Native to Richmond, Virginia, married 22 years with great kids, Sandy is a singer-songwriter, and worship leader who plays acoustic guitar. She has served as a women's bible study coordinator, youth worship leader and worship band coordinator, and in various fine arts productions at Mechanicsville Christian Center as well as volunteering for organizations such as WOVEN (Women of Value in Every Nation) and Spotlight Richmond. She is currently serving on the Women's Ministry Council, in her church choir, ensembles, as a soloist, and leads worship for various ministry events. Having served on a choral team and in a worship leader capacity at RIHOP (Richmond International House of Prayer) she fully appreciates antiphonal and prophetic style worship. Her vocals are a bit diverse in style with a blues/gospel bent and a flair for country rock. 

For Sandy, an interest in music has become a journey of worship, self reflection, and encouragement for others. After years of songwriting, and prompting from friends, she is releasing her first CD. "Through the lyrics," Sandy says,"I am allowing my heart to be transparent and hope that others will hear the authenticity of my imperfect faith in my perfect Savior, Jesus Christ."

MECHANICSVILLE CHRISTIAN CTR        WOVEN          SPOTLIGHT RICHMOND        RICHMOND INTL' HOUSE OF PRAYER
 

God has a purpose and a plan for everyone. In the discovery of His loving character we unwrap the gift of His divine intention for our life. He respects not the person (meaning he isn't concerned with who we have become in our own strength), but cherishes the individual; the masterpiece He created to perfectly compliment the tapestry of all creation. It is in Him that we have our being, and  it is by Him that we are. What should our lives be, but an offering and a gift we give back to Him.

At one point in time, I just wasn’t sure whether or not I was going to be with God after this life. It all seemed so complicated and bound by rules and I just knew I’d never be able to get it right. One day, someone took the time to tell me that God wasn’t looking for perfect people. He is looking to draw ALL people back to himself. My part was simply to choose to walk toward God, and not away from Him. The prayer below is very similar to the prayer that was once shared with me. Prayer doesn't have to be formal or eloquently spoken, but rather conversational as if talking to a friend. If you aren’t sure, or if you are struggling, I hope you will take the time to talk to God about it. And once you do, I encourage you to find someone that can explain where to go from here."

God Knows You
Trust Him Enough to Follow His Lead
God knows your deepest dreams and the longings that are deep inside your soul. After all, He put them there. I have always loved and been drawn to music. It's always felt like it was part of me, moving me somewhere deep inside, leadingmy emotions, pulling me along in this journey of life. When I was in grade school, I wanted to learn to play an instrument. With the help of the music instructor, I chose the cello. I was a late beginner and the instructor agreed to give me private lessons after school for a year, and I would join the strings group the following year. During my private lessons, and the following year whenever we were alone, this male music teacher exhibited inappropriate behavior with me. After that experience, I was afraid to continue any type of music education for fear that every music teacher would have the opportunity to do the same. I never took another music class. 

As a teen, I taught myself to play a little guitar and learned a few Christian songs from a family friend that stuck in my headand carried me through some rough spots in my life. They seemed to remind me of who I was supposed to be, even when I wasn't living like I should. Later as an adult I discovered Karaoke and became a DJ for a while. I found that I loved to sing and people liked to hear me. They would tell me that there was something different in my voice; that I lived through the lyrics and sang with feeling and emotion. 

I was over 30 when I finally discovered, with the gentle leading from my loving God, that I was always meant to use my love for music and giftings to worship Him. God wasn't concerned about what my life was like before or that I would continue to make mistakes. He simply overlooked the obvious lack of music education. He also didn't mind asking me to step WAY outside of my comfort zone... and often. I started singing in choir, then solos, then church productions, learning through many tears to harmonize in ensembles.... then He asked me to take off my training wheels and be a worship leader. Every step of the way I lacked confidence in myself. I would step up to the microphone feeling like I would be sick any moment, all the moisture would leave my mouth, my mind would draw a complete blank for the first note of the first song as I looked into the expectant eyes of a thousand people... and then God would take over. "God doesn't call the equipped; He equips the called." Our part is to just say yes. It reads so easy on paper, yet when your knees are knocking and every mistake you know you will ever make is in the spotlight... obedience can easily weaken in the shadow of fear. 

He kept asking me to do one more thing...take one more step...and I would move forward inch by inch feeling very unworthy, ill equipped, and unprepared. Time after time, God filled in where I lacked. He filled in with people who knew what I didn't, He sent His anointing and the presence of His Holy Spirit. It has been an awesome journey, and it continues to be. I love to worship God and sing the lyrics that make me take a closer look at Him and my relationship with Him; and I love to help bring people into that place with me. I believe, among other things, that worship enables us to find that touch point in our hearts where God can do his most mighty work! The work that he has done in my own heart and that he continues to do every day.

Trust Him. Let Him lead you. He knows where you are supposed to be and He will get you there when you are supposed to be there. When you feel like you lack... whether it be faith, love, tools for the trade... whatever... trust in God to fill in the gaps for you. If you invite him into an area of your life, He is already there before you have spoken the words. Does this mean life becomes easy and problem free? No way! That's life! But it does mean that He is there in the middle of your circumstances with you. Those ashes of your life? He will bring beauty from them and restore what the enemy has tried to take away. 

Isaiah 61:3 "...and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor."

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