It's funny then, that my most vivid, and certainly one of my most powerful encounters with God happened while I was singing.

The summer after my seventh grade year, I went on a mission trip with my youth group to Virginia.  By this time in my life, I was well aware of my inability to carry a tune, and during the evening worship I kept switching octaves, nailing the low notes, and mouthing the high ones.  As much as I wanted to just belt out praises and worship God, I couldn't shake the feeling that all around me people were listening for my shaky notes and voice cracks.  I had seen God work in really awesome ways during the trip and I wanted to sing back to Him, but whether I was seeking approval from the older kids, or just not wanting to make a spectacle of myself, something was holding me back from worshipping for real.

Finally, I forced my pride out of the way, closed my eyes, threw back my head and started worshipping with my heart.  At that moment, I saw God.  Behind my closed eyelids, I was looking up at huge blue feet and legs, almost like looking up from the base of the Lincoln Memorial!  I know it sounds kinda crazy, but I remember getting chills, and throwing my hands up and dancing.  I was finally singing to Him, not just singing along!  It was beautiful!  The worship that followed was pure and raw, and I sang and danced in awe of Him late into the night.

God revealed Himself to me that night in a really big way.  He set me free of the self-consciousness I had of my voice and showed me how to use it to glorify Him.

Singing has since been my favorite way to worship God.  I love just opening up and crying out praises.  When I struggle to center my thoughts, actions and adoration on Him, I can always find that passion again by singing to Him.  And when pride, bitterness, or any other worldly thing gets in the way of worshipping my God, I conjure up that memory and always feel close to Him again.