Peace amongst Angst

It has simply been one of those weeks. It seems like those around us are experiencing uncertainty and strife. This week has definitely not been a walk in the park for Danielle and myself either. It is amazing how the stresses of life quickly compile and then seem to dump on you. Yesterday was one of those days. It was a day where it seemed like God was REALLY testing me. 


It is clear in the bible that our God is a loving God, a God that will never push you past your limits. It is your reaction to these struggles that truly define your trust in God. Your reactions define your faith in God. I want to strive to be a man of God who is steadfast in my walk with Christ, putting full trust in him regardless of what my emotions are. So where do I go to find comfort in Christ? Where do I go to remind myself of his sovereign control over everything? For me, there are two places that bring me back to the amazing truth of God's love and control.


The first is obvious, and should be the first place all should turn to...that is the bible. If we all spent our energy in solving problems in the bible, things would work out to God's intent. For me, the bible provides comfort and perspective. When I feel stressed and that life is not going my way, I simply turn to the book of Job. What a true character Job had...and true faith. God put him through EVERYTHING, yet Job remained faithful to God. I encourage you to turn to the bible for healing, comfort, and guidance.


The second place I turn to is music. It is amazing the emotional & spiritual connection one can have through music. Through consuming music. Through creating music. Martin Luther said that 

“Next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise. The gift of language combined with the gift of song was given to man that he should proclaim the Word of God through Music.”

Whether you feel you have a gift or talent in music, I truly believe that music moves all. Now some may still be looking for the music that moves them, and others have found it and have latched on. To me it is choral music. For some reason, I can throw on a piece of music and just have an emotional outpouring, especially when I am having a day where doubt, frustration, or confusion engulf my thoughts. Today would be one of those days! It is the beauty of choral music. It is the text. It is the humanity that is apparent. Choral music reminds me that live is not meant to be lived alone. God put others in our lives to weave into our being. Choral music is the same. Only through the work of the complete ensemble can you find comfort, completion, and a sense of purpose. God put others in your life to help provide that same sense. 

I believe that God has put obstacles in my life to help me realize the blessings I have. I have a beautiful wife that is grounded in a strong faith in Christ! What a blessing!!! My family loves me and would be here for me in a heartbeat. I have been surrounded by family my whole life, and I can't even fathom NOT having a loving family to lean on. God has blessed me with MANY amazing friends. Godly friends who I can trust will lead me in the right direction through biblical advice. Friends who sacrifice for us. Friends who are willing to cry alongside us and for us. God wants me to remember the blessing of PEOPLE! People are what life is about. Relationships are what life is about. Everything else is secondary to this truth. And, sometimes relationships are hard. Sometimes you bless others, and sometimes others bless you. Sometimes you have to put yourself through discomfort to be there for others. My prayer is that we continue to live lives focused on people and God's truth. If you are reading this, then you are one of those people in my life and I thank you. I know that is not personal, and my goal is to have more intention in my relationships, but thank you! 

So I just scrolled up to read my title....and I have it! Through trusting in God and leaning on the people in my life, I can have peace amongst angst!

Nebraska Choral Directors Association

This summer has been...well....busy. As most of you know, Danielle and I finished our last summer of classes at UNL, and will be graduating this August with our Masters Degrees. What I love most about the summer is the opportunities to grow as a professional, and the past few years I have had the pleasure of finishing my 5 weeks of classes and going straight from that to the NCDA summer conference.

As a choral director in Nebraska, I feel it is imperative to be a member and active participant of the NCDA organization and all of the wonderful opportunities they provide. I thought about explaining everything NCDA does, but decided rather to focus on the summer conference that we hold every year on the wonderful Doane campus. I can't even begin to express the impact that the NCDA summer conference has had on my career and personal life. When I began teaching 6 years ago, I was naive. I was not connected with the state of music education and I was riding on the excitement of my high school experiences and college life. I quickly realized, after stepping into my first classroom, that these experiences would not sustain me forever. I survived my first year simply because I was still excited and ready to light the world on fire with music. I was newly married, and the energy from all of these first experiences pushed me on.

Then stress hit. I didn't realize that administrators weren't always going to make decisions for the benefit of your students and your program. I was taken aback when I realized that not all of my students were going to like me, and that in turn created animosity between parents and myself. The time commitments of a K-12 Vocal Music position was starting to wear on me, and it didn't help that I was driving 30 minutes to work everyday(which in retrospect is NOT that big of a deal).

I was looking for something to get me involved, somewhere to network, and an organization that was bursting with energy. I found that in NCDA! The first summer I attended NCDA, I vividly remember that I was scared, and intimidated by all of the "whos whos"of vocal music. I wanted to talk to them, but didn't know how. I would just sit and watch them, jealous of how energetic they were and impressed with how connected they were. Writing the check for my first summer conference was hard, as most teachers understand that money is not exactly flowing into the bank accounts.

But praise God that I did write that check, and will continue to write it! In my short 4-5 years of attending the summer conference, I have grown more than I could have imagined. I have met WONDERFUL colleagues that I know have the privilege of calling my friends. I have been given opportunities...opportunities to serve the organization and it's members.

So why do I share this? I share it because I fear that SOME people are missing this opportunity. Some don't feel that NCDA is for them. Some are afraid to write that check. I know there is a young teacher who is intimidated by the veterans, yet so eagerly wants to learn from them. I share this to encourage. I encourage active members to continue to promote this organization. I encourage new members to take a chance. I encourage you to strive to always make a difference. Jon (Pete) Peterson talked a bit about leaving a legacy at this past conference. I share these thoughts to encourage you to continually work towards YOUR legacy, whatever that may be.

If you have ANY questions about NCDA and involvement, please do not hesitate to contact me. Visit the website. Take the chance to introduce yourself to your NCDA district representative. If you have a question about literature or standards, email an R&S chair for the specific area. NCDA is nothing but an amazing organization that strives to serve the state of Nebraska through the promotion of fine choral arts. Get involved!