We gathered among the red rocks of the Garden of the Gods in Colorado, USA. Writers of contemporary worship songs such as Revelation Song, The Servant King and Open The Eyes of My Heart were all there, alongside first-timers and newbies for three days spent worshiping, reflecting, praying and laughing. And writing.
One morning I looked around the room at the writers. I was so excited to be there that I started to cry, overwhelmed for a moment with what God had done through these ordinary men and women. I thought about how they had followed the call on their lives to give other worshippers around the world a song to sing. I thought about the sacrifices they would have made as they started out, about the painful insecurity they would have felt when they shared their first compositions and about the prayers and words of encouragements they would have been given to get them going.
On one table a writer who has been on the journey for a long time was talking to one of the newcomers who’d just had their first song published. Between them they represented so much history and so much future potential. I cried a bit more.
At the end of the three days I left thinking about how important it is for all of us to thank God for what He has done and to be filled with faith for what He is yet to do. Looking back and looking forward can help sustain us through all seasons of life.
Isn’t this what we’re called to do; to help others as they journey through life with God as their compass? At their best, worship songs help us to do just this; to reflect, to trust and to act with courage and faith. Those are the kind of songs I want to write, and it’s the kind of life I want to live.