Praise in the Park!

Hello friends! I started this blog with the intention to write mainly about our adoption journey, but every now and then I want to write about other things I'm passionate about too. Hence, this post!

I am passionate about Jesus. I've been walking with Him since I turned 5 and it's been the most incredible journey. I can't imagine going through this life without Jesus by my side. I am thankful every single day that I was raised in a home where His name was preached and loved. I shudder to think what my life would've been like without Him. He truly is my best friend, my truest love and the ultimate Savior, and one of my most favorite things to do in the whole wide world is worship Him through music. I've been playing piano since I was 7 and I have been blessed to be a part of some amazing music opportunities. Praise in the Park tops the list!

Praise in the Park was started by my brother-in-law Mark Janzen, who wanted to do some sort of outreach to the (then town) of Warman. He came up with the idea of a giant outdoor concert in one of the parks. He put together a band (We That Breathe) and Praise in the Park was born. Both John and I are part of We That Breathe and this will be our 3rd summer playing with them. It's been such a blast! We came together from a few different churches, some of us not knowing others and having never played together before, but we just clicked and now we have such a great time every time we get together to play. It's truly a blessing.

God works in mysterious ways. In my life I find that the more I seek Him, the more He shows Himself to me, but sometimes there's those moments where you He shows you a glimpse of Himself in a BIG, HUGE way! I don't get those moments very often, but when I do I am always completely humbled and astounded. God did that with Cassidy's adoption. Throughout the whole process I felt complete peace, and while everything around me screamed "Worry! Freak out!", I didn't. I had a peace that passes all understanding. That was God. God has also done that with Praise in the Park. 
The first year, we met to practice the Saturday afternoon before the concert that evening. It was windy and despite the clips to hold down our music, they were still blowing around quite wildly. So we prayed. We prayed for God to calm the wind and for everything to be still. I admit that I doubted. I doubted that the wind would entirely go away. After all, this is Saskatchewan. That night, it was calm. Calmer then I can ever remember. There was not a single tiny breeze to be found. God did that. 
The second year, on the day of Praise in the Park, thunderstorms were in the forecast. We practised that afternoon and scary looking clouds loomed above us. Again, we prayed. People asked if it was cancelled and we said no. And we kept praying. The evening began and though the clouds never left, we never felt a single drop of rain the whole time. John and I stayed to help pack up the instruments after and then we walked home. As soon as we got in the house, the sky let loose with the most incredible light-show I have every seen in my life. The thunder crashed and lightning lit up the sky and the rain poured down. I remember sitting and watching with wide eyes, completely entranced at the wonder unfolding in the sky. I truly believe God held back the storm and then let loose, showing us that He really is all that we just sang about. That was one of the most incredible God moments of my life!

This summer Praise in the Park is on August 24 at 7:30 at the Lion's Park in Warman, same place it's always been for those of you who have been before. Last year we had  more people then the year before and we are hoping for even more this year, especially those that don't know Jesus, or are wanting to know Him. I am SO excited! God has blessed us big time already and I can't wait to see what He's going to do this year! So please, tell your friends, especially if they don't know Jesus, and let's fill the park and get loud for Jesus. He is worthy of all our praise! 
Psalm 150
"Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens. Praise Him for His acts of power; prasie Him for His surpassing greatness. Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet; praise Him with the harp and lyre, praise Him with tambourine and dancing, praise Him with the strings and flute, praise Him with the clash of cymbals, praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!"