Let it Shine!

The view out of the window looks much different from Day 1 of our tour. So much has changed since then.  Right now we're on our way across Illinois headed to Davenport, IA, and it warms my heart to see sunshine and green grass.  Even better, my heart has been warmed by the way these 24 students have conducted themselves on this tour. At every point they have been helpful to me, courteous to others, and encouraging of one another.

As we approached this tour there were some reservations among the group about whether or not they could handle singing an hour's worth of challenging music.  Some of them have been slightly under the weather as well.  They stepped up to the plate and knocked it out of the park, though.  They have been singing with passion and heart.  Their confidence has grown and they are really coming together even closer as a result.

Our audiences have been enthusiastic and appreciative.  They have told me how impressed they are with these kids' talent, the strength of their voices, their laser-like focus, and the way they express their faith so exuberantly as they sing.  And my response is usually, "I'm blessed to be able to make music with such great kids.  They make my job pretty easy."  And it's true.  Their parents have done a great job raising them and their Lord has gifted them abundantly.

We set out on this tour with a few purposes in mind:  To challenge the group to perform a full program with challenging music at a high level multiple days in a row, to gain a closer bond as an ensemble, to gain a broader perspective of the world around them through a variety of experiences, and to share the message of Jesus with people in a variety of settings.  This last goal is, of course, this group's most important goal, and as we end each concert and Croixaliers Sunday service, they have succeeded in letting it shine.