It's You

Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

But as for me, I will always have hope;

I will praise you more and more.

My mouth will tell of your righteousness,

of your salvation all day long,

though I know not its measure.

I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign LORD;

I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone.

My lips will shout for joy

when I sing praise to you -

I, whom you have redeemed.

Psalm 71

There is a light in the dark

That's come to make us new

Come to heal our hearts

God it's You

There is a hope for the weak

That's come to show us the truth

Come to be all we need

God it's You

God of all creation

King of all the nations

The universe declares His praise

Can you hear it rising

Over the horizon

Come and join redemption's song

It's You

God it's You

You are the light in the dark

You've come to make us new

Come to heal our hearts

God it's You

God it's You

God of all creation

King of all the nations

The universe declares His praise

Can you hear it rising

Over the horizon

Come and join redemption's song

It's You

God it's You

You are worthy

You are worthy

You are worthy, God

You are worthy

You are worthy

You are worthy, God

Second Chance

I can't get enough of this song and the others on the Rend Collective Experiment's newest album. 

Life born from death.

...don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

I'm so thankful for second chances and the unfailing love of my heavenly Father...

My future hangs on this
You make preciousness from dust
Please don't
Stop creating me

Your blood offers the chance
To rewind to innocence
Reborn
Perfect as a child

Oh Your cross it changes everything
There my world begins again with You
Oh Your cross it's where my hope restarts
A second chance is Heaven's heart

When sin and ugliness
Collide with redemption's kiss
Beauty
Awakens by romance

Always inside this mess
I have found forgiveness
Mercy
As infinite as You

Oh Your cross it changes everything
There my world begins again with You
Oh Your cross it's where my hope restarts
A second chance is Heaven's heart

Countless second chances
We've been given at the cross

Fragments of brokenness
Salvaged by the art of grace
You craft
Life from our mistakes

Black skies of my regrets
Outshone by this kindness
New life
Dawns over my soul

Oh Your cross it changes everything
There my world begins again with You
Oh Your cross it's where my hope restarts
A second chance is Heaven's heart

Countless second chances
We've been given at the cross

You Are The Reason

The stars hang in the sky

The newborn's first cry

The world turns a new day

The rain waters this clay

My life has meaning

My selfishness fading

My heart softens

My sin's forgotten

Jesus You are

You are the reason

The waves break on the shore

The birds high above soar

The rest found in the night

The sun giving us sight

My past is no more

My future's open door

My hope renewed

My purpose restored

Jesus You are

You are the reason

You're the reason I live

The reason I breathe

The reason I sing in the darkness

You're the reason I praise

The reason I dance

The reason I find joy in sadness

When You Came

The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.  ~Matthew 4:16

Light has dawned in the shadow

Life has shattered the dead

Glory has overcome darkness

Sight has revealed what's ahead

Truth unveils the deception

Grace eclipses the shame

Mercy forgives transgression

Found recovers the strayed

You came to bring freedom

You came to bring change

You came to bring light into this darkened world

And nothing remained the same

When You came

You came to bring healing

You came to bring hope

You came to bring life like we've never known before

And everything changed

When You came

Peace has overwhelmed turmoil

Love has drowned out hate

Joy has broken through sorrow

Strength has encouraged the faint

Comfort supplies the needy

Clean washes the stained

Freedom bursts through the chains that have held me

Hope heals all the pain

You came to bring freedom

You came to bring change

You came to bring light into this darkened world

And nothing remained the same

When You came

You came to bring healing

You came to bring hope

You came to bring life like we've never known before

And everything changed

When You came

We were lost

We were broken

We couldn't find You

We were blind

We were wandering

We didn't see You

Until You came

All He Says I Am

There are so many voices out there telling us how we should act...what we should look like...who we should be.
It's so easy to get lost within the lies of those voices.
To never actually hear and know the truth of who we are.
To never hear the only Voice that matters.
To never hear the truth of who we are in Christ.
To never know the love, freedom, and abundant life that's found through knowing Him.

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Our identity is in Him and Him alone.
We are His beloved children.
Redeemed. Restored. Whole. ALIVE!!

No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them. 

I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.  

I love Cody Carnes' song All He Says I Am that expresses all of this so incredibly well. I could just sit and listen to it over and over and over. In fact, I have...

He whispers in my ear

Tells me that I'm fearless

He shares a melody

Tells me to repeat it

And it makes me whole

It reminds my soul

I am all He says I am

I am all He says I am

I am all He says I am

And He says I am His own

I was blinded by scales upon my eyes

And He came like a light

And burned up all the lies

Oh He set me free

He reminded me

I am all He says I am

I am all He says I am

I am all He says I am

And He says I am His own

Chains are broken, scales are on the floor

Truth is spoken, I'm no orphan anymore

Chains are broken, scales are on the floor

Truth is spoken, I'm no orphan anymore

Chains are broken, scales are on the floor

Truth is spoken, I'm no orphan anymore

I am loved

I am new again

And I am free

I'm no slave to sin

And I'm a saint

I am righteousness

And I'm alive!

I'm alive!

I'm alive!

I'm alive!

I'm alive!

I'm alive!

Oh I'm alive!

I'm alive!

I'm alive!

I am all He says I am

I am all He says I am

I am all He says I am

And He says I am His own

Here And Now

We want to be a church where freedom reigns

We want to be a people full of grace

We want to be a shelter where the broken find their place

We want to be a refuge for the weak

We want to be a light for the world to see

We want to be a love that breaks the walls and fills the streets

All are welcome here

As we are

As we are

For our God is near every heart

Let Your mercy rise

Let Your hope resound

Let Your love in our hearts be found

Let Your grace run free

Let Your name bring peace

Heaven come in the here and now

We want to be the door that's open wide

We want to see compassion come to life

We want to carry truth that shines a beacon in the night

We want to see this city filled with hope

We want to bring peace to the troubled soul

We want to tell the story of a God that we can know

All are welcome here

As we are

As we are

for our God is near every heart

Let Your mercy rise

Let Your hope resound

Let Your love in our hearts be found

Let Your grace run free

Let Your name bring peace

Heaven come in the here and now

So let justice roll like a river wild

And let mercy grow like a burning fire

Let it come in the here and now

Your kingdom come til it rules the earth

And Your will be done all around the world

Let it come in the here and now

All are welcome here

All are welcome here

All are welcome here

As we are

As we are

For our God is near every heart

Let Your mercy rise

Let Your hope resound

Let Your love in our hearts be found

Let Your grace run free

Let Your name bring peace

Heaven come in the here and now

So let justice roll like a river wild

And let mercy grow like a burning fire

Let it come in the here and now

Your kingdom come til it rules the earth

And Your will be done all around the world

Let it come in the here and now

Give And Take

You split the sky with painted light
Rolling timpani shaking
You echo through the darkest night
Bellowing winds swirling

You shake the earth and trees bend low
Bowing down almost breaking
You churn waves and seas below
Crashing in and overtaking

Your majesty on display

Mighty One
Creator God
Your power can turn night to day
You give and take away

You soak completely my resolve
Breaking through and rebuilding
You pour out overwhelming love
Overflowing and healing

You whisper gently to my heart
Loving warmly and embracing
You'll never leave me or depart
Breathing life into dying

Your majesty on display

Mighty One
Creator God
Your power can turn night to day
You give and take away
Yet even in our darkest hour
Comforter
Loving Father
You're our faithful strong tower
You give and take away

Broken restored
Weak given strength
All glory to You
Shattered rebuilt
Torn mended and new
All glory to You, God

Breaking Free

Recently it seems like I've been involved in conversations with several different individuals and groups of people that revolve around our response (or lack thereof) during worship...specifically the time we set aside for singing/music within our respective church services. It's something that I've thought about in the past. Something that's bothered me on occasion. Something that I've wondered whether or not I'm actually justified when it frustrates me.

I've seen a change in my own response, and it's interesting to track the progression that's occurred especially over the last few years. When I think of my response today, compared to my past, there's an amazingly stark contrast. I remember when I was first introduced to "praise & worship" music and how awkward it felt when a scattered few started to clap. And that first time I saw someone across the auditorium raise their hand...bizzare. But now I'm the one clapping and raising my hands...and not just turning my palms up in front of me, but both arms are often flung straight up in wild abandon. I've found that when the Holy Spirit's stirring in my heart, I can't help but respond physically. And I especially can't help the joy that flows out of my heart and spreads across my face.

Like I said, I'm actually bothered now when people don't respond. I've experienced some frustration when I've lead worship, looked out into the congregation, and been met with stone cold expressions. It hurts my heart to think that such a large body of believers can gather together with the express purpose to worship our Father corporately, and yet for all intents and purposes appear to not be moved in any way.

But I've been pondering today if I actually have a right to be upset?? I think the crux of it comes down to a question of each person's heart. And the problem is that I have no way to be able to judge what's going on inside of people at any given time. Maybe it comes so easily and so naturally to me because I'm just an emotive person, and that's the way God's designed me to respond. Is one way of worshiping better than another? I don't think so. Maybe some people aren't singing because they need to take the time to actually stop and soak in the words. Maybe other people are actually responding in their own respective ways, but I don't understand it because we're not wired the same way.

With that said, I do think that in some way we all have a genuine struggle to break free from things that hold us back from really meeting with God. I know that I'm constantly battling the noise of life. There are things that pull for my attention and take my focus off of communing with my Father. For others, it might be an inability to break free from tradition or a fear of change. Or maybe we're just worried about what other people might think. We can be overly conscious of everyone around us, and we can't break free from caring about the opinions of others. I really believe that satan loves to keep us in bondage, and he will do anything and everything to keep us from our relationship with Christ.

I was just reading in 2 Samuel this week about David bringing the Ark of the LORD back to Jerusalem. King David was celebrating in the presence of the Lord. He danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment. (i.e. he was all but naked) Typically there tend to be certain traditions and rules that govern the way royalty is expected to act. When you're the king, people are definitely going to be watching you. And David's wife, Michal, wasn't too pleased with his display. She came out to meet him in disgust saying, "How distinguished the king of Israel looked today, shamelessly exposing himself to the servant girls like any vulgar person might do!" But I love David's response. David retorted, “I was dancing before the LORD, who chose me above your father and all his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the LORD, so I celebrate before the LORD. Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes!"

Now I'm not suggesting that anyone go and get naked. Please...don't. :) But what I am saying is that putting everything aside, it doesn't matter what people think. It doesn't even matter if we do, in fact, look foolish to people around us. Ultimately the only thing that matters is God's opinion. He is reason enough to put aside our inhibitions. He is the reason we worship. And there is freedom to be found in surrendering everything to Him. It's my prayer that as we continue to grow in our walk with God, that we'll recognize the things that hold us back, be able to break free from them, and genuinely meet with our Father.

Psalm 13

A variation of Psalm 13 rewritten in response to my own heart's cry...

How long will You wait?

How long will it take?

Tell me how long

When will this change?

Will it ever end?

What's the point?

Why the hurt?

The pain?

I don't know what I'm waiting for

But I will trust

I trust in You

In Your unfailing love

And I rejoice

There's joy in You

Joy in Your salvation

I will sing

You've been so good

So good to me

God, give me peace

God, give me strength

God, I need You

Restore my joy

Bring me back again

Return hope

Free my heart

My soul

I know You can deliver me

I will trust

I trust in You

In Your unfailing love

And I rejoice

There's joy in You

Joy in Your salvation

I will sing

You've been so good

So good to me

Your Will Be Done

Overwhelmed by the unknown

Uncertain where to go

But You're so much bigger

So much greater

Greater than the understood

Greater than what I know

No matter the cost

Let Your will be done

If everything's lost

Let Your will be done

Take all that I am

I'll follow Your plan

Whatever it takes

Lord, have Your way

Let Your will be done in me

Overcome by fear and pain

Questions overflow

But You're so much bigger

So much greater

Greater than the unseen

Greater than what I know

No matter the cost

Let Your will be done

If everything's lost

Let Your will be done

Take all that I am

I'll follow Your plan

Whatever it takes

Lord, have Your way

Let Your will be done in me

You're so much bigger

So much greater

So much wiser

So much stronger

Just help me trust You

Help me trust in You

Holy

I see the Lord

Clothed in splendor

Too brilliant

Too awesome

Too wonderful to comprehend

I fall to my knees

And I cry

Holy, You're holy, holy Lord

Holy, so holy, holy Lord

I'm not worthy

Stained with sin

Too guilty

Too broken

Too unclean to raise my head

I fall to my knees

And I cry

Holy, You're holy, holy Lord

Holy, so holy, holy Lord

Then He lifted me

Redeemed my life

Gave freedom

Gave healing

Gave power to begin again

I stand to my feet

I lift up my eyes

I raise my hands to You

And I cry

Holy, You're holy, holy Lord

Holy, so holy, holy Lord

Glorious

I was out for a run last night, and this song shuffled into my music mix. Its bpm is perfect for the speed I typically run at, and I found myself pushing forward with more energy with every step. Here's the problem though: I CANNOT help but sing along with this song! There I was...out on the trail...singing and running. Well, to be honest, I wasn't really successful at doing either one combined together like that. So it didn't take long for me to stop singing. Instead, I just found myself smiling and raising my hands in worship. It's a good thing I didn't pass too many people. They would've gotten a good show.

FYI: if you ever see me smiling while I'm out on the trail, I can guarantee it has NOTHING to do with the fact that I'm running. :-)

We look to You, eyes upon Your cross
We live for You, and count it all as loss
We hold on to You, knowing You have overcome
We trust You, giving up our hearts
We wait for You, knowing You will come
We belong to You, You have given life to us
Great is Your name and we give You praise

You are Glorious, high above the heavens
You are Glorious, in brilliance unapproachable
And marvelous
We await our Savior, Glorious

No enemy can keep us from You
Our victory, anchored in truth
More than conquerors, in You we will overcome

You are Glorious, high above the heavens
You are Glorious, in brilliance unapproachable
And marvelous
We await our Savior

Sovereign King, over all things
We give You honor
Humbly You came, forever You reign

You are Glorious, high above the heavens
You are Glorious, in brilliance unapproachable
And marvelous
We await our Savior, Jesus
High above the heavens
You are Glorious, in brilliance unapproachable
And marvelous
We await our Savior, Glorious
You are glorious

Whispers

My heart's response to yesterday's post...

Dampen the roar

Catch my attention

To hang on Your every word

There's so much to miss

If I remain unstirred

Help me be still

Focus my thought

Tune my ear to Your will

Silence my voice

Quiet my heart

I want to hear Your whisper above the noise

Sweep me away

Rest the busy

To help me find You today

I know You still speak

If I take time to pray

Help me be still

Focus my thought

Tune my ear to Your will

Silence my voice

Quiet my heart

I want to hear Your whisper above the noise

Help me to stop

And listen

Lord, whisper Your love to me

Jesus, whisper Your love to me

Ordinary Miracles

A holy silence

Breaking with dawn

Like breathing and laughter

Winds blow and are gone

Sunrise to sunset

Winter turns spring

Your fingerprint touches

Creation all sings

Even in the ordinary

There are miracles every day

Your goodness

Your kindness

Your faithfulness

They're on display

Joining the applause of angels

Singing hallelujah praise Your name

Colors triumphant

Bursting through gloom

Clouds settle on meadows

Buds bloom perfumed

Thunder that rumbles

Life giving rain

Love breaks through with healing

Undeserved again

Even in the ordinary

There are miracles every day

Your goodness

Your kindness

Your faithfulness

They're on display

Joining the applause of angels

Singing hallelujah praise Your name

We're singing

Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

Praise Your name!

Never Change

The whole world turned upside down

Nothing stays the same

Battered and bruised, so confused

Nothing makes sense to me

Feeling lost, completely alone

Broken hearted again

Pieces crumble like before

It never seems to end

God, You were

God, You are

God, You will always be

My hope, my trust, my security

You never change

You never fail

You never will leave

My constant, my life, my eternity

Lifting my hands to You again

Surrendering my heart

Take this life, make it Yours

And use it for Your plan

Offering up what little I have

Broken and torn apart

But God, You make things new again

More beautiful than before

God, You were

God, You are

God, You will always be

My hope, my trust, my security

You never change

You never fail

You never will leave

My constant, my life, my eternity

No matter what life brings

No matter what the pain

Only One remains the same

My God will never change

Love Me Just The Same

You know me more than I know myself

You see the depths of my heart

You hear the thoughts I never speak

You watch as I play the part

And still You love me just the way I am

And long to take me in Your arms

You show me grace and mercy

You carry my burdens

You wipe the past clean

And You love me just the same

You watch as I stumble through the dark

You see the mess that I've made

You know the struggles I have in life

You watch as I walk away

And still You love me just the way I am

And long to take me in Your arms

You show me grace and mercy

You carry my burdens

You wipe the past clean

And You love me just the same

Rest

I'll run to the arms of my heavenly Father

I'll find shelter from this raging storm

I'll rest in Him through the waiting

And trust in His love for me

My soul finds rest in God alone

My hope comes from Him

I'll find strength

I'll find courage

I'll find peace

As I wait upon the Lord

Hide me in the cleft of Your rock

Cover me with Your mighty hand

Remind me that You'll never leave me

Guide me to Your loving heart

You're my rock and my salvation

My fortress that will not be moved

You're my refuge and my stronghold

My defense that won't be destroyed

(Psalm 62:5-6; 27:14)

Stick

On Sunday, Pastor Curt talked about how God performed a lot of miracles through Moses, and for a majority of them, He told Moses to use his staff...or as Pastor Curt called it, his stick.  God turned Moses' staff into a snake.  God initiated over half of the plagues on Egypt by telling Moses to stretch out his staff.  God parted the waters of the Red Sea by telling Moses, "Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground."  Later on as they were traveling through the desert, God tells Moses to strike a rock with his staff to provide water for the people. 

There was an ancillary point that wasn't the main theme of the sermon, but it's something that made me stop and think...

How easy would it have been to start looking to the stick as the source of power behind the miracles that were happening?  It's a key component of the majority of them.  Every time Moses used his staff, something out of the ordinary happened.  There had to be something special about that stick, don't you think?  There had to be a bit of an awe-factor seeing Moses walking around carrying the stick.  How easy would it have been to forget Who was actually the authority behind the supernatural phenomenon...especially when you're seeing something tangible producing amazing wonders right in front of you?

And then I started thinking about how easy that is in the here and now.  How easy is it to start looking to tangible things today that produce incredible outcomes?  How easy is it to lose sight of the Creator behind the talents and gifts that people possess?  How easy is it to focus on how eloquent a pastor is; how moved you are by a song; how talented an artist is; how well a teacher imparts knowledge; how gifted a writer is; how many people come forward when an evangelist gives an altar call; how a doctor heals a patient; how you were encouraged by that person who showed up at the exact time you needed them.  How easy is it to focus on the person that God uses or to focus on the object that God uses?  And how easy is it to forget Who is actually the source of power behind the miracles that are still happening around us everyday?

We have an amazing and powerful God who orchestrates all things together for our good!  May we never attribute the extraordinary of our amazing God to the ordinary of the tangible!  May we never focus on the stick and lose sight of the One who created it and chooses to use it as a vessel for His power!

Reflect

I grew up in a small Christian school...kindergarten through 12th grade.  We focused a lot on music.  Singing was always a part of every chapel service.  We learned large passages of the Bible by singing them.  I'm a little rusty, but I can still sing you entire chapters even today.  Want to hear Luke's account of Jesus' birth?  I've got a song for that.  The love passage in 1 Corinthians?  Check!  How about the ten commandments?  I have a song for that too.  :-) 

We also held a Spring Program every year.  The entire school participated as one massive choir.  We worked on songs for a good portion of the school year, and a few weeks beforehand, we'd go into "scrunch schedule".  I loved it.  All our classes would be shortened to allow for more rehearsal time during the day.  I'd rather sing any day than sit through class!  We sang Handel, Bach, a little bit of Mendelssohn, all mixed in with some more current composers and a few more modern contemporary Christian songs from Steve Green and the like. 

I actually got to sing tenor for a couple of years.  Let's just say that tenor is not really the "cool" part that boys want to sing.  Singing bass somehow proves that you are manly.  So if you had to sing tenor because your voice wasn't quite manly enough yet, most of the time you weren't too thrilled about singing, and you didn't sing very loudly either.  Hence, the tenor section had the tendency to be a little weak.  And that's where I came into play.  If you know me, you know I don't have a problem with singing LOUDLY.  :-)  The tenor section...yup, that was pretty much all me!  haha

I'm really thankful for all of the time we spent singing.  I'm even more thankful that while we spent a ton of time working on parts and perfecting songs, we were also learning priceless foundational truths of God through the songs that we were singing.  And these songs still stick with me today.  They're buried deep within my heart.    

I'm also thankful that we were encouraged to let our faces reflect the words we were singing.  They weren't just random words that didn't mean anything.  We weren't just singing...we were worshiping God through song.  We were encouraged to really think about what we were singing.  We were encouraged to let the words affect our hearts, and in turn, our lives would reflect a heart for God.  As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man. 

It's been an invaluable lesson to me especially now when I have the opportunity to lead others in worshiping God through song.  It's something I always want to keep in mind.  It's not enough to just get up there and sing.  It's not enough to hit the right notes and sing all the right words.  And it's not just a lesson for worship leaders.  It's a lesson for every participant in the service.  Every person in every seat.  Every musician.  Every volunteer.  Everyone who has come through those doors.  Don't just go through the motions.  Think about what you're doing and saying.  Think about the words that are coming out of your mouth.  Let the words affect your heart.  And let your face reflect what God is speaking to your heart.

Funny...I distinctly remember one year when I think our pastor/principal/music conductor thought we finally actually all had learned to smile while we were singing.  Our Spring Program was held in a sizeable church auditorium that had a pretty steep incline from the stage up to the back of the sanctuary.  Some little kid was sitting in the back with his mom playing quietly with a football during our morning program.  Of course, all little kids are prone to drop their toys from time to time.  And, yes, this little boy inevitably dropped his football.  We all saw it happen.  Our music conductor did not.  It started at the top of the incline at the back of the auditorium.  And it slowly made its wobbly descent...rolling end over end...all the way down the aisle towards us.  We all started smiling.  You know...one of those ear to ear grins you can't help but contain.  Our music conductor was impressed by our smiling faces, but not our timing.  Unfortunately, wouldn't you know it, it was during the ONE song where we shouldn't have technically smiled.  We were singing about the somber subject of Jesus bearing our griefs, carrying our sorrows, and being wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquity.  Shoot...

Aware

I want to live live with my eyes wide open and be aware.  Aware of God's hand.  Aware of His movement.  Aware of His leading.  Aware of His presence.  So why do I tend to forget Him when I'm going about my daily routine of life?  Craig Groeschel touches on this in his book, Weird:

It's all too normal to separate spiritual life from regular life.  In reality, there is no distinction.  Everything we do is spiritual.  While normal people separate life into compartments (school, home, sports, work, friends - and oh yeah, church and the spiritual stuff), weird people know that everything is spiritual.  We don't remember God in prayer at the end of the day.  We live aware of God moment by moment.  He is not a part of our lives; God is our life.

Life is worship.  God created us for this very purpose...to worship Him in everything that we do.  God doesn't want us to just acknowledge Him once a day and then put Him back on a shelf only to pick Him up again when it's convenient for our schedules.  He wants to walk with us every step of every day.  He wants us to be in constant communication with Him.  He wants to have a real relationship with us.  And we can't establish a real relationship with Him merely by walking into church, saying a few prayers, having an "experience", and then forgetting about Him in our every day life.

God, may I always look for You.  May I always actively seek You.  May I always live my life in constant awareness of You.