I turned 44 on Saturday. In the past, birthdays have been somewhat of a disappointment for me. I often feel like my birthday needs to be some magnificient celebratory day where I do something out of the ordinary, but that rarely happens. Life goes on. I work, I clean, I do the mom thing and birthdays tend to be like any other day.

Saturday was one of those ordinary birthdays, except for one thing. This time I came into my birthday after spending a week with some of my dearest friends, in my favorite place, doing what I love best, and surrounded by my favorite musicians. The Light the World: Birthing Your Destiny Retreat held April 20-23, 2010 in Zion National Park is still filling me with love and light.

I feel as if God gave me the greatest birthday present possible. It was incredible watching Him work His miracles in the lives of the 15 participants and to know it wasn’t us as presenters — that it was the Lord and His heavenly hosts at work in the lives of these women. I came away with 15 new friends whom I love dearly and a deeper relationship with my own daughter. Not only that, but I have an entire DVD full of gorgeous music.

From a young age music has been a critical part of my life. Music filled our home. My mother made sure of that. I started piano lessons at 5 (even though you’d never know it now). I love music. It expresses the deepest feelings of my heart. And no one captures the essence of what I’ve felt over the last couple weeks the way Sheldon Pickering and Jamie Bartschi do. Below are a few videos of them performing at the retreat. I thank the Lord for bringing these talented people into my life. What a priceless treasure!

Sheldon Pickering & Jamie Bartschi perform, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

Sheldon Pickering & Jamie Bartschi playing “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”

Jamie singing my theme song, “I Believe I Can Fly.”

More music is posted on my Power of Gratitude blog here.