Yeup that’s me!

You probably have one of me at your church. She’s the lady who sings boldly and proudly, and crazily raises her hands towards the sky at church.

What is she reaching for?

Does she think God is going to reach back?

Am I supposed to raise my hands too?

Why is she so loud?

Is that harmony she’s singing or is she really off-key?

Well, I’m here to explain it all so you can fear me no more and you don’t have to feel uncomfortable around us crazies!

I am a singer. Whether you believe I can sing or not, God has put it in my heart to sing. I have always been that way and I will always be that way, and . . . I’m gonna sing the harmony unless it’s in an octave I cannot reach. So, if you think I’m too loud . . . sorry to say, it’s not gonna change, honey, but there are several other seats in the sanctuary and I won’t be offended if you find another one next week.

I used to be like you. I was timid about my singing, I was shy about raising my hands and I had questions about others who weren’t so shy.

But in the past few years, God has molded my heart. I have found the more I learn and grow with the Lord, the more my heart is filled with passion for Him. And as that happens, I find I can’t keep my mouth shut and my hands down, and I don’t want to.

I’ve also come to a point where I find great joy in hearing others worship with all they have. Today, I was brought to tears as I could hear a man I have heard many Sundays, singing with all he had for the Lord. I know this man has been brought to the deep dark places where you are at a cross roads of turning away from the Lord, or realizing the Lord is about to make huge changes in your life and save you. And in his beautiful singing, I heard tears as well. Happy tears because he knows how powerful and miraculous God can be.

Do you see it now?

It’s not about you. Just how your time at church should not be about me.

Sure! I love seeing you in the halls and touching base on what’s going on in your life, and sometimes I truly need those lovely hugs you give! But, when I am in the sanctuary, it’s about us worshipping God.

Worshipping God with everything we have—everything I have! That means I can’t spend time worrying about what you may think of me or about how I may take up too much space when I reach my arms up!

It’s my time to sing to God with everything I have and sometimes, my voice just doesn’t feel like enough. Sometimes my voice cracks because I am crying since I understand how much He loves me and I am just so thankful. Other times, I just have to reach my hands up towards Him because He needs to know I know. He needs to know I know how much I need him in my life, how much I love that He is in my life, and how much I LOVE to worship Him.

So don’t worry about me honey, I haven’t gone crazy. And if you ever want to join me, you can know you won’t have gone crazy either!