Essence event coming soon!

Essence is coming! Make plans to join us on Thursday evening, February 28th, at 7 PM in the Connection Cafe. This event will have something for everyone - worship, encouragement, an acoustic mini-concert, coffee, fellowship......and so much more. Our topic - "Finding Fulfillment in Christ." You won't want to miss it!

Worship

I was thinking about worship last night. I look forward to going to church every Sunday. I mean really…I do. My husband and I are in a great ABF class, taught by Joe Thomas. He is a phenomenal teacher, so I know I am going to get fed and I don’t just mean coffee and donuts. We are in the South Loge and we hear the praise team practicing while Joe is teaching. I love music. I love praise music. Sometimes I just want to start singing with them right in the middle of class. One problem…I am very inhibited, shy and I guess embarrassed. I love to sing, not that I am very good at it, but I like it. You would probably never know it by my face, that I love to sing and worship, because I probably look mad or unemotional. I don’t mean to…but I’ve been told, “Don’t look like you want to kill somebody, smile!” I do it without realizing it. So, I really want to change that about myself. I want to feel free to worship, raise my hands or close my eyes…but that fear is there…that I will look silly or be the only one standing while everyone is sitting or people are looking at me, judging me. I look over there at Mike Roberts and he’s just going at it. What freedom he has, I admire that. I see other people worshipping and I do not judge them…I admire them. So, what’s the deal? I remember, one Sunday, my mother-in-law was in church with us. She is Church of Christ, which is a much different kind of worship, and it is a small country church. I was really getting into the music and I lifted one of my hands up in praise and then realized what I did. I automatically opened one eye and realized she was there and pulled my hand down. So silly! I know. Why? Why was I so embarrassed? I do not know. I want to work on that this year though. Sometimes I go in church and I feel so dry. I just don’t feel it. My prayer is, “Lord, cleanse me and help me to feel free to worship you.” I feel like I only get one chance a week at corporate worship and I want it to really count. I asked Melissa Elliott to recommend some worship music to play during my quiet time. She gave me stacks of old CD’s the choir uses. I love them. I turn that music on in my home and clean, fold clothes or cook and I truly have a time of uninhibited, fearless, meaningful worship. There are devotionals on these CD’s by Dan Millheim. He definitely has a gift for this, because they are wonderful. I want more, more, more. I even listen to them in my car. I do not feel inhibited or embarrassed then. Surely people can see me…raising my hands, singing at the top of my lungs. Hmmm, that sounds like a funny site to see. Why can’t we just show up on Sunday and not worry about what people think about us? Just come in and be ready to worship. Well, I think it starts at home…before we ever walk out the door. We should start preparing ourselves for time with God, then, being careful what we listen to on the radio or watch on TV that morning. Make a pact with our spouse that we are going to have a smooth morning…that means getting everything ready the night before, so you are not spending 30 minutes looking for your daughter’s shoes the next morning. Everyone agrees that there will be no yelling or negative feelings expressed. I think this could work…I am going to try it…you should too. Next Sunday, I am going to make a special effort to be prayed up and serious about worshipping Him.

Written by: Beth Ashcraft
Wife and mother of two