Don't You Dare Quit Singing

I write this tonight as I battle a bit of insomnia.  I seem to fight this battle pretty frequently these days.  I know it is a spiritual battle, but I also know that it is physical.  Grief is hard on your body and mind.  It just takes a toll that you never imagined.

I was trying to sleep tonight, but a song kept running through my head.  You know?  A song.  THE song.  We all have a song, but for the last few months I have had a song that has just been my anthem. In case you haven't  heard it, I highly recommend downloading "Victor's Crown" by Darlene Zschech.  Our choir is about to sing it, and I am convinced that this song is going to be powerful.  There is a little history behind this song for me.

A year ago this September I attended a conference with my dear friend, Beth.  During one of the worship sessions Darlene Zschech sang a new song called Victor's Crown.  I was so captivated by the words of this song that I just stood there.  I searched for it and couldn't find it.  She sang it one more time the next day, and I had my iPhone ready to record it.  I took the rough recording back home and shared it with my music minister.  I rarely do that, but this song ministered so much to me in those moments that I had to share it.  As soon as it was released on a CD I bought it, and I never by CDs anymore.  I am delighted to say the music appeared in our choir room a few weeks ago!

The conference was almost right at four months after our son had passed away.  I was still reeling.  I was on autopilot a good bit of the time.  When I wasn't on autopilot I was a mess!  Sometimes I look back to a year ago and wonder how I survived, and then I know.  There is a line in the song that says, "By your grace I live and breathe to worship you."  That is my favorite line.  Those few words have become my anthem.  It is His grace that has covered me through every dark moment.  It is His grace that had enabled me to sing His praises in the valleys.  It might not always be pretty, but I can squeak it out.  I won't lie.  This spring has been hard.  I never thought that a year later would be harder than a year ago, but it has been.  I miss my boy.  I miss him terribly.

I was reminded tonight of a few words that were spoken to me at Brad's visitation.  Three  people told me the same thing.  One of the people was one of Brad's friends.  He looked at me and said, "Don't you dare quit singing."  I was just stunned.  I wasn't even thinking about singing, but this young man knew exactly what I would need to hear in my head over the next few weeks and months.  There have been times during the last year that I thought I couldn't drag myself out of bed much less sing, but every time I felt that way God has been faithful to hold me up and preserve me.  Those words that were spoken at just the right time would mean more to me than I knew at the time.  Because I sing, my mind automatically went to singing in public, but that wasn't the whole picture.  After the funeral, I couldn't read, and frankly, it was hard to pray, but I could listen to music, and I could sing.  I count it a miracle that I could get any words out.  In the grand scheme of things, I think that is what his words were about.  I believe that they meant, "Don't you dare quit singing in the car, in your home, and over your children!"  That is the main reason God gave us our voices.  He loves to hear His children sing, and He is worthy of our praises even in the valleys!  I even grin a little bit sometimes because I think satan runs shrieking when God's children begin to praise.  I also know that music can be healing.

So, tonight I hope you have a song to sing.  If you don't have a song, I recommend this one.  I am attaching the link at the bottom for you to enjoy.  This song had brought so much peace and comfort to me, and I hope it does to you.  Find a song to sing, and, my friends, "Don't you dare quit singing!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2nBOGA6X2g&feature=youtu.be

              Praise the Lord!

Praise God in his sanctuary;
    praise him in his mighty heavens!^[a]
 Praise him for his mighty deeds;
    praise him according to his excellent greatness!

 Praise him with trumpet sound;
    praise him with lute and harp!
 Praise him with tambourine and dance;
    praise him with strings and pipe!
 Praise him with sounding cymbals;
    praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord  

Psalm 150