Publishing moving forward!

Well, it's been a busy, crazy season of life since I last update the ol' blog. I have had some life transitions, with my wife having her part-time youth director position cut, so we made the choice to have her be a stay at home mom and me take on more financial responsibility by teaching more private music lessons. So, that has been good and going well. I am blessed and very thankful for that. But, I've been trying to make time to compose in the midst of all of that, and I've found it to be challenging. In spite of my challenges, I see God's hand blessing me as I continue to seek His direction on this thought that has been laid in my brain. I received notice this past week from Concordia Publishing House that the 2 pieces I submitted for Doctrinal Review to sell on their Concordia Writers' Cooperative DID, in fact, pass the review and are now for sale. I laughed when I saw it, because I didn't think they would, not because of bad theology, but they're children's songs! Very simple, but very fun. Then, I was commissioned by a friend of mine from college to write an Easter piece for her congregation's handbell choir. I combined the hymn "Jesus Christ is Risen Today" with "The Hallelujah Chorus" and I am very proud of how it turned out! So, I have a renewed inspiration and direction for this music self-publishing thing. I know that I will not become rich doing it, and that isn't my point in doing it. I want to provide resources for congregations that are accessible, fit their needs and yet are musically challenging. So, I continue to pray that God directs and I am confident that He is going to take this thing wherever HE decides, and probably will go a different direction that I think it will go right now. That's why I've learned to not expect a direction from God and then I'm always surprised!! :-)