A Journey to Worship

I remember the exact moment I decided what I wanted to do when I grew up. I was sitting in the backseat of my parents green, 70 's Ford LTD (Saaaawwweeett!). I was seven, going on eight, and my mom, brother, and I were waiting in the car for my dad to pay the bill at the little cafeteria in our neighborhood we frequented. I remember I was singing along to a tape mom had going and was staring out the window. After the song was over, mom looked back at me and said, "Honey, you sang that song really nicely. You have a great voice!"

It's amazing the power of a parents words. Those words changed my life from that moment and gave me a vision for my future. I remember thinking to myself that I wanted to sing. And not just sing, but be really good at it. A couple months later I began voice lessons. I worked really hard and practiced every day. I continued taking lessons from various people up until high school.

Then, the real training began.

I began taking lessons from Tommy through high school and college. I was beginning to lose confidence in my vocal capabilities as my voice was unpredictable and inconsistent as a teenager. Tommy was one of those people who encouraged me to do my best despite my teen aged, squeaky voice. He wouldn't put up with my pathetic self-pity and pushed me to do what he knew I capable of. I am grateful for the training I had with him. I learned how to really sing.

One of the things that Tommy taught me has stuck with me over the years and was this: God gives the gift of musicality. How great it is to take this gift and improve upon it. Not only does this advance our talent, but it honors God by acknowledging and doing our part to refine the gift. I LOVE that!

After college and getting married, I knew I wanted to do something with my singing and I also knew I wanted to use my voice for God in some way, but honestly, I really didn't have a clue what direction I should take. Da Hubby and I decided to join a church near our home and both became part of the worship team there. A couple of years later the church hired a new worship leader by the name of Sparrow.

God used Sparrow to change my whole perception of singing about Him. In fact, he changed my whole concept of what worship is and how I needed to incorporate that into my life. Singing from that moment on became a side issue and worship came to the front and center of my life.

Sparrow helped me focus first, on my own daily walk with Christ. Living worship as a"lifestyle." Then, draw others to Christ through worship leading, ultimately helping to establish and/or grow other's relationship with Jesus.

I now use my voice to worship and praise my awesome God. Not just sing about Him, but to and for Him alone. Vocalizing my adoration of Him spills over from my desire to worship Him in ALL aspects of my life, not just when I am holding a microphone or listening to music.

I know why God led my mom to make that comment almost 30 years ago that first peeked my interest to be a singer. I see why I went through all the years of training with Tommy and others to be able to sing properly and effectively. I look back and understand why Sparrow was in my life to mentor me and prepare my heart to be a leader. I needed all of those things because my heart craves and hungers to worship an Almighty God who loves me more than I can imagine. Using my voice as a tool, a vehicle, I worship Him, not because He forces me to, but because I want to. I really want to. I hope those who hear me sing don't see some chick who has a voice, but a face that reflects gratitude to and amazement of my Heavenly Father.

All those things that have led me to this point, have sent me on journey to worship my Saviour. Along the way, God used and is using certain people to align my footsteps to the right paths to take to get to my destination. I am still traveling and all the while on the way I will continue to commune with my God. I am grateful for the privilege to openly live my life for Him.

I love Him, I love Him, I love Him.