Waiting Here For You... lyrics and thoughts from Crossfire Worship Band concert (worship!)

The Crossfire Worship Band (CWB) had a concert tonight at Burks UMC.  It was a wonderful time of praise and worship, as always!  [To learn more about Crossfire Worship Band, visit their website by clicking on their name in this sentence.] 

Several weeks ago, they dedicated the focus of tonight's worship time (because it really so much more than a concert) to those preparing to go to Kenya, Africa with the International Leadership Institute.  Two Burks UMC representatives will be on this team: our Associate Pastor, Rev. Amy Nutt, and Sara Patton, one of the worship leaders of the Crossfire Worship Band.  There will be four others going with them.  Five of the six team members were present tonight (Bob and Becky Lockaby and Matt Lane were the others there tonight).  They represent three different churches.  They were originally planning to go in September, but some things going on in East Africa have postponed the timing of the trip until January for the conference.  This allows more time for planning and preparation for the conference. 

It is obvious that this team of people going is waiting on God as they prepare to go.  Even after first hearing the calling to go, they waited in expectant prayer.  There were affirmations that came along.  When they recently got the news of the change in timing, they were able to surrender the disappointment (maybe not right away), knowing that God is working out the details on this trip and has it under control.  They remain waiting. 

Waiting, as I've mentioned previously in other posts, is an active place.  While we wait, we prepare.  We do the things we know we are called to do.   The team going is praying, preparing worship and curriculum, getting things together for the conference where they will be leading and teaching.  They are also continuing to raise support. 

One of the team members, Bob Lockaby, shared some about ILI (International Leadership Institute) tonight.  I found it interesting that it is based in Carrollton, GA.  [I'm from Georgia originally and my mom and several friends and one of my professors in Spain went to West Georgia College in Carrollton.  So, I have a connection.]  Click on the name of the ILI at the end of this sentence to go to their website for more information about the International Leadership Institute.

I'm pretty pumped up after this awesome worship time.... and from learning more about ILI and the team that is going to serve.

And, I'm in my own waiting time.  We all go through waiting times.  Waiting times are very normal parts of the journey.  Sometimes they are short; sometimes they are long.  Sometimes they can be excruciating difficult times.  At other times they simply are just something to endure. 

My journey seems to have many waiting periods.  Almost like a board game where I go forward a few moves, but then get stuck in something or have to wait a turn (or two or three) before moving again.  Visions of Candy Land, Monopoly, and other games come to mind.  Even Chutes and Ladders.  I think I'm on the move again.... and whoosh.... I'm back somewhere waiting.

I am learning to live into the waiting, to learn from the waiting, and to serve while I'm waiting (as another contemporary song ["While I'm Waiting" by John Waller] talks about; I've shared that song in a previous post).

To listen to this Passion song, click on the title: "Waiting Here for You".
The lyrics from the Passion song "Waiting Here for You":

If faith can move the mountains
Let the mountains move
We come with expectation
Waiting here for you, I'm waiting here for you

You're the Lord of all creation
And still you know my heart
The Author of Salvation
You've loved us from the start

[Chorus:]
Waiting here for You
With our hands lifted high in praise
And it's You we adore
Singing Alleluia

You are everything You've promised
Your faithfulness is true
And we're desperate for Your presence
All we need is You

[Chorus]

Singing Alleluia
Alleluia, singing alleluia, alleluia

[Chorus]

Waiting here for you
With our hands lifted high in praise
And it's You we adore
We're singing Alleluia

I'm singing Alleluia
Waiting here for you
With our hands lifted high in praise
And it's You we adore
Singing Alleluia
Singing Alleluia

This waiting time involves worship-- praise and adoration-- for our Creator.  For me, this is a very filling, energizing, powerful, and life-giving way to spend my waiting time!

One of the things I'm waiting on in my journey is the outcome of a meeting tomorrow morning with the District Committee on Ordained Ministry (dCOM).  My time has come for the interview for Certified Candidacy.  I'm excited, looking forward to it.  I'm also a little bit nervous.  But, my resolve is to be me, the child of God that God has created me to be.  I hope to be a vessel that shines the light of my Creator.  I look forward to guidance and insight from the group of clergy and laity.  It's the next step on this leg of the journey for Ordination for me.

There are other things for which I'm waiting.  One is a response to a letter I wrote this past week and sent to someone, sharing a dream and a vision that involves ministry.  We'll see where that goes.  I'll write about that another time.  Meanwhile, it's in the cocoon of waiting.

What are the areas of your journey in which you are having (or needing) to wait these days?  How are you dealing with the waiting? 

May you wait with hope and expectation!  This is where I enjoy the Spanish language, for the word that means "to wait for" is also the same word that means "to hope for".  That word is esperar.  Waiting is hoping, among other things!

May there be much hope on your journey, whether you are waiting or moving along.

Blessings on your journey!

~Debra