Serving A Vision Bigger Than You

One of my greatest joys is photographing our incredible worship services at Grace Place. It’s honestly so rare that I’m not on stage or video switching, that I get to experience things from this perspective. And honestly, it blows me away. Being in the crowd amongst hundreds of people; all totally engaged in the music, the message, the experience, there’s truly nowhere else I’d rather be.

I remember back when my husband Jeremy and I were dating, I would watch him pounding away on the keyboard at the church we grew up at. He would ALWAYS be wearing black (his signature color back then). And I’d watch him play with every ounce of him feeling the music. When he was really into a lick he was playing, he would stick his tongue out ever so slightly. That’s when you knew he was really in the moment. Funny thing is, he still does this… and so do our kids. Watch for it when he’s playing keys. Mind you this wasn’t intended to be a post all about my super cute hubby, it just turned into that.

For those who don’t know, Jeremy is a Worship and Creative Arts Pastor and for our entire marriage, he has had the privilege of being on staff at a church, serving in worship departments. And for those who might be asking yourself, “what exactly is a worship pastor”? Without getting too “churchy,” Jeremy is in charge of all the music that is played during services at the church. He also oversees the band, designs the lights and manages the production and tech teams. The list of things he gets to be a part of is endless. But in the midst of all that, he also has the incredible honor of walking through life with people. He builds meaningful relationships, counsels them through life’s ups and downs and mentors young and old on a daily basis. Nowadays he leads worship from his guitar and only steps behind the keys every once in a while. But regardless of the instrument, it’s his incredible leadership that leads our church into some of the most powerful worship experiences.

I’m so very proud of the man he is, the man he’s becoming and the man I get to do life alongside. I’m pretty sure I fall more and more in love with him, every time I see him on stage. Which probably has a little bit to do with why I enjoy taking photos of him so much.

The mission of Grace Place is to “Break Barriers, Build Bridges and Bring Hope.” And when I think about where I fall in the mix of this crazy world, I can only hope that I’m able to play a small role in reaching the unreachable. To be in the midst of the chaos and bring peace. To share the hope that I’ve found with others and know that God is going to use that to break the chains of fear in someone’s life. Fear is a pretty scary beast that has certainly consumed me from time to time. But it’s through those moments of worship and praise that I find my strength and trust that God’s in control. I can find rest and peace in the middle of the storm.

It’s pretty amazing that so many of my passions can serve that vision. I get to join my husband on the worship team singing on stage every week. I use my creative eye to do video switching during services. I’m tapping into all my years of running a theater company to produce a HUGE rally event for kids during their summer camp program called Breakaway. And I get to capture incredible moments like this through my love of photography.
While my areas of service might not look the same as someone else’s; I encourage anyone looking to find community, seeking a way to give in a way that’s not monetary, wanting to play a part in making a difference. Step out and find a vision you believe in. A mission that gets you fired up and makes you want to do everything you can to see it come to life. There are so many ways that churches and organizations need whatever it is that YOU have to offer. So, focus less on the sacrifice and more on how we all can be a part of a bigger story.

I said it before, and I’ll say it again. I love my church. I love that my husband and I found a place that puts so much focus outside the walls of the church and SERVES its community. I LOVE getting to serve alongside my hubby and our kids get to grow in a community that loves them so much.