“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

2024 was a good year, I’d even venture to say a great year! This post is a recap of 2024 – what God has done through me, in me and for me. Wow, what a Savior, what a friend, what a Lord!

I launched my album “Songs of the Heart” with the start of a Give Back Tour that God put on my heart months prior. On this first worship concert night money was raised for Hope 5 One (a human trafficking organization) and Debra’s House of Hope (a women’s recovery house for those overcoming addiction and homelessness). I would have the privilege to do several more worship events and raise money for prison ministry, a homeless ministry, a ministerial alliance, and more. I had the privilege to share the songs the Lord put on my heart to write and the stories behind them. God used them to touch people’s lives and show me more of Himself.

God allowed me to lead worship for Youth conferences, revivals, women’s conferences, retreats, church services and more. For a couple of months, I served alongside a beautiful group of people “Kingdom Fighters” at youth events, recovery events and more. I got to serve my church family in worship and Bible study. AND God gave me the opportunity to speak at two women’s conferences and a church service. I share at worship events and services but these were deep Word studying, vulnerable sharing speaking engagements that stretched me considerably. Terrifying, I know! But God! Through me, God did all of these things.

Now, IN me…He did a whole lot too.

Before I kicked off the Give Back Tour, God spoke to my heart about laying down having a band to accompany me. I reluctantly said okay and stopped pursuing my musician friends to join me throughout the year. Then, in February, Kingdom Fighters led a service at our church and the Lord dropped this into my heart “Christy, you can serve alongside other musicians without your name on it”. Ouch! Ok, Lord, I hear You. What does that mean? What does that look like? A little while later I was asked if I’d pray about joining Kingdom Fighters. A couple months after that James and I had dinner with Larry and his wife, Kris of KF and I felt the Holy Spirit telling me to come alongside them. I didn’t know how this was going to go, what my role would even be but I was trying to be open to whatever the Lord wanted. I only served with KF from May through July but God grew me in remarkable ways. He gave me somewhat of a mentor-like role that I wasn’t expecting and He gently reminded me to be obedient and that He had me. You see, I have a hard time letting go of things; before I would have tried to hold on to doing all the things, playing for every event, being all and everything people expected me to be. But God was doing something, and during this time, He reinforced that by allowing me to lead worship with a sweet group of musicians in a barn near Sedalia. I was asked to come play keys but then later just asked to lead two of the songs for the set and sing some harmonies during worship. I learned two songs I hadn’t heard before, led them with no real rehearsal and there was no mention of who I even was…what a beautiful thing. Not that I’m a big deal because I’m definitely not but maybe in the past my heart would’ve wanted a little shout out or to have been introduced. Thank You, Lord, for this experience.

Then God asked me to do something else..to lay down doing outside the church ministry the last two months of 2024. So, I did. Obedience is greater than sacrifice, right? But this felt like a sacrifice too, because I love walking in my calling and I have a hard time saying no if someone were to ask me to lead worship somewhere. He made me a worship leader! But He made me for Himself and that’s what He wanted from me. To spend time with Him, lingering in His presence, abiding, leaning in, listening and waiting. And during these precious moments, He gave me a new song – “Linger”. Here’s the chorus:

Linger, wait
Abide here, stay
Lean in and listen
Remain, with me

What a gift.

What a gift 2024 was to me. God carried me, so sweetly and gently. He showed me parts of myself that needed to die and things I needed to lay down and loved me so well through all of it. I really don’t even think I can adequately put into words the transformation He’s done in my heart and life. On the outside it may not look like much to you but the more I’m refined, the more I’ll act like Jesus and that’s what I want, that’s my heart’s desire. Make me more like You, Lord.

And as for what God has done for me? ALL of this and more. Worshiping Him, Living for Him, Abiding with Him, Growing in Him, Loving Him…that is all for me.

I could go on and share so many more things, how He has given me a supernatural prayer life recently and answered some of my prayers so wonderfully. He has put some new things for me to do on my heart and things are starting to take shape. He’s given me sweet conversations with my 6 year old granddaughter about Him. Wow, God, You are good.

And just a couple weeks ago at church I had this thought (or did He put it there) Christy, what if serving without your name on it just means serving here…at the Church of Living Water?

Whatever You want, Lord. Anything for You.