I have been singing for Jesus ever since I was a little baby.
The first memory of singing a solo that I have was, I believe at the age of four.
I remember wearing a long light blue dress, my mother curled my hair and I sang while holding my favorite teddy bear, a panda named Strapper. I have never stopped singing for Jesus since that day.
During my twenties, I was hired as a music director for a church. I directed the choir and children’s choir did seasonal programs and led the praise and worship. When I reached my early thirties and was blessed with two baby girls, I wanted to be home and resigned my position at the church.
When I started my new job as a stay at home mommy, I was in complete heaven. I loved every day of it and never regretted my decision to lay down my ministry at the church and pick up my new and most important ministry of raising a family. Still, I struggled a bit with my singing for the Lord. I hadn’t stopped singing, but I wasn’t out anywhere. I wasn’t up on a stage or leading and teaching others. Although I sang in the churches I attended, I felt as if I was robbing the Lord of using my talent properly for Him.
When I was at home I would sing all through the day. I would sing to my babies, I would sing with my babies, I would sing while I would cook, sing while doing the laundry, or the dishes or the dusting. Still, there was a part of me that felt as if I wasn’t doing enough because I wasn’t leading others in musical praise to God.
Then one day while vacuuming the floor I began singing,
“Without Him, I would be nothing. Without Him, I’d surely fail. Without Him, I would be drifting, like a ship, without a sail.”
And while I was working, vacuuming up Cheerio crumbs, dirt from little shoes and doll hair off my rug, the sweetest presence of the Lord filled the room and I was blessed to tears.
God spoke to my heart that day and asked me, “Do you really think your praise is more sweet to me when you sing on a stage leading others than it is right now when it is just you and Me?”
I sat down and began to laugh and cry joyful tears all at the same time. All those days I had been singing to the Lord, I was placing guilt on myself because I wasn’t up on a church platform leading others. I knew that when I worked at the church I was doing God’s will at that time in my life, and striving to please Him. But when I was singing at home I was missing the fact that I was pleasing Him even more now.
I wasn’t singing for Him because it was a Sunday. I wasn’t singing for Him because it was my job. I was singing for Him because I love Him and I was thankful for all that He had done (and does) for me and my family. I was singing because He is a magnificent God that is worthy of my praise and deserves my worship! I wanted to bring glory to His name while I was vacuuming. I wanted to exalt Him while I did the dishes and the laundry and all of my other work! I did this because it made my work time more pleasant and I love to praise my Savior, all the day long. But what I learned that day was that stages or platforms have their time and place, but when you make the time to just sing to the Lord from your heart, especially when it is just you and God, those are the times when you can experience Him in ways like never before.
God also spoke something else into my heart. Although I didn’t think I was leading others in worship or teaching others how to worship because I wasn’t in the church… I still was. I was teaching my babies who sat listening to me sing all throughout the day.
Now, they sing praise to the Lord with me, another incredible gift that I will cherish forever.
I have come to the place now, where I personally prefer to just sing for Jesus while working in my home. I will always use the talent God gave me on stages, platforms, or any other opportunity He brings me. But the experiences and blessing I have had while singing for the Lord day to day while doing the mundane things in my home is something I will never stop doing. As long I have breath, I will praise You, Lord, no matter where I am.
So friends, please remember, God doesn’t care if we are on a stage or platform, on the radio, in a movie or anywhere big and important. He wants to hear your praise and worship when it is just the two of you–and you don’t have to have a wonderful voice either! This is why the Bible tells us in Psalm 100:1 ‘Make a joyful noise unto the Lord!” God hears differently than we humans do, He hears the purity of a heart much louder than the purity of a vocal chord. When you can learn to do that it will draw you closer to Him than you can imagine and bring the sweetest peace and joy to your life that you cannot find from anywhere or anyone else.
Thank you for reading! Jesus loves you!
Angelique La Fon-Cox 