An Unexpected Ensemble
With God Nothing is Impossible
Team ensemble was just that, an ensemble of talents and people working together in unison to bring God’s Kingdom to Montenegro, Nepal, India, and finally Malaysia. I’ll never forget this team or the impact it had on me. Danielle, Heather, Alex, Paris, Sean and I did life together these four months, watching God mold and form each other into individual parts that work together to make a beautiful symphony. We prayed, taught, painted, performed skits, led worship, led youth, laughed and cried together during these four months. I would compare this team to chess pieces willing to move where the Master wishes and musicians who wait for the Conductor’s cue. One day in Malaysia displays who God made this team to be.
We have been asked to perform a Christian concert for at least 100 high school girls at a Medothist school in Ipoh. A concert? Sure. We’ll figure it out. We led an Independence Day celebration for 200 people in India just one month earlier with God’s help. We can do this. We briefly come up with a game plan. We choose some songs to sing at the beginning and the end and Paris chooses a video to play in the middle. Game plan complete.
Chess board ready. Musicians in place.
The day is here. It’s time. We assume we will have 10 to 15 minutes beforehand to set up and get the mics ready. Nope. As we walk in the doors, we scan the room noticing the 100 girls sitting on the floor all in their matching school uniforms. A few of the students are on stage leading worship. Just a few minutes later we hear, “Ok, we are ready for you!” One of the teachers ushers all of us to the front of the room.
We wait for God’s move. We wait for the Conductor.
Nothing is set up yet. Not the video. Not the sound. Not the mics. This is going to be interesting. Without God, this is a failure…like cartoon characters jumping off a mountain top together, zipping through the air as gravity pulls them to the ground for a splat as dust flies up everywhere. But…we have God, so we are hoping we fly.
God’s first move. Musicians start playing. Time to fly.
We start introductions. We say our name, our age, the state we are from, and any interesting facts we can think of that will take up a few extra seconds of time. This buys Paris time to set up the computer for the video and start on the mics. Following introductions, Sean seamlessly walks to the front and shares his suicide talk, changing the order and buying us more time for set up.
While he is still talking, we realize we still need a little more time. I turn to the teachers on the side and ask them, “Do the girls need a bathroom break?” “No, they are fine,” was the response. “Can you do an ice breaker to entertain them while you set up?”
God’s move again. The musicians synchronize into a new melody as they follow the Conductor.
Suuuure. We will just come up with that real quick. Breathe in. Breathe out. Don’t panic. God’s got this. “Hey Paris, they want us to do an ice breaker.” He quickly delegates to Heather, who confidently finds her way to the front. Heather and Sean proceed to act as MC’s for the crowd favorite…a coin toss game! (Which the girls love – the winner gets the coin). While this is going on, Danielle sets up her drum, Paris puts the final touches on the mics, I take my place scrolling the lyrics for Paris as he plays the guitar, and Alex controls the slides for the power-point and video. How is that for performing on the spot with 0 preparation time?
Voices praising and hearts overflowing with love for the Lord, the rest of the concert is beautiful. We couldn’t have done it without the Lord. He is omnipresent and His strength reigns in our weakness.
2 Corinthians 12:9 says,
“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
Check-mate – God wins. The musicians melody is complete. There is a standing ovation. The Conductor bows.
You never have to fear if you rely on the Lord. He sees you. He is there. He promises never to forsake you. No matter how overwhelming or daunting a situation may be, He is right there beside you if you ask Him to be; and His strength will carry you through it.
“He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 1:6
Paris introducing himself at the beginning of the concert
