Ephesians 5:19
Turning 6, I got my mother to take me to piano lessons, which I ended up regreting and hating because I never liked to practice. I remember my teachers getting extremely frustrated at me, telling me to start looking for other piano teachers because they didn't want to teach me anymore. I was happy to get rid of my teachers, but unfortunately, my diligent mother would do everything possible to find my a new, meaner teacher. To my mother's God-given perseverence, I give thanks.
As I turned 13, my church's only pianist had to leave for college, leaving no piano players available... No one but me. That's when I started getting involved in music at church. I spent all Saturday mornings, afternoons, and nights practicing for Sunday services, but somehow, I still managed to mess up really bad. The congregation eventually became pros at singing in A Capella once I started playing piano for the services. Through time, however, like most things, I got a little better.
The later years of high school until I graduated, God began involving me more with worship leading. He gave me the opportunity to lead music in my high school (International Christian School) during chapel time every Tuesday and Thrusday. I was also involved with many groups of worship teams in different Costa Rican churches. Among the many different worship teams I was part of, I was in one that would occasionally travel to far away, less fortunate churches in Costa Rica and help them out with Sunday services. We had a Friday night ministry in a church located near the University of Costa Rica, where there were many bars and clubs, and alcohol, drugs, and crime among many other things were commonly seen throughout the week, especially in weekends. We would open up church and play live music, have food, drinks and games, inviting all the teenagers and drunken college students to come and enjoy a healthy, fun environment with Christians of the same age. This ministry was inspired by God through the pastor as he walked through the streets near church on a weekend. "It bothers me that so many young people are getting drunk and high on drugs around here. All these clubs full of teenagers...but where else would they go? Something is wrong when on a Friday night all the clubs are opened, but the church is closed." Working with such people made a great impact in my life.
As I went to college, I found God continue to lead me into new ministries. I am currently the worship leader at a very small hispanic church in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, and occasionally helping out with youth group. I cannot deny the fact that things get shaky at times and discouragement or tireness and lack of motivation get in the way often, but there is something about the joy, fulfilment and peace that comes from serving God through music that surpasses all negativeness and makes me love every minute of what God has given me the priviledge to do -- praise God and make joyful noises unto Him along brothers and sisters in Christ.
