I’d Rather Have…

“There is a young girl coming by with her parents. She is going to attend Boston University in the fall as a voice major. Since I am the Songster Leader, I would like to show her around our corps. There are many corps around and I just know God would Rather have her here.” These were my words of introduction to Annalise. Shari, who was on her way to training, was prayerfully looking for her replacement. She had begun a small group and put her heart and soul into her vision. Now, she was desirious that it continued.

Annalise came to Cambridge. At first she came just on Sundays. You would know what time it was by her entrance. She would quietly slip into her seat and was gone after the service. There were so many other places she could have been. The first year of college is always busy, yet God would Rather have her attending.

One Sunday I asked if she would sing. A voice major must have a song to sing. She said she would practice and let me know. The next week she said, “I can sing four weeks from now.” She needed no accompaniment or amplification, and from her small stature came a voice, which reached to the depths of each heart listening. A beautiful song! Now I know she could have sung any song, but God would Rather have this particular song.

Soon she began to give herself to those in the corps. She began to love without counting the cost; just the way God would Rather have it. Shari’s prayers were answered, and as she went off to training, Annalise took the leadership of the newly formed group of singers. She also was part of the nucleus who started The Cambridge Worship Team. She encouraged other talent in our corps. Cambridge is a corps where talented men and women commence their service and then move on to their God appointed tasks. And that’s the way God would Rather have it. Mark Hood, Billy Francis, Ken Lau and so many others. Then one summer she wasn’t there. She was off to Africa, because God would Rather have her broaden her vision. She was graduating and when she came back, what then? I couldn’t think of a better place for her to use her abilities than here – Cambridge. She became the Music Director and Administrative Assistant. She endeared herself to us and became an intricate part of The Cambridge Corps. She became part of the ministry team leading men and women to new life in Christ. She became part of our family, part of us.

We were planning a Corps Retreat. Our focus was “Spiritual Gifts.” She had lots of dreams and plans. What did God want for her? Would it be a master’s education in voice, a career in the spotlight, a young man? God would Rather have her give back her talents to Him. He would Rather have her totally for His service. That is what she declared at the conclusion of the retreat.

Now she has the right young man, the warmth of God’s spotlight, with a diploma from The Salvation Army School for Officers’ Training. What was that song she sang? What was the message she proclaimed to the congregation that morning and many times hence? What is God’s message from Annalise?

“I’d Rather Have Jesus, Than Anything this World Affords to Own!”