Make A Joyful Noise...

I am not sure about you, but there is not a whole lot that I love more than music.  I performed for the first time when I was four years old. After falling in love with it, I continued to sing both in church and school.  There were choirs, combos, and solo performances. Voice lessons, and music conservatories.  Band.  Once I finished high school, I focused in on vocal performance.  Between vocal lessons, multiple choirs, and singing in church, I spent more time singing than working. Quite simply, it was my life.  I sang more styles than I can count, honestly, there are not many types of music that I don't enjoy.  Like many, when I didn't have words...when I couldn't name what was inside, music spoke for me.  It is one of the only things that can communicate feeling, move people, cross linguistic and cultural barriers, and bring joy...and that is just the beginning!

Did you know that according to the American Music Therapy Association:, music therapy has been found to:

• Lessen effects of dementia 
• Reduce asthma episodes 
• Reduce pain 
• Improve speech in people with Autism
• Improve sleep patterns and increase weight gain in premature infants 
• Increase motor function in people with Parkinson’s

While there are many types of music I have always enjoyed singing, there is nothing that feels quite like coming home quite as much as a good hymn.  We see in Psalm 100:1-2 how important it really can be:

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!²     
Serve the Lord with gladness!
    Come into his presence with singing!

God wants to hear us! Whether our voice is amazing or should be reserved for the shower and the car, it is beautiful to His ears.

Another amazing aspect of singing hymns is how it impacts our memory.  I mentioned briefly above the benefits of music in general, but let's dig a bit more.  Singing has been found to reduce stress by altering stress hormones.  Singing also has been found to not only repair damaged areas of the brain, but protect healthy brain tissue.

Do you realize what that means, dear one? That means that the gift that God gave us to communicate our love for Him is not just a way to say "I love you" (which is healthy in and of itself, we all know how good it feels to communicate love).  It's health benefits transcend the spiritual and heal our bodies! God has provided us a form of healing that we can do anywhere, for free, at any time!

We look forward to starting this journey as we explore our favorite hymns! Check back soon for our first hymn!

In love,

JSB