When we think about how God uses His people to meet specific needs, things like sharing the Gospel in distant places often come to mind. That may be true in some cases, but many times He places unexpected opportunities right in front of us. It just requires opening our eyes to see them.
Caroline Wood saw one of those opportunities last year.
Having learned the piano and bass guitar as a kid, Caroline played with her church’s youth worship band throughout middle and high school. Following college, she began playing with the Worship Ministry at Southeast’s Prospect Campus on the weekends. Although Caroline sings and plays multiple instruments, her desire simply was to serve wherever needed.
“Throughout my life, I have seen time and time again that life is so much better when God is in the center,” she said. “His presence in my life makes me want to give and serve as much as I can so that others can experience the same joy. His plan for each of us is so much better than anything we could imagine, and He can use us in ways we never see coming.”
Caroline’s openness to serving however God wants to use her opened the door to another opportunity.
One weekend, while talking with Prospect Campus Worship Leader Ben Sullivan, Caroline learned that Southeast’s Worship Ministry needed more drummers. She immediately felt a nudge in her heart.
“He wasn’t asking any of us to step up, but I instantly knew that it was something the Lord was calling me to,” she said. “I didn’t know how it would turn out, but I trusted that if it was something God wanted me to do, it would be good.
“I ordered a drum set after church that day, but I didn’t get the chance to practice very much once it was delivered,” Caroline continued. “On a Tuesday a few weeks later, Ben jokingly asked me to play the drums for Sunday service. I took him seriously and ended up playing for service a few days later. It’s crazy how quickly everything happened, but the Lord perfectly orchestrated everything.”
Seeing the need in front of her, Caroline didn’t shy away from the sacrifice needed to learn the drums, especially that quickly. Besides the financial cost, it required a commitment of her time, help from her community, and prayer. She said it was all worth it to serve the church and, most importantly, God.
“I think half of the battle is willingness to be a vessel for what God may be calling us to,” Caroline said. “It’s easy to get caught up in technicalities of the unknown, but it’s incredible what He can do through us as long as we are willing to be used. It might cause discomfort at first, but the Lord can do amazing things through us if we just say yes.”
Whether it be playing an instrument she learned years ago or one she just picked up, Caroline is “grateful and humbled” to be able to serve in the Worship Ministry and knows that she only has that opportunity because of God.
“My years being involved in worship have been so beautifully orchestrated that only He could be the Author of the story,” she said. “I look forward to learning more and seeing what the Lord does next—to Him be the glory!”