I either wanted to be a singer, or the head of the Ice Capades.

As a single twenty-something, people often ask what I do, how long I’ve been doing it, what my goals are, etc. Especially when I tell them I live in Denton. “Oh, so you’re a student?” they ask. “Nope. Graduated in 2007 and stuck around,” I respond. More questions follow when I tell them I’m a full-time musician. Most of those questions border on inappropriate and usually revolve around money. Instead of responding “Nunya” which is what I want to say when people ask me how I’m paying the bills, I try and use it as an opportunity to boast in Christ and his provision for me.

After many a sermon from Matt Chandler where he encouraged the congregation to pursue things that “stir your affections for Christ” I realized that music was just that, for me. I tried satisfying the urge to pursue music full force by keeping it part-time while I worked as a Mental Health Worker in ‘07-‘08 or as a 4^th grade/Choir teacher in ‘08-‘09, but I knew God wanted me to trust him, leave the safety net of a salary, and just make music.

While I haven’t been receiving mysterious $10,000 deposits in my bank account, God has provided. Turns out you can live without cable and hubcaps and eating out. He has blessed me with an amazing band of talented musicians, friends and fans that support my music, and waves of encouragement along the way.

My attempt at wisdom for you is this: Do the thing that stirs your affections for Christ. If you feel like the Lord is leading you to move to inner-city Detroit, then do it. If you feel like God is telling you to become an engineer so that you can build wells for people in Africa, do it. If you want to get trained in disaster relief to help in times of crisis, do it. Or maybe, like me, you have a love for an art and you want to make a career out of it, and you should do it. If God wants you to do something he isn’t going to punish you for your obedience. He will provide.

Don’t get this mixed up with the prosperity gospel…I’m not saying you’ll end up making any money from this thing, or that life will be peachy keen, but I do know that the safest place to be is in God’s will, and that you can best serve him by doing what you love and what you are gifted in. Matthew 7:11 says “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” This is good news.