Last year at Relevant, I had the privilege of helping lead worship Saturday night. We had had such an amazing weekend, and this was the icing on the cake as far as I was concerned. I was a little apprehensive about how the ladies would respond, but I didn't need to be. They worshiped right along with us! But one caught my eye...and my heart.
Laura is one of the most beautiful women I've ever met, both on the inside and outside. She had introduced Angie Smith, who was the keynote speaker for one of the sessions. Angie spoke about how God had worked in her life during her pregnancy, birth, and death of their precious little angel, Audrey. During Laura's introduction, she shared how she wasn't supposed to be at Relevant...she was supposed to be holding a newborn. But something had gone wrong early in the pregnancy and she miscarried. Heartbroken, she made plans to come to Relevant.
Fast forward to Saturday night. I saw this one woman worshiping...not timidly, either. Hands raised, at times jumping for joy over the Lord. It made me almost not be able to sing, it was so overwhelming. I knew this woman's name, but thankfully had forgotten her story. Sarah Mae reminded me after the night was over about it...it was Laura. Had I remembered her story, I would have been toast. I'm truly grateful for my temporary amnesia!
I shared with her several months later how her worship blessed me, and she shared with me what God had done in her life through that experience. I asked her permission to share it with you.
She told me that she had been so heartbroken that she really didn't want to stay for worship. She didn't want to sing, much less raise hands or anything else. But the Lord prompted her to stay. She said, "I felt Him wanting me to praise Him even when He takes away. It hurt so badly. And yet, it was a balm for my weary soul."
And in her heart, she said, "Alright, God. No matter my circumstances, I will praise You!" So she worshiped with abandon that night.
But guess what happened a few weeks after the conference...she found out she was pregnant! God was holding her hand and knew even before little Kai was a twinkle in her eye that her sorrow was just for the night, ..."but joy comes in the morning." (Psalm 30:5) I will (hopefully) get to hold little Kai this weekend. This precious little miracle of God.
Reading over her story again tonight has reminded me to worship with abandon, no matter my circumstances. Relationship struggles, financial hardship, death of a loved one...it all melts away in the presence of Almighty God.
Worship Him with abandon today.
2 comments:
These past few months I have had a lot of trouble keeping faith and praying with absolute sincerity has been a magnanimous task for me. I feel pretty abandoned and I hate to think like that. But your post today has made me feel much better and given me a lot of hope. Thanks.
Wow, Heather--aren't you glad? Aren't you glad you took the chance to lead worship? Aren't you glad Laura was able to respond to the leadership of the worship team and the leading of the holy spirit? Aren't you glad that worshipping God really does have the power to touch lives--real lives, messy lives, lives in the middle of pain and sorrow?
Wow! What a wonderful God we serve. What an awesome God we worship. The only one worthy of worship--and the only one who able to touch the hearts of worshippers.
Thank you for pouring yourself into this series, just like you pour yourself into leading worship every week within your own fellowship. You are so precious to me and to others--not to mention how precious you are to God! :)
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