Glowing Heart

Winter Music Camp
by Jerri Catagnus

Glowing Heart Music Camp can be found in the dictionary under the words tough, grueling, stretching, intense, demanding, and....AWESOME. This is my third year in Glowing Heart, and therefore I have had my fair share of GH Music Camps. I can remember crying almost every day at my first one in August 2009. I remember Henry standing behind me on stage trying to sing parts in my ear to play on my violin. I had never played in a band before or made up my own parts. Yes, panic and nervousness was very present throughout that week. I also remember being nervous at every camp wondering if all the new and old members would mesh together and be able to bond closely. The group changes every year so it is always kind of bittersweet during the week of music camp. You remember times from last year when old friends who have moved on from GH were there, but you are very excited and anxious to start new relationships as well. Sometimes the transition can be difficult for the veterans, and usually we only encounter this change in the group during Summer Music Camp. But this past music camp, the group looked different! We have added three new members this spring semester. Elisa Hook, Amber Watson, and Tanner Goldsmith have joined the team and have brought not only their amazing talents, but also their servant’s hearts. See, Glowing Heart may change faces every now and again, but the heart and purpose of this ministry is what makes it so effective and is what makes the bonds of every group so strong, deep, and impacting. We discussed the importance of unity, discipline, and desire a lot throughout the week at camp. All three of those topics are vital for our group to function both musically and relationally. We realized that week that we need to first and foremost desire to love the Lord and be disciplined to meet with Him and obey Him each and everyday. Only when that happens can we fulfill the second greatest commandment to love one another. God placed us on this earth with billions of people. We are relational, like God, to our very core. We need people. Each person in GH must love each other and needs each other.

The group totally took these truth “nuggets” to heart and applied them. The results and the rest of the camp experience was…AWESOME! Everyone put all of their focus, talents, and efforts forth for God’s glory and purpose He wants to fulfill through the blessing of this group. I don’t think anyone cried in rehearsal that week, but that doesn’t mean it still wasn’t stretching! God definitely multiplied our work. Musically, we cranked out many new songs that we cannot wait to give back to our Father along with those we are privileged to meet this semester!

Music Camp was a joyful experience that has stretched and bettered this Glowing Heart group in many areas. We are unified in the mission that Christ has given to us and will continue to seek Him to not lose sight of it. God has moved so much in only a few weeks and I am so anxious (in a good way!) to see the ways He continues to move this year. Satan…. watch out!

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