i've never heard of this guy, i don't know any of his music - at least, i didn't know always forever is his song - and i'm waiting with baited breath to see what's next... and i am drawn into his heart for the next hour - he was raw, passionate and real. i think i'm transparent? please. i can't think of a more vulnerable position to be in than playing to complete strangers and just letting it rip - pouring your heart out to your Lord in song. i was vibrating inside about 15 minutes into it, and am still smiling as i type this hours later.

as per the usual, worship was not all the Lord had in mind for the night. more humility - a friend had to buy me one of phil's cd's with a promise to pay her back... and more put-yourself-out-there obedience. that's right - He sent me to find brian to speak words of encouragement to him. no way i could have left that church without thanking him for bringing us into the Lord's presence so powerfully. what could have been a really awkward encounter turned out to be beautiful - the look on his face and in his eyes was worth every niggling doubt about what the Lord told me to do, and why He wanted me to do it. i don't have any idea what the Lord did in his heart with those words, but it was beautiful, whatever it was. sooo cool.

i'm not sure that we so much approached the throne room as we busted through the door. i think the coolest part was that it wasn't about the music. weird, huh? yes, the music was great and, from what i know about him, i highly recommend phil. but i think, to me at least, that the night was more about coming alive... about the Lord continuing to draw me out of this semi-secluded existence into Him, through His kids, through worship, through fellowship, through humility, through obedience... paula recently said to me that we learn more about God so that we can worship Him more, so that we can approach Him more fully in love and with adoration. i had never equated head knowledge with worship before. or, more correctly stated, i had never equated learning more about God as a means to worship Him more. but it makes so much sense! the more i learn of Him - whether it be through a sermon, getting to know Him, someone else's walk with Him... however i encounter Him, i invariably walk away from that encounter, loving Him more... which opens my heart even more. i am already profoundly affected by music - when my spirit joins in - well, that's just a beautiful thing.