More of Him Monday

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I hope y'all had a blessed Easter! This weekend was a bit crazy for us. I've had allergy/sinus crud going on, and along with it, a touch of laryngitis. I've only ever lost my voice once, when I was leading a week of middle school church camp. I think that's understandable!

I've had years of voice lessons, and I have learned how to care for my voice through stress and sickness. I actually had a cold when I sang my senior recital in college and no one knew it. I know how to sing through it.

I am very thankful for the voice that God has given me, and I totally acknowledge that it is a gift from God to be used for His glory. I love to sing God's praises! That is why He gave me a voice, and it is only right that I use it for the purpose it was intended.

Since my voice has been going in and out since Thursday, I was a bit concerned about being able to sing on Easter morning. Especially Easter! The most joyous celebration of the Christian year, celebrating the resurrection of our Lord. Yes, we do celebrate the resurrection every time we gather as Christians, but Easter Sunday always seems to be more joyous.

I wasn't in full voice during worship, and there were times that I backed off the microphone because I felt a bit squeaky. I closed my eyes a lot because I didn't want to focus on what I lacked. I wanted to focus on worshiping my God.

If there was no one else in the room, it would have been sweet worship. I felt blessed knowing that I was offering all that I had to God. My all this weekend was not 100%, but it was all that I had for that moment.

I think we are all guilty of not living in the present moment. We have so many worries that keep us constantly distracted. Sometimes is it almost impossible to calm our restless minds long enough to follow God's directive to "Be still, and know that I am God."

Here are just a few of the questions that have been rattling around in my head this weekend. How can we give 100% of ourselves to God when we feel so many, many different things clamoring for our attention? What helps you to "be still?" When you can't even pay attention to your spouse or your kids, how do you make yourself pay attention to God?