“I will bless the Lord at all times;

His praise shall continually be in my mouth

My soul makes its boast in the Lord;

let the humble hear and be glad. 

Oh, magnify the Lord with me,

and let us exalt his name together!”

-Psalm 34: 1-3

What is worship? What is the purpose behind it, and why do we do it?

As someone who serves on a worship team, I’ve often been asked these questions. 

What is worship?

Worship is more than the first twenty minutes of the church service and more than the intricate guitar riff and drum solo. Worship is one of the most selfless acts of kindness we can offer God. 

The word worship is defined as the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration towards a deity. In other words, it’s a musical way of thanking and telling God how good He is and how much we love Him. 

To be clear, though, worship is more than just singing songs to Him. It is a way of living. In Romans, Paul writes in chapter 12:1, “I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” In blatant terms – worship calls for a more profound action than just singing to Him.

Worship involves us presenting ourselves as living sacrifices, but it also involves us presenting ourselves as individual sacrifices. In the proper form of prayer, all the focus is on Christ, which calls for us to remove all of our doubts, worries, fears, business, etc., from the forefront of our minds so that all we think about, see, and feel is Christ. Worship calls for us to humble ourselves before the King so that we can partake in clear communication with Him. 

So- while we know what worship is, why do we do it? What is the purpose of it?

The overall purpose of worship is to praise God because He is worthy of all praise (Psalm 145:1), but inside the general purpose of worship is a mini-reason for why we praise Him. God is good – all the time-so why not tell Him that as much as we can? 

From the first chapter in Genesis to the end of Revelation, it is very transparent that we as humans were simply made to worship. We were made to rejoice in the Lord and the love that we undeservingly receive. In this, we complete what we are made for when we worship. We fulfill our purpose. Through the process of praise, we are also refreshed- returned to God’s radio. True worship allows for the communication line between Christ and us to be cleared up and focused on. 

We worship because it is what we were made for. 

As a worship leader, I have seen many lives change from participating in worship. I’ve seen the Holy Spirit move and work in those who fully surrender to Christ in worship. I love everything true worship is about. So, whether it’s a few songs at a church service or just one in your car on your way to work, worship Him. I promise your day will be better from it!!

I’ve been living this Celiac life for almost eight years now. Nonetheless, the other day I made what I would call a rookie mistake.

My husband told me not to.

More than once.

He warned me.

But I still did it.

I guess I thought I was suddenly immune.

I reached into this fried fish basket [with glutenous toast] and took a french fry. A single gluten free french fry. Apparently said french fry had touched the fish or the toast.

Within the hour I was sick. I mean sick sick. Yes, the gluten issue is that extreme for me. As I sprawled out in the back seat unable to move or sit up, said husband – that had warned me not to eat the dang french fry in the first place – played Randy Travis’ “I Told You So” ever so lovingly.

I didn’t eat the fish.

I didn’t eat the bread.

But I got close enough to the thing that’s not supposed to enter into my body that I was cross contaminated. A crumb so tiny that you couldn’t even see it wrecked unimaginable havoc on my body.

I got close enough.

Isn’t that just like sin?

It creeps in undetected.

And isn’t that just like a human?

We think we can skirt on the edge of sin – dancing around it while not really partaking in it – and not be affected.

Don’t let down your guard.

Just because you’re a Christian doesn’t mean you are suddenly immune to sin.

But it certainly means that you know better.

Set boundaries.

Stick to those boundaries.

Heed the warnings.

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

Lately I have found myself picking up an old habit that I was once so enslaved to for a season that I would make myself sick and the only treatment was a pill and being rocked by Mrs. D in the school office.

Worry will do that.

We freely talk about worry with a grown up word called anxiety. It’s a loaded topic and means different things to different people. But I am wondering something. Can we do this? As in, do Christ followers have freedom to worry? Worry has served as both my comfy couch at times and my jail cell at others, so I don’t ask this question lightly.

Philippians 4:6 starts out with this directive, “Do not be anxious about anything.” Thankfully with that directive we also have a an “instead.” Next we read, “but in everything by prayer and supplication (the action of asking or begging for something earnestly or humbly) with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” And then, in the following verse, we learn of an exchange. “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Don’t do THAT, instead do THIS, and in return, you’ll experience the Better Thing.

I remember sitting at that women’s conference several years ago and the main speaker told us that worrying tells God we don’t trust Him.

To be honest, that kinda makes me mad. I certainly don’t want to communicate a distrust OF God TO God. And, maybe it’s excused in my case. I have lived a life that warrants a lot of worry, if you ask me. Can I be excused from this command? Or, at least bend the rules a little? Worry deceives with this edgy comfort that makes me feel like I’m in some kind of control. If I can just think about it enough, then I still have a say.

I read a statement this week in regards to Philippians 4:6 that shook me out of this mental trap I’ve been in for a few weeks.

The author* wrote, “There will never be a circumstance in which you are obligated to worry.”

I can care about people and circumstances, but I don’t have to be a slave to mentally manifesting the outcomes for all. Now THIS is what I want to be free to do.

Also, that word “guard” as part of the exchange of worry for peace?

Guard: to guard, protect by a military guard, either to prevent hostile invasion, or to keep the inhabitants of a besieged city from flight

I will never have a circumstance in which I’m obligated to worry, but instead will pray over my concerns. And along the journey, the peace of God, albeit a thing I don’t understand but gladly accept, will protect my heart and mind from the hostile invasion of What If and What Will and What Now and What Next. Amen?

*Rest and War by Ben Stewart

Our ladies group at church is going through a study that starts off in the wilderness. When I got to Ezekiel 36:34 I felt compelled to verse map, or dig deep, into that particular scripture.

And man I’m glad that I did.

“And the land that was desolate shall be tilled, instead of being the desolation that it was in the sight of all who passed by.” Ezekiel 36:34

I’m from Texas. I know what the word till means, right? But until I dug – no pun intended – into exactly what it meant for this scripture I didn’t fully comprehend what God was communicating through His word to me. That’s the power of verse mapping.

To till means to aggravate or agitate the land. And while that desolate land is being disrupted, roots – things unseen – are being lifted up and taken out. What’s taking up that space now? Organic matter. Aka living matter.

Let that soak in.

Living matter. Living water. A living God.

So when you’re walking through what seems like a desolate time in your life, and you feel like everything is in disarray – just remember that God is at work. He is disrupting everything for a purpose. He is going to take out all of the bad roots and fill that empty, desolate space with himself. The living God. Living matter.

Praise God in the wilderness, sister. He’s doing a work He is preparing you for something better.

Do you feel like the trials and tribulations of this life are more than you can handle? Maybe you even feel like God has removed His mercy and grace from your life or better yet from this world.

We live in such a fallen world full of sickness, sorrow, evil, and death that it can be so overwhelming at times. If we are not careful we can easily get lost in the despair of it all! We want to question God and ask why?

“Why am I so discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again- my savior and my God.” Psalm 42:11

Well, I think it’s time we take a praise break!!!

Praise you Jesus that this fallen world is not our home! Thank you God that You sent your only son, Jesus Christ, to save us from our sins! All glory to You Father because You are sovereign, aware of everything going on right now, and You remain in full control!

You know our past, present, and future! Praise you Lord for the peace, mercy, and grace you so freely give us! You are our Healer, Protector, Provider, Jehovah-jireh, Yahweh, our Savior!!! Hallelujah that no weapon formed against me shall prosper! You reign!! You are the God of the universe! Praise you Lord that You are the same yesterday and today and forever! Thank you Jesus that when I am fearful I can put my trust in you. You are my rescuer, my deliverer, my shield of protection! You are the everlasting God, our creator!! Hallelujah!!

“Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day He carries us in His arms.” Psalm 68:19

Wow!! Just that little bit of a praise break makes all the difference to me. There is so much power in praising our Savior! Even in the hard times when fear and doubt creep in, praise renews our spirit and in turn will fill us with joy and peace. Praise turns our attention away from the despair in this world and gets the focus off of ourselves and back to God.

It reminds us that He is sovereign and in full control. Nothing can touch us unless He allows it and if He allows it, He will supply us with everything we need to endure whatever comes our way. Not only does our praise bless God, it is giving Him our best. He actually commands us to offer praise to Him. Praise causes God’s favor and love to shine on us and in turn we then can pass that love and blessings onto others.

“Therefore , let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to His name. And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.” Psalm 13: 15-16

Hard times will come and go, but our praise should stay the same. When we are in a state of constant praise we won’t have time to doubt and fear because we are giving our everything to God, believing with our faith, that He is in control of it all!!

Since this is a no judgement zone let me give y’all a shameful admission of who I used to be and who I am now.

In college one of my side hustles was teaching aerobics. I loved to exercise, and it’s literally all I did. Fast forward twenty years, and it’s the last thing I want to do. The last thing I’m gonna do. Shameful, I know.

Back then I loved to see how I could transform the different parts of my body. Which muscles I could bring more definition to by doing different workouts.

My how life has changed. Now I just want to watch HGTV and read.

I digress.

I was verse-mapping Philippians 2:12 the other day. My a-ha moment was when I looked up “work out” in the Greek. Work out your on salvation literally means to activate or to fashion your own salvation.

How can we work out or fashion our own salvation:

▪️praise and worship

▪️reading the Bible

▪️praying

▪️fellowship

▪️attending church

Guys, put in the work. If you truly want to live your best life this is how you do it. You work out what matters – and that my friends is your salvation. It will be hard, but it will also be worth it.

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,” Philippians 2:12

So, this is how I picture an interview with Eve could have gone.
Me: Hello, Eve. I’d like to ask you a few questions. Can you tell me about the recent events leading up to yours and Adam’s relocation from The Garden District?
Eve: Well, one day I was just minding my own business, tending to the garden (my absolute favorite thing to do). You know, the soil there was so rich and perfect for growing anything. Our current location has rocky, hard ground. Talk about back- breaking work to get stuff to grow! So, like I said, I was just doing my usual stuff, like planting and weeding, when this serpent struck up a conversation. He seemed so genuine when he inquired about how I was doing and what I thought about my life within The Garden District. I shared how blessed and happy we were to be living in such a perfect place. To know we were chosen to oversee such beautiful surroundings of lush, green vegetation, trees, flowers, and all kinds of creatures great and small. You know, Adam was chosen to name all the creatures. Pretty cool, right? Well, I had never thought there was anything missing in our lives or even questioned God. You see, Adam and I were allowed access to all things, except the fruit from this one tree in the garden. By the way he spoke, the serpent obviously knew this as well. The more he talked about what this one tree could possibly offer, the more I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I began to ponder things like “What if I stay within the boundaries that were created for Adam and I?” “What if we are missing out?” “Could we have more?” “Could we have a different life?” Question after question came. Scenario after scenario played out until I made the choice to eat of that tree.
Me: So, what I hear you saying is that this one thing the serpent highlighted caused you to question your trust in God and His plans? And, because you doubted God, you took matters into your own hands believing your way was better?
Eve: Yes, looking back now, I see that while I knew how to plant seeds to grow vegetables and herbs, that serpent knew how to plant seeds in my mind. Seeds that would distract me from my purpose. Thoughts grew into feelings of dissatisfaction and doubt. The results had consequences, which is why Adam and I now find ourselves removed from the place that was created for us. All of sudden, what was good didn’t appear that way.
The interview will continue, but let’s fast forward to today.
This is what I could currently and honestly tell Eve… Girl, the struggle is real! Although I’m not standing in a garden conversing with a serpent, I am bombarded daily with messages, pictures, posts, and tweets. All of these things constantly have

opportunities to influence me to question everything about my life. They can easily point out that “one thing”. “Do I have the right ‘what’ or ‘who’ in my life?” “Could I possibly be missing out on something beyond what currently defines my life?” I’m sure you get the point. It can be absolutely exhausting! I can go from distraction to dissatisfaction in about sixty seconds.
In 2013, the Oxford English Dictionary adopted the word “FOMO”. FOMO is the acronym for the “fear of missing out.” This fear of missing out refers to the feeling or perception that others are living a better life, happier, and experiencing better things than you.
It sounds similar to the phrase “keeping up with the Joneses”. The advancements in our digital world and instant access to others’ lives only increases exposure to opportunities for dissatisfaction to begin to grow.
I read research that found that after the events of 9/11 there were increased feelings of fear, anxiety, and depression as people were reminded of the brevity of life. Individuals struggled with the pursuit to live life to the fullest and as well as (if not better than) everyone else.
The enemy hasn’t changed his tactics from what he used that day when he spoke with Eve. He will stop at nothing to lead us away from God’s purpose and to distract us from what really matters– our relationship with our Creator and reaching others for His kingdom. We can reach a point in which we question God’s goodness and our trust for His sovereignty in our lives. Little distractions can easily become big detours.
With recent world events, we are once again reminded that life is short. I pray that I will have a fear that motivates me to live life to the fullest in regards to God’s plan for my life. May I be reminded time is short and those people in my realm of influence need to know the message of the cross.
“The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance.” (Psalm 16:6 NKJV)
“Teach us to use wisely all the time we have.” (Psalm 90:12 CEV)
“Be clear-minded and alert. Your opponent, the devil, is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 ISV)

Sometimes we ask God to do things, but we don’t want to have to do anything.

I’ve been guilty of this! I ask God for some help, and He gives it to me in a different way than I hoped for.

You might ask God for courage, and He gives you trials to overcome. You might ask for love, and He gives you people to help. You might ask for strength, and He gives you dangerous things to get through. You might ask for Him to help you, and He gives you the Word of God.

See, we forget sometimes that God is the publisher. He is the master author of our lives, and He knows what you need and He knows what you want!

And He knows what is going to happen to make you realize that what you asked for was here all along!!! You have always had courage. You have always had love. And you have always had God.

Don’t be surprised when you ask God for something and He gives you a different answer than you wanted.

He knows the plan for your life because He is the author of your life. He is the one who knows what you want, but He also knows what you need.

And what is it you really need? Well, all we truly need is God.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you, declare the Lord. Plans you prosper you, to give you a hope and a future.