Welcome back everybody!!
      Hope y’all had a great weekend!  Mine was busy, but good!   Buck and I got a last minute opportunity to play at the First Baptist Church in the booming metropolis of Bishopville, SC!  Actually, it’s more like a small, rural town.  But, full of friendly folks and quaint charm.  The congregation was some of the nicest folks I’ve met in a long time.  They were so gracious to us and it made it a lot easier to sing and play for the people.  
See, it’s been a while since I’ve played music at church.  Up until 3 years ago, I led worship at 2 different churches, before I gave it up.  It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life.  Playing music on any level is fulfilling.  But, when your job is to draw people closer to God through a song, for me, it takes it to another level.  And too, it’s a huge responsibility.  I take it seriously, and the last thing I wanna do, is not do it right, or with the wrong motive.  And to admit that your usefulness has ended in a church that you truly love, is painful, and very  humbling.  It’s been a growing experience for me, for sure.
There was this one moment Sunday night…it was the last song, and I was at the piano.  And it wasn’t just any piano:  it was a Yamaha baby grand piano, in an ebony glossy finish.   They’re not only beautiful to look at…they’re beautiful to play.  The keys are very responsive to the touch.  It’s the instrument I feel the most connected to of all the instruments.
So, I’m feeling this very strong compelling sense that we should end with the song, “Give Me Jesus”.  It’s slow, with a gorgeous melody, and 3 simple verses.  The song means a lot to me personally, and I have clung to it for years.  I’ve played it a billion times at home, when no one else was listening, to remind myself that I am not alone. 

So, Buck is playing too with this awesome,
sweet harmonica riff in the background.  We get to the last verse and it gets so still.  And it says:
“When I come to die
Oh, when I come to die
When I come to die
Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
Just give me Jesus.”

For the first time in over 2 years, I felt it again. I felt this massive surge of creativity, and energy, and belonging in this moment of meaning every word I sang from my tippy toes on up.  Knowing that this was the right song to be sung at that very moment, with this small but beautiful group of strangers I would soon call friends, and y’all,  I went to the stratosphere!!!  I hit super high notes that I have never used before in a live performance.   I am at one with the song, and this amazing piano, and the notes, and what I’m feeling, and what I’m sensing the rest of the folks in there are feeling too.  I think we all had a tear or sniffle we shared together in that moment.  A moment I will not soon forget. 

Faith and music are a beautiful thing.  So is having hope.  Go find yours.  Have a great day everyone.   Love to all.