This One... I Carry in My Spirit

At what age were you when you felt the spirit of the Lord or your rendition of the "Holy Ghost"? While I feel like I've told this story before via this blog, I think it's worth the retelling because it's so special. My first encounter musically dates back to when I was 15 years old. This would be about the summer of 2000. My parents and brother had gotten into an accident in May that involved their 2 vehicles and a 3rd vehicle where the female driver had fallen asleep. They described to me the most horrendous accident in the wee hours of the morning on the road in Mississippi. So what were they doing out that late? My dad was on his way back in his white Dually from an out of state drive. His truck broke down. At that time my family didn't have AAA, so being the self sufficient people that they were, my mom rented a vehicle with my brother to tow my dad's truck home. Some how or another as this whole process is happening, the woman in the 3rd vehicle had fallen asleep behind the wheel and hit their vehicles, sending all of them off the road. My parents 2 vehicles did not flip but the woman's was flipped and required her removal from the vehicle with the "jaws of life". Through God's many blessings and His grace, my parents and brother left the accident completely fine and though the woman had some injuries, she still left alive and well. So imagine that myself at 14, my sister at 21 and my then baby nephew are at home when we receive this info. It literally shook my spirit to think that in one night I could have loss 3 intricate parts of my life. Around that same time my favorite to date musical director, Darren Dabney, had assigned me to sing a song entitled, "Safe In His Arms" for the annual youth choir musical. At this point it was no secret that I "had a voice" and could handle a solo or two. My biggest issue was that I felt no connection with the music. I could sing it good enough to get by, but couldn't relate to it. I performed the song sometime in June/July 2000 for the first time, and for the first time I felt something that I had never felt before. I didn't realize that would be a song that 17 years later I truly carry in my spirit. It sends me into total and complete praise. I will never forget when one day at choir rehearsal Darren pretty much thanked my mother for allowing me to share my "gift" and that it was indeed "my song". She explained to him everything about the accident and how she felt connected to that song because of it and that I likely felt the same way.

Fast forward about 5 years, Darren Dabney had already departed this side of life and our new organist, Caston, would sing the song as a solo. At the time I was apart of the praise team. One day he asked me to sing a solo and I told him that I wanted to do a "Safe in His Arms". I questioned what it would sound like without a choir, yet to my surprise, everyone sung the chorus with me as I sung. After rehearsing and singing the song with him he told me one day, "That's your song. I will never try to sing it again. It is truly for you." While I'll never proclaim myself or would accept the compliment of being the best singer... there are some songs that spiritually become a person's song and others note it. About 3 years ago I bumped into another previous church member who told me years ago as a child that I had an anointing on my life, upon recognizing me, she said, "Oh you're the one who used to sing "Safe In His Arms"." Then she proceeded to sing the lyrics.

Fast forward another 12 years, last night I was sitting on my sofa and I decided to turn on Pandora. The first song to play on Avery Sunshine's channel was none other than what I consider to be my testimony and the song that I carry in my spirit, "Safe in His Arms". I went into complete praise and worship mode as my thankfulness for today and this glorious history of this song in my life floods my memory.

I don't know who you are that's reading this but understand this... if at whatever age you are, you've never felt the spirit of God move upon you, pray for that connection. Open your soul and mind up to the possibility of it. It's a beautiful thing. Find the song that you too can carry with you in your spirit.

Peace and Blessings!
XOXO