Started taking steps...

I've taken a few steps to help me on my way to becoming a stronger Christian. One is I am spending more time reading the Bible. I think this is the most important step because I believe my mind needs to be continually renewed. If I go too long without spending time with God, I begin to slip into the ways of the world. I slip away from Him. I have to admit, being in the world is tempting and fun a lot of times, but NOTHING compares to being close to God and spending time with Him. I feel better all around when I'm living within His will. To help hold me accountable, I am going to share what I learn each day from his word. Sometimes it's something I've learned before, but I needed to read it again. That's the awesome thing about the Bible, it really is an instruction book for life. When you try to do something without the instructions, things can go seriously wrong. I don't see it as a burden, I see it as a way to live, a way to do things the way God would have me do. The other thing I've done recently to help me become a stronger Christian is to commit to being in a Praise Team at my church. It's a new team and I've been a praise team before but many times felt like I was just getting through it to sit back down in my seat! This time, I really want the Lord to sing through me. It's not about me at all. It's all about Him and how He touches others. I love to sing. He gave me that desire and the passion to sing. So I know I need to use it to glorify Him.

In relation to what I just said, here is what I learned yesterday from the Bible:

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:19-20

God wants us to sing, even if you don't think you have a "good" voice. That's not the point. The point is singing is praising. We sing because we are praising the Almighty. God could care less what our voice sounds like, it's the soul and passion behind the voice. I thank the Lord for music. Music is what makes me closer to God than anything. When I listen to Gospel in my car, the tears just stream down my face because I am so in awe of His grace, His power, and most of all, His love for me.

One more important point from that verse is the we are to give thanks for EVERYTHING. That is a hard concept to grasp. Everything means everything...good and bad. So, it makes me think that when we sing for the Lord, we don't just sing when times are great in our lives, when sing and praise Him regardless of our circumstances. What we know is that all things (good and bad) work together for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)