The Song

Brad and I recently went on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic with 25 Project. Upon returning, the number one question I get asked is: How was it?

It was incredible. Absolutely incredible.

I have story after story after story of how the Lord worked during our time there.

Let's start with the one where I ugly cry in front of 100 people.


The first couple of days we were there I felt confident. I was confident in my role. I was confident in the relationships I was building. I was even starting to feel confident in my Spanish.

Then Tuesday came.

I woke up Tuesday morning feeling completely defeated and lacking confidence. I could not stop crying. Could. Not. Stop. I could feel Satan's attack on me. And he was winning.

We arrived at camp that day where 60 children were eagerly awaiting us. A fiercely loyal girl of about 15 named Wendi had befriended me from day 1. She always ran out to our vans when we arrived at camp and greeted me with a hug and whisked me away to the seat she had saved for me on the front row. It was time for worship.

I was trying as hard as I could to keep it together that day. But I was failing miserably and began crying the moment worship time started. And it only got worse.

About 3 or 4 songs in, Brad and another team member were called up to the front of the room. I got my phone out to video and I thought to myself how glad I was that I could stay hidden and invisible and let all the attention be on Brad.

Ummm. Yeah. You totally guessed it.

They called me to the front of the room too.

I'm pretty sure I didn't even make it to the front before I started the ugly cry: the heaving, shoulder-shaking, can't catch my breath ugly cry.

I sat in the chair, grabbed onto Brad and just closed my eyes as a 19 year old young man named Danelson began to sing over us.

I recognized the song immediately even though he was singing in Spanish. And when he began singing in English, I sang along. The song is called "This is the Air I Breath" and some of the lyrics say:

I'm desperate for you.

I'm lost without you.

You are my daily bread.

About half way through the song, Danelson put his hands on our shoulders. I was holding onto Brad with my right hand and Danelson with my left. I could hear the people at camp singing along with us. But I couldn't tell if they were singing in English or in Spanish because all I heard was worship to the Father. And it was beautiful.

I imagine this is what heaven will sound like. People of all different languages and nations in unified worship to our Creator.

Later that day, Brad and I were able to use a translator to speak to Danelson. We told him thank you once again and how special that song was to us. Danelson told us that he had planned to sing that day, but he had actually prepared a different song. He then said that he felt the Lord told him to sing "This is the Air I Breathe" over us instead.

Are you crying yet? Yeah. Me too. Again.

Lovelies, Danelson's obedience that day blessed me. He could've very easily chosen to stick with his own plan. His own way. But he didn't. He chose to listen to the small voice of the Lord. And I benefited from it. Man, I want to be that in-tune to the Father. Not my ways, Lord. Not my plans. But yours.

I was broken and vulnerable in a very public way. And I wouldn't change a moment of it. Through Danelson's act of obedience my weaknesses were made strong in the Father, and I was reminded of how much I am desperate for the Lord. And I am lost without Him. And I should rely on Him to be my daily bread. The air I breathe. My everything.

To hear the song, watch this video below. I pray that it blesses you the way that it blessed me.