One thing that I think we have learned as Voice of the Shepherd (Worship) music group is that when God speaks to us; He doesn't have to speak loudly; we hear the "still small voice" and as His flock, the sheep of His pasture, we follow Him. And that is how the making of the song of "Voice of the Shepherd" was prophesied and how it naturally also became the name of the group that the Lord had put together.
It was at Tikvat Y'Israel in Cleveland, Ohio, actually in Beachwood, was the first time that I met Jeff and become aware of the Messianic movement. Tikvat had been holding services there or at another church that the congregation rented on Shabbat for services. Jeff had been there from the beginning and William came along at least a year or so before I did. You can find videos of Jeff and William, only a month or before I started to attend and by the following May, joined in leading worship music on Erev Shabbat...You can watch them at https://voiceoftheshepherdworship.com/live-concerts
How did I get to be at Tikvat Y'Israel and become involved in this wonderful ministry of Voice of the Shepherd? Well, it was when I was "going through a valley" in my life and I had been in music ministry as His Love Ministries (duet), church solos and even 5 years of serving nursing home ministry. I was driving to work and had just parked while listening to the song, "The Love of God" by Marty Goetz on our local radio station, WCRF in Cleveland (a Moody Broadcasting Station) and the announcer, our beloved Bob Devine, spoke after the song completed. "That is our dear brother, Marty Goetz, he is a Messianic Jew"...instinctively, though I had never heard of that title or description before, I exclaimed, "Praise God!!!" for I knew that meant that Marty was a Jewish believer in Yeshua. I heard about the concert at a place called "Tikvat Y'Israel Messianic Synagogue" and made plans to go with a dear christian couple. Don and Cindy and I got there just in time. The place was packed and they had JUST placed three seats in the front row...well, I could hardly believe my eyes that WE were being seated in those three chairs!!! Before sitting down, I exclaimed aloud (yep, there she goes again!!! lol) "Praise God and that last SHALL BE first". Well, when you just have to PRAISE GOD, you should just do it; holding it in can hurt you!!!
I had gotten Marty's cassettes of his albums (yes, pre-CDs, pre-digital players, pre-itunes) and I think that I was beginning to wear out a few of them so I was so happy to be able to purchase some new ones and on CD no less!!! One thing that you might know if you don't know Marty Goetz is that he has an angelic voice and a psalmist's heart and to be sitting so close that I could almost look up his nostrils (sorry, Marty; it really was pleasant), was a great blessing.
I was already on my journey of learning about WORSHIP when I began to understand that God will use any and all willing vessels; after all we are all just "jars of clay" in the Master's Hand and if we are His servants, He will use us to bless and guide others. Marty had been chosen to guide me that night. But like hearing the Shepherd's voice, we must be wanting to "listen". I had been in music ministry; choirs, solos, duets, groups (in contemporary, classical, sacred and even Southern Gospel) for many years. Worship music was new to me. As a budding songwriter, (I had written a few ditties for friends and a few praise choruses) I loved Marty's rendition of the Psalms; they "comforted my soul", I got to share that with him. It was at another church that I felt the calling and commission to "lead worship". It was when Marty was singing "And to behold the Beauty of the Lord, the beauty of the Lord, you're beautiful, My Lord". ("One Thing I have asked of the Lord", from the "I call you friend" album) that I had to quickly turn my head away, averting my eyes, partly in slight embarrassment, part in deep reverence and I whispered "Oh, Lord, I can't look upon him, he is LOVING You!"...and I heard that still small voice reply "How will they know how to worship Me unless they see it?". I gulped. My fate was sealed. My destiny, confirmed.
Worship leading and songwriting has seemed to go hand in hand. I am yet asked to lead a worship song or prayer that I have "written", on the cuff as they say and it is a great joy to have been given that gift and even greater joy to use it. But some of the greatest blessings I have with Voice of the Shepherd is the wonderful synergy; an energy and connection that happens in a songwriting team when collaborators just "flow" together. It happens in leading worship also. We have become attuned with the Spirit of God and then listening with musically and spiritually enlightened ears (for music of the faith that is) collaboration can happen in ways that very few people may experience in life. I've often said that singing, leading worship and songwriting have been and will always when I feel the "most alive", and I think that is because I am working the gifts that I have been given and seeing the fruit that only God can grow in us when we yield to Him.
I also learned that you don't need to know about the personal life of a songwriting partner. Jeff will confirm that we probably we may not even know as much personal information about each other as most acquaintances. But I have to THANK GOD for this most pure musical/spiritual partnership that I have ever had with anyone in my life. A songwriting partnership is rare; a good one is even more rare. The joy of songwriting and leading worship for me has always been and always will be absolute magic, the power of the Holy Spirit to use two "jars of clay", then three when we joined together as Voice of the Shepherd, to do things that we did not know that we were capable of doing. And honestly, I 'm pretty sure that "we don't think" about it; we just love God, follow the teaching and example of Yeshua and serve humankind with the LOVE of GOD. What comes out; is what the Lord has put in us and what we have dedicated to Him and His service.
Why is the group called "Voice of the Shepherd"? It is fittingly named because we desire to write songs and sing The Word of God in music..we want to hear His Voice...and we hope that in listening to our music, you will hear His Voice as well.
May the Blessings that only come through Yeshua, Our Messiah be yours now and for always.
