A Worshipful Heart

Riding the Train of Life

Earlier this year I found myself in the most uncomfortable moments of my life. I've known difficult times and awkward moments, but I'd say this topped them all as far as being thrown far outside my comfort zone. 

I was on a train. Riding across India. For thirty long hours. Crazy bathrooms. No privacy. Sharing a bench with strangers that I could not understand and who could not understand me. Beggars sleeping in the aisles. Being stared at as the only white female aboard. Having to lock my suitcase to my bench and having to sleep with my backpack attached to my body. I just felt so utterly uncomfortable. What was I doing here?

As the hours passed I began to relax a little. And as morning dawned the next day I began to really see the towns, villages and farms we were passing through. I saw acre upon acre of rice paddies and cotton fields. Mud and straw huts and women and men working in the fields. On and on we went and the scenery changed before my eyes. 

As our train hurtled through the Indian landscape I thought of this journey we call life. Oftentimes we don't get to choose the vista that is before us. Life doesn't always look as we expected. Many times we face challenges that stretch us and move us out of the little safe box we would prefer to stay safely inside. Life is not comfortable. 

But I think that without discomfort we rarely change and grow. It moves and and challenges us in ways we'd never dare challenge ourselves. 

A few weeks ago I recorded an EP of some original worship songs I've written through the years. They were all written in quiet moments with the Lord. They are prayers first, and songs second. They record some of my questions and anxiety as well as my faith and devotion. These songs were written as I discovered that each and every moment of the journey is holy, because - comfortable or not - God is with us. 

I hope you'll listen and buy a copy. You can download this EP, "View From the Train of Life" on CD Baby or on iTunes.  All current proceeds go to benefit the Give Worship Project and help provide resources for church leaders around the world. 

And if you're just dying for a hard copy just email me at janowen@knology.net. I'll be happy to send you one as long as they last!

Simply Worship

I love to worship with friends. Many of my most treasured memories as a worship leader are not of a moment when I was standing on the stage leading a congregation. Instead they are of moments when a group of friends gathered to worship together. Many times we were in someone's living room, or in a cabin. Whatever the scene, it always felt more like sitting around the table for a family dinner instead of the performance feel that can occur when one person stands on stage, everyone looks at them and they lead. In those moments, worship truly felt like a family activity, which it should. It felt like we were gathered together and no one was looking at me. Instead, we were all looking at Jesus. In those moments I felt invisible as a worship leader - and nothing could have made me happier! These were the times of worship that were simpler and yet refreshing in a unique way. 

For several months, God has brought that image to my heart again and again. Friends, sitting around worshiping together. Coming from different fellowships, backgrounds and experiences to simply gather around the presence of Christ and worship. Nothing complicated. A simple time of sharing, communion, prayer and lots and lots of uninterrupted time with the Savior. Space if you need it, or a shoulder if you need that as well. A time to hear from one another in a way that is impossible in our larger gatherings on Sunday mornings. A time to allow many to use their gifts and thus encourage one another. A time to rest and receive, a time to give and be filled.

I'm thrilled to say that this heart-dream was a reality when we met for REFUGE for the first time in November. We had 36+ people gathered to simply worship. It was refreshing. It was different. It was what so many of us needed - to simply be with our Savior. 

We'd love to have you join us for our next gathering:

Friday, December 10th at 7:00 pm when we gather to celebrate Emmanuel, God With Us! 

Meet us at Eagle Wings Karate in Miller Plaza, 8006 Old Madison Pike, Suite 12B, Madison, Alabama. 

For more information you can email me at janowen@knology.net.

Come to the REFUGE of God's holy presence and simply worship this Christmas season. 

 

Thankful

2010 has been a different kind of year for me. Some days have been very exciting. Some weeks have been very difficult and challenging. Nothing has felt like home. But in the midst of this "year of the strange", I believe I've learned a little more about living with a grateful heart as I've walked through these heartaches and joys. As I've weathered big life changes,  traveled to many points on our globe and spent time with those I believe Jesus would consider "the least of these", I've not only learned to more thankful, but I believe I've learned to be thankful for things and events I would not have normally considered a blessing. I'm learning to see God in the difficult. 

Adele Ahlberg Calhoun writes that "Thankfulness is a thread that can bind together all the patchwork squares of our lives. Difficult times, happy days, seasons of sickness, hours of bliss - all can be sewn together into something lovely with the thread of thankfulness." Later, she adds, "Thanksgiving is possible not because everything goes perfectly  but because God is present." (p. 30, Spiritual Disciplines Handbook)

This is a truth I've taught again and again as a worship pastor. It is one that is much harder to live out every day. It is easily forgotten. Our worship, our declaration of the truth, our love and praise and adoration and yes, our thanksgiving, are not dependent on our circumstances. They are dependent on the person of Jesus Christ and the truth of who He is and how is at work in our lives and the world around us.

I have come to believe that the giving of thanks goes beyond politely saying "thank you" to God for our blessings. When we give thanks, we remember and remind ourselves of the truth. Giving thanks rights our perspectives. It reminds us of truths we may have ignored or taken for granted or even forgotten. It makes us more aware of the abundance of all manner of gifts that have been poured into our lives - joy, grace, mercies, experiences, love. It opens our eyes so that we see the truth of what we have more quickly than we focus on what we don't have. When we begin to believe we have nothing, it points out that we indeed have much! And it ingrains in us the habit of graciousness and generosity towards others as a by-product! Giving thanks leads us to humility and an ability to share freely with others. Freely we have received, freely we now give. 

So today I give thanks. For a love I don't deserve. For unexpected joys. For friends that have not abandoned me. For experiences that have taught me more than I desired to know. (big smile!) For being stretched and having the chance to learn something new. For small things like flush toilets, hot water, a car that runs, and a quiet peaceful apartment to call home. For a husband that is supportive and believes in me and in God's calling on my life. For being married to my very best friend for 26 1/2 years. For all of the good times in the past that I sometimes really miss. I'm happy that I had them. For my children, who are helping me learn to let go, even when it hurts. And for all the ways my family makes me laugh! For hugs from my kids, which are rarer and more treasured now. For progress. And for hope. For friends that listen without judgment. For a body that is strong enough to travel through many time zones, climb many hills, and not fail me. For unexpected partners to journey with along the way. For all of us leaving and returning home in good health and safety more times than I can count in the past twelve months. For fresh opportunities and fresh vision. For mountain vistas and sunset beach walks where I feel the sand between my toes, for strolls down cobblestone streets, for the dust of red dirt clinging to my shoes, for the scent of new places clinging to my nose. For seemingly silly things like Alabama football, great music to sing and dance to, For a stack of unread books, chocolate, and fireworks over the lake. For sacred moments when I've felt God's presence in new and unexpected places and ways. In gatherings of sweet friends, in the company of complete strangers, on mountaintops all alone, in the whisper of a prayer in a language I do not even comprehend. For the holiness of the everyday that I so often overlook. For the presence of the Living God. 

For these things and so much more, I give thanks to you God. 

"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His love endures forever." (Psalm 136:1)

The Dilemma of the Christmas Card

When I was growing up it was a regular tradition to send out Christmas Cards to wish all we knew a Merry Christmas! Through the twenty -six years of my marriage I've noticed that alot has changed. People want more than just a generic card, they want to share about their family, their lives, etc. at least once a year. To be perfectly honest, I've never been a big fan of the flat one sided Christmas photo card without any personalization or news. I also just can't bear to send out impersonal cards that don't express much about our family. And top things off, our family is now scattered with all three of our children away at college. We have "just the two of us" memories now as well as "all of us" memories. I've done handmade cards in the past but this seemed to get more and more difficult with a card list that tops well over a hundred cards. What to do? Send a card that doesn't meet my needs or just stop with the whole Christmas card thing? I just can't seem to do it however.......

So in 2008 I was thrilled when I found these great cards on Shutterfly that allow you to use multiple photos, and write something inside sharing your news as well. There's even enough room for a personal note, which is very important to me, especially with our family all scattered about. These cards are much more dimensional than other choices and I love using them! I'm very excited about taking some photos on Thanksgiving Day, when we're all together and using them to design our card this year. 

Here are a few of my favorite designs. I'm going to have a tough time choosing! As I mentioned, I love the folded greeting cards and prefer them over the flat panels. When I receive a card I'd much rather hear some news AND a photo!

A classic look. I love the black, white and red and - of course - I love the song reference. With multiple photos this will be a great fit for our family's needs.

If I had to choose a card with only one photo I think I would choose this one. It's fun and I like the color on the black and white photo. 

Here's another fun one - the colors on the black background really pop and it does have multiple photos. Okay one more! Just a little something extra I discovered poking around Shutterfly's site. 

While I was looking at their products I ran across many great designs for personalized gift tags and loved them! This would be a great thing to include in teacher's gifts and baked goods for neighbors and friends as well as just regular gifts as well. Very versatile and fun and you don't have to cram all the names on a little itty bitty tag! I liked this one because it is so colorful and will match many colors of wrapping paper. 

So head on over to Shutterfly today and look at their amazing selection of Christmas photo cards and other accessories - and easily give a personal Christmas greeting in 2010. And while you're there pick up a few gifts - from photo books to personalized calendars to ornaments, they have many wonderful gift ideas as well as photo cards. So give the gift of a memory this year as well. 

P.S. I checked and most photo cards are 30% off right now!

 

An Open Letter to To Those Who Lead Worship

Dear Friends, 

As fellow worship leaders, I wish you could have been there. We were in a tiny village near Butare, Rwanda. A small choir led us in worship and about seventy-five new believers in Christ came together to start a new church. People danced and sang, clapped their hands and praised the Lord from the bottom of their hearts. God is at work across the world, in the simplest of places, among the poorest of our brothers and sisters. 

I wish you could have seen the 150+ Rwandan church leaders from ten denominations gathered together anxiously taking notes, hungry to learn and to go home and equip their churches. I wish you could have seen them dancing for joy and worshiping with great abandonment.

You can experience this for yourself. I want to invite you to come with me in 2011 and see. Come be a part of worshiping with the Body of Christ around the world. Step off the stage, walk out from behind the microphone and step out of the relative comfort of the walls of your church and do something many may find a bit radical. And most will find very frightening.

Go. 

Go to the nations. Declare His glory among all peoples. Come be a part of seeing “the nations be glad and sing for joy.” Come be a part of increasing the fame of HIS name. Come proclaim the power and hope and love of Jesus Christ in lands that have known only violence and death for generations. Come care. Love. Come grow. Be stretched. Be changed. 

Generosity and missions are a natural outgrowth of worship. And so I challenge you to take the next step as a worship leader and encourage other leaders of worship. Many have no instruments at all. Most have no training, musical or otherwise. But they are hungry to see their churches meet with Jesus and worship Him! They will be so encouraged if you make it a priority to come help them!

Opportunities for 2011

There are four dates available for you to join us in 2011 if you’d like to help teach and train others.

RWANDA - with e3 Partners - March 16-27,  May 18-29, September 14-26, 2010

 

Trip info is HERE. 

Click Rwanda, Then click more

info by date above! Mike and Mary Wagner lead these groups and they are AWESOME. 

I will be going with each of these teams which focus on evangelism and church planting. Then midweek I’ll be breaking off to do a worship conference with 150 leaders from around Rwanda, teaching “A Worshipful Life”, sessions that go along with a 6 week devotional study we have developed for use in discipling believers in the area of worship. While I do not lead worship at the conference, there are opportunities to lead during team times during the week. I’d love to have co-teachers along for these trips. A general outline will be provided to get you started if you are interested. If you want to go on one of these trips and teach, let me know and I’ll tell you how to register.

 

Guatemala with Give Worship Project - July 14-23 

Working in the villages of El Yalua and Sumpango. 

I will be going to work with the worship ministry team of Los Olivos Christian Center once again and this time we do want to bring experienced musicians along to help teach the team members. Most have never had any training or lessons, and they love to learn. Then we will spend our remaining time working in the village of El Yalu, high in the mountains of Guatemala. This is a Mayan village and we’ll be helping to build the first Evangelical Church in the area. These believers are presently meeting in a home but need more space.  We will also work with Los Olivos Christian Mission to help with community development, working with children, installing stoves and latrines, and hopefully doing some spiritual development in the community. You do not have to be skilled in construction to work! I do it every year! You just need a servant’s heart and a willingness to love on people despite cultural differences. You would register for this trip directly with me. 

COST - about $1500 plus nightly meals 

 

 

Many will not go because they believe they are not called. 

“Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been 

given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name 

of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything 

I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." - 

Matthew 28:18-20 

It’s a verse we read all the time as Christians. These are Jesus’ last recorded words. They 

must be of utmost importance! But often we live as if we believe these words are for someone else and not us. We set it aside saying that this is a verse for those who are “called” as missionaries. And yet you are exactly who God has called! You don’t have to wait on this calling. Jesus has already given it to you. Your calling, as a believer, is to go and make disciples of ALL NATIONS, baptizing them and teaching them to obey God’s commands. This is the calling of the church, of which you are a part. It is the calling of every single Christian. 

 

For if we do not go, who do we expect will? 

Call me if you'd like to talk! 256-348-5174

Feel free to pass this along to any others you believe will be interested. 

 

P.S. A Worshipful Life

We are excited to have developed a 6-week devotional study on worship for individual and team use, written by myself and my friend, Wendy Bramhall. This study focuses on developing the habit of living a worshipful life through practicing worship each day. A group discussion guide is included. We’ve been able to give this to the 150 leaders we worked with in Rwanda this fall in both paper and digital format with copy privileges. They were thrilled to receive resources in their language! Our prayer is that God will use it to change lives as people begin to draw near to God and walk each day with a worshipful heart. 

If you are interested in obtaining an electronic copy of these materials for your personal or ministerial use, please let me know. With a $15 suggested donation to the Give Worship Project (give at www.giveworship.com) you will receive the materials with full copy privileges. All proceeds go towards providing these materials to the leaders in the countries I work in.

Let All the Nations Praise Our God!

 

Are You a Lone Ranger Leader?

After working in the world of church for most of my adult life, I've often seen leaders make the mistake of trying to lead alone. The reasons for this vary - pride, a mistaken belief that we are paid to do the job so we must shoulder all the responsibility, or even fear that if we share leadership someone might be better than us. Or it could be that we just truly love our ideas so much that we don't want to share leadership in any way. Yes, even pastors struggle with ego. Sometimes we leaders like to think we are indispensable, and no one can do it quite like we can. I've got to confess I've struggled with every one of these! While the Lone Ranger Leader can seem heroic, in reality it is anything but. 

I'll admit that I have been fortunate, although I've not always seen it that way. As a worship leader I am simply not gifted enough to do it by myself. I do not play any instrument very well and am uncomfortable trying to sing and play at the same time. I am not a brilliant vocalist - many team members through the years have been much better than I. I don't even have a ton of music theory knowledge. No Bible or music degrees.  In many ways, seemingly unqualified. I am - however - called to lead worship. 

So I used to really hate this lack in my life. I hated that I was not gifted in such a way that made it easy for me to do whatever needed to be done by myself. I was embarrassed that no matter what opportunity came up, I had to ask for help. 

But I'm older now. And I hope a bit wiser. And through the years, one of the greatest joys in my life has arisen out of this seeming lack. Some of the deepest friendships. Many of the sweetest moments. 

You see, because I've never truly been able to lead alone, I've had to invite others along for the ride. I've had to pay attention to the gifting of others. I've had to learn to let others use their gifts and callings and not just focus on my own. I am unable to be a Lone Ranger in ministry and that used to feel like a failing. Now I see that it is a blessing. 

I always get to sing with a friend. I get to give others the chances we all long for. I get to join my gifts with someone else's gifts in an offering to the Lord. I even get to see those I've helped mentor do a better job than I could ever do!

And maybe most of all, I have come to love the sweetness and surrender and mutual submission of doing ministry TOGETHER. There is a work God does deep in our hearts as the Body rejoices in how God made each part!

Isn't that what the Body of Christ is all about? It's not about many people coming to church and WATCHING someone do their thing, even if they do it quite well. It's about answering the call of God together, growing together, learning together, giving together and being better - TOGETHER.

I pray I've learned this lesson well. One of my goals now is - when at all possible - to never do ministry alone. Never lead worship alone. Never plan alone. Never teach alone. To always invite someone else along for the ride. Even when it would be easier to do it all by myself. Even when I know someone will outshine me. 

When has someone invited you along in ministry and encouraged you to use your gifts?

How could you do the same for someone else?