Greetings from the Lowcountry

From the time I entered Liberty and the Worship program, I knew I would have to do an internship. Most of my friends completed theirs last summer. Needless to say...I was presented with mixed reviews last August...and just not altogether certain that the whole 'internship' thing was my style. It was, however, a requirement.

Welllll, after about 10 months of intense prayer...after a senior year of many ups and downs...after a crash course on the speed limits of all south-central Virginia counties...after slaying the Goliath that was my percussion recital...after walking at commencement (math CLEP still lingering over my head) ...I arrived in...HILTON HEAD...ready to find all my wildest dreams realized.

Let me preface this by saying that upon leaving Liberty, I had no desire to be a worship leader. Although I had completed a Worship major-with a specialization in Worship Leadership...I was thoroughly intent on going to grad school to stick my toes in the open waters of just about any non-music related academic field-but primarily English Ed. My sister endured a lengthy eruption over why I believed grad school would not only equip me for a more dependable career, but rather reverse the clock on the time I had wasted in a useless major...only to return the most unimpressive response. True, I had debt. True...grad school would hand me more. True, I believed that God had led me to Liberty for a specific reason. Unable to deny these accusations...I was confronted with a challenge...to wait.

I despise no single thing more in the world than waiting. Immediately upon departure from the womb, I was immersed in a society that hates to wait...for anything...for any amount of time. My sister presented me with a counter-culture concept that-though unfavorable, was not in the least unreasonable. I knew God wanted me to wait.

A few weeks later, a good friend from the Vision team approached me following a Friday ministry chapel. I have a deep respect for this person, not only as a friend, but as a man of prayer who, though younger than me, has modeled genuine worship and influenced my views on worship leading more than anyone-he said-"Emily, God is preparing you for a new season of worship. It may be totally different than anything you've ever done before, and not what you may expect...but a new season."

Two very undeniable strikes against grad school and all things non-music...ok, still waiting.

I have been in Hilton Head, interning under Cynthia Cullen-singer/songwriter, pianist, worship leader, mother, wife, homemaker (a lot of hats here) - for the past 6 weeks. A new season has begun.

The Lord has challenged me tremendously. Musically, I have a desire to push myself and improve both vocally and instrumentally that cannot by any means be attributed to self-motivation-rather, the realization, (rather, reminder) of a calling-and an urgent pressing to prepare-for something.

The Lord has given me time. Although I work during the day, I have a lot of free time. When I was incredibly busy and stressed out-setting aside a chunk of the day for intentional, focused time with the Lord was no problem-it was a welcome relief from the day's stresses. I can choose to take advantage of the slower pace of life-which, I may never have again-and pour myself into practice and time spent conversing with God-or I can waste it.

*In Pennsylvania, there are so many back roads and alternative ways to get places. Often times, especially when I first learned to drive, I would see various back roads jutting from the highway, and though I assumed they would also lead me home, I was perfectly content to stay on the straightest, widest, most visible path possible. I would repeatedly recognize the presence of these roads in my travels-yet never explore them. When I finally decided to do so, I never wanted to go the conventional ways. Though the back roads were winding and unpredictable, there was a beauty and a serenity there that a highway could never parallel.

I knew I loved music, and I knew I loved God-and I sensed that, given the opportunity, I would feel a strange sense of familiarity as a worship leader-a familiarity that resides even in the presence of fear and insecurity-a familiarity that comes from doing what you were created to do-existing and thriving within a calling.

I don't know what's next...but I know something is stirring...and I'm unbelievably excited-not to mention, surprised. I'm excited, mainly, to be a worship leader...in any context. I prayed for this internship and for my worship leader before I ever got a call about going to Hilton Head, and before I ever met Cynthia. I'm thankful for people in my life that are willing to audibly speak wisdom and truth when I'm ready to act too hastily...and when my hard-hardheadedness has tuned out the still, small voice of the Lord and His direction.

3 weeks to go...content in waiting.