Thoughts from a Musician's Heart

PERFECT PEACE by James Hettinga

“You keep him in perfect peace

whose mind is stayed on you,

because he trusts in you.

Trust in the LORD forever,

for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.”

Isaiah 26:3-4 ESV

I have been performing with my cello since I was four years old. One thing that has

almost always been a part of my musical performances is prayer, a habit instilled in me by my

family. Before each performance, I ask God to bless what I am about to do and to use me for His

glory.

Over the course of 22 years, some prayers have been more involved while others have

been the simple phrase: “God, help me.” As I reflect on the performances when I have prayed

and sought God’s blessing, it did not seem to dramatically change the outcome in terms of how

many notes I hit, or didn’t hit, how in tune, or out of tune, etc. But it definitely gave me more

peace and clarity of mind each time I took the stage and placed my bow on the string.

One such moment was my audition for the U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own.” In the

year leading up to my audition, I abandoned my pursuit of a professional performance career for

two reasons: the uncertain and alarming circumstances in the music world during the pandemic

and closed doors for further education.

However, earlier that year, my now-wife, Gloria, encouraged me to pray and ask God how

He wanted to use my gift with cello. I took her advice and prayed about it every day.

A couple weeks later, a friend reached out and shared about the upcoming Army band audition.

I was thrilled to hear of the open position and through prayer was able to sense God’s direction

in moving forward with the audition.

When it came time for the audition itself, I had a preliminary round, semifinal, and final

round, including an interview, to get through before being offered the job. I was the last to play

for both the semifinal and final rounds, which gave me more time than I needed to warm up on

the instrument.

I pulled out my Bible from my backpack, opened to Psalm 127, and started to read how

“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain,” and read on how

one of the ways God can bless His people is to give them children, and that we eat the fruit of the

labor of our hands (Psalm 127-128). I was engaged to my wife, Gloria, at the time, and I prayed

to God and left the outcome of the audition to Him.

I felt perfect peace through those rounds and was later told I was the only hireable candidate

that day by a near-unanimous vote. I continue to have colleagues mention how clear the decision

was for them.

What an answer to prayer!

God has seen fit to bless Gloria and me with two children in the past three years and allow

me to continue to perform as the means to provide for my family. Prayer isn’t a magic spell, but

it shaped my heart and mind that day, and God gave me peace in a crucial moment that has now

led to great fruit in my life and in my family.