Driving around town yesterday, I spotted a bumper sticker that made me chuckle. It encouraged me to "practice random acts of praise and worship." Then it made me think.
Too often it seems our praise and worship is scheduled. There's nothing wrong with planning. We plan that we'll sing certain songs during service in a certain order, etc., and such planning is necessary if we hope to have the band practiced and get the service done during in enough time to get the next service started, etc. We plan our "quiet times" of worship and praise to fit into our busy daily schedule. Again, nothing wrong with scheduling-- God loves the worship and praise we offer him during these times.
But what about stopping the normal routine simply because we're overcome and can't help but worship and praise. Do we always make sure we are willing to set aside plans or schedules for this?
"I'm singing at the top of my lungs, I'm so full of answered prayers," David tells us in the Psalms.
God loves it when we randomly praise and worship him. It's evidence of a relationship that is active, ongoing and spontaneous. Allow yourself to be open to a schedule interruption that will allow you to do this when you feel led. Don't convince yourself you're too busy to stop and praise him. Try offering a time during worship service for people to offer praises, for example. It can be uplifting and encouraging to hear what God is doing in the lives of those around us.
Lord, I praise you right now for the many works you accomplish through the arts and for the many hearts who seek you in planning worship services. I praise you for talent you have given so that you may be glorified. I thank you for the lost souls who will be in church this Sunday and for the impact you will make on their lives through the worship they experience. You are the master planner. You see the big picture and put everything in place. We praise you for being a God who cares so deeply for his people and we thank you for allowing us to worship you whenever the Spirit moves us! Amen.
There, see, it's easy! I just stopped in the middle of a blog to do it. Go forth and be spontaneous.
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Read about the real life mom from "The Blind Side."
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Lifeway: http://www.lifeway.com/article/?id=169816
Guideposts: http://www.guideposts.com/story/sandra-bullock-blind-side-football?page=0,1
Read Matt Mungle's review of the movie at http://www.buddyhollywood.com/.
Lauren Yarger, Bio
Lauren Yarger has written, directed and produced numerous shows and special events for both secular and Christian audiences. She co-wrote a Christian musical version of “A Christmas Carol” which played to sold-out audiences of over 3,000 in Vermont and was awarded the 2000 Vermont Bessie (theater and film awards) for “People’s Choice for Theatre.” She also has written two other dinner theaters, sketches for church services and devotions for Christian artists.
Yarger trained for three years in the Broadway League’s Producer Development Program, completed the Commercial Theater Institute's Producing Three-Day Training and produced a one-woman musical about Mary Magdalene that toured nationally and closed with an off-Broadway run.
In 2008 she was a Fellow at the National Critics Institute at the O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, CT. She writes reviews of Broadway and off-Broadway theater with a Christian perspective for Reflections in the Light (http://reflectionsinthelight.blogspot.com/) and is editor of The Connecticut Arts Connection. She also is a contributing editor for BroadwayWorld.com
She also reviews books for Publisher's Weekly and is a member of the National Book Critics Circle. She formerly was Connecticut theater editor for CurtainUp, a national theater web site bsed in New York and a reviewer for American Theater Web.
She also served as Executive Director of Masterwork Productions, Inc. and worked in arts management for the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford and the Hartford Symphony Orchestra.
She is a freelance writer and member of the Drama Desk, The Outer Critics Circle, The American Theater Critics Association, The League of Professional Theatre Women and The CT Critics Circle.
A former newspaper editor and graduate of the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism, Yarger lives with her husband in West Granby, CT and has two adult children.
Yarger trained for three years in the Broadway League’s Producer Development Program, completed the Commercial Theater Institute's Producing Three-Day Training and produced a one-woman musical about Mary Magdalene that toured nationally and closed with an off-Broadway run.
In 2008 she was a Fellow at the National Critics Institute at the O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, CT. She writes reviews of Broadway and off-Broadway theater with a Christian perspective for Reflections in the Light (http://reflectionsinthelight.blogspot.com/) and is editor of The Connecticut Arts Connection. She also is a contributing editor for BroadwayWorld.com
She also reviews books for Publisher's Weekly and is a member of the National Book Critics Circle. She formerly was Connecticut theater editor for CurtainUp, a national theater web site bsed in New York and a reviewer for American Theater Web.
She also served as Executive Director of Masterwork Productions, Inc. and worked in arts management for the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford and the Hartford Symphony Orchestra.
She is a freelance writer and member of the Drama Desk, The Outer Critics Circle, The American Theater Critics Association, The League of Professional Theatre Women and The CT Critics Circle.
A former newspaper editor and graduate of the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism, Yarger lives with her husband in West Granby, CT and has two adult children.
Copyright Notice
All contents copyright © Lauren Yarger 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. All rights reserved. For reprint permission, contact masterworkproductions@yahoo.com.
Scripture from THE MESSAGE Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Scripture from THE MESSAGE Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Christian Arts Links
- A New You (Catherine Galasso-Vigorito)
- Act One
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- Bill Cooper
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- Chris Tomlin's Frequency Worship blog
- Christian Cultural Center Music Group
- Christians in Cinema -- Angela Walker
- Christians in Theatre Arts
- Chuck Neighbors
- Compassionart
- Consuming Worship
- Edwina Findley
- Encouraging Words: Lucinda Secrest McDowell
- Episcopal Actors' Guild
- Eric Metaxas
- Erica Lane
- Experiencing Worship
- Faith...Creativity...Life -- Michelle Rayburn
- Fellowship for the Performing Arts
- Heart of the Artist Ministries
- Hotworship.com
- http://torrymartin.com
- Jeff Lisenby
- Martha Bolton
- MASTERWORK PRODUCTIONS, INC.
- Melea Brock
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- Phil Cooke-- The Change Revolution
- Project Dance
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- Reflections in the Light :Christian Broadway and Theater Reviews
- Refractions-- Makoto Fujimura
- Riley's Diner Drama Scripts
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- Tessa Afshar, author
- Threads Theater Company
- Todd Edwards
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- Worship Leader Magazine
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- Worship On Purpose
- Worship Together
Blog Roll
- Reflections in the Light-- Broadway & theater reviews
- Retta Blaney -- Life Upon the Sacred Stage
- Michael Hyatt
- Kim Messer -- The Other Side of the Altar
- Pastor Synesio Lyra, Jr.
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- Rich Swingle
- Hollywood, Jesus and Me
- Diary of an Arts Pastor
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