Ministers, Money and One-Armed Drummers

It's been quite a week.

After being so discouraged last week with many things going wrong and feeling oppressed by a sense of not getting anywhere and wanting to give up on so many of our very ambitious Life-Songs projects, this week has brought us encouragement aplenty!

We've moved a step closer to several of them in practical terms and have booked venues for some dates. Our plans for the Battle of the Bands for christian youth musicians is coming together but won't happen until October, which is a good time in the school calendar for a little distraction from exam stress.

A church in another town has asked us to put on an event in July, which we are happy to do, because it will be a day after the next Life-Songs concert and easy to just transfer the whole thing a few miles away. It will be good for our team to have the experience of playing in a better venue too.{g}

We've been getting some negative feedback from the town's 'Ministers Together Group' since starting Life-Songs, so when we were also asked to a meeting with a new minister in our town this week, we were really apprehensive.

He had come to the second concert and wanted to hear from us about our vision. He and his wife were very excited by what we are doing and offered their building for some events as our aims are similar. It's a small church though, so I'm not sure how much we can do there. The minister is a young man who just came from a job of running the youth work for the whole of Ireland for his denomination and is very excited about modern worship music. He is the only musician in his church though, and so it's him, a piano and SongPro on Sunday morning.

We were so blessed and encouraged by them both. We hope to be able to work together with them soon.

We only have two major hurdles to overcome now. Funds (always limiting what we can do) and the fact that our fantastic, world-class, 17 year old drummer dislocated his right shoulder a few weeks ago. Wresting with his dad! (Our saxophonist!) Ugh! If he's a good lad and does his physio and doesn't try to drum with his right arm yet he should be ready to play for the July concerts. His father says that even one-handed, he's the best drummer he knows. I can believe it!

The other thing which is quite wonderful is that Grace and Jack have both been asked to lead worship tonight at their Christian youth group. This is the first time anyone has done this at their meetings. Jack is playing guitar and Grace is leading the singing. They have picked 4 songs and have been practising carefully. I can hear them upstairs right now singing God's praises. A lovely memory to tuck inside my mother's heart.

God will deal with both the lack of funds and the one-armed drummer, in His way and in His time. And it's been a good week in many other ways, so we are thankful.