Wanting to Play the Drums
by Kristina Flores, Children’s Ministry Manager
As a kid, I always wanted to learn how to play an instrument. I learned the flute, the piano, and barely half of “Hot Cross Buns” on the recorder. In school, we had to play the recorder in music class, and I was terrible at it. I dreaded those classes. To this day, I don’t know why it was so hard for me, especially since I could already play the piano and the flute. I never earned a ribbon, and “Hot Cross Buns” still haunts me.
Recently, though, I’ve found myself drawn to the drums. Watching my supervisor, Patrique, learn piano and seeing how effortlessly the drummer at my church plays inspired me to try something new. There’s something powerful about drums, the rhythm, the energy, the way it carries the entire song. It doesn’t just sit in the background; it moves everything forward. I want to be a part of that.
So I pulled up a video on YouTube, ready to give it a shot, and almost instantly, I felt like I was back in elementary school again.
Why can’t my hands do what other people’s hands can?
It looked so simple when someone else was doing it. But when I tried, my hands wouldn’t cooperate. One would speed up, the other would slow down, and everything just fell apart. I felt defeated, discouraged, and frustrated. I know learning a new skill isn’t supposed to be easy, but it was so humbling in a way I didn’t expect.
Part of me wanted to quit right then and there. To close the video, laugh it off, and move on. But another part of me kept thinking about why I wanted to learn in the first place.
I’ve been praying about it, half-hoping I’d wake up one day and magically know how to play. But deep down, I know it doesn’t work like that. If I really want this, I have to show up for it. I have to practice, even when it sounds bad. I have to be patient, even when progress feels slow.
I want to do this for God. I want to feel the rhythm of worship in my bones, to not just hear the music, but to help create it. I want to grow in a way that stretches me, even if it’s uncomfortable.
I hope to one day look back, maybe even from a stage, and realize this wasn’t a setback at all, but the beginning of something meaningful. A challenge that pushed me past my comfort zone. A moment that taught me how to keep going, even when things don’t come easily.
But for now, I’m back at the drawing board, trying to figure out where to start with the drums. Any advice is welcome!
Key Dates in 2026
Trimester 2:
New Volunteer Orientation: Interested in serving with immigrant and refugee kids, youth, or adults in KCK? Come learn more about Mission Adelante and the work we do on Saturday, May 16th at 9am. Register here.