Sing Yourself Into His Presence

Sing Yourself Into His Presence

From Grace for All by Jim Stovall, Greta Smith, First United Methodist Church, Maryville, TN

June 3, 2026 · 5 min · Season 24 · Episode 929

About this episode

The episode reflects on the importance of joy in worship and personal experiences with singing in church.

Psalm 100:1-2 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come into His presence with singing. As I have been thinking about this scripture over the last couple of weeks, I am reminded that my "star word" for 2026 is JOY. This word is to be a guiding, prayerful focus for the entire year. I was even gifted a bracelet that is engraved "Choose Joy". I really don't believe that was a coincidence. The word "joy" seems to be popping up in my daily life at an unusual pace. Being aware does help me see God's presence in my daily life and helps provide focus. I remember, as a child, this was one of the first scriptures I was asked to memorize. We memorized a different scripture each day in Vacation Bible School that summer in the early 60s. I loved Vacation Bible School. My teachers were fun and loved us well. As young children, I can assure you we made a joyful noise, at the very least a loud, happy noise. We were delighted to be at church, to be in a loving environment with our friends. We learned Bible Stories, made crafts, played outside and we sang! I loved to sing. I'm sure our teachers were glad when the day was over, but I'm also sure they…

People in this episode

Hosts: Jim Stovall, Greta Smith

Topics covered

  • worship
  • joy
  • childhood memories
  • Bible verses
  • spiritual presence

Keywords

  • joy
  • worship
  • Psalm 100
  • Vacation Bible School
  • spirituality

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: First United Methodist Church

Books & works: Psalm 100:1-2

Places: Maryville, TN

More episodes of Grace for All

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Grace for All podcast page.