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Note: This article encouraging you to use your gifts for God's glory was printed in the "Worship and the Arts" column of the December 2003 issue of The Holy City Chronicle, Charleston, South Carolina's Christian newspaper. STIR IT UP FOR THE GLORY OF GOD! By Chris Norden I am humbled by the fact that whatever gift I've been given, it is God's handiwork, and God's alone, and should be treated as such. I have been saved by HIS grace and mercy, not by my own works or effort. And I didn't create the gift. HE created it. All I can do is place it at the foot of His cross and say, "Dear Lord, show me how You would have me use this for YOUR glory." So it is with my songwriting. My first goal, when I was a little boy, was to grow up to be a composer. Staying committed to this eventually led me to the point where I was "discovered" by a Los Angeles record producer in the early 1980s and promoted as "the next Barry Manilow." A year later, however, the project fell through. Alone, I recorded a self-financed solo album's worth of songs. Then, discouraged, I stopped writing altogether... for about 15 years. Though I'd accepted Christ in 1979, it wasn't until 1996--when I'd made just about every mistake a "Christian living in the world and operating according to his own understanding" could make--that I told the Lord I was ready to trust Him in ALL my ways, to finally have HIM teach me how to live. It was then that He reawakened the musicality He'd designed into me. For seven and a half years now--with my musical and lyrical skills in submission and service to the Author of love--I've been writing songs in response to His heart as He expresses it to me through His written Word and Holy Spirit. My gifts are no more or no less important than yours. We worship Him best when we surrender whatever He's given us to Him and exercise it for His glory and His alone. It is then that we function fully as His Body, living and proclaiming His death, resurrection and everlasting Kingdom. God has built you to be a unique and important part of His Body here on Earth. I celebrate and honor His work in you! I just want to encourage you: whatever gift He's placed in you, He created it for you to USE and EXERCISE to bless others and bring glory to Him! You are important to God and to your brothers and sisters, your co-members in the Body of Christ. We cannot function as God intended without each other. So stir up whatever God has placed inside of you! Live it, in worship to Him, for His glory! ___________________________________________________ Chris Norden served from 1996-2005 as a singer, actor, keyboardist, lead worshipper, songwriter, designer, and photographer in the Worship Arts Ministry of Seacoast Church, Mt. Pleasant. He studied photography in film school in Los Angeles and went on to become Director of Photography for four magazines, a marketing company, and an aerial photography company. Chris' 4-song CD, "Songs of Encouragement for the Body of Christ" is now available at the Seacoast West Bookstore, online at www.chrisnorden.com, or by calling Chris at (520) 388-0146. The CD features the songs 'All About That Day,' 'Spend Time With Me,' 'Look to the Lord,' and 'God Is FOR You.' Chris also is a founding member of "UNPLUGGED," Seacoast Church's Christian songwriters' support group. Contact the group's leader, CHRIS KARPUS, at (843) 425-4124 or karpus3@yahoo.com, for more information about this exciting resource. ___________________________________________________
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