Worship & Songwriting

The first person I ever seriously sang to was my Dad. At the age of six, after watching “An American Tail: Fievel Goes West” - my favorite movie at the time - I ran to my Dad and said “Daddy listen…” and began to sing the song “Dreams to Dream” from the movie. He smiled and said “Well… You’ve got a little voice!” Around that same time, I had my first encounter with God through worship music. My mom was invited to sing the song “El Shaddai” by Amy Grant during a Sunday morning service, and as she sang the song over the congregation, the words resonated with my sweet six year old heart, and I felt a deep adoration for Jesus. To this day, that song still has a special place in my heart. 

Today, I get the privilege to lead a 1000+ member congregation as a vocal director and worship leader, and I thank God for honoring me in this way. Several years ago I was told that I didn’t have what it takes to be a worship leader on Sunday mornings. At the time, I was the main worship leader for our local college campus worship events and retreats, the leader for our staff worship moments, and was running our church worship department because our previous worship leader had stepped down. I was deeply hurt. (Fast-forward, the person who told me this later became a huge advocate for me and affirmed me as a skilled and anointed worship leader. God is so good!)

For years I was overlooked and dismissed as a worship leader but I chose to cry out to God and serve in the areas He had placed before me, and He in turn blessed me beyond what I could imagine! It was during those years that God connected me with some prominent worship leaders within our church movement who took me under their wing and gave me the opportunity to sing and lead worship at a number of national conferences. It was during that time that I started a Kid’s worship team at our church, and I still get to see the fruit of that ministry to this day. Most importantly, it was during that time that God developed in me the character that I would need to correctly handle the role I am currently serving in.  

For me, I have a deep awareness of the privilege it is to lead worship before God and others, and I do not take this for granted. My worship and songwriting flow from a deep place of communion with God, and I understand that it is only by His grace and His mercy that I can lead worship in a way that glorifies Him. 

Check out the videos below to see clips of Sonyia leading worship.