April, 2002

“A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” 
Prov. 16:9

    When we initiated our ministry in Latin America in 1979, I brought along a varied background of training and experience as a medical technologist and  studies in music and theology.  My desire was to serve in any area that the Lord might use me, after first taking care of my responsibilities as a housewife and mother.  My family certainly did keep me busy, but the Lord had some additional plans for me.

    Not long after having arrived in Guatemala,  I was going through one of our storage barrels and came across my clarinet.  I pulled it out, cleaned it off and played a few notes.  I was really out of practice, but  by the time Mike came home that day I realized how much I had missed playing it.  In elementary and high school I had played in the band and had also taken private lessons in college.  Mike encouraged me to keep practicing and eventually I started taking lessons again.  My teacher was the first chair clarinetist in the National Symphonic Orchestra of Guatemala and he asked me to play with him from time to time when they needed extra musicians.  He also invited me to join a clarinet quartet that he formed.

Sandy leading worship during a Sunday morning service.

    During that time I was also becoming more involved with praise and worship in our local VERBO church, learning not only how to make music, but how to really worship God through it.  I began to experience in a more personal way how songs and instruments bring joy and healing to people.  The sweet, soothing notes of the clarinet are especially powerful when the Holy Spirit is ministering in a congregation.

    The Lord gave me a burden to train up other women for the ministry of praise and worship and I began discipling anyone that the Lord would bring my way.  I began leading worship at women’s meetings and retreats, both within our VERBO denomination and eventually for other churches.  It was a joy to use my gifts and to help other women discover that joy also.  Dulce Inspiración (Sweet Inspiration), our women’s praise team, and its recording project is part of the fruit of that effort.

    Recently, I was asked to become one of the worship leaders for our local congregation.  This is very significant for me because there are only two or three other women in all of the VERBO churches that have been given this privilege.  And what makes it even more special is that I get to work with our son, David, who is a member of the sound team.  He is learning to set up the microphones and operate all the equipment (mixing board,  taping decks, etc. ) and is experiencing the same joy of using his gifts and abilities for the Lord’s glory and honor. Many times he is in charge of the sound team when I am leading  worship.   What more could a mother ask for!

Sandy and David serving together.

    The Lord gave me a precious scripture (Psalm 68:11) recently which says that the “the women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host .”  These are crucial days for the Kingdom and I believe that the Lord wants to raise up an army of women, especially in the area of praise and worship, to go forth and set the captives free.  Some key church leaders share this vision and are encouraging me to develop it now on a national level.  I have made a written proposal and the initial feedback is positive. Isn’t it exciting to see how “the Lord directs our steps.”

Sandy