Today I realized that it has been one year exactly since an important chapter in my life closed. One year ago today I said goodbye to a worship band that I had been working with all year, the last of seven year’s worth. It was a great year. Really, every year was, and each had its own set of joys, challenges, struggles and victories.

I can’t really put into words what shepherding the worship bands meant to me. It was wonderful. I don’t regret leaving that ministry, though. When I left, I replaced myself as I always knew I must, and my replacement is doing a great job. Over the years I replaced myself several times (for instance, more than one of the pics below is of a band that was not really led by me, but by former band students who became leaders). Replacing yourself is a good thing to learn how to do, and one of the unexpected joys of doing this thing.

A year and a December ago God let me know that it was time. I finished out the year – and a fabulous blessing of a year it was! – and Jill and I have moved on to another ministry in our church, this one with young singles. Different, but wonderful too. And now our two oldest children are in high school and both of them have become members of the student worship bands. So I’m experiencing this all over again, from a different angle. Wow!

Below are just a few of the hundreds of pictures I have of that seven year period stretching from 1998 to 2005, in rough chronological order. I wish I had pictures available online of every student who ever took part! Some I only have in prints and didn’t have time or the heart to scan them. But all of these, pictured or not, were a blessing to me. You can’t tell from the pictures how hard they worked, how committed they were, how passionately they worshipped, and how musically excellent they became.

I’ll never forget them.

Lord, with a passion

born of your Spirit

We burned.

And with a bond

Of unity and beautiful friendship

We became brothers and sisters

And sons and daughters

Tears we shed

Of laughter sweet

And pain, and prayer

Watering the altar

And in the best of times

Our hearts aligned with Yours

And the worship was an offering

And You were lifted high

And I am filled with wonder and praise

For the enduring blessing

Of Your grace and those days.