"Praise the Lord.
Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise in the assembly of his faithful people." Psalm 149:1
I've had this giant lump in my throat most of the day...
Wake up and immediately start thinking of everything that needs to be done once I get home...our weekend of relaxation and celebration is coming to an end...
time to get back to reality.
time to get back to reality.
Arriving at my parents to pick up the kids, then rushing home to make sure the little one gets her nap...a text message from my youngest brother...shock and disbelief.
A lump in my throat.
Call my dad...hear the heartbreak in his voice...jump on Facebook...see if it's real...tag the family in a status to let them know how much they are loved...delete status...too much too soon...too real...lump in my throat...try to make the menus for the week...try to make the grocery list...make the cookies for the teachers...feed the kids...make sure Dad is ok...talk about it...tear up...push the lump down one more time.
Guess I should be in bed by now...6 a.m. will be here soon...tomorrow is a crazy day...no sleeping yet...gotta deal with this lump.
"I've got the Victor living in me/I've got the Victor living in me/I'm not moved by what/I feel or see/I've got the Victor living in me!"
Dave Bell was the absolute best worship leader I have ever known. And I've known a few. I even claim the title myself from time to time...funny, I never wanted to be a worship leader. I wanted the stage and the microphone, minus the spotlight and the attention. I know, it doesn't make sense. Thinking about it, I guess that kinda is a worship leader...you've got the mic, but only to put the focus on the Creator and not yourself. Hmmm...
"Dance, jump, shout/Let the whole world know/That your King is alive!"
I first heard of "Dave Bell and the Lion of Judah Band" when I was 11 years old. I was 1 year away from being in the youth group and going to R.O.C.K. Conference for the first time. My parents had just come back from camp that year and the Lion of Judah cassette played over and over in our black Astro van until it wore out. I had been in church all my life and had never felt that kind of presence before...even as a pre-teen, listening to a tape in the car, I knew this was real worship.
"Exceedingly/Abundantly/Far above everything you could ask or think
/He is able!"
I don't remember first meeting him, just the experience of being led into worship by him. There is nothing like a R.O.C.K. Conference worship service. The anointing, the power, the ability to let go and sing your heart out...or not sing and just be still...all the time knowing that this must be a glimpse of Heaven.
Heaven...
"Shout, shout for joy/Shout, shout for joy/For the Lord/Has given you the victory!"
I sat with him at a restaurant once. Just me, my dad and Dave Bell. He talked non-stop about God and Christianity...about worship and the Word...about the Contemporary Christian music scene and how he wanted nothing to do with it...about how he wanted me to record in his studio...about how "massive" God is. I was so intimidated, so shy. Ever ytime he heard me sing, he would find me afterwards and say, "Wow. That was great. I mean, really, I just waded right off into the river." He would encourage me to keep singing and I would walk away feeling like...hmmm...like an American Idol contestant must feel when Simon Cowell tells them they did a good job. Not that Dave Bell was anywhere close to being anything like Simon Cowell...but you get it.
I remember being at his house in San Antonio and watching him play the piano...start praying...then immediately start singing a brand new song...right off the top of his head. Wait. No...right off the top of his heart.
His heart...
"How good it is/To bless your name/Oh God/Mighty God"
Dave was one of my dad's closest friends. He worked beside him every summer in ministry. He would go preach in San Antonio every chance he got. Dad even came back from San Antonio once and tried to talk me into moving there. It is one of my favorite cities. But, more importantly, it has some of the most amazing people...faithful, gifted, loving people. I can't imagine what they are going through tonight. The sadness, the shock, the assurance that they will meet again...I wish I could hug them and cry with them. I hope they know how much they mean to the Shearouses and Shaves.
The last time I saw Dave and his family was in 2007. It was our last Texas R.O.C.K. Conference. Dad has kept in touch with his friend. When he got the news today, he broke down. Dave would send Dad a text every Sunday morning. I wish I could tell Pastor Dave Bell how much that meant to me. How much his loyalty and friendship and encouragement has ALWAYS meant to me and my siblings when it came to our dad. Being a preacher's kid comes with watching your parents drag their legs behind them, feeling like they've totally missed God, crying in a heap on the bathroom floor and wondering where all of the ones who said they would never leave you have gone...
Preacher's kids...Matt, Michael, Mark, Micah and Mitchell...
But, it also comes with people like the the Walkers, the Balderas', the Bevers, the Withrows...and the Bells.
I hope our Texas friends know how much they are treasured...and missed.
So missed.
Guess it's time to put the lump to rest for the night. It's been relieved for now. It's 2 minutes away from being tomorrow. A new day.
"I am the God of righteousness/Peace and joy/In the Holy Ghost"
Yep...that one got me every time...find a corner, get on my knees,
sing straight to the heart of God.
Nothing better.
Thank you, Dave Bell, for giving all of us a glimpse of Heaven.
~We love you~
/He is able!"
I don't remember first meeting him, just the experience of being led into worship by him. There is nothing like a R.O.C.K. Conference worship service. The anointing, the power, the ability to let go and sing your heart out...or not sing and just be still...all the time knowing that this must be a glimpse of Heaven.
Heaven...
"Shout, shout for joy/Shout, shout for joy/For the Lord/Has given you the victory!"
I sat with him at a restaurant once. Just me, my dad and Dave Bell. He talked non-stop about God and Christianity...about worship and the Word...about the Contemporary Christian music scene and how he wanted nothing to do with it...about how he wanted me to record in his studio...about how "massive" God is. I was so intimidated, so shy. Ever ytime he heard me sing, he would find me afterwards and say, "Wow. That was great. I mean, really, I just waded right off into the river." He would encourage me to keep singing and I would walk away feeling like...hmmm...like an American Idol contestant must feel when Simon Cowell tells them they did a good job. Not that Dave Bell was anywhere close to being anything like Simon Cowell...but you get it.
I remember being at his house in San Antonio and watching him play the piano...start praying...then immediately start singing a brand new song...right off the top of his head. Wait. No...right off the top of his heart.
His heart...
"How good it is/To bless your name/Oh God/Mighty God"
Dave was one of my dad's closest friends. He worked beside him every summer in ministry. He would go preach in San Antonio every chance he got. Dad even came back from San Antonio once and tried to talk me into moving there. It is one of my favorite cities. But, more importantly, it has some of the most amazing people...faithful, gifted, loving people. I can't imagine what they are going through tonight. The sadness, the shock, the assurance that they will meet again...I wish I could hug them and cry with them. I hope they know how much they mean to the Shearouses and Shaves.
The last time I saw Dave and his family was in 2007. It was our last Texas R.O.C.K. Conference. Dad has kept in touch with his friend. When he got the news today, he broke down. Dave would send Dad a text every Sunday morning. I wish I could tell Pastor Dave Bell how much that meant to me. How much his loyalty and friendship and encouragement has ALWAYS meant to me and my siblings when it came to our dad. Being a preacher's kid comes with watching your parents drag their legs behind them, feeling like they've totally missed God, crying in a heap on the bathroom floor and wondering where all of the ones who said they would never leave you have gone...
Preacher's kids...Matt, Michael, Mark, Micah and Mitchell...
But, it also comes with people like the the Walkers, the Balderas', the Bevers, the Withrows...and the Bells.
I hope our Texas friends know how much they are treasured...and missed.
So missed.
Guess it's time to put the lump to rest for the night. It's been relieved for now. It's 2 minutes away from being tomorrow. A new day.
"I am the God of righteousness/Peace and joy/In the Holy Ghost"
Yep...that one got me every time...find a corner, get on my knees,
sing straight to the heart of God.
Nothing better.
Thank you, Dave Bell, for giving all of us a glimpse of Heaven.
~We love you~
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