New Year's Dreams

I'm a a goal-setter.  I'm a planner.  If I want something bad enough, I'll use every resource available to make that happen.  Can you relate?  Maybe you're a dreamer.  Or, maybe a visionary.  Either way, we've all got some room to grow when it comes to letting God lead us.

This shows up in big ways as we start Earth's newest trip around the sun and enter the turning of the year.  Oh, the possibilities!  Oh, what opportunities!  We see the blank canvas and are filled with hopes and aspirations.  We can't wait to step into the next chapter, but, we must be careful not to assume full authorship of the story.

I'd love to gently remind us all - dreamers and planners alike - of the same truths offered in Proverbs and James: we can make plans, but God's story is supreme.  It's not that our participation doesn't matter.  It's not that we can't determine our own destiny.  It's just that we've forgotten that the Maker of time and life is still present and active through it all.

What does this have to do with leading worship?  Well, how do we approach planning our services?  Do we decide minute-by-minute what will happen or do we exercise openness to the Holy Spirit's intervention?  More on this in my next post.

For now, let's enter the new year with hopes, dreams, plans, and goals in tact.  But with all of that in mind, let's submit to the One who created our stories, has seen our stories to completion, and walks with us step by step.