Praising God Through Music

By Jessie Dines

I love praising God through music. I love how I feel when the Holy Spirit washes over me and how close the lyrics reflect my heart. A few months back | traveled to Arkansas for my aunt's celebration of life. What should have been a long, sad trip turned into a great time spent with family.

But the trip was still long, and it was my turn to drive. We had just visited my Aunt Mary (Mom's sister) and Uncle Richard. It was like we had just seen each other last month and not years since our last hug. I drove from south of Kansas City to Sioux Falls. I learned that I knew six hours of hymns and praise songs with a few favorites on repeat, like the Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) and One Church. Dad listened and enjoyed the peace of the front seat, snoozing as he relaxed.

I learned that Dad's first song that he ever learned so that he could join the choir was "I

Come to the Garden Alone. " What a precious thing for him to share. In the fray we call family gatherings, I may not have been listening or in one place long enough to really hear that small fact about my dad, but in the car I was present.

During those six hours of the drive, God was present too. There were no surprises; I didn't get tired nor have any issues, and I felt so close to him. I sang songs that I had not sung in my years. Hymns like "Let There Be Peace on Earth and Let It Begin with Me" and "Pass It On." Praise Songs from the Gathers and Sandi Patti. Songs from my youth, Christian rock songs, Children church songs, VBS songs, songs that I made up, and new songs that I had just learned. My voice never faded or cracked. I could have driven the rest of the way home at that point, as I felt

so close to God and my spirit was lifted and fresh.

My voice is God's and an answer to prayer because I was not always the best singer, or so 1 was told. As I sang, I sang quietly, fearful almost of how my older sister used to tell me not to sing and that I sounded horrible. I was loud enough for my father (both earthly and heavenly) to hear.

How often have I let others come against what God has planned for me? In the year of being bold. I am confident that God will use my voice to bless others because he gave me a voice that he loves to hear because I didn't listen to my sister and kept singing anyway, off-key and the wrong words. I know when my praises are from me because even I know when I am off-key, but when God is using my voice, he provides the tune and the words.

I love that God and I had an uninterrupted six hours for our relationship. I know that | get busy and let my quality time with God slip (emphasis on quality.

Just this morning I was in a rush to find something that I needed for school. I started to scramble but reminded myself to ask for help to find the needed paper. I chastised myself about how I put things off and I should have looked for them the night before.

In the moment I felt God assure me that he likes to help and he is glad I asked. I laughed and said

"Well, I guess my lack of doing things when they could be done assured me, we talk daily. " I had a great day at school, and yes, Idio find the paper in the last place l looked. More importantly, I had a great day because I talked to God and asked him to be a part of my day.

Psalm 34:1-3