While at a bluegrass music festival this winter, I had an awesome experience. Walking in to the Regency Hotel, we were greeted by the happy sounds of multiple jam sessions, festival goers checking in, business people looking confused at all these bluegrassers. It was a lot to take in all at once! The hallways and conference rooms were just full of people jamming, except a few spots where there were signs stating " No Jamming Beyond This Point". It was so interesting to see the variety of musicians. Ranging in age from about five years old all the way up to...well, old! There were a lot of people there who were playing in bands, teaching workshops, travelling the country to music camps and festivals, and really doing a lot with their music. Then there were some people who were so talented and had been playing for years, but they haven't taken their talent anywhere beyond a jam session. It's just a hobby they do on the side. I sometimes wonder if I'm going to be that old lady who rocks at the banjo, but never really went anywhere with it. While I was having a lot of fun at the shows and jamming with people, I was also doing a lot of thinking.
I have been praying a lot recently for God's will in my life and asking him what he wants me to do, specifically what I should be doing with my music. I feel like I have prayed this prayer so many times and I never really have an answer. I had been getting frustrated about it. Everything in my life has had a plan and a timeline and a goal and I liked it that way! I graduated high school, I went to college, I got the job, but now what?
That weekend while I was at Wintergrass, it kept bugging me that I don't know what I want to do with my music. I even had one guy from a band ask if I was in one of the bands and when I said no, he said " well you should be!". Later I prayed again, "God, if you tell me what you want me to do, I'll do it, but you have to make it REALLY obvious....like, really clear because I'm not so good at hearing you". Well, he finally made it clear to me. On the drive back from Wintergrass I got a Facebook message from Jeffrey Kasigwa, who lives in Uganda (My friend, Becca, stayed with his family when she went there last year). He asked if I would consider coming to Uganda and teaching his students how to play the banjo. I just had to laugh. How random is that? I have to admit, it totally freaked me out when that happened. I have never heard God speak to me so clearly. So next summer, I'm going to Uganda and I'm taking some banjos with me! I'm super excited to see what God has in store for us and I hope the students love the banjo as much as I do!
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