"OVER-come"

             Revelation 12:11
 They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. 


Image taken from google search "overcome"

The month of November was declared by my pastor at the Judahfire Ministries International- City of Praise as a month of overcoming, I want to believe that when he was choosing the month it was perhaps due to transition or hurdle we have just crossed over as a church body leaving a house of worship we embellished from scratch to another space that we do not have full access to but still have the opportunity to worship God twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays.

The unique thing about the word overcome is how it’s parallel to the month of November I find. As I meditated on the word it give me deeper understanding of its roots. Overcome is two words that form a compound word, joined they become a verb and a verb indicates action or a state of being. Hence as one word, overcome holds a strong relationship not just with the English grammar but spiritually. Spiritually overcome is how you defeat social, emotional and physical stressors of life. It is how you triumph over unforeseen situations because of the relationship you have with Christ. Spiritually   the action of overcoming is the reaction you get from deep within  that results in the outward expressing of  emotions of joy especially if it was a situation you agreed that no one but God intervened for you. It is a feeling that is indescribable to a reader but can be understood by someone who shares the same faith with you. It is a feeling where you have an aha moment with God and say I knew I could trust you!

Separating the two words Over means several things like greater than, above, resting on top, end etc. My favorite of these I choose is “end”.  I choose end because when God ends a matter on your behalf, when God chooses to restore you for His own glory, no man can stand before you and say a word because instead of spreading the bad report they will start to say, if God can bless that prostitute, murderer and more He can truly change my own circumstance, He can truly help me to overcome my own issues as well. Come means arrive, draw closer, approach…but I like “moving towards”

        

Having defined these separate words, together overcome means something has ended and you are moving towards a new awaking of God’s truth in you. Overcome means we have gone from a place of thinking that we can build the church on our own fundraising abilities, to a place where God is preparing that we will do His work without any strain. Overcomes means you triumphed over the action He took on your case. Finally Overcome means you agree with God that He has delivered you “by the blood of the Lamb” and He has given you the authority to proclaim His goodness via the “word of your Testimony”

Image taken from google search
 "Christ overcoming the grave..."                      

Now lets determine how it relates to November. Throughout the year till this November 2012 God has showed Himself mighty on our behalf giving you the will power to stand despite the many obstacles and hurdles you encountered. As we are moving into the month of December it was a perfect and profound declaration for November to be the month of overcoming because as we reflect and thank God for his many blessings December soon comes around to enlighten us of the birth of the sacrificial Lamb. It was by that Lamb’s blood shed on Calvary that you and I if we choose to believe are made whole and created new in Christ. Jesus Christ the Son of God is the sacrificial lamb that was slain in death to redeem us from our transgressions. God loved us so much to do that for us! Because Christ died for us and did not stay in the grave, He overcame death and it was not the end of him because as God He did this for us to show us that we are also more than conquers if we choose to believe and follow the truths of His words. 
Christ redeemed us that we may also be over-comers.

But who is an over-comer?  An over-comer is someone who conquers a problem. An over-comer is someone who wins despite the odds or obstacles that are at stake in their lives. An over-comer is someone who defeats the enemy. An over comer is someone as pastor usually puts it “God brought them from nowhere and placed them somewhere”. The best of all these definitions of an over-comer is someone who has an undeniable faith and trust in God to complete that which He said he would do if we cast our cares upon Him. Lastly  an over-comer is one who believes that Christ is the center of their lives helping them to prevail over the undesirable circumstances of life.

Are you an over-comer? Think about it, how many times God has intervened on your behalf. How many times have you acknowledged Him for intervening on your behalf? How many situations you’d found you were able to get through without realizing how? How many?

Image taken from google  search "overcome"

When we overcome we share our testimonies with others to strengthen their faith in Christ. By doing so we build their feeble confidence and reliance in God. When we testify of Gods goodness we fulfill not only the scripture of Revelation 12:11 but we also build upon the move of God working endlessly to remind us of His reliability and unfailing love and quest to see us enter His Kingdom someday. 

Tell someone the good news of how you overcame and shamelessly proclaim God’s goodness in your life. For as you do so, you honor God with your lips. However be mindful that your heart is right with Him as you testify that the truth of your testimony will tough the heart beat of God Also.

     

      Catherine K.

Self-Study

calvaryabq.org image of Tim Carson vocal coach

It has been nearly  2 weeks since I attended the Vocal Artistry Workshop hosted by Tim Carson a rising leader in the art of  “Voice” and understanding it’s vast abilities in the realm of singing.  I was invited to this experience by the Contemporary Worship Director o f the Wooddale Church in Egan, Minnesota. Noted for  having a master’s degree from the Northeastern Illinois University of Chicago in “Voice”, Tim travels the nation providing services to individuals, music groups, worship leaders and the vast majority that would deem his services necessary to push them in the direction of achieving their goals vocally.

It was a cool breezing evening of October 26, 2012 with temperature in the 40’s when I pulled up in the rear of the Park Ave United Methodist Church located in Minneapolis the host church space for the workshop. As I pulled in the parking lot, a maroon truck would pull along side me. Out stepped a nicely built 6ft or more fellow along with a kid that I would come to know was his. I watched from my car as they walked into the doors ahead of me. Thinking out loud, I said to myself, this has got to be the presenter judging from the photo I had seen of him online.

Tim Carson, vocal coach picture taken at Park Ave
United Methodist Church, MN

I gathered my stuff and would enter the same doorway. Atop a short flight of steps, Tim was setting up and getting things out on the table, brochures, nametags, etc. I greeted him offering some help as well as asking to whom I needed to pay for the workshop. He responded he had help on the way and he would take the payment. During our brief interaction we would establish that he was the speaker/teacher of the workshop and had petty talks of where he was from and how often he hosted such workshops. Fascinated by the presenter, the stuff I had read about him on the net give me the thought to ask his permission to blog my experience first hand of his workshop. Yes, I did and the permission was granted.

Tim was later joined by a few helpers who relieved him of his duties. Of these helpers, two stood out in their approach in personality. They where the perfect pair in greeting folks as they came in the same way I did. One was a music/praise dancer of the host church who in conversing described her ministry as “unlike music that comes form your lips, dance is the movement we give to God in praise”. 

Alexis on right with her Aunt, image taken at the Park Ave
United Methodist Church. Greeters at the "vocal Artistry..."
workshop hosted by Tim Carson, vocal coach

She was with her niece whose bubbly personality and a great sense of humor placed a smile on the attendee’s faces as they continued to the meeting area. Alexis I came to know her name would hilariously point people in the direction they needed to go as she thanked them for signing up. She was definitely a greeter that I wouldn’t hesitate to hire for any or such events.

Finally seated in the second pew facing the doorway, we started our journey through Tim’s nicely designed booklet titled “ vocal Artistry Sing with freedom, strength, expression & style”. We explored themes such as "neck tension, jaw tension, lip/face/cheek tension, Larynx tension" (a term new to my ears that referred to the your vocal box), "tongue tension" and etc. Now who would have thought that my tongue can have tension worth paying attention to that could affect my ability to sing? Who would have thought that a simple massaging my jaws daily would help to relax the surrounding muscles hence increasing my ability to export my head and chest voices? Who would have thought? Tim would spend the next hours relieving me of my thoughts.

I can tell you the fact Tim’s knowledge of his craft was incredibly unnoticeable. He fluently used the terms expressed above with ease and defined them well enough that the untrained ear or brain would absorb the information without having their head explode in the process. He also used a candid approach in classifying himself as a “dork” in the line of work that he was sharing with us. A “dork” to me was an understatement, but I got it with a smile. Between each term there were physical exercises that went with them. They seemed easy and fun when he demoed them but certainly not to be taken lightly when I tried them. He assured us that 3-4times a week with 30-40 mins sections in front of a mirror would take us a long ways in the desired effects we want with our vocals.

He also threw in tips such as adapting to different styles of music helps to expand our versatility as artist as well as create depths, tune and texture as you sing. One useful styles of music he suggested/recommended that learners as well as vocalist should use as it is helpful in running skills is classical music. Another method he pointed out that I resonated with is the self-study approach to building styles.  He said to find a singer or stylist that stands out to you. When you do find that great singer, study the way that they sing. Try to copy exactly as they do. Record yourself and match yours up with your stylist. Periodic repetition of this process once more helps you to communicate vocally as you unleash your fears and freedoms through singing/music.

The workshop was truly a blessing and it was definitely worth un-regrettable pennies spent. It was for two days. Unfortunately I was unable to attend the full hours of day two because I had rehearsal with my own team at the Judahfire Ministries International-City of Praise Church located in Brooklyn Center Minnesota. However, what I gathered from day one and part of two, will remain memorable as well as helpful in my quest to understanding this new me as a praise/worshiper and road to self study vocally. I couldn’t also wait to share with my team the new knowledge I’d just acquired about what comes with the physical act of singing.

I tearfully thanked Tim on day one and told him that he would be my own vocal artist someday. Who said you can’t believe anything. With perseverance and God’s grace…

Thank you again Mr. Carson for bringing your workshop to Minneapolis!

Catherine K