From my heart to yours; a personal letter

You know, so many amazing things have developed in our lifetime. Look at how accessible the whole world is to us now. Through my Fan Page I regularly touch people from all over the country and even other countries. When it comes to reaching new heights in ministry, personal growth, knowledge or anything else we are indeed living in the age of few excuses.

I was just thinking the other day as I read the comments on one of my blogs that I can literally get instant access to coaching and training for pretty-much any aspect of my personal or business life with as little effort as a Facebook post.

I’ve shared with you before my testimony of how God began years ago compelling me to step out there and share the gifts, knowledge and wisdom He has poured into me for over 30 years now with a much bigger audience. Honestly, didn’t want to. I didn’t believe there was an audience. In fact I went looking for proof that somebody- ANYBODY- was searching for the kind of information and training He was telling me to do, and I didn’t find much.  Google has a tool that business owners use to see who is searching the web for information on topics, products or services we may be considering. To be considered viable you need to find people numbering in the thousands searching monthly for those keywords.

Well, when I typed in the keywords related to music ministry and Gospel vocal training and coaching and everything else I have to offer, virtually nobody was searching for any of those terms. Can you imagine how my heart dropped? But I couldn’t shake this overwhelming urge to keep moving in this direction. Every business coach and expert I follow was advising against pursuing any niche where you don’t see evidence of a demand.

But I couldn’t let it go. So I prayed about it and He placed something in my spirit that gave me peace and assurance. He simply told me that if I stepped out there with my ministry, pushed myself beyond the 4 walls of my own church, reached out to a bigger audience…that there would be people there to receive what He put inside of me.

And even though at this point I’m still only at the very beginning of this journey, I have seen His hand at work bringing about His promise to me. I have heard from individuals and ministries all over the country as well as people in Africa, Canada and Germany, all telling me that my humble little blogs, home-made videos with no professional equipment, shot sitting in front of a window in my apartment, tweets, facebook posts….all these little things I thought would certainly not be good enough…have been blessing ministries and changing people’s entire way of looking at music ministry.

For almost the whole time I’ve been a vocal coach I’ve never quite believed I had the experience and training that others had. But God has been using this simple little one-man operation to really be a blessing to ministries all over. So many have reached out to me expressing so much gratitude. Come to think of it every time I doubt myself to the point of quitting or going in another direction, God places in someone’s spirit to reach out and encourage me.

I’m not telling you any of this for sympathy or to illicit encouragement. On the contrary, I’m saying it to encourage YOU. Because I know what it’s like to be feeling like God is telling you to do something that you just can’t see yourself doing. To feel like there are so many more people more qualified. To feel like you need to invest that money into your ministry but be so afraid that it might not work. Can I tell you that I feel that every day?

Yes, it is a scary thing to trust God and walk by faith when you have no assurance or don’t see any evidence. But then if we did it wouldn’t be a faith move, would it? That’s why the bible says that faith IS the evidence we need when we can’t see any.

I’m kind of rambling with no direction here today, which isn’t like me. But I guess I wanted you to hear from my heart today. I wan’t you to know I’m real, and that I feel the things you feel. I feel the frustration. I feel that overwhelming desire to go higher, that burning love for music ministry, just like you. And just like you I feel sometimes like walking away from it all.

I worry when it’s time to sew into my ministry, even though I understand so clearly why I must. So, I get it my friend. But I know that God placed me here for a reason. I know, as you must, that He gives us all gifts for one reason only, that is to edify the kingdom. None of us have gifts just our own amusement. I’m not saying every person’s destiny is fame or fortune. But I believe that when you have an overwhelming urge to do something in ministry- one that you can’t shake despite all your own fears, doubts and logic telling you that you shouldn’t, there comes a time when you must step out there and just do it.

My newest student Sonya did just that last week, when she got on-line, went to my website, took a deep breath and booked a full month of one hour vocal training with me. I thought about Sonya a lot, and how it must have felt from her side of the computer. Sonya and I had never met in person and had only exchanged pleasantries briefly over social media.  She was about to make a big investment in something she had no idea would work, and no guarantee would be worth the money.

To add even more uncertainty to the mix she would be taking her lessons with me over the internet.  Understand Sonya’s faith here guys. She didn’t know me other than what she’d seen on-line through posts, blogs and videos. She booked and paid for an entire month in advance, based on nothing but her faith in God, and the desire He placed in her to go higher.  After our first lesson on Skype she was kind enough to share this on the fan page. It really blessed me, and I hope it will bless you too.

Wow! I have taken my first Skype lesson with Mr. Cross and all I can say is “MY MY MY!” Mr. Cross is truly the real deal. I learned so much and I’m only on the 1st lesson. For any doubtful minds about taking voice lessons especially via Internet, I can tell you it was still as effective as if we were in person. For those who just simply think ” I don’t need lessons, I can sang already”, know that you can never learn to much. These lessons are teaching me that actually I need to unlearn some things I have been doing for years. And mark my words, in a couple years (or less), you’ll be buying my CD of the shelf. (Gotta speak it y’all, :)). In a nutshell, if your on the fence about investing in your tool God has given you, I’m here to say it is well worth it! Thanks Mr. Cross!

I’m believing and praying with Sonya about her ministry, and I’m going to do everything I can to help her realize her goals to take her ministry higher. I want you to know I’m believing and praying with you too!  You can do this. Trust and believe God. Pray about it, ask Him (I’m not sure where that whole “don’t question God’ thing came from) for His will and His wisdom. And when you’re sure that it’s Him, step out there on faith. Book a Skype lesson with me, or choose my home study vocal training program. But take a step by faith today. I can tell you that faith and His word are all you can be sure of.

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