One day while preparing for a worship set, I discovered something new to me. I was playing "Come and Fill This Place" in the key of G, and the part "...let your kingdom come, let your will be done, let us see on earth" had a chord progression--C to D (4 beats each)--and then ended on A. I wondered if I could just keep playing the C to D part a little longer. So, I did, and then I started singing my own words. The verses end with the phrases "As we sing your praise, come and fill this place." So, insted of singing let your kingdom come, I sang "We sing your praise. We sing your praise." I just kept singing it over and over. I liked it, so I did it that night in worship.
From there on out, I just started picking out simple progressions and tagging them at the end of songs. I would keep singing themes from the song only spontaneously. I had never heard of Jason Upton, and had never been to IHOP at this point. So, I'm kind of Magooin' it as my friend says. (meaning blindly walking forward).
While this is going on, I'm struggling with prayer. I was very introspective. I felt guilty because I had wasted so much time knowing the truth about Jesus, but not knowing Hm intimatley. I mostly had these eyes fixed on me prayer sessions, and didn't understand why I felt like I was talking to myself or the ceiling at the most. So, one night after church, I was thinking how much I just really loved to sing from my spirit to the Lord. Then, I thought, I should sing my prayers. I was amazed that I felt an connection with God, and it wasn't ackward like speaking to the ceiling!
Another important transition during this time was my move from guitar to keyboard. I was stuck in a rut with guitar having progressed as far as I could on my own. I could only play in certain keys, and that really limited me. All of my music came from our male worship leaders, and some needed to be transposed for me to sing with ease. One day, I went to the piano to play a song in a different key. I started transposing a ton of songs, and found the best keys for my voice which really changed how I lead worship. I've been leading worship exclusively on the piano ever since.
So, this was taking place from April-September 2004. The next defining moment was in October...My family and I went to IHOP for a conference...
I like the guitar better for faster songs and the piano better for slower, but I guess that's because I'm I am better at the guitar. I can play piano just fine when someone else is leading, but I still have to look at my hands when I switch chords, so leading with it looks weird cause I'm staring down the whole time. I guess the more I play the more I will get the "feel" of it.
That makes sense. I sometimes find it difficult to play fast songs on piano, but I'm getting better. My strumming wasn't all that great on guitar, though. Leading, and playing for someone who is leading are so different! Isn't that interesting? Sometimes its nice to play with someone, and be able to play more expressively and creatively.
Ps 27:4 One thing I have desired from the LORD, that I will seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to pray in His temple.(MKJV)
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I like the guitar better for faster songs and the piano better for slower, but I guess that's because I'm I am better at the guitar. I can play piano just fine when someone else is leading, but I still have to look at my hands when I switch chords, so leading with it looks weird cause I'm staring down the whole time. I guess the more I play the more I will get the "feel" of it.