Joe Arnold

Ever see Joe Arnold on the Louisville news? He's on WHAS-11. Every time I see him pop on TV I think about the summers I spent a great amount of time with him. We were in a program called, "Youth Sing Praise". It was a musical theater program that was offered by Our Lady of the Snows Shrine in Belleville, IL. You had to send in an audition tape. There were about 50 of us chosen if I remember right. The first year we did "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat" and the second we did an original called, "David, Champion of Israel." Those were two of the most amazing summers I have ever had. During "David", we woke up one morning to find that Dave Brubeck had written a new song for us. We were going to the recording studio that afternoon. We had a busy morning learning this awesome song. This brings me to the reason of my post. The song repeated, over and over, "Blessed be the Lord, my Rock, my Refuge, and my Fortress. My stronghold, my deliverer, the Shield in whom I trust!" Wow, I can still sing that day as if I were rehearsing with my friends. I can sing it over and over again. Do I mean what I sing? Do I really trust Him? I try so hard, but it is never easy. It is so difficult when so many things are being hurled your way by the evildoer. I pray for the ability to trust. I pray that I can stop trying to take on the stresses of life myself. I am not able. I can only survived with Him as my rock, my refuge, my fortress!