Hi friends!
Week 4 of Alive is here!
What makes us feel alive, and how can we feel alive more often?
Music has a way of connecting with us, doesn’t it? Songwriters who create and write lyrics know exactly how to tell a story in a way that connects with listeners. I sometimes listen to a song and think, is this singer stalking my life? This song is about me. I should get royalties off of this.
According to scientific studies:
Listening to and playing music reduces stress.
Singing releases endorphins, the brain's "feel good" chemicals.
Singing improves memory.
Fire up the band, people! I love how God created music as a way to bring him glory and us joy. It’s a language we all speak.
Music can be therapeutic, healing, inspiring, entertaining, motivating and calming. God created music to be a thread that ties us together; he created it to unite us. Friends all over the world listen, sing and dance to music that resonates with them.
As I’ve reflected on feeling alive through listening to, creating and singing music, I’ve felt the Lord redirect my thoughts for this blog. I wanted to write about the importance of filling our ears and minds with positive, uplifting music, but I feel God telling me to reroute a bit!
Worship music unites us with God and others because it allows us to audibly radiate honor and joy back up to him in heaven as one, united front. Some of my favorite verses about worship are in the book of Psalm!
Psalm 71:23 My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you— I whom you have delivered.
Psalm 95:1 Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Psalm 105:2 Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.
This is where the blog rerouting begins! Singing is a gift to be treasured, but so is listening.
When I think about music, some of the best beats that fill my ears and heart are not from the radio; they’re from the sounds of people, animals and stillness God places right in front of me. Beach waves, pouring hot coffee, your dog walking up and down the stairs, your husband or wife’s car pulling into the driveway, church bells, rain drops, the wind, or your neighborhood ice cream truck (who doesn’t love a good ice cream truck?). Maybe for you, feeling alive means listening to the music of complete silence.
I’m learning more and more that God is singing to us every single day through these sounds. He fills us with joy when we pause long enough to listen!
When you think about the noise in your life – like birds chirping outside your window before your alarm goes off, car horns honking in traffic, crying babies, an annoying laugh or someone chewing gum with their mouth open (that one kills me); take a second to pause and remember. Birds chirping means you’re alive to hear the birds; remember they’re part of God’s creation. Car horns honking means you’re wealthy enough to be in a car; remember how blessed you are. A crying baby means there is new life in this world; we can be grateful. An annoying laugh means someone is laughing, not crying; remember laughing means happiness. People who chew gum with their mouths open are a lost cause and need to just stop. Just kidding! Pausing and remembering helps provide a fresh perspective.
We can find God playing music for us all day if we pause to listen. He loves us, and the sweet sounds of daily life are a reminder to us that all of life is a gift! We honor him when we sing back to him, but we also honor him when we listen to his greatness all around us. God is waiting to fill us with joy, perspective and purpose in that space.
I encourage you to turn your ear to the notes God is singing to you this week. When we practice listening, we begin to hear how much he loves us.
Love y’all!
Reflections:
When you think about music (not from the radio) in your life, what comes to mind?
What is the noise in your life? How can you pause and remember to look at it differently this week?