Category: Christianity

Let Me Be an Instrument


by Victoria J

Since I was a child, one of my favorite things to do was to sing!  I would sing with all my might…   Anyway, as Whitney Houston grew in popularity, I found myself aspiring to be a “singerstar” just like her. I held onto a version of that aspiration until my junior year of college when I saw that industry as just eating Christians up and turning them out.  What I mean to say is that I saw many Christians going into the industry and perhaps singing R&B and either their records didn’t sell, they somehow got discredited, or as I felt happened most, they started singing things and dancing and dressing in ways that didn’t glorify God.

Well, I guess the last thought of singing popular music on the world’s stage was one day when my college roommate Step and I went to a festival in the Atlanta area and they had a little singing contest.  Step tried to encourage me to get up there, and I while I was flattered by her confidence in my abilities, I told her, “They don’t want to hear people that sing like me.”  The crowd in turn voted for the woman with the highest vocal range as the best singer (she sang the R&B classic “Loving You”) – she was nice, but she wasn’t the best singer that got on the stage in my humble estimation.  Well, even though this has been a love and passion of mine – singing – I have not always put myself in the forums to do so.  After college, I eventually joined a church in “Hotlanta,” and when I went to join the choir, I found out that I would need to spend around $500 for 2 robes (1 of which was getting phased out) and polo shirts.  As a recent college graduate with student loans to pay off (thankfully this goal was accomplished a few years ago – thank You Lord), I could not conceptualize paying that much money to a church knowing that I owed the bank even more.  Years later, when I joined a church in Delaware, I joined the choir, elated that there were no robes (at the time).  In Delaware, I sang on the choir, and then eventually the praise team, and then in time a community choir.  I sang, and I loved it, and I sang… And I had so much going on that I soon got burnt out, but I still loved it, and I watched God give me favor in that arena.  As I pursued my masters in education, I moved to DC, where I chose not to sing, desiring to not fill my plate with too much.  That worked for a time, but I missed the joys of learning new songs, singing with others, and moments of corporate praise and worship.  When I joined the church I now attend, I knew that I had to sing in the choir.  I could no longer just belt it out from the pews, and so I joined the Adoration choir, and have loved this decision immensely.  One of the most exciting things about singing with this choir as of late has been how in sync this choir and the one in Delaware are.  For example, one week I was in Delaware and I decided to sing with the old choir.  At rehearsal we learned Pslams 150, and this anthem is a big and powerful song.  Well a few weeks later, I rejoined the Adoration choir in DC and to my surprise, we were learning Psalms 150.  Then the last time I visited the church in Delaware, they sang as the sermonic selection one of the faves that we sing in the Adoration choir.  I guess I take moments like this as affirmation that I am where God wants me to be at this time in my life. Even though some days I feel like I am just too tired to go to rehearsal, I go anyway, and I feel this joy and honor as I sing love songs to my Father and Lord!  It is during these times of practice that I am reminded of my need to sing unto the Lord in my own personal time.  Just as I desire the man who I’ll call my husband to serenade me with love songs, so too the Lord desires us to sing love songs to Him and to just spend time in His presence.  I think you get my point.

Well I was asked to take pictures of Adoration a few weeks ago during our rehearsal.  I waited to snap until we start singing one of my all time favorites – “Order My Steps.”  I have included select images below.

Choir Rehearsal - Sopranos and AltosTenors and the LeadDirectingClapping

I’m Thankful For…


by Victoria J

Yesterday, a friend of mine asked me what I was thankful for.  Oh my, there are so many things on that list, like:

  • a wonderful place to stay
  • a meaningful job
  • many supportive coworkers
  • a thriving business
  • loving family
  • caring and available friend
  • hope for my future
  • money in the bank
  • the opportunity to be selective about what I eat
  • a closet full and drawers full of clothes
  • reliable transportation
  • SO MUCH MORE!!!!!!!!

I could go on about things small and large, but indulge me please to share just one more.  And that is being blessed to spend time with precious little ones, like this cutie pie – my name’s sake –  Victoria Faith Payne, who just turned 2!

Little Victoria

Hearing from God


by Victoria J

Some people will tell you that God told them to do something.  And perhaps I too have had those moments, but more times than not, God will remind me of His word or His promises as I observe everyday happenings.  So today, I decided to put some indoor plants outside.  In the process, I noticed one of my flower pots that had been outside for almost a year now had purple flowers.  Now this was not my African Violet plant.  No, this plant was in a pot that last summer I had sowed some wildflowers seeds into and in spite of my best efforts, I did not see any flowers or proof that I had planted those seeds.  In fact, the majority of the time that passed after I planted the seeds until now, I only saw soil.  This was probably the result of my moving to a new apartment that receives less sunlight than where I lived before… or my sometimes forgetting to water the plants… or the fact that I kept the plants outside even in the winter… Maybe I planted the seeds too deep, or I used bad soil.  Perhaps those plants grow better in Texas than in Maryland – I don’t know.

What I do know is that now my wildflowers are starting to bloom!  Thank You Lord!!! Despite the less-than-ideal circumstances, my plants are growing and living!  In viewing these plants, God reminded me of the Scripture in 1 Corinthians 3:6 “Paul plants, Apollos waters, but it’s God that gets the increase.”  In other words, we can each contribute to God’s kingdom, but ultimately it is God that brings any success to it!  Then I was reminded that in spite of our less-than-ideal situations and circumstances… in spite of everyone else that dropped the ball AND all of the times that we dropped the ball ourselves, God will still bring IT (whatever the “it” is) to pass.  You see with my plants, they did what they were created to do.  They started as seeds, were planted, watered, given sunlight, and they grew and blossomed… It was not in my desired timetable, but then again what ever really is?

Be encouraged my friend.  Continue to wait and don’t lose your hope or your expectation, and in DUE season, it shall come to pass!

Purple Wildflowers

 

Since I was outside, I also snapped a shot of the African Violet… and I must say, “It’s looking pretty healthy!”  Thank You Lord!

African Violet

 

He that Findeth a Wife Findeth a Good Thing!


by Victoria J

I normally do not have the pleasure of photographing the ring first, but when the groom-to-be is your brother, you can do that!  A few months ago, my brother made his choice and proposed to his now fiance.  I have photos of the ring, the Scriptures, and a couple shot from a few months before the proposal.  Now, I have been accused of loving the scripture “It is not good for man to be alone…” so I don’t want to let my fans down by leaving any of the classics out!

 

The RingHe that finds a wife finds a good thingIt's not good for man to be aloneThe Couple

Congratulations Darren and Janora!!!!

She made it to 100!!!!


by Victoria J

Earlier today, I had the pleasure of attending a women’s brunch themed “Finding Joy in the Journey.”  The highlight for me was when they honored one of the mothers in the church that had just celebrated her 100th birthday!  Now this woman is not only beautiful and now more than a century old, but God has blessed her with impeccable health.  She walks around, talks, eats, and seems to have a great quality of life.  So often people think that 70 or 80 is as far as you can go, but I am believing for 100+.

Anyway, while they were trying to play a video interview with this woman, they ran into technical difficulties with the sound.  After a while, the choir got up and sang “God Has Smiled on Me.”  As they sang the chorus a second time, the sound from the video came through the speakers.  This simple act was yet another reminder for me that sometimes we need to stop worrying about the situation and turn to God… He likes to work out the details!  See select images from this event and the beautiful woman of faith that God blessed with 100 years of age!

 

Women's Brunch Details100 Years Old