Worship and Snuggles

Worship is a powerful tool that can be used to fight battles. As a worship leader, I have personally experienced this. Praise and thanksgiving can be weaponized when we use them in the middle of our struggles. My mother has always encouraged me to turn on some worship music and sing my way through tough times. Although I may not always want to follow this advice when I'm in the midst of chaos, it is the truth. When we shift our focus from the problem to the problem solver, we experience a shift in our perspective. I encourage you to try this out for yourself. No matter what you face, turn on some worship music and sing at the top of your lungs. Let the enemy know that Jesus has already won the battle. Sing your way to victory!

Psalm 59:16 “But as for me, your strength shall be my song of joy. At each and every sunrise, my lyrics of your love will fill the air! For you have been my glory-fortress, a stronghold in my day of distress.” -TPT

Sunday morning I woke up and the last thing I felt like doing was getting up to go to church. GASP! "Ariana, you're telling me that you didn't feel like going to church? But you're a worship leader!?" Yep, I know, even us worship leaders have our days where we just really don't feel like it. And you know what? That's okay, it's perfectly normal to have those days. We are humans after all! But I reaaaalllllly wasn't feeling it yesterday. I had an emotionally draining week, I felt like every little thing was making me cry, some good things, some not-so-great things. But regardless, I was exhausted, emotionally, and mentally drained from having one thing after the other last week. And still, my mom's words rang loud and clear in my head. So, I dragged my sorry behind out of bed and started to get ready, and before walking inside I had to give myself an inner pep talk. My husband and I walk in and talk to some of our friends and then proceed to snag our seats to get ready for service to start. Worship begins and mind you, it's rare for me to enjoy worship from the congregation instead of leading from the platform. We are in the middle of the first song and I glance over to see my bestie, her hubby, and her sweet 3-year-old son, Atlas, heading our way. This sweet, curly-headed, big sparkly brown-eyed boy rushed over to me with a smile that could melt the coldest of hearts and jumped into my arms with glee. I've been his "non-blooded", Aunt Ari since the day he was born. So needless to say we have a precious connection, and I love him like my own.

Anywho, so Atlas is firmly latched onto me, and Mom and Dad sit in the row in front of us. He refuses to let go and settles his little head on my shoulder, so I happily continue to hold him and worship. Next thing you know, I just feel this overwhelming peace and love, and instantly I know that the BIG Jesus living inside of that sweet little boy was being poured out onto me. And Jesus, in all his kindness reminded me of precious promises that He promised to me. And everything melted off of me. Poof

Well, I'm crying all over again, beautiful, raw, real tears of overwhelming thankfulness for what Jesus did for me Sunday morning. I walked into church like a trash panda that woke up on the wrong side of the bed and walked out of the church with a lighthearted feeling of peace. All because I listened to the advice that my mom gave me years ago, was obedient, went to church, and got the greatest snuggles from a brown-eyed, sweet little boy during worship.