Satisfaction NOT Guaranteed

THIS.

This is what I love doing. Deep down inside of me, I've always wanted to sing. I never had the drive or ambition to be famous, but I always hoped that I would get to sing somewhere at some place in my life (preferably sooner than later).

I never imagined in what capacity I would get to have my hopes fulfilled. I know I've mentioned it before, but if you had asked me 10 years ago if I would ever serve in a church as a leader, I probably would have laughed at you.

Me? HA!

So THIS. Yeah. I love it. 

But THIS is not a correct representation of my job. It is so much more than just being on stage singing songs. I am a leader. I lead the congregation in worship. I lead my team. I lead individuals. And it's not all bright lights and awesome chord progressions.

Being a leader is hard. Sometimes you just want to quit. Sometimes you want to stomp your feet, stick out your lip, cross your arms and say, "I won't! You can't make me!" Sometimes you cry...a lot.

There have been many instances where I had wanted to throw in the towel and let someone else deal with my problems. Or many instances where I wanted to say what was exactly on my mind. Or many instances where I thought, 'Maybe I'm not the right person for this position.'

Serving within a ministry or leading a ministry doesn't come with a Satisfaction Guaranteed label on the package. It's a mindset. Instead of throwing in the towel, getting angry, saying "I just need time for me", we muscle through it, knowing that we have a greater purpose than ME.

To quote a song (of course): I wanna live, I wanna love, I wanna go where you take me.

I WANT to GO where you take ME. 

Those are bold words, Cotton. But if we create that mindset, we CAN serve with satisfaction.

And, 99% of the time, after 2nd service is over, I look at my team and think, 'It may be hard sometimes, but there's no place else I'd rather be.'