Psalms 33:3

"Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy."

This may come as a shock to many of you, but, I fucking love music.

Last year, I had over 2000 hours logged into Pandora. Over a quarter of the year, I was listening to music. (8760 hours in a year, for those who were curious. I see you.) That's not including the time I spent playing shows, practicing, and all that good stuff.

MUSIC IS LIFE

However, it doesn't pay for shit. That's why you hear everyone who plays music constantly say, "I don't do it for money, I do it because I love it."

Yeah, you have no other choice because there's no money in it. That's true unless you're a good cover band. That topic, however, could be its own blog post, which I do not have time for nor want to get into.

MUSIC & THE LORD

So Sunday was the first time I had gone to church in a while, a long while- 2 years. That occasion (2 years ago) only occurred because my grandfather asked me to go, and honestly, I hated every minute of it cause I was just a little heathen. A 28-year-old little heathen. I remember going and just being very judgmental of the music, so much so that it turned me off to the rest of the service. The drummer was offbeat, the guitarist was basic, and the singer was too pretentious. I literally thought all of that. I know, terrible. I was an asshole.

Forgive yourself & do better.

No bullshit though, I remember being like, dude someone tell this singer their time has come and gone for this, American Idol doesn't take elderly. I was Awful.

Anyway, ahh, one thing that stuck with me heavily was the crowd participation. I always thought it was the stupidest thing when people rose their hands and felt everything they did, like this

I don't have an explanation as to WHY it bothered me so much, but it did. I thought it was the fakest shit and it was all just a big gimmick. I remember thinking that every other time I had been to church previously, as well. For some reason, it felt cringey to me.

However, I had no problem at all going to metal shows on the weekend and doing this....

Fast forwarding to the present- well, last Sunday's service anyway.

When the music began, people shot up. Just so excited. Hands immediately reaching out. Elderly people who could barely walk down the aisle were swaying back and forth, and every note strummed from the guitar strings soared across the room and pierced their hearts, giving their bodies the energy and life they needed to move in ways thought unimaginable. Children were bouncing up and down, and those who weren't moving were smiling. This was a massive room, but everybody in there was in unison, and all of their problems and worries and doubts... They were taken away by God.

It was fucking beautiful.

I could feel it. I could feel myself tearing up and just tense. I closed my eyes and thought, "Dude, just let it go, man, and I did." I wiped my face and looked at the band. Everything I was worried about, all my stress and negative fears going into that service, were gone. I could feel myself standing tall and straight because I wasn't weighed down by all that Satan fuel.

It was fucking incredible.

The Hills NRH, join me at the 11 AM service this Sunday!

Music is a powerful thing. It can be used to heal, to nurture, and to motivate us when we need it the most. I have to ask: Is that just the music, though? Or is it God working through the music? We hear about how the devil can use music to manipulate others and grab their souls to become famous, and if we believe that, why can't God do the same to heal?

HE CAN!

I'll give you an instance, a quote, and then I'll wrap this up.

A couple of weeks ago, I was in a very dark place mentally, so I went to work out. I remember being on the stair master which normally whoops my ass bad enough that I forget about the mental shit going on. Not that day, though. Not happening. I remember asking God both for forgiveness & guidance. I felt selfish for asking for a sign, but I just needed to know I was on the right track with life and that things were going to get better. I needed reassurance, and that's a HUGE problem in my life. Then, JENNY by Nothing More came on. I had never heard this song, but the lyrics immediately grabbed me, and the pre-chorus/chorus goes like this.

"You're beginning to drag the ones you love down

Will this phase ever end?

A thousand arms to hold you

But you won't reach for any hands, 'cause

I don't feel like I'm getting through to you

Let me paint this clear

Life is short, my dear...

Maybe you should just fall

And leave the world and lose it all

And if that's what you need to finally see

I'll be with you through it all​."

Dude.. I broke down.

I wiped my face and told myself to quit being a bitch, I thanked God immensely and I worked out harder than I had in a long time.

Music makes us feel things we never could without it; it's one of the most powerful energies on this planet, and that's why we have to appreciate it the way it deserves to be appreciated.

Yes, I do still listen to bands that have a negative meaning behind their shit, sue me. I'll never quit listening to metal and all the "Satanic Shit" that I got me reamed growing up. Hey, it gave me back bone, and I love that stuff, man. I know where my values lie well enough to know that some song isn't going to change that.

Does that make it right? I don't fucking know but you make some christian metal that slaps as hard as Motionless In White and I'll tune in, I promise.

Anyway,

Let God in through music. If that's the start for you on your journey, beautiful. That feeling you get at Sunday service concert is real, and those tears you cry during it help release all that negative shit in your life. It wouldn't hurt to give it a try, right? What's one Sunday out of your entire life??

I'll end on this note, a quote from one of my favorite songs of all time, True Faith by The New Order.

"I feel so extraordinary

Something's got a hold on me

I get this feeling I'm in motion

A sudden sense of liberty

I don't care 'cause I'm not there

And I don't care if I'm here tomorrow

Again and again, I've taken too much

Of the things that cost you too much

I used to think that the day would never come

I'd see delight in the shade of the morning sun

My morning sun is the drug that brings me near

To the childhood I lost, replaced by fear

I used to think that the day would never come

That my life would depend on the morning sun"

You can make many interpretations from those lyrics, and honestly, that's one of the many beauties of music.

However, I know who my morning sun is, and I'll never wake up without them again.

Stay Blessed, Ya'll.