One morning as I took a little scroll on social media, I came across a video of two elderly women singing praise to Jesus. Apparently, they are life-long friends, with one of them battling dementia at ninety-eight years old. Still, this beautiful woman sat in her wheelchair and enthusiastically kept the melody, recalling every word to the song.

This video brought tears to my eyes as I remembered my own grandma who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. This cruel illness stole both her immediate short-term memory and long-term memory. There came a point when she no longer recognized faces or knew her family, and near the end she couldn’t even speak. However, not long before she passed into glory, she miraculously recalled the lyrics to a couple of precious and child-like worship songs.

It was Christmas Day, and our family gathered to celebrate Jesus’ birth as we always do. My grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, siblings, and lots of cousins filled the rooms with conversations and laughter. As I entered the house, I went straight to the dining room table where Grandma was seated. Leaning in close, I gave Grandma a hug and a kiss. Then I plopped down in the chair beside her. Hoping for a spark of recognition, I tried engaging her, but she sat silently in her wheelchair. Nothing I said seemed to register . . . until I began softly singing, “Jesus Loves Me” and “Away in a Manger.” She perked up as I sang over and over, faintly smiling and even trying to sing along.

Worship brought a sparkle back into her distant eyes — and for those few moments of her awareness, I am grateful.

That faith-filled woman taught me to sing those two songs when I was a child. I sang them with my sons when they were young, and once again with Grandma when she was old. Grandma was the one who led me to Jesus. She and Grandpa would take me and my two cousins on trips to their cabin in the mountains. During these trips, they would tuck us into bed each night, telling us Bible stories and leading us in prayer.

One weekend around Christmastime, my cousins and I stayed over at their house for a visit. In preparation for the holiday, we made snowball cookies. While the cookies were baking, Grandma invited me to join her in the guest room that was located just off the kitchen. She asked me if I’d like to accept Jesus into my heart, and I eagerly said yes. So, side by side, we sat on the edge of the bed, our hands clasped and heads bowed, while Grandma led me in the prayer that changed my life and my eternity.

Thanks to Grandma, I have a joyous song in my heart to this day, just like she always had. Now, I worship in the kitchen, in the car, and on walks outside. Singing helps to reset my heart and mind on things above (Colossians 3:1-2). Worship ushers us into the presence of God, and I truly believe it is a powerful weapon against the enemy — a sure-fire way of pushing back even the darkest day.

Our desire to worship is innate; God created us to worship. Worship has been occurring in heaven since before creation, and will continue beyond time as we know it. For a child of God, worship is uncontainable — it wells up from deep within our souls and our spirits can’t help but cry out in grateful adoration.

Someday, our memories may fade, but our worship will never fall away. It begins here on earth and will continue as we transition to our heavenly home, where we will join in the angels’ infinite chorus.

My grandma is already in heaven singing to her heart’s content (maybe even doing a cartwheel). Someday I’ll join Grandma and sing praises before God’s throne, too. Once again, we’ll be together singing to Jesus. Scripture tells us that faith, hope, and love will remain (1 Corinthians 13:13), but it also reveals that worship endures forever and ever. 

Day and night they never stop saying: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.
Revelation 4:8

Sisters, turn on some worship music today and sing along to your heart’s content. Your perspective on things will surely shift as you join the chorus of heaven!

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