I BELONG (album version)

Good morning, everyone. I’m posting a tune today I had shared in an earlier video, but this is an updated, album version of the song. I spent over a decade every summer traveling up the mountain to our annual Youth Camp with middle-school age kids from all over the LA area, and this song was inspired by Psalm 84 and those trips up the mountain. Many of those kids have grown up and now serve the church in other ways, and this past week I was invited up to sing this song with them at teen camp as well as sharing a bit about my health journey this year. It was so powerful to be surrounded by young people singing this with all their hearts, many with tears, some kneeling in prayer, all crying out to God in commitment and love.

As the psalmist reflected on a sparrow building a home close to God’s altar, I encourage you to meditate on the words of Psalm 84 and then spend some time in prayer and in this song, being reminded of your Creator’s love for you and of staying near Him. Personally I join the sons of Korah (this psalm is attributed to them), worship leaders who had grown up “in church” in celebrating my identity among God’s people. Even though I received my faith through my parents and others in my community who have gone before me, connection to God soon became my own and has carried me through my life. There is nowhere I’d rather be than in His presence, among His people.  I am so glad that my future is secure with Him, where “I know I belong.”

Oh, and one more quick note on this recording. I was able to capture some tracks of us doing the song up at Youth Camp as I reference above, so this recording includes Kris Lumowah on drums, Jay Minor on keys, Traci Minor on violin, Simon Sapinoso on electric guitar, and Lukas and Aleesha Perez on backing vocals, recorded as we were singing the song with the campers.

---