PLAY YOUR MUSIC

Last night my hubby and I went to the Garth Brooks concert in Dallas. We are old-school country at heart. We love fiddles, steel guitar, and a good ole’ country song. As the lights went down and the show began, I didn’t know Garth’s passion would stir my own.

Garth began the show really hoarse. His voice was barely there from performing so many shows that weekend. My husband and I looked at each other in pity for Garth…how could he possibly get through this? It was only the first song.

Despite a barely-there voice, Garth brought it. He brought the sweat, the running around the stage, the heart-felt waves and heart signs to audience members…He simply brought his passion to the forefront. Garth oozes with passion when he plays his music. You can’t help but be moved. Garth is a maniac on the stage. He commands the stage with his deep, country voice like no other artist I know. But it all swells up from this passion deep inside and it flows out to the audience….as if to invite them to find their own stirrings of their heart.

Garth was just doing what he does best.

When he’s doing what he does best, music and melody pour out. Hearts are stirred.

And it got me thinking this morning as I sip on extra coffee after a late night for this mama:

When we do what we do best, what we were made to do, music and melody pour out of our hearts. The harmony pours out on others.

It’s hard to do what we do best when it’s a dream we are waiting for or an answer we are waiting for. But I remember Garth said something that really encouraged my own heart. He said that before all the concerts and before the first record deal ever happened, he and his band just gathered at a local place to….play music. That was it. They showed up. They played music. No record deal in sight. No world tour on the calendar. He just showed up to do what he does best. He showed up to do the thing that he loved, the thing he felt compelled to do, the thing he felt like God had put in his heart to do.

And it’s got me thinking…

We may not see where a dream is going. We may not see where a desire or a passion will play out in a sweet melody. We may not know why we feel a stirring to do that thing we love. So we take it, we hand it to God in prayer, and we show up where He calls us and we play the music of our soul. We play the music, trusting God with the melody that flows out.

My melody may not look like stadiums of country music fans or millions of albums sold. :) I may not know what my melody may look like, and you may not know what yours looks like, but we can enjoy playing our music.

And so for me, I show up to be a wife.

I show up to be a mama.

I show up on my back porch to pray and hang out with my Savior.

And I show up to write.

Only God sees the melody that’s going on.

Only God sees the beauty pouring out.

And we keep playin our music in faith. In faith that this little seed of a dream, is in God’s capable hands.

What’s your thing? What’s your music? Will you show up even when it feels unimportant? Will you show up even if it feels silly? Will you keep playing your song even though you don’t feel like it’s going anywhere? Will you trust your Maker that the music you play is making an impact?

Know that sometimes God will change your tune. I feel like that sometimes with my background as a ballerina. I don’t play that song much anymore as a dancer, but I will choose to play the songs He has set before me now. Maybe God changes our tune sometimes so that we can make more beautiful music with our life. Makes me think of one of Garth’s songs…

“You know a dream is like a river, ever changing as it flows…”

But whatever your tune, whatever your song, find your your music and play it. Trust that God sees where your melody is going. Enjoy playing the music right where you are.

“Too many times we stand aside  And let the waters slip away

‘Til what we put off ’til tomorrow

It has now become today

So don’t you sit upon the shoreline

And say you’re satisfied

Choose to chance the rapids

And dare to dance that tide” Garth Brooks

When you play your music, it delights God’s heart and it delights your heart because you are dancing the tune God created you to dance. When you dance your tune, you bring God glory.

Dance that tide. Play your music!