TCATS #290 - Run the Race

Having been gone a week on vacation to Washington to visit my wife's side of the family, I don't have a lot of actual choir happenings to report--at least first-hand. I do know that this past Thursday, the choir sang for around 27 governors who visited Utah for the National Governors Association meeting that was occurring in Salt Lake City. The program consisted of a lot of patriotic music and was very well received.

At any rate, I returned from my vacation Saturday night and thus went into the Conference Center this morning to observe the Music & the Spoken Word rehearsal and broadcast. It was an interesting experience. I was mentally prepared for the fact that I'd be a little sad I wasn't actually participating. But I wasn't prepared for various thoughts that started entering my head--thoughts along the lines of "Ryan, why are you even part of the Choir? You're not worthy to be in this group. Your talents just aren't good enough. Who are you trying to fool? Your friends in the choir really don't care that you're there. Time to just give up."

While I knew those thoughts were not coming from a divine source, they sort of infused me with doubts. Doubts that were hard to shake off. I got some relief during one of the songs the choir sang today "Homeward Bound"--and then again during the last number "O Come Ye Nations of the Earth". But it wasn't until later when I went back to the day I was set apart (officially called) that I remembered that yes, God did want me here and He did have confidence in my abilities and talents. After all, He's the one that gave them to me in the first place. And while there are hundreds of others who are just as equally or more qualified to serve in this calling, for some reason He chose me. So here I am. Just doing my best. And while I mess up all the time and have lots of room for improvement, I rely upon God and my wife and kids and friends to support and simply move forward with the opportunities I've been given. 

So move forward I'll continue to do--with patience in myself and my many failings--just like it says in the second song referenced above: "Oh, come ye children of the light, with patience run the race."

Until next time, God be with you.

P.S. With my blog reaching 20,000 visits, I just want to thank each of you readers for your support. Hopefully the things I share occasionally lift and inspire each of you in some small way.