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How do you keep it in perspective ?
All I have to do is look down, its written on my drum heads !
What is written you ask ? PFM hmmm, what is PFM ? Well its stands for Play For Me, (the me being God and not myself). When at the age of 43 I agreed to re-learn (I hadn't played since High School) to play drums for a CCM/Worship band I didn't realize I was in over my head until the second practice when I realized I wasn't nearly good enough and the air drums I had been playing in my head all these years didn't translate very well into real drums, that and things have changed a lot since then :( Anyway I was driving home praying about it and I told God that I wasn't good enough and he told me in a very plain voice "No Your Not" at that point I kinda started to panic but lucky He saved me (in more ways than one) when he followed it up with "it will be OK, just Play for Me".
So now whenever I get nervous or lose focus I just look down and remember to just "PFM"
What is written you ask ? PFM hmmm, what is PFM ? Well its stands for Play For Me, (the me being God and not myself). When at the age of 43 I agreed to re-learn (I hadn't played since High School) to play drums for a CCM/Worship band I didn't realize I was in over my head until the second practice when I realized I wasn't nearly good enough and the air drums I had been playing in my head all these years didn't translate very well into real drums, that and things have changed a lot since then :( Anyway I was driving home praying about it and I told God that I wasn't good enough and he told me in a very plain voice "No Your Not" at that point I kinda started to panic but lucky He saved me (in more ways than one) when he followed it up with "it will be OK, just Play for Me".
So now whenever I get nervous or lose focus I just look down and remember to just "PFM"
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Rick Cogbill on
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How do I keep it in perspective? Easy; I record my vocals and then listen to them! Oh how I wish I sounded like someone who had a voice! Yet every time I lead worship, I see people blessed. So that tells me that it's all about what God can do, and not what I think I can produce.
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Permalink Reply by Tom Theis on -
Man, do I hear that. I couldn't carry a tune in a bucket so that doesn't apply but..... all I have to do is record us playing and listen back or go see someone else (that can play) and bam, I realize how lucky I am that they even let me play :)
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Permalink Reply by Justin Kirkendall on -
OH wow- good that i'm not the only one that is majorly humbled by his own voice.
:)
talk about keeping it in perspective. ha
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Permalink Reply by David Goodwin on -
And then there are those of us that think their voices sound pretty ordinary despite the weight of public opinion...!
It really helps to just go "you know what God, without You, all of this is just folly...take what I have and make it Yours"...
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Permalink Reply by Dennis Cauley on -
Tom,
Hear that! I've been what you might say, a closet guitarist forever. Same scenario you described. I got the opportunity to be on a worship team as well at 41 (5yrs ago). And I initially had the fear of bombing or sizing-up. I think that’s just human nature and afraid of being noticed for the wrong thing, maybe a little stage fright in there too. Funny, I would never be afraid of what someone might say about how high I raised my hands or if I clapped off beat once an while or even if I shouted a Praise God. But, hit a wrong note......send me home! And ya know, most people in the congregation won't even notice. We've had some of the best worship services at times when we all sounded (to us), the worst.
We need to be responsible in practice and applying ourselves, God's got your back and he'll cover our inabilities and shortcomings.
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Permalink Reply by Tom Theis on
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When you said "We've had some of the best worship services at times when we all sounded (to us), the worst." it really hit a chord. I have the recorded proof that we were NOT good and yet never had so many come forward and thanks us and tell they were so blessed. When you are there for the right reason the Holy Spirit takes over :)
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Permalink Reply by Diana on -
Yes I am often blessed by the less than perfect musician or singer more so than the "perfect" classically trained voice... I am not much of a singer and feel rather inadequtae leading worship in my home group but I do it anyway. And sing just for Him is one of my stabilizing comments I make to myself.
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Permalink Reply by David Goodwin on
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It's all about the spirit (read: Spirit) behind it...are we doing what we do for us, or Him?
I am one of those classically trained musicians...but if I focus on all the technical stuff, rather than on God, I might as well be singing in the opera house, not God's house. I get so blessed by our team, some of whom really struggle with musicality, but their heart is right and that's what matters.
And we definitely have lots of recorded proof that God has moved mightily when He stepped in and worked despite our varied talents, or being too loud, or too quiet, or.......
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Permalink Reply by Justin Kirkendall on
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you classy musicians you.....
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Permalink Reply by Justin Kirkendall on
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I have a sticky on one of my keyboards at the church that says: Jesus is My Reward.
It's also in my office. In my song binder. In random places where I might need reminding
It helps me keep my focus: it's a reminder that if I bring my best to the Lord- do everything that I can do at the end of the day- it's not about man's applause or approval, not about the quality of worship or what I thought could have been better or worse... but it's about Jesus. My reward won't be in the listening to the recording the next day, hearing people talk about how good worship was this morning- but knowing that I did what my Jesus asked me to do: worship him.
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Permalink Reply by David Goodwin on
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Amen and Amen!
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