Skipping Wednesday night bible study to dance around in a Deep East Texas honky tonk as Jason Boland blows your eardrums out, is not what some people consider super holy behavior.
But for me it was perfect.
See, I’m no longer keeping Jesus in a separate, holy box and busting him out on Sundays. Nope. I’m letting him have his way with my life – all of it. Since he’s the one who made me love good songwriting and live music in the first place, I think my delight in those things pleases him.
I don’t know that I was worshiping God during the show, but I don’t know that I wasn’t either. I was just being myself and enjoying the life Jesus died to give me. Because I’m starting to understand how free I am in Christ, I can toss out the holy checklist, acknowledging that God doesn’t love me more at church, and less at a concert.
He tells me he loves me because I’m one of his kids, and that makes me love Him back. It makes me want to serve Him and do what I know pleases him. Wood County Cowboy Church is part of that equation, and that’s why I go. Church helps me, but so does live music.
So…
Let Israel rejoice in their Maker let the people of Zion be glad in their King. Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp. For the Lord takes delight in his people. Psalm 149:2-4
Just to be clear, I’m not encouraging drunken honky tonk prowling. That’s silly. I’m advocating for joy and the freedom to become the best version of the exact person you already are.
Sometimes my joy overflows at church and sometimes when Jason Boland sings. It simmers when I’m on the tractor, making hay with Sam in the Rocky Mountains. I nearly drown in it, when a former meth addict at the LA Dream Center speaks of her restoration at the hands of Jesus.
And when I take time to sit quietly with my Lord, it wells up and spills out of me right there in my chair.
We were built for this. Where do you find it?
Going to the Sea 
Sweet!
Great post! I find my joy in writing, great music on my iPad, a friends laughter, my dog’s goofy grin. Little life joys in unexpected places.
Ooh I think we will be friends. Thanks for visiting.
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Love it Erin! Keep on being free in Christ!
Hey – I read Proverbs 16:31 the other day and thought of you. I think you should blog about it. xoxo
So now I’m going to look up Proverbs 16:31! Maybe I’ll blog about it:) xoxo
So glad you “busted” Jesus out of the religious box instead of just “letting” Him out. What passion!
The 1st place I ever found my joy was through a camera lens. Focusing on all the beauty that God created makes me happy. And taking pictures is what God used to show me that I was good at something. I use to think I wasn’t good at anything. The other place I find my joy is with my grandson. His innocence is so pure. I LOVE seeing the world through his eyes!
Where can we see these pictures Patty?
Freedom and joy is welling up everywhere….recently in the visual contrast of rough salvaged brick along the walkways leading up to our house. And (giggles) in working out to Tron Legacy on the Ipod with my TKD weapons. Worship is in the twinkle lights that shine out over our neighborhood in the darkness and the horrible reality of loving, caring for and praying over a neighbor-grandma who is slowly die from oozing wounds….it’s all about seeing and showing God’s glory – 24/7 in whatever we do.
Hugs!
It takes courage not to be cynical, I think because it’s such a default position. Broad Path. I walked there for too long and it didn’t get me where I want to go. So I felt around for the narrow path. Still doing it. Much harder but the world looks so different from here, I like it better.