Day 1 - Essentials in Spiritual Formation

For: The Essentials Formation Online Worship Values Course with Dan Wilt

So, here we are...I'm on Day 1 of my Essentials in Spiritual Formation class thru worshiptraining.com. I'm feeling a bit out of my 'element' though because 1) I've never taken a class online before, 2) I've never blogged before, and 3) I've only led worship a few times at women's events at our church (as far as I know, women are not allowed to lead on Sunday mornings).

A little about my current 'worship' position: I'm serving at our church on one of 3 worship teams as a musician (sing and play flute mostly) and as the music planner. We have a rotation of the teams to cover Sunday mornings, so our team plays a couple times a month. I have been doing this for about 4 years now - and, I have only been a believer for a little over 7! I have enjoyed learning about worship along the way and have soaked up as much as I can from the Word in the short time I've been a follower of Christ. I have been married for 14 years and have 3 children - ages 10, 8 and 15 months.

I am excited about the class, especially because it was free. haha Just kidding! Really, I'm excited about reflecting on the Elements and growing in my worship life. I have really felt a pull from God lately to focus more on my service in worship ministry. In the past, I was involved in the Prayer Ministries and Women's Ministries of our church as well (this was all before my 15 month old arrived - now I spend more time at home) This seems to be the 'let's grow Amy' month as I'm also taking a continuing education class for renewing my teaching license (I used to be a band teacher and keep up my license as a 'Plan B' if something happened to my husband and I had to return to work). That class is about how the brain works...so, by mid-April, I should be not only be knowledgable about the elements of worship but also about how my brain remembers/processes/stores the things I've learned in my Spiritual Formation class!

Dan said I'm starting a pilgrimage, "a physical journey with a spiritual destination." I anticipate with joy the growth that will occur during this time. On the funny side, I know it will be a 'physical' journey as there will probably be quite a few times that I'll have to physically remove my baby from the trouble he's getting into while I'm listening to my assignments. But on the serious side, I eagerly desire to discover the fountain from which my life finds its power, to draw closer to the God of all creation as He opens my eyes and develops the gifts He's placed in me. As they say (whoever 'they' is), "it's not the destination that matters, but the journey"...so I will not only look forward to what I will know at the end of my classes and the enlightened person I will be but will also revel in the beauty I find along the path as I go through the journey.

Blessings!
Amy