Chuck Ammons: It's Time to Sing Again!
Feb 11, 2025
Intro from Brian Simmons:
Chuck's passion for Jesus is contagious, and his joy overflows wherever he goes. Whether he's preaching the Word, authoring insightful works like En(d) Titlement, or simply living out his faith, he is a true inspiration. I have personally been blessed by his presence, and it's clear that his heart for God and people is something special. Chuck's dedication to empowering this generation with wisdom, love, and truth makes him a voice that we all need to hear. I'm confident you'll be deeply blessed by this article and encouraged in your faith. Be sure to check out his book, En(d) Titlement, for even more of his powerful insights! Brian Simmons, Stairway Ministries A Son Singing Orphan Songs "It's time to sing and shout for joy! Go ahead, all you redeemed ones, do it! Praise Him with all you have, for praise looks lovely on the lips of God's devoted lovers." (Psalm 33:1 TPT) For the past thirty-three years of my life, I have been writing songs. Somewhere in my middle school days, I discovered a knack for music and poetry; from that moment, songwriting operated as a key, helping me unlock language to my deepest emotions. I filled journals with scribbled notes, spending hours at a piano expressing the melody in my soul. There was just one problem. Every song I wrote was in contention for "world's most depressing." As a child of the '80s, I did my best to echo the emotive power ballads of Chicago and Journey, but none of my songs were remotely hopeful. Instead, they all seemed to ruminate a narrative of insecurity, rejection, and heartbreak. Sadly, this melancholy disposition continued well into my life of faith in Jesus, long after finishing seminary, starting a family, and years into pastoral ministry. I wouldn't dare admit it aloud, but in my innermost thoughts, I kept returning to bow at the altar of my break-up songs, seeing the world as unfair, myself as unworthy, and my situation as unlikely to change. I was a son singing orphan songs until one unexpected day when God overwhelmed my unsuspecting heart with the reality of His goodness and the security of my belovedness, despite all of my imperfections. Since then, the psalmist's words at the start of Psalm 33 have become a resting place for my soul, "It's TIME to sing and shout for joy!" We Become What We Behold Here's what I have come to learn well in the years since that transformative moment: We are becoming what we are beholding. Every day, a thousand voices are vying for our attention and the loudest voice wins. If we fail to understand this, we will miss God's presence in front of us and misunderstand His most precious promises to us.
Here's why that matters: Whoever gets your attention will soon have your affection, and the one you give your strength to will soon define your song. And so, it comes to us, beloved ones. Creation stands in the valley of lament, groaning as with the pains of childbirth. They are singing sad songs. And we are the "city that stands on a hilltop" (Matthew 5:14 TPT). We are the sons and daughters He has wrapped "in the glory-garments of gladness" (Psalm 30:11 TPT). Praise God, there is room at His throne for our questions and our travail. Our Savior's open arms are strong enough to shoulder every fear and doubt. Bringing these to Him in intimate vulnerability is necessary and holy. He Has Placed a Song on Your Lips! That said, it is high time for the lovers of God to arise and to sing and shout for joy! I don't know the challenges you are facing today, but I know this, your God is good. He is trustworthy. He could not leave you, and He would not forsake you. I join Paul in saying, "I am convinced that any suffering we endure is less than nothing compared to the magnitude of glory that is about to be unveiled within us. The entire universe is standing on tiptoe, yearning to see the unveiling of God's glorious sons and daughters!" (Romans 8:18–19 TPT). God, as the great Conductor over creation, has placed a song on the lips of all He has made. Every morning's sunrise is a lover's ballad to His betrothed, every crashing wave a victorious anthem of His unwavering strength. Even now, He rejoices over you with singing, inviting you to join in the dance! Here are four practical ways we can posture our souls to sing again with our Savior: 1. Begin Each Day with Praise Resist the urge to grab your phone first thing in the morning or to rush into the mental checklist of all you need to do. Instead, breathe for just a minute and remember that it is a new day, and you are alive! Pray, "Father, I praise You for another day! You are good! Thank You for delighting to fill me. Would You make me ever aware of Your presence with me today?" That minute has the power to change the trajectory of your entire day. 2. Make Space for Intimacy with God
3. Find Creative Ways to Maintain an Attitude of Gratitude A little over a year ago, God led me to a simple practice that has anchored my heart in His goodness. I call it my "Daily 5." Before I eat breakfast each morning, I pause not simply to pray for my meal but to thank God for five specific things from the previous day or the day ahead. In a short period of time, I found myself moving from seeing inconveniences in my day to invitations for the Father's love to pour to and through me. My perspective changed from "I don't feel like having that meeting today" to "God, thank You that this person trusts Your Spirit in me and that You will meet with us in a transformational way." However you do it, moving from grumbling to gratitude is vital to recovering your song. That leads to my final invitation. 4. Get Your Whimsy Back I think one of the reasons many Christians lose their joy is that they forget childlike faith and whimsy. When our eyes first opened to the love and forgiveness of God, many of us felt like the Israelites in Exodus, just twenty yards outside the bondage of Egypt. We were loved, we were free, and life was good. But if we aren't careful, at some point, we will move from the simplicity of delight into a life marked by duty. We will live with integrity and carry all of the right intentions, but we will lose the burning fire of the passion and zeal that we had at the start. What makes your soul come alive? When was the last time you made space to do what inspires you? Would you define your daily life with Jesus as a delight? Why or why not? Friend, the universe is standing on tiptoe, waiting to see what a fully secure, fully alive, son or daughter of Jesus looks like. That's what we're all hungering for! Can I remind you that God didn't make creation a sterile science lab for us to evaluate but a giant playground for us to experience? I pray the days ahead hold an overflowing bounty of laughter and exhilaration for you. I pray you will make time to sit at the table with people who make your heart come alive. I pray you will dance in creation in the fullness of joy like a kid with their dad. In a world full of orphan dirges and angsty laments, it's time to sing and shout for joy. Go ahead, you redeemed ones. Do it! (Used by Permission via The Passion Translation.)
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Chuck Ammons, Pastor Chuck Ammons is the Lead Pastor of Overflow Church in Valrico, FL. His passion is to help people experience God's goodness as Father and to embrace their unique voice in His Kingdom with confidence! To receive more words like this in YOUR inbox, subscribe FREE to the Elijah List at this link: elijahlist.com/subscribe.
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It's an honor to introduce Pastor Chuck Ammons of Overflow Church in Brandon, FL—a man who is not only a devoted father to five beautiful children, but also an extraordinary shepherd of God's flock.
At this present moment, most of us live tethered to devices and technology that hold our gaze for hours a day. Whether for news, productivity, or entertainment, each of these inevitably lifts the melody of a narrative about the way the world works and your place within it. Sadly, many of these are not the love songs the Cross sings over us but rather orphan songs of striving, ballads of blame, and folk songs of fear. (Photo via Pixabay)
We cannot afford to buy into the lie any longer that we are "too busy" to prioritize meaningful time with God. The Creator of the cosmos knows your name and adores you. How incredible is that? I urge you to calendar sustainable, uninterrupted time every day, like a man in love would do when planning a date with his spouse. Get into His word. (By the way, Psalm 33 is a great place to start. I found no less than twelve reasons to praise God there. How many do you see?) (Photo via StockSnap)
