Honestly, finding a subject to write about this week was difficult. I have a few ideas for future articles but I do not want to write them just yet. They aren't quite ready. Regardless, I have been struggling to find a topic for a few days until tonight (Saturday, January 28th) when I experienced my first "jam session".

Sitting in the basement of my campus's chapel, a group of high school and college students sat in a circle playing instruments, singing music, and praising the Lord. Their voices rang loud, proud, and beautiful. Each person brought a different, unique sound to the group making this compilation beautiful and precious. The Holy Spirit undeniably shined through them. It was one of those moments where you simply had to stop, listen and join. It wasn't a choice; you were physically drawn to them.

I have loved music for as long as I can remember. Although I have not been blessed with the ability to sing or play an instrument, I love to listen to music. Growing up I listened to my mother's country music, my grandparent's 50's hits, and my older brother's classical music. I was constantly surrounded by different music genres though I cannot say I always enjoyed listening to those types of music. I enjoyed everything from country music to acapella to Disney Channel hits and R & B. I loved everything with a memorable beat. I lost myself in the music. It was calming and peaceful. Music helps me focus on the here and now.

Since coming to college, I have struggled to find moments of peace and tranquility. It is difficult for me to relax. I struggle to ignore all of my responsibilities, deadlines, and weekly meetings. At the beginning of sophomore year, I discovered a genre of music that has again brought me this peace - Christian rock music. Hillsong. Casting Crowns. Matt Maher. This music grounds me and reminds me of why I do everything I do - to thrive. As the Casting Crowns song goes, "We know we were made for so much more/ Than ordinary lives/ It's time for us to more than just survive/ We were made to thrive". Through Christian music, I have found a deeper relationship with God and another method of prayer, and I exposed myself to a new type of music.

Music has so much power over our spirituality, our emotions, our thoughts, and our prayers. It has the ability to change our moods and attitudes. The brief timeframe I spent listening to the group of students in the chapel basement left me feeling renewed, joyful, happy, and spirited.

I'll leave you with a Nietzsche quote, "Without music, life would be a mistake".