So, winter up at Hume Lake is about half way through and it has been so incredible. The topic of “An Aweful Life” has been incredible challenging to not only the campers, but to us as a staff as well. (We will share more about the awesome things that have happened when winter comes to an end).

This post is to share with all some exiting news! We were just informed that our song “Something New” (which you can listen to here) is going to be featured on the March/April addition of Song Discovery. For those of you that are unfamiliar with the services of Song Discovery, it is a subset of Worship Leader Magazine that releases new songs from various artists and bands 8 times a year in hopes that they will be circulated in local churches. The magazine itself is subscribed to by over 30,000 churches, and most of those also receive Song Discovery as part of the package.

This news doesn’t directly affect most of you (seeing that not everyone is a worship leader at a church), but we wanted to share it with you, our friends and family, because it is something we are really excited about.

Thank you for all of your prayers and support. We are excited to see what God is going to do with “Something New” and the rest of our ministry through this awesome opportunity!

Love,

Emily and the rest of Reveal

As a worship team a lot of people look at us and assume that we have it all together……….we don’t. We have times in our life where we struggle with sin and guilt, where we are hurt, where we are burned out, where we feel like we are losing so much more than we are gaining. Ministry has its hardships and when we are in these physical/emotional/spiritual states, we often find that what God does through our one-on-one times of prayer, getting in the Word and worshipping Him really is what we need to get us through these times. One thing I love about our ministry together is that we try our hardest to stay aware of where everyone is at in life. So we try to encourage, challenge and pray for each other as much as possible. We have become this family and really desire to be a family that glorifies God with our actions. And, as often as we remember to, we spend a chunk of time before practices, events or meetings praying together and for one another. And by doing that, I have seen God anoint our times of ministry and do some pretty amazing things! And like I said in part 1, it all goes back to giving God all the glory He deserves!

If we find ourselves focusing on the glory of God, how is it that we can do anything else but give him our worship! One thing that I wish everyone could experience is what I see and hear from where I am sitting! I often have the privilege to see hundred or thousands of people raising their hands and voices in worship. I get to see the tears of pain and joy, I get to see the smiles of complete satisfaction in Jesus, I get to see people shouting their heads off. I see the jumping and the clapping. I get to see peoples hearts on display. When I see these things, I become passionate. Passionate about what God is doing in the place where we worship! And to be completely honest, this definitely allows me to keep my times of worship fresh. I see changes through what we and others do through worship. Because of that, not only do we see life transformation, but we (as leaders) are changed forever too!

If you have talked to one of us (Reveal) before, you may have heard us tell you that what we are doing isn’t just a job to strike it rich. Our occupation is a passion! Worshipping Jesus Christ through music is a passion that we feel so blessed to do full-time! Imagine that one thing you want to do more than anything in the world and God not only allowing you to do so, but also giving you a source of income through it. That is what He has done for us! At times we have to actually come back to reality and say, “Are we really doing this?” God has blessed us beyond what I could expect, and I cannot fathom what His plans for us are in this new year! Being able to acknowledge these things and allow them to sink in gives me such an appreciation for the grace and love that God has for me! He has allowed someone like me, A SINNER, to specifically do what it is I have a passion for! How can I not worship him? I challenge you to find those things in your life that are direct blessings from God. At times we can completely look over them, but we must remember that everything good comes from Him, so we must bring Him praise for it!

As I’m beginning to process my thoughts, one thing stands out more than anything else– my ability to keep things fresh and new really goes back to one thing: giving God all the glory He deserves. A verse I have lived by the past couple years of my life has been Romans 5:1-5,

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

This verse gives me a guideline to live by; we are to relish in the fact that there is eternal hope in Jesus Christ. But, we are also to embrace our sufferings, because through sufferings we gain perseverance, character and hope. Isn’t this interesting? Hope is the outcome of both sides of the spectrum. We live in the fact that we have hope because His mercies are new everyday, His love is never-ending, He will never leave us or forsake us, and He is coming back for us! We have HOPE and that is something to rejoice in. This is the reason we worship. He IS God. He IS Love. And He has given us mercy and a way to be with Him forever. He deserves everything we have, and opening our hearts to Him through musical worship is one way we can give Him glory.

Its also important to remember that every time we surrender to this intimate time with our heavenly father, it bring Him extreme joy. I want to be able to treasure every opportunity I have to spend with Him as well, whether it be on or off stage. He deserves it, He straight up deserves it! The fact that we have things to be thankful for is enough of a reason to treasure that time with Him. Now, He doesn’t only treasure our times when we our thankful, He loves it when we come to him for help. That is why He gave us the Spirit. To comfort us in times of needed peace.

I will continue with the rest of my thoughts in a few days, but in the mean time add to the conversation! What truths about God bring Your heart to a place of worship?

Thanks for the prayer and support everyone. Hope to see you soon!

Reveal

Proverbs 18:21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Ephesians 4:29-31 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.

How we disagree with one another and how we handle it, is what distinguishes us from nonbelievers.

Keep in mind when you confront or speak to others that they are God’s child.

Check list for edification (the things we should do before confronting others)
– Have I prayed about what I’m about to say?
– What is your motivation for confronting them?
– What is the best way to speak “truth” to this person?
– Check the circumstances, timing, setting, and other pressures.
– Am I willing to receive the “truth” myself?

I hope this encourages and challenges you today. The truth is, we are always communicating, and communication itself is a gift we’ve been given from God to either build one another up or tear each other down. So today, as the Holy Spirit to use your words to love others well.

Thank you again so much for your patience and understanding. We really do appreciate your support and desire to be part of our community.

Emily

We are still in slight shock over how over and beyond God went on this one. The van has more than we could ever ask for. So, thank you again to all those that have been praying. Hopefully we will see you this fall in the new van!

We would till appreciate your prayers in the following areas, if you feel inclined:

• Physical energy and strength during the long weeks
• More opportunities to engage with campers
• Humble hearts as we are on stage a lot
• Community with the rest of the Meadow Ranch staff
• Peace as we begin to plan for post-Hume and the things to come
• We are in need of a band vehicle and are believing that God can provide what we think is so huge, but to Him is so small

Our wonderful Meadow Ranch Staff

Reveal is a new and huge addition to my life within the last 8 months.  I have known everyone in the band for a few years now from playing music at BIOLA where we all met, but now working with them all, full time, and pursuing music as a full time ministry is a completely terrifying and amazing journey.  To think that I get to play music and do ministry as a job all the time and that I’m not completely broke is an amazing thing!  I see myself as privileged because I get to do something that I love as a job and it is also such an amazing ministry. Playing with Reveal has allowed me to see so many awesome things.  I even got to see my older brother come to know the Lord through a church service we played at this last New Years.

Now taking this position of privilege is not something I do lightly.  I know that I am not deserving of any accomplishments that Reveal or I personally have experienced I have been given an avenue to serve God with the gifts that He has blessed me with in a very direct way, and it is only because God has opened up those doors.  I know that the opportunities to do what you love, to have it be a ministry, and for it be something you can pour all that you have into it is not something that a lot of people can say they have the opportunity to do.  With that in mind, I know that I am privileged to have such an opportunity to do this at this point in my life, and I don’t want to ever lose sight of what responsibility comes with this privilege.

-Jimmy / REVEAL

For me (Emily) God has been showing me the vastness of His people. Every week we meet hundreds of new people, and to realize that each one of them has a story and a journey is incredible. God loves them all just as much as He loves me, even the ones that try and skip out on chapel or have no interest in singing during times of musical worship. It doesn’t matter. His love never fails. He sees them as their children regardless and He is attempting to communicate with them each in a different and special way. God doesn’t just choose one or two ways to speak to people and expects them to deal with it. He has created his children to be different, and with that comes different ways of receiving and learning.

This has affected my ministry in two big ways. 1) Its not up to me to make sure that God speaks to His children. I can put pressure on myself to make sure that EVERY student sings and EVERY camper has a powerful worship experience. All I can do is give my best; worship Him with my gifts, offer a place for people to respond and lead the way. Then, I let the Holy Spirit do what He does best: meet with people in the deepest parts of their hearts (a place that only He can get to). 2) Now everywhere I go, I cant help but see the crowds around me and remember that Jesus loves them all. Growing up in an overly populated region like Southern California made me numb to crowds. Its easy to push your way through, not acknowledging that you are not only surrounded by hundreds of physical bodies, but by hundreds of souls, each with their own story. Some of them have found healing in Jesus, but others have not. It’s this mindset that helps me better understand the idea of hurting for the unsaved. And, with that hurt as fuel, all God wants is for me to give me best and love those He has put in front of me.

May this be an encouragement to you. God has placed us in community and He desires for us to acknowledge the uniqueness He has placed in His children.

-Emily / REVEAL