somewhere between here and nashville.....

i received a christmas card from a good friend, jeff berry. he has had his share of trials and tribulations. he is a very talented musician and awesome worship leader. i've often told him that when i come to church his music feeds my soul and the few words he speaks in between songs is all the sermon i need. he now lives in nashville with his wife and 2 boys. i was glad to get the card with a new address for them. i tucked one of our cards in an envelope and addressed it and on the back wrote "i miss you. i am in need of your worship". it is somewhere between dallas and nashville as i type this.

i've been going to church as much as i can. i have to make myself go. i usually cry a lot during worship and do really well when people come up to me and ask about our daughter but usually cannot stop the tears when i respond. i'm not uncomfortable crying. it make make others feel a little awkward, like they've opened up a wound but it isn't like that. the words of caring people are like salve in a wound that is slowly closing.

so i'm in church today and the worship leader is moving from song to song and i'm loping along singing through my tears and trying to believe the words i'm singing. then, the words appear on the "jumbotron" and the piano and guitar begin to play one of my favorite jeff berry songs
"you are God alone...." i've sung it many times before but this time it touched my heart far more deeply. i couldn't believe it. then, when the service was over and the band members had put down their instruments and turned on a cd it was the voice of jeff berry singing "you are God alone." i stopped in my tracks and just had to listen.

and i remembered the christmas card that was on its way to nashville with the note scribbled on the back "i NEED your worship".

He surely knew my thoughts and my desires before Jeff Berry put his hands on that card.