I've always been a pretty big fan of Tim Burton. I love the way he thinks and the way he channels his perspectives through his artistry. A week or so ago, I actually got the opportunity to go with some church friends to explore the old movie set from his movie, Big Fish. And, of course being with the water loving people I was with, the first thing we did when we got there, (after eating of course), was kayak the waters around Jackson's Island. Now, don't get me wrong, I love kayaking and nature, but that day it was soooo unbelievably hot on the water. It was honestly pretty close to unbearable - and I have a nasty tan line to prove it. For a while, we were floating down a pretty shaded path, but then eventually had to turn around and go back the other way - back towards the unshaded, heat of the day.

This trip was a college and career trip, and the family who does college and career has been after me for a little while now with this cool idea of doing a worship song video in a tunnel, or under a bridge with water, etc. So, the road to Jackson's Island goes right over the water, and to get to the other side of the water, there's this tunnel. Well, about the time, we kayaked back into the sun - Stacey, one of the masterminds of this "worship song in an interesting place" idea, paddled up beside me and asked me if I wanted to go through the tunnel. And of course, I was like "Heck ya!". So right before we began to embark through this tunnel of acoustic magic, Stacey told me I had to sing while I went through the tunnel. And so I did. In that moment, I didn't think anything of the significance of the words that had just came out of this man's mouth. But now I know…

There are two specific stories in the bible that God has been speaking to me through lately. The first is found in Joshua 6, and it's when God told Joshua to march around the walls of the city of Jericho, once a day, for 7 days. And as the story goes, Joshua and his vast army marched around the wall like God asked, and on the 7th day, after their 7th lap, they shouted a shout of praise so worshipful that the walls of the city came crashing down - and they were given everything God had promised.

Now, the other is found in Acts 16, and it's when Paul and Silas were placed in prison. And their placement was, of course, due to their own ministry. But at midnight that night, they began to sing songs of praise to God, and when they did - the ground shook so violently that the foundations of the prison were shaken and all of the prison doors flew open. Everyone's chains were loosen and they were all free.

I know what you're thinking… how could these two stories be related to each other? How could they even be remotely related to kayaking, or even singing through a tunnel? I was wondering the same thing. But then, when I went back and looked at Joshua 6, something really stuck out to me. "Shout! For the Lord has given you the city! The City and all that is in it are to be *devoted* to the Lord" - (Joshua 6:16-17). The word "Devoted" here in the Hebrew context refers to the *irrevocable* giving over of things or persons to the Lord often by totally destroying them. Alright… here's what blows my mind… When you break down the word "irrevocable", the root word is "vocal". So basically God is telling them to shout because when they do that, they're giving over to God something that is irrevocable, something that cannot be taken away. Because when you really give something over to God, it is indeed, irrevocable.

Now, hear me out, what all of these have in common is not something groundbreaking… it's not something that's new or scholarly - but it is essential. It's worship.

You see, when I think about both of these specific biblical times, I think of two circumstances where believers knew in their hearts what God has promised them - and yet their outward condition looked deceiving in comparison to what God has planted inside them. Joshua and his army marched a seemingly solid, sturdy wall for 6 days. And I can't help but know that if I was faced with that same situation, I would have probably had some doubts considering it had been 6 days, and nothing really had happened yet. And the same goes for Paul and Silas in that prison cell. Even knowing who my God is, I would have been a little discouraged by the events taking place before my eyes. But instead they praised. In the midst of this dark, confusing tunnel that passes from what God had told them in their hearts to seeing it come to pass, they sang songs of love and honor and worshipped the Lord.

When I paddled through that tunnel from one side of Jackson's Island to the other, I'd like to say that I delivered a beautiful rendition of "How Great Thou Art,"… but the truth is all I could think to sing at that point was a heat exhausted version of "If You're Happy and You Know It." And honestly, I haven't even thought twice about my song choice, or even singing through that tunnel in general until now. But now I know just how vital that was.

Now I know what it means to sing through the tunnel.

You see, to me, the most amazing thing about a tunnel isn't the fact that you can always see the light on the other side, or even the fact that it's shade aids to cooling you down on a scorching hot summer day here in Alabama, but instead… it's the way that it echoes. Every word you say, every song you sing - it echoes… bouncing off the walls into eternity. So this tells me that when we worship whenever we're going through these dark times or tunnels of our lives, even the walls take notice.

When we verbalize the praise we're bringing forth for our Father, nothing in creation is capable of staying silent.

So… what if we did the same? What if we, knowing just how significant it is to vocalize our praise, sang our way through the darkness of life's tunnels… What if we were to shout through our seemingly impossible circumstances? What if we really devoted our everything to God in such an irrevocable way that nothing and no one could separate us from His love? What if we really praised our way through the tunnels? What if? What would happen then?

I think we're way past the what ifs though. I believe that there is honestly too much evidence not to sing His praises through our hardships. Worship, while it may not be groundbreaking, it is ground-quaking. It loosens chains and breaks prison doors. It sends walls crashing down. He's a God of miracles, so let's praise Him like we believe He'll do the impossible.

Sing through your tunnel, and let it echo, because your praise isn't just your song… it's your testimony.