Eight.

[I'm not sure, but I think "aspiration" is the "-ation" word of "aspire". I'm going to use the term anyway.]

An incredible aspiration it is, the life-journey towards leading souls in worship....

I'm ready to graduate college and get started in my career as a worship leader. Not to blow off my youth, but to finally become what I have been aspiring to become for quite some time.

This journey has been very neat to me....

I'll tell you the story:

It basically all started about 4 years ago, in January of 2003 (6th grade) when I decided to join the Reality Worship Team. So I did; I tried out with the song "My Glorious". From that point until May 18, 2005 I learned so much about leading worship behind a worship leader and even more about the musical aspect of the worship part of services. You wonder what happened on May 18, `05? I lead worship in Reality for the very first time! I lead "King of Majesty" and since it was the Tribute to the Eighth Grade night (my last night in J.H. and the last night I was to sing on the worship team under P.Steve's leadership as it was) I asked that the other song we sang be "My Glorious", the song I tried out with. That May 18th was the beginning of my great aspiration. The next Sunday night Reality sang in the sanctuary and guess what? I lead "King of Majesty"! That night before I walked up to sing, Pastor Steve told the congregation something that I will never forget. He quoted I Timothy 4:12 (at the top of my page under "My 4th Blog"). "Don't let anyone put you down because you're young." I like that. That brought a lot of self-confidence and desire to do more as a student and as a developing leader.

Since then I've co-lead worship with Mike and lead by myself a few times Reality. The coolest thing is that two times recently I have lead worship without Mike. I picked songs, conducted practice, and lead both services. It is the most awesome thing in the world, to have such a head-start in the thing you plan to do for the rest of your life, and to do something so important and necessary to do correctly, as a student (the people in the world who are considered immature and unreliable in most things).

Also, in between 8th and 9th grade I came up to the church every Tuesday and worked with Pastor Steve. He taught me so many things when we were at lunch or in the car or just sitting in his office discussing "The Air I Breath" by Louie Giglio. Between 9th and 10th grade I came to the church on Mondays, went to the staff meetings, and spent the day with P.Steve. I really enjoy spending that time with such an awesome mentor and role model.

Someday I want a Timothy to come hang out with me in my office and ride in my car so that I can teach him what an awesome thing worship and leading it is.

I can't wait to do it full time! Its going to be great!