Summary:

  Join host Suzy Yareai as she wraps up Season 1 of the Worship Union Podcast with Episode 18, continuing her conversation with co-host Molly Williams. Reflecting on her own journey, Suzy shares valuable advice she would give her younger self. She emphasizes the importance of pursuing practical skills in music and she highlights the significance of learning to communicate effectively with a band, even if you don't play an instrument yourself. Suzy also shares part of her painful journey of being raised by a mother who did not know how to love her children, and how Jesus gives Suzy the capacity to love beyond the pain and heartache.

Throughout this first season of our podcast, I've had the privilege of learning from incredible individuals who graciously opened up about their experiences with so much vulnerability. I'm grateful for everyone who tuned in and I hope these stories have touched your hearts and deepened your connection with Christ.

SHOW NOTES!!

“If we do not play an instrument we must learn to communicate with the team. The more skill training we have, the more we can be free to flow.” 

on staying connected to the Lord- 

“I feel like I am always spending time with the Lord, to be honest, and where I live promotes it. Even when I’m doing admin, I feel like I’m truly connected.”

“That’s how it’s supposed to be I think. We separate it out too much. Like this is my God time, this is my me time. It’s all God time.” - Molly

Suzy’s definition of worship-

“Breathing with God. Everyday, all day long, even when it hurts.”

most holy moment-

(on her painful journey with her mother)-

“I told God, ‘I can’t love her. I can’t find any love for her. Does that mean I’m not a Christian? Does that mean I don’t know Your love?’ And over and over He kept consoling me with, ‘I have enough and I’m working on your heart. It might not seem like it but I’m in your heart and I’m working on you and it’s gonna be OK.’ And that’s how I got through. Still do”  

what would do you want your legacy to be?-

“I want to be known for good and honest friendship with people and God.”

a thought to end with-

When we push past our comfort zones is when we grow the most.

some bits from speed round 

fave hobby-

Scuba and journaling

what’s on your continue watching?-

Doc Martin

fave bible verse-

John 4:23-24. NLT

But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

what time of day are you most creative-

All day long!

best quick advice to listeners-

Just learn how to let go and love, love, love as best you can. Follow the Holy Spirit as best you can and don’t be hard on yourself. 

 THANKS FOR TUNING IN!

KEEP WATCH FOR SEASON 2!

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Summary:

In Part I open up about my challenging upbringing and how I discovered my love for singing. Throughout my time in Nashville, I had the opportunity to perform with some amazing recording artists. But it wasn't until I met Sheri Hanes, a wonderful Christian mentor, that my life truly transformed while touring with Reba McEntire. Through her guidance, I found my way to Jesus, and my faith has been an anchor ever since. My story is one of hearing God's voice and following it, even when it meant making a difficult choice. This decision ultimately saved me from a devastating plane crash. I share my testimony in the hopes that it will inspire and encourage others.

SHOW NOTES!!

when you say encounter, what does that mean?-

“I could feel all through my being that God was real. And there was no denying it. in my heart of hearts, I want everyone to have that. It was love. I felt real love for the first time. Jesus was my first encounter with real love.”

“You were pushing boundaries so others could get free.”- Molly 

“We were trying to follow the Holy Spirit as best we could and that is always transparent.  And it does make people uncomfortable (in the church at large).  But the presence of God would come. We had the best times just trying to follow the Holy Spirit with grace. We still do.”

on the body of Christ-

“We have monthly partners and donors. We are fundraisers. That was really hard at first and actually very painful. But now I love it. I am so grateful. It’s too overwhelming to talk about how grateful I am to the body of Christ. I love the church so much and I love the body of Christ. It is so humbling but they take care of us. They love us. And we love them.”

on dreams-

“Stay so open. It’s never too late. We are never too old. I had all kinds of things I wanted to do and thought I was supposed to do. And God is surprising me now with some of these dreams coming true. "

a thought to end with-

“We don’t have to know everything.  Let go and let every day bring unexpected beauty. 
I could go on forever about how beautiful and unexpected our walk with God could and should be.”

THANKS FOR TUNING IN!

DON’T MISS PART 2 OF SUZY YARAEI, YOUR HOST!

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Summary:

Welcome to the Worship Union Podcast, hosted by Suzy Yaraei and Molly Williams. In this episode, Molly shares her insights on staying connected with the Lord and nurturing a unique walk with God. Molly highlights the value of finding moments of undistracted focus, away from technology and social media. She encourages listeners to discover their own means of connecting with God, understanding that it may change with different seasons of life.  Overall, this episode encourages listeners to let go of distractions, embrace simplicity, and prioritize an authentic connection with God.

SHOW NOTES!

most holy moment-

“God just wants time with us. He doesn’t care if we are walking our dog or whatever. It’s like purposeful; spending time with a friend. Like when I have a friend who reaches out to me and they want time and they make time even though they might have a husband, children, or a job, …that means so much to me. I feel like that’s how the Lord thinks about us. He just wants time with us.” 

on comparison- 

 “My very strict voice teacher in college told me: ‘Molly, there will always be somebody better than you, but there will always be somebody not quite as good as you.’ Learn to embrace who you are and what you have and work to better your voice, but don’t get caught in the mess of comparison- it will rob you of your gift.” 

a thought to end with-

“Worship is the air I breathe.  And I believe is so much more than singing and playing your instrument well on a Sunday morning. I believe if we love Jesus everything we do is worship because it’s the overflow of the love and creativity of His spirit inside of us. ”- 

some bits from the speed round:

fave book-

The Nightingale- Kristin Hannah

what’s on your continue watching right now?-

Escape to the Country 

fave song-

Where the Streets Have No Name- U2

fave bible verse-

Eph 3:19-20 The Passion 

Never doubt God's mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you.

coffee order

iced caramel latte

best quick advice you received and best quick advice to give:

BE YOURSELF AND YOU’LL BE WELL!

THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN! 

https://www.instagram.com/mollychasonwilliams/

 https://www.suzyyaraeiworship.com/

 https://ksmovement.com/

Summary:

In this impactful episode of the Worship Union Podcast, Suzy Yaraei and Molly Williams dive into Molly's personal journey with worship and her unique connection with God. Molly shares about her upbringing in a Christian home and the influence her father had on her love for worship, her early experiences playing on the worship team at her church, her college years, and her decision to pursue a music major, ultimately leading her to the worship community at Morning Star. 

The conversation turns to the importance of staying connected with God and nurturing a personal walk with Him. Molly encourages listeners to find their own means of connecting with God, understanding that it may change with different seasons of life. She highlights the joy of cultivating a friendship with God and the freedom from expectations and pressures of success in ministry. 

SHOW NOTES!

“I started playing on the worship team at my little church in GA when I was 14…”

“In college, I saw some videos from MorningStar. College had become more like work and job-like. I saw the MorningStar videos and I was like, this I why I do this! This is why I wanna worship. To be free and encounter the Lord like this. It changed my life and I moved to Charlotte and joined the school of ministry. I was 23.”

when you are overlooked-
 
 

“I auditioned at MS and ya’ll encouraged me and told me I was a great harmony singer so I assumed I would be a part of the student worship. But no one called me. I was super bummed and sad, crushed and confused. I could have gone to you and said something. but deep down I really wanted the Lord to make the way for me. I had this thought, if you try to make a way for yourself you will always have to do that instead of God opening doors for you. I had to die to the expectation that I thought I was there to share my gift and be in the worship community. A key in life- die to expectation. It’s hard to wait and let Him do it. I had to let it go. I’m still learning this. I want to be able to have joy in letting go. I want to get to that place.”

most holy moment-   

“I was in a meeting one night at the school of ministry. I was not on stage obviously, and I got down on my face and balled my eyes out for 30 min. It was like a physical moment-

I said to myself, I am getting up from here and I am letting go of all my expectations to be on stage and be a part of the worship community - I had to let it go. And when I got up I felt a 100 lb weight of disappointment was off my back. I week later you heard me sing at a baby shower. And then you called and asked me to sing at a conference with 3000 people. We’ve been singing together ever since.”

on humility-

“Absorb and listen (to the seasoned leaders and musicians around you). You don’t know what you don’t know.”

on leading a team-

“Loving people and getting to know them on and off stage is crucial. How can you lead people you don’t love?”

a thought to end with-

“We can be listening to what the Holy Spirit wants to do fresh and in the moment all the time.”

THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN!
DON'T MISS PART 2 OF MOLLY WILIAMS

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 https://ksmovement.com/

Summary:

In episode 16 of the Worship Union Podcast, hosts Suzy Yaraei continues her conversation with her friend, Melissa Helser. They discuss the importance of cultivating worship communities and share practical tips for building healthy relationships within those communities. Melissa emphasizes the need for emotional health and conflict resolution skills, as well as the importance of understanding one's own weaknesses and communication style. She shares how her own journey of learning these skills and how it has helped her build trust and connection with others.

SHOW NOTES!

Keys on cultivating a community-

-       Take care of your hearts with honest processing

-       Learning healthy communication in ways that honor each other

-       Emotional health

-       Conflict resolution- (love saying you’re sorry) 

-       Learning your own weaknesses

-       Make your own list of values for your community

-       And more- LISTEN!

quotes from Mel-

“If the enemy can’t keep you from burning for the Lord he will use ministry to burn you out.”

“Connection is produced when we do hard things together and we stay.”

“People don’t to do communal rhythms because relationships are hard and they talk a lot of work.”

“Values can be reproduced in any culture, any country or expression, but a model can’t.”

most holy moment- ‘glorious healthy shame’ 

“The Holy Spirit was there to say, ‘Can we talk before you go in.’…I felt the healthy shame. My heart breaks that I just hurt someone I love. It’s not just, ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry.’ It’s ‘please forgive me for not yielding to the Holy Spirit in that moment. Please forgive me, I wanted someone to blame because I felt out of control. Forgive me.”

 a thought to end with-

Let’s work hard at what we do and who we are becoming. Not going for perfect but for yielded humility. We can’t have community where perfect is expected.

some bits from speed round: 

book rec-

Emotional Healthy Discipleship: Pete Scazzaro

fave song- 

Girl From Ipanema (now that’s what I’m talking about.)

fave scripture now- 

2 Cor 9: 6-8 NLT

Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

best quick advice-

stay soft. 

THANKS FOR TUNING IN!

 https://www.cagelessbirds.com/

 https://www.18inchjourney.com/

 https://www.facebook.com/helsers

https://www.suzyyaraeiworship.com/

 https://ksmovement.com/

“What I desire is that we would continue to mature into, ‘I wanna sound like myself, I wanna sound like the expression of God within me.’ 

Summary:

 In episode 12, we continue our interview with John Mark McMillan! This episode offers a thought-provoking exploration of mountaintop experiences and the importance of finding fulfillment in the journey rather than solely focusing on success and achievement. They discuss the challenges of balancing family life and touring, and how priorities can shift with age and changing life circumstances. Mostly, It encourages listeners to embrace the everyday moments and seek joy and connection in their own lives.

SHOW NOTES!

“its proven- what happens in our brains when we sing together- something happens in those moments that doesn’t happen otherwise… it’s not just an experience you have with your brain, it’s an experience with your body, soul, whole being…”

a thought to end with-

… “serve people in a way to make the entire room feel like they are one, together, experiencing God at the same time.”

some bits from speed round-

book rec (at time of taping)- 

Man’s Search for Meaning: Viktor E. Frankl

what song can you listen to on repeat?-

My Way: Frank Sinatra

fave scripture- 

“The whole Chapter of John 1. I think it is one of the most important things written in the history of humanity.”

if you could have an unlimited supply of one thing, what would it be?-

ENERGY! 

coffee order-

Cappuccino with whole milk

THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN!

https://www.instagram.com/johnmarkmcmillan/

 https://www.facebook.com/jmarkmcmillan

 https://www.johnmarkmcmillan.com/

https://www.suzyyaraeiworship.com/

 https://ksmovement.com/

Summary:

In episode 11, hosts Suzy Yaraei and Molly Williams interview John Mark McMillan! John Mark shares his journey with music, finding his authentic voice, and how he is constantly evolving. He emphasizes the importance of making meaningful music that resonates with both himself and others and shares his perspective on success and the purpose of our gifts. He emphasizes the need for meaningful and authentic expression in order to connect with listeners on a deeper level. Overall, this episode offers valuable insights into John Mark McMillan's musical journey and highlights the importance of authenticity and meaningful expression in worship and music. It encourages listeners to embrace their own unique voice and to use their gifts to serve others. 

SHOW NOTES!

was there a defining moment when you found your voice in music?

“There was not a moment. I am still trying to do that now!”

on creative gifts-

“What you do, ultimately your gift, what you make, exists to serve people. And ultimately, success is not about how good you are but how well you are able to serve people with what you got. However, in order to serve people with an art form you have to make meaningful stuff and for that to happen, it needs to mean something to you first.”

“You learn what it feels like to write a good song. I have to feel it or I don’t know if it’s good or not.”

what is a piece of advice you would give your younger self?

“I would tell my younger self just show up and go to work. I was always looking for shortcuts. Picasso says, ‘Inspiration exists but it has to find you working.’ Don’t be so worried about the outcome, just go to work.”

what would you say to someone who has a musical gift and feels frustrated and overlooked?

most holy moment-

“Learn to do it for the joy. If you do it for the joy, no one can take that away from you- no matter what form of success you have or not. I know so many people who have had a lot of success, and who don’t have the joy anymore. Also- If you find the joy in it, it will be contagious.  

Learn how to fall in love with the process!!!!!”

a thought to end with-

on the person of Jesus: the way, the truth and the life-

“The way is clear. The truth and the life are abstract. The way is simple. Jesus laid out the way. This is how He loved people.”

THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN!

DON'T MISS PART 2 OF JOHN MARK MCMILLAN

and ESPECIALLY DONT MISS OUR NEW SONG OUT NOW- 
STREAMING EVERYWHERE "LOVED US FIRST"!!!!!

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