King David & My Own Sensei

So tomorrow Saturday February 20th, will be the first guitar lesson that I have had in literally for-TY five days. Yes, I have been counting! You know why? Because its that serious! I'm passionate about playing, its a life changing thing. Think about King David and all the lives he has touched and continue to touch. I'm sure it took time, dedication, and PASSION for him to be the great musician and psalmist he was and still is. That passion came out of his love for God. I want my love for God be at the level of King David's. The only man in the bible that was named a "A man after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:14)." I want to after God's heart as David was. I want to play the strings of God's heart as I strum the strings of my guitar. I know that my passion for playing comes out of my love for God. It's my way of worship to Him, and although my playing may not always sound excellent, onething I do know is that He loves to here me! He's always listening. I am constantly looking for a way to perfect my way of worship.

My First Time!

My fascination with guitars started when I was about 16. Yes sir! My air guitarist resume goes back 5 years. However, it wasn't until my freshman year at Indiana University that I actually expressed wanting to learn how to play the guitar. My excuse for not pursuing it was always "I don't have time." So after two more years of this same line, I came to a point in my life where I needed to MAKE TIME!. So I did just that, I was determined that fall of 2009, I was going to learn to play. So the search for a teacher began. I had a small list of what I wanted out of a teacher:
1. They had to be an awesome guitarist!
2. They had to be flexible.
3. They had to have a great personality.
My search didn't last very long. I easily targeted my guy. His name was Zach and not only did he fit all three criteria but he was also my neighbor (HUGE PLUS)! So after setting up a time that fit both of our schedules, it was on! My first lesson was October 28th, I was TOO excited! It was the first time I had actually felt the smooth polished wood of a six string acoustic guitar sit on my lap. The first time my fingers were able to press down on those thin metal strings and it actually make a beautiful sound! That night I learned alot from Zach, for example, how to play three major chords and where to position my hands.
But the most important thing that I learned that night was that I was born to hold a guitar!

Behind The Name

Fall of 2009: I was finally able to take the class I had been anticipating since the beginning of my knowledge about Outpouring School of Ministry (School of Theology to the old schoolers). The class was "Prayer, Praise and Worship." Not only did this class cover three of my most favorite topics in the entire universe, but it was taught by one of the sweetest, most beautiful, most anointed women I know, Pastor Renee' Norris. While doing my readings for the class I came across the scripture Psalm 144:1. "Blessed be the Lord, my Rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle." In the manual she associated this scripture with the act of playing musical instruments. I had never thought of it in this way. It intrigued me to know that when I played the drums as a child or when I practice guitar, I am battling and waring! Even though I had only began learning to "battle" with my fingers on the guitar about a month earlier, I was battling nonetheless.

So this begins the story of my journey through the Lord my Rock training my hands for war and my fingers for battle...