Why do I sing His praises?

Not because I have a wonderful voice, absolutely nothing outstanding about it. God gave me a nice little voice, some think it is nice, others are not impressed at all. So be it. And so not the point.

I'd been in my church going on a year. It was my first home church since I was a child. The church He led me to after I was saved. I sat there in the back row after service and watched as everyone left. No one said, "OK, bye have a good week, see you next week." Everyone else seemed to be in fellowship, except me. I did not feel I was a part of the church after so many months of faithful attendance and considerable growth. It made me so sad that I sat there and cried. I finally cried out to God, asking Him that if it was my fault, to change that in me. Went home and stopped going to church for a few weeks. I couldn't stay away, I had to go back.

We had a wonderful choir. There was one lady I always looked at because I could always see when she entered the presence of God. There was a male lead singer who cried unashamedly many Sundays. I watched and I wondered and I learned. I learned to raise my hands in the air while praising. I learned the words to a number of songs, but mostly just read the words off of the screen.

About two weeks after I went back to church, someone sat in my seat that morning. I always sat in the very back row, so most people could not see me. So, I went up closer to the front and sat next to an usher, Doug. That Sunday, every song that they sang, I knew by heart, so I sang and worshiped unrestrained. I had a wonderful time of praise. At the end of the service Doug asked why I didn't join the choir. Caught me off guard. I mumbled something about I didn't have time because I worked so many hours and my voice wasn't that good anyway. He gently told me that my voice was pretty but that I had a gift for worship, and that is what was important.

Within two weeks I was in the choir, all nervous and uncertain about my abilities. Its been eight beautiful years since that moment. God answered my cry out. I instantly had 20 or more people saying... Ok, bye. I will see you Sunday.

I thank Him for granting me the privilege of praising Him with the choir. He is faithful, He is listening for us to cry out, and He answers prayer. He is Good. This is love.