I've been doing music as a career path and ministry for a long time now. I've always enjoyed singing but it wasn't until I sang worship songs in church when I was younger, understanding and meaning what I was singing, that I understood that music was a calling in my life. As I opened up in vulnerability and gratitude to God while singing to Him, God reciprocated and He became tangible as my search for Him became genuine. I knew then that my moments of worshipping God through singing were my secret place with Him, a place where Jesus' presence was found, His words made clear and affections exchanged.
There are times where I turn off my phone and all my screens, remove all distractions including food, beverages and people, and spend exclusive time with Jesus Christ. We always find excuses to not do that but, when we establish our search for God and our relationship growth with Him as a priority, we find the time to do it. I learned that from my parents. Dad with his busy life would be up at 3 am in the bathroom, on his knees, talking with God. Many times I'd catch my mom in the quiet of her bedroom, on her knees, praying for people. I remember that, at one point, the idea of praying for 10 minutes was dreadful. "What do I even have to say to spend a whole 10 minutes praying?", I'd think. I admired people who would pray for 1-2 hours at a time and, for a while, I honestly thought they were exaggerating to make themselves look like "super saints". Today, after developing alone time with God and maturing in my understanding of Him, I see myself praying for hours on end, reading the Bible, hearing God speak and singing to God for a whole 8 hour day at times. I talk with God throughout my day everywhere I go, even when I'm busy, because God is everywhere, pulling his strings so everything about my day will fall into place according to His best plans for me. God has taught me to see every part of my day with spiritual eyes first. So when you're singing regular music in the shower, I'm singing worship to God. When you are listening to a podcast in the car, I'm singing worship to God... Praying is when I'm heard by God; reading the Bible is when I learn from God and about God but singing to Him is how I not only express my feelings of love toward Him in my deepest being but also where I find comfort. It's my way to invite Him into the room where He always shows up. When I sing to God, I somehow forget about the world. It doesn't matter where I am, if in a quiet place in the house with no one around or in public. I sing the words as sincerely as I know how and as they ring true within me, life breaks forth in a supernatural way.
I've written many songs with different purposes over the years. Most for good reasons. I've written songs about life from a divine perspective; songs to people about God and his teachings, but I had never actually released songs that talks to God directly, celebrating Him to his face.
The level of personal fulfillment I get from writing and singing this type of music can't be put into words. Using the gift God gave me to give back to Him brings a special joy to my heart that makes me completely undone before God, especially when His unique presence shows up and shows out. The beautiful thing is that his presence overflows to you, the listener, breaking spiritual chains in your life as well as mine. It's like I never want to sing anything else again for God's sake, for mine and yours. When I sing to Him, I'm home. It's where I belong.
"Worship the Lord with gladness. Come into his presence with singing!" - Psalm 100:2
"And when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord uttering, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever,” the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God." - 2 Chronicles 5:13-14
"He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and revere in deep awe, and put their trust in the Lord." - Psalm 40:3