Since I was 3 years old, I was given the opportunity to learn to play the violin. My life has been somewhat centered around the music community, from orchestra rehearsals to private lessons various times throughout the week. When I got accepted to Pepperdine University and offered a music scholarship, though I was thankful, I knew the college would be a continued part of what I already experienced for the past 15 years. Throughout this time, the one area I enjoyed about violin was worship music. Old hymns, contemporary worship, you name it! It was the one time I actually felt joy towards the violin and the gift the Lord had given me to play. One again, there were lots of musicians and if you know anything about artists, the world can be very dark. The entire goal of a musician is to be perfect; being a Christian, I know that’s not possible. However, just knowing it didn’t help when I was in the middle of a lesson and notes were out of tune. When I finally graduated in May, I couldn’t be more thrilled that no one would ever again “make me” play the violin. I didn’t have to practice everyday or to be honest, ever. Contrary to my plans, the Lord had other ideas in store (shocker I know). I continued to play in church and when I got back, I would play once every couple of week. Fast forward to training camp in October, a squad mate named Gina told me she had been prophesied over that she would play the violin, but had only had a few lessons.
Obviously I was like, “well I have been playing for years and went to school for it! I would love to help! Are you bringing your violin on the race?”
“Yes! You should bring yours too,” she replied excitedly.
I thought to myself, “Oh no!” God, I thought we were done with that miserable, life sucking instrument. I’m not bringing it on the race. First of all it will be heavy, and secondly I can just borrow Gina’s if I need to show her something small.
A few weeks later, I was reading in Luke 19 about the parable of the Ten Minas.
19:20 Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief;
21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’
22 He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow?
23 Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’
24 And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’
25 And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’
26 ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
27 But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.'” – Luke 19:20-27
I sat and realized this was me! I was the servant given one mina(violin) and wanting to bury it. Because it had been such a bitter taste my entire life, I didn’t want to have anything to do with my talent and I wanted to bury it. But that isn’t what God wants for us to do! He gives us gifts so that we can use them to further His kingdom!
Fast forward to my first week on the race and let me tell you, THE VIOLIN IS AWESOME! God is blessing our team in crazy ways through the musical talents He has given us! Though I am learning, I am by no means fluent in Sundanese or Bahasa yet I can still connect with the people because they are drawn to the violin. Music is a language that doesn’t need words, but simply hearts to listen.
Praise the Lord that 20 years ago, He decided to put a violin in my hands!!
