Friday, July 22 ASYC Student Journal

This week has brought a shower of blessings upon my life and I continue to see God in so many new ways each day. This is my second year in All-State and the experiences that I've had these past two years have been life changing. Singing with Dr. Potter is so wonderful and he is honestly one of the best directors I have worked under. Yesterday we had the opportunity to sing at a retirement home and assisted living facility, named Taylor Glenn, and when we arrived we had no idea how the Lord was going to work through us. After singing to the residents we had the chance to talk to them and get to know their stories. A couple of us approached a lady named Coreen, who looked like she had a stroke, and we began talking to her and letting her know how happy we were to be able to sing for her and the other residents. She couldn't really speak any words, but her smile was enough. The nurse approached us and informed us that her husband and her were Baptist missionaries in Africa and China. After hearing this, I said, "Man, I really wish we were singing Ukuthula because it is an African song." Then it occurred to us that we could still sing it because we had enough people to sing 4 parts. We held her hand and began singing and the Holy Spirit overcame us all. Her face lit up as she listened in awe. There was something magical about her presence, that when we sang she would stare into our eyes so deeply that words were not even needed and it was as she was staring into our hearts. After we sang, the nurse asked us if we would be willing to sing for her and her husband. Considering Coreen's condition, she is unable to see her husband very often so needless to say, that in itself was special to see them connect in such a passionate way. We gathered around them both and others from the choir had joined us at this point. The room was filled with SUCH beauty and power. I have not felt the Holy Spirit move in such a deep way in a long time. It was so special to watch Coreen sob and smile as she watched us sing. It occurred to me after all this, that is what is so special about music. All of us are here for the love us music and the love us Christ. The words we sing have such power and through the love of the Lord, powerful things can happen.

Lindsay P.

  Today we sang at a nursing home for the residents there. At the end of our concert, a lady who I had noticed earlier began to cry in load, sad moans. She didn’t seem to have tears, but it was clear how overwhelmed she was in hearing our music. I couldn’t help but cry! It was so pitiful. I normally don’t cry easily, but the combination of being so moved by her crying and my exhaustion made me extremely emotional. It took me a while to get over it. After we greeted the residents after our concert, we went a little ways down the retirement home to sing for a husband and wife who are retired missionaries. The lady in charge of the activities there took us to them. She said they (especially the wife) were very near death. The wife was the same woman who was crying earlier! We sang a song for them in Swahili, Ukuthula, because they had been missionaries in Kenya and spoke Swahili. Many of us girls began to cry as we watched the couples’ reaction to our song. It was very difficult to sing and cry at the same time! By the end of the song, there wasn’t A SINGLE DRY EYE. Every one of us had tears. The husband was very moved by our song. He spoke to us about how beautiful it was. I will never forget that moment.

-          Sydney N.

                I’ve been so inspired by the joy this choir can bring to people all over North Carolina, and as a first year I feel so embraced by the choir members that have already been here before me.  The passion people have for this choir is absolutely amazing.  Today has been a joy to my heart, and I could never stop smiling on our final song “I Believe in God” knowing that this is praise to our one and only Heavenly Father.  While taking a look back at the very few days that I’ve been here, I realize that these songs mean so much to so many people, and I pray that everyone we minister to this week will have the seed of Christ planted in them.  If there is one important thing that I take away from this tour, it is that no matter how the voice sounds or the pitch of a note is on tune, if it’s praise to God he will love it just as much as the most beautiful song ever sung before.

Morgan S.

Anna-Marie H.

                As a first year singer, I can honestly say, the things I have experienced in All-State Youth Choir have changed me, and its only Thursday. The way God is working through me, and 70 other youth, is absolutely amazing. The number of people we have touched is multiplying as each day passes. To see the reaction on the faces of those we sing to makes every early morning, and late night, practice worthwhile. I remember, on Tuesday, we went to sing in a nursing home and in mid-song I turned to see a little old lady sitting next to me. As a normal reaction, I smile at her, and she breaks into tears. Something so simple for me to do, that I probably do dozens of times a day, had made her day. Afterwards, as we were mingling, I went up to go speak to her and she couldn’t help but go on about our beautiful signing. Something that comes so easily to us as a smile, or singing, can mean so much to someone else. No matter your situation, God finds some way of touching you. This week we’ve had the opportunity to sing to a variety of people. From Children’s Homes to Nursing Homes, God has been using every one of us for his glory. Although we are young, we do not let anyone look down on us, we are examples of Christ and all believers, just as 1Timothy 4:12 instructs us to do.

 Anna-Marie H.

                My first year in all state youth choir has been better than I could have expected.  Everyone has been so accepting and to me as a new person.  I have gained so much spiritually and learned more about music as this week has progressed.   At each concert I feel that we are ministering to the people in different ways and we are touched through responses and the experience.  The elderly missionary couple in the nursing home especially touched me this week.  I could feel the Holy Spirit moving in this situation. Who would have thought that we would learn a song in an African language and be able to touch and be touched in that situation? ... Only God.  This has been a great experience and I can’t wait for next year!

Jeremy L.