- G
Dear Friend,
I’m reaching out to you because God has placed a special opportunity before me. After receiving an email about Bethel Music’s WorshipU On Campus Worship Intensive, I felt a stirring to apply for this unique opportunity to develop as a musician, songwriter and worship leader. As Bethel describes it, “WorshipU On Campus is a two-week intensive held in Redding, California for worship: leaders, songwriters, musicians and creatives. Taught by the Bethel Music Collective and guest instructors, WorshipU On Campus is a transformational time to grow in your craft and cultivate a deeper connection to God through worship, teaching and training.” After applying and being accepted, I’ve prayed and believe God wants me to seize this opportunity. I am prayerfully requesting that those who believe in me would be willing to support me in making this opportunity possible.
Along with the tuition, there are also travel expenses: my flight, expenses for bringing along my equipment, lodging, ground transportation, materials and more. I would be so grateful for your financial support. I truly see this experience as a diamond. There are so many angles that will shed so much light in many different areas of ministry that I am currently a part of and I believe even for things that are yet to come for me personally, our Creative Team and for Life Church. I look forward to applying myself and diving in and obtaining as much as I can from this intensive. I believe all I obtain will allow me to continue to refine my gifts and give even more as I serve God.
Why Bethel? Over the last six months or so I have had a really big draw and connection to Bethel’s teachings and worship. If I was to describe it would be like that verse in the Bible that says “deep cries out to deep.” I had been in a season of growth and development at a rapid pace. Bethel’s music and teachings where stirring something in my spirit - things that I did not fully understand or could even grasp at the time. But it was feeding my spirit and calling me a little bit deeper, to depths within myself I have yet to discover.
Recently, I went through a season where my insomnia was really bad. I’d be up until 6am every night. In those times, I would watch different teachings by Bethel and just play their worship in the background. There was one song in particular called “Have It All” which I fell asleep to on repeat for about a month straight. It gave words to the state of my soul. My spirit was crying out “you can have it all Lord, every part of my world. Take this life and breathe on, this heart that is now Yours.” I didn't yet know how to really surrender my whole heart but I knew I wanted to so I just played that song over myself. It took me through this process of surrendering my heart, my wants and my will to God. In that season, I remember a shift in my posture towards the things of the Lord. The desire to surrender it all to God took me deeper in my walk and set me on this course of hunger for God's Word and I fell in love with it. Brian Johnson talked of a dark season he went through in writing that song and I could totally relate with him. The words of that song met me where I was and then set me on a new course.
Then, I think of their recent album, “Victory!,” How timely and powerful those songs are; even then prophesying to situations we would begin to walk through. They give tools to overcome “my weapon is a melody.” As I expressed my love for that album to my Senior Pastor, Randy Landis, he challenged me to pick a song from that album and write a sermon on it. Fast forward a few months and I found myself standing in front of our church during Midweek preaching that very message. God used Bethel’s album and the discernment of my Pastor to draw something out of me that I didn't even realize was there - something that helped people and called me to a deeper level.
I can’t even really begin to imagine what God will do in and through me if I am able to seize this opportunity and participate in Bethel’s WorshipU On Campus. I love the idea of being able to devote 10 days solely to being in God's presence, being poured into and learning to steward my giftings and possibly even discover/uncover some new ones. I have grown and learned so much from Bethel’s worship and creatives from a distance through a computer screen but nothing can compare to the type of growth and understanding I would experience actually being there; hands-on with some of the best church Creatives around: Chris Tomlin, Brooke Ligertwood, Tasha Cobbs, Elevation Worship and more. In addition to songwriting and practical music sessions, I look forward to sitting under teachings focused on how to continue to cultivate my gifts and my relationship with Jesus and what it’s like to be a creative working in full-time ministry. I am excited about the opportunity to spend time with creatives walking through similar challenges as me and learn how they are navigating and what they do when they lose their footing and how they use their creative gifts to find the solid place to land again. I also want to discover how they use the gifts they have been blessed with to fight their battles. For all of these reasons, I will return better able to support our Creative Team, Worship Team and fellow musicians.
WorshipU On Campus is taking place in Redding, California from July 8 - 19, 2019. My goal is to raise $2,999.99 by July 1 for the expenses mentioned above as an investment in my development as a musician, songwriter and woman who is devoting herself to allowing God to work through her. Any amount helps and would be greatly appreciated.
If you would be willing to invest in me, I would be so thankful. Though it’s a little awkward for me to ask for financial support, this is something I really believe in and I am asking you to partner with me to make it possible.
Thank you for even considering supporting me as I follow God’s prompting. Regardless of a financial gift, I am, of course, asking you to cover me in prayer.
Sincerely,
Zakiah Hudson
I’m reaching out to you because God has placed a special opportunity before me. After receiving an email about Bethel Music’s WorshipU On Campus Worship Intensive, I felt a stirring to apply for this unique opportunity to develop as a musician, songwriter and worship leader. As Bethel describes it, “WorshipU On Campus is a two-week intensive held in Redding, California for worship: leaders, songwriters, musicians and creatives. Taught by the Bethel Music Collective and guest instructors, WorshipU On Campus is a transformational time to grow in your craft and cultivate a deeper connection to God through worship, teaching and training.” After applying and being accepted, I’ve prayed and believe God wants me to seize this opportunity. I am prayerfully requesting that those who believe in me would be willing to support me in making this opportunity possible.
Along with the tuition, there are also travel expenses: my flight, expenses for bringing along my equipment, lodging, ground transportation, materials and more. I would be so grateful for your financial support. I truly see this experience as a diamond. There are so many angles that will shed so much light in many different areas of ministry that I am currently a part of and I believe even for things that are yet to come for me personally, our Creative Team and for Life Church. I look forward to applying myself and diving in and obtaining as much as I can from this intensive. I believe all I obtain will allow me to continue to refine my gifts and give even more as I serve God.
Why Bethel? Over the last six months or so I have had a really big draw and connection to Bethel’s teachings and worship. If I was to describe it would be like that verse in the Bible that says “deep cries out to deep.” I had been in a season of growth and development at a rapid pace. Bethel’s music and teachings where stirring something in my spirit - things that I did not fully understand or could even grasp at the time. But it was feeding my spirit and calling me a little bit deeper, to depths within myself I have yet to discover.
Recently, I went through a season where my insomnia was really bad. I’d be up until 6am every night. In those times, I would watch different teachings by Bethel and just play their worship in the background. There was one song in particular called “Have It All” which I fell asleep to on repeat for about a month straight. It gave words to the state of my soul. My spirit was crying out “you can have it all Lord, every part of my world. Take this life and breathe on, this heart that is now Yours.” I didn't yet know how to really surrender my whole heart but I knew I wanted to so I just played that song over myself. It took me through this process of surrendering my heart, my wants and my will to God. In that season, I remember a shift in my posture towards the things of the Lord. The desire to surrender it all to God took me deeper in my walk and set me on this course of hunger for God's Word and I fell in love with it. Brian Johnson talked of a dark season he went through in writing that song and I could totally relate with him. The words of that song met me where I was and then set me on a new course.
Then, I think of their recent album, “Victory!,” How timely and powerful those songs are; even then prophesying to situations we would begin to walk through. They give tools to overcome “my weapon is a melody.” As I expressed my love for that album to my Senior Pastor, Randy Landis, he challenged me to pick a song from that album and write a sermon on it. Fast forward a few months and I found myself standing in front of our church during Midweek preaching that very message. God used Bethel’s album and the discernment of my Pastor to draw something out of me that I didn't even realize was there - something that helped people and called me to a deeper level.
I can’t even really begin to imagine what God will do in and through me if I am able to seize this opportunity and participate in Bethel’s WorshipU On Campus. I love the idea of being able to devote 10 days solely to being in God's presence, being poured into and learning to steward my giftings and possibly even discover/uncover some new ones. I have grown and learned so much from Bethel’s worship and creatives from a distance through a computer screen but nothing can compare to the type of growth and understanding I would experience actually being there; hands-on with some of the best church Creatives around: Chris Tomlin, Brooke Ligertwood, Tasha Cobbs, Elevation Worship and more. In addition to songwriting and practical music sessions, I look forward to sitting under teachings focused on how to continue to cultivate my gifts and my relationship with Jesus and what it’s like to be a creative working in full-time ministry. I am excited about the opportunity to spend time with creatives walking through similar challenges as me and learn how they are navigating and what they do when they lose their footing and how they use their creative gifts to find the solid place to land again. I also want to discover how they use the gifts they have been blessed with to fight their battles. For all of these reasons, I will return better able to support our Creative Team, Worship Team and fellow musicians.
WorshipU On Campus is taking place in Redding, California from July 8 - 19, 2019. My goal is to raise $2,999.99 by July 1 for the expenses mentioned above as an investment in my development as a musician, songwriter and woman who is devoting herself to allowing God to work through her. Any amount helps and would be greatly appreciated.
If you would be willing to invest in me, I would be so thankful. Though it’s a little awkward for me to ask for financial support, this is something I really believe in and I am asking you to partner with me to make it possible.
Thank you for even considering supporting me as I follow God’s prompting. Regardless of a financial gift, I am, of course, asking you to cover me in prayer.
Sincerely,
Zakiah Hudson