I had the wonderful opportunity to spend some sweet time with my Dad and Louise last week, in North Carolina. This visit, I was there for my dad’s 85th birthday.
When I go to visit, I have the privilege to sing at their church, White Plains Baptist. A church in the foothills of North Carolina. I love ministering to this sweet group of people through song. Their pastor, William Souther, truly has a pastor’s heart. God’s Word is proclaimed in Sunday School and the morning service.
As always, I start weeks before I go, praying and asking God to give me a song. This particular time, the song, People Need the Lord was so on my heart. I had shared in a recent post, A Lady Named Judy, how God allowed our paths to cross. Judy not a believer, so needed Jesus. God used the song, People Need the Lord, to imprint even more, that people are lost and need Jesus.
I went to Mardel’s, tried to find another song. Listened, left and returned again, but there was no peace in my soul. My struggle with the song, People Need the Lord, as I practiced, I could not sing it without weeping for Judy and the people that she represented. Down to just days before I would leave, still struggling, not with the song, but the sea of emotions that swept over my soul. I knew it was the song I was to sing and I simply ask my heavenly Father for his mercy and grace as I sang. I packed my accompaniment track and placed my concerns in my Father’s hands.
Sunday Morning 9:30 to practice. I had no tears during my practice, but the tears flowed after. Pastor Souther came to me and sweetly encouraged my heart. I asked him if I could share why this song was heavy on my heart, but needed to do so after I sang instead of before. I knew if I shared about Judy before I sang, the tears would flow.
During Sunday School as I sat and listened to the teacher, he commented many times that God will walk with us. He will help us in our time of need. He will not forsake us, through it all HE WILL BE THERE. I so needed God to help me with this song. I knew my focus had to be on HIM. And with joy, I can say, I was able to sing the song, no tears, but so conveyed my heart, that People Need the Lord.
I then shared why this song was on my heart. I know that White Plains Baptist is a praying church and I KNOW they will pray for Judy’s salvation.
I also was reminded that God cares about every detail of our lives. He longs for us to come to him, to cast ALL OF OUR CARES UPON HIM, BECAUSE HE CARES FOR US. I Peter 5:7
