My Cup...

runneth over. Last night I was truly blessed. This semester was my first to be in our church's choir. I have always loved singing and even majored in choir in high school (I went to a magnet school). I always thought about joining our choir but never took the initiative to actually join. So this semester with some encouragement I gave up all excuses and jumped right in. I love it. I really feel this is my ministry at the church.
Every year we have a Christmas concert which was Sunday and then the Tuesday after the choir and orchestra go to Tucker prison and worship with the inmates there. This was my first year to go to Tucker also. I was very excited and not sure what to anticipate. I think every chair they had set up was full. Before we started we all sat down and prayed in small groups. We prayed we would be a blessing to those men who were believers, that they may be filled, we prayed for those whose hearts are hardened that they may be softened and see Christ through us and the words. That they may believe and repent. We prayed that we would truly worship, we thanked God for the opportunity to serve Him in this way. And boy was I blessed. I really worshipped I really felt and meant those words, and I wanted my face to convey it to those men. Not that I don't worship on Sunday morning, but there is something unique about worshipping amid much darkness. I wanted them to see that only by the grace of God were we not in their seats and maybe some of us have been in their seats but God saved us. In my sinful past I was definitely on my way to being locked up.
During some of the songs I know well I was able to look around and there were so many men I saw who were truly worshipping with us. Closing their eyes, hands up, singing along. I burned to show them God's love. I wished I could share with them my testimony. That is really the first true form of missions I have been involved in. Though I have gone on missions trips before I was not a believer, I was the blind leading the blind, though I did know the Truth I did not embrace it. My eyes were really opened to the words in the songs and the truth behind them. It was like God awoke me there in that ministry. We sang:

A Great Joy

Away in a Manger

When Love Came Down
Joy to the World
Glory to God
Glory Hallelu
Christmas Peace (which is a compilation of Silent Night, O Little Town of Bethlehem and another carol I forgot the name of)
We Beheld His Glory
Gift of a Lifetime
Shines the Light
On Christmas Peace the men stood and sang with us and let me tell you I only saw a few men not singing. Some raised their hands and sang. After each song the men were eager to applaud, they would even start before we were finished on some songs. The last two they stood up and applauded us. After a few came up and really thanked us for coming and said how much they enjoyed it. I was so glad they enjoyed it and pray their hearts were touched and lives might be changed. I truly look forward to this ministry again next year.