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If you are new to our site, this blog is sort of a hodge podge of our ministry and family life, and whatever else God lays on my heart to share. The Home Page above will link you to our Sufficient Grace Ministries page. You can read more about the 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization and the outreaches of this ministry whose mission is to offer comfort and hope to grieving parents. The Blog button brings you to the page you are currently reading, featuring a variety of subjects...some ministry updates, some family news, and some biblically-based encouragement. The Walking With You page is a place for bereaved parents who have lost a baby or child to find encouragement and hope. It is an online support group created so that families would know they are not walking this path alone. On the Dreams of You Shop page, you can learn more about the products and services we offer, place an order, or sponsor a family. The Encouraging Women blog is a work in progress. There, we hope to offer biblically-based encouragement to all women. The Resource page has been newly updated with a list of resources that are helpful for grieving parents. Our blogroll is also located on this page. Thank you so much for visiting our site. Blessings to you...

Monday, August 24, 2009

Saturday With the Band

Thank you to everyone who listed name ideas for our band. We still haven't chosen one. Although you guys had some great ideas...nothing really seemed to be THE ONE yet. (I especially loved the ones with the word grace in them...and "Falling on Faith" was an awesome one! Thanks Holly!) I will keep praying and seeking on this. For now, I will just refer to our little group as "The Band".

O.K., let me just say that the past few weeks leading up to our little "gig" in the park have been filled with some of the most intense spiritual warfare and overwhelming feelings of weariness and struggle I have had in a long time. I spent a lot of time in prayer and in the Word. The struggles in the days leading up to our performance were really hard. Our family has been so very busy, running to and fro. Sometimes, even serving can be tough. It's hard to minister to others when we are feeling this way...hard to get in front of people and share or sing. We had little time to just be...as almost every moment was filled. Marthas...that's what we were...desperately needing to see the preciousness of sitting at the feet of Jesus, like Mary... but feeling burdened with the responsibility of the next thing on the list. Not that we are not grateful for the opportunity to serve. We are. So grateful. And, we know that there are times when you have to push through those feelings and persevere...trusting the Lord to equip us when we feel unable to take one more step. And...He is always faithful!

I felt like I was drowning beneath a list of unanswered emails, unshipped shipments, unwritten blog posts, unkept rooms in my neglected house, unsent bills, unwritten thank you notes, unanswered phone calls, unfilled-out paper work...the list goes on and on. And then there were golf tournaments to attend and band practice. Errands to run. School and work to return to. Children to spend time with. A marriage to nurture. A sense of unworthiness and condemnation settled over me in the last few weeks. And, it felt a little like our family was in a pressure cooker and the heat kept getting turned up a notch as each new commitment was heaped a top our pile.

It's like that sometimes. I would love to say that I always have it together and float through life peacefully. That I never grow weary and feel overwhelmed. That I always clean my house, never snap at my husband, never raise my voice at my children, and never feel completely exhausted. But, I would be lying.

As the days approached, I grew more and more overwhelmed. The morning of the performance, I prayed early in the morning. And, the Lord led me to this perfect, amazing psalm as He urged me to focus on praising Him, instead of looking at the giant before me. I want to share it with you, today...in hopes that you will find encouragement for whatever you face.

I will praise You with my whole heart;
Before the gods I will sing praises to You.

I will worship toward Your holy temple,
And praise Your name
For Your lovingkindness and Your truth;
For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.
In the day I cried out, You answered me,
And made me bold with strength in my soul.


All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O Lord,
When they hear the words of Your mouth.
Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
For great is the glory of the Lord,
Though the Lord is on high,
Yet He regards the lowly;
But the proud He knows from afar.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
You will stretch out Your hand
Against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me.
The Lord will perfect that which concerns me;
Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands.


Psalm 138

Isn't that awesome?! His word so ministered to my weakened, weary, broken spirit. I shared the Psalm with the boys in the band and we prayed before practicing that morning. The "gig" turned out pretty well. There were plenty of little glitches, but it was a lot of fun and a blessing. I felt strengthened and encouraged. And, grateful for the opportunity. Tim and I are so thankful for Dave and Ryan for their willingness to join us for this. They did a great job! And, we are so thankful that we were invited to do this. Most of all...we are thankful for the faithfulness of our God who is able and willing to perfect that which concerns us. Because of His faithfulness...I want to praise Him with my whole heart...to sing of His ways...to praise Him with singing. And what a privilege it is to be allowed. Thank you for your prayers. They were felt and much appreciated!

Pastor James also had some encouraging words that I feel are valuable to share for those ministering to others in various ways. Sometimes, I struggle with the performance thing. I want to focus on the Lord and not my own performance or ability....to take comfort in His strength, not cower in my weakness. James wrote these words: "I always try to remind myself of what “success” means anytime I minister. So often we look at success as did a lot of people come, did it sound good or go good, were the people happy? When God has laid on my heart that success is simply being obedient to His will and letting Him take care of the fruit."

Well said, Pastor James...we love you!



Here are some pics of "The Band" from Saturday...We performed 17 praise and worship songs! (The most I've ever belted out at once!)

See the look on my husband's face...He is so ornery!



I won't even tell you what he just did with his guitar right before this picture was taken! Can you see my hand pushing it away? He is a stinker!






This picture made me smile, because Tim and Dave mastered "The Look" to cue each other on the endings and tempo changes...





I cracked up when I saw this pic. Dave and I both have the same "we're holding our breath" look on our faces!


Tim and I singing This Little Light of Mine...




Tim and I with Ryan "Sufficient Bass" Tackett...


May God get the glory...

9 comments:

My Very Own Angel said...

Thank you for sharing this with us. Kelly you are such a busy women and you still look so good. Do you think by chance you want Vashon??? I got pro pics done of him with his cuddle brother since he goes everywhere with him. I will send you one. I love it.

- Steph

Jennifer Ross said...

Great pictures of the band. You have so much going on in your life. We are here, and understand the time that you need to put into everything else:) It looks like you are doing a great job!

Love,
Jenny

Jennifer said...

Love Love your pictures! How special - to share your talents with your hubbie...and use them to minister!

Jess said...

This is a great post! I have been feeling the exact same way, drowning in what needs to be done, and worrying over my own inadequacy to do it. It is so great to know we can take it to the Lord and allow Him to take over! You look beautiful in these pictures and you can tell you guys are having a great time. I bet it sounded awesome!

Unknown said...

Kelly, that was such an awesome post! I know how life can get when there's something extra to do - overwhelming for sure. I think it's great that you leaned on the Lord and let his word refresh and encourage you.

I would have loved to have been there! You'll have to share some video with your blogging friends at some point of "The Band". :)

The pictures were so much fun. You all looked great - you are a beautiful lady, inside and out.

Love you.
Lynnette

Terry Finley said...

I am new to you blog.
I like it.

Terry Finley

http://psalm51ministry.blogspot.com/

Holly said...

I bet you guys sounded great! You'll come up with a name when the right one comes along. I have times when I feel overwhelmed with all that I should be getting done. I hope that soon you will feel less like this and more at rest.

Tammy On the Go said...

why do you have to live so far away!!

Marc and Megan said...

I don't know what to say - I'm left speechless after reading about your beautiful angels, all three. It all hits so close to home and re-opens the wounds seeing our own loss through your experience. Last July we lost our twin daughters, Elliana and Emmaline, also because of TTTS. There is some sense of comfort knowing I'm not the only mother who knows the pain of losing her precious, perfect, little girls. I feel like this is all jumbled, but I just felt compelled to let you know how grateful I am to have come across your blog today. It's been a while since I've had a good release, and it appears that I've needed it. May God bless you for all the good you're doing.