Welcome to Formation to Transformation, a short worship devotional centered on Scripture and the slow, faithful work of God.

In this episode zero, Dr. Ryan Loche introduces the heart behind the podcast and the verse that anchors the entire project: 2 Corinthians 3:18. Scripture teaches that we are changed not through hustle, performance, or intensity, but as we beholdthe glory of the Lord. Over time. By the Spirit.

Many believers long for transformation. We want freedom, steadiness, and lives that look more like Jesus, often as quickly as possible. But the Bible consistently presents a different vision. Transformation is the fruit of formation, shaped through repeated attention to God rather than rare spiritual moments.

This podcast is rooted in the belief that worship is more than singing. Worship is what we give our attention to. It is what trains our loves and shapes who we are becoming. Through short, Scripture-centered episodes released five times a week, this devotional invites listeners into a steady rhythm of formation through God’s Word.

Each episode follows a simple pattern:

1. A slow, reverent reading of Scripture
2. A theological reflection on what the text reveals about God and the inner life
3. A reframing of worship as formation, not performance
4. A brief, pastoral prayer

Formation to Transformation is for worship leaders, pastors, and everyday believers who are serious about Jesus and honest about how slow growth can feel. It is an invitation to stop chasing quick fixes and begin trusting the quiet, forming work of God.

As we begin, consider this question:

What would it look like to give God faithful attention and trust Him with the pace of transformation?

Psalm 23:1 is more than a comforting verse. It’s a reorientation. David starts with two statements meant to reshape how you live: “Yahweh is my shepherd. I shall lack nothing.”

In this episode of Formation to Transformation: A Worship Devotional, we slow down and sit with what it means that “LORD” is God’s covenant name. David is not talking about God in general being kind of like a shepherd. He is talking about the covenant God who binds Himself to His people and stays faithful. That God is “my shepherd.”

We also unpack what “I shall lack nothing” actually means. It does not mean you will never desire anything, never experience need, or never feel longing. David is naming what will rule his inner life. “Want” is that restless posture that says, “I don’t have enough, and I can’t be okay until I get more.” More security. More control. More certainty. More affirmation.

Psalm 23:1 confronts the habit of self shepherding. The impulse to manage everything, control outcomes, and carry the weight of life on your own, even while using spiritual language. This verse gives us a daily confession that forms worship in the real world. Worship is not only singing. Worship is training your heart to live under a different reality, that God is present and God is shepherding you.

Gentle question to carry with you today: Where do I feel want rising up in me right now, and what would it look like to let the Shepherd meet me there instead of me trying to manage it?

If you'd like to get these episodes in your inbox and support my work head over to my substack

Psalm 23:1 is more than a comforting verse. It’s a reorientation. David starts with two statements meant to reshape how you live: “Yahweh is my shepherd. I shall lack nothing.”

In this episode of Formation to Transformation: A Worship Devotional, we slow down and sit with what it means that “LORD” is God’s covenant name. David is not talking about God in general being kind of like a shepherd. He is talking about the covenant God who binds Himself to His people and stays faithful. That God is “my shepherd.”

We also unpack what “I shall lack nothing” actually means. It does not mean you will never desire anything, never experience need, or never feel longing. David is naming what will rule his inner life. “Want” is that restless posture that says, “I don’t have enough, and I can’t be okay until I get more.” More security. More control. More certainty. More affirmation.

Psalm 23:1 confronts the habit of self shepherding. The impulse to manage everything, control outcomes, and carry the weight of life on your own, even while using spiritual language. This verse gives us a daily confession that forms worship in the real world. Worship is not only singing. Worship is training your heart to live under a different reality, that God is present and God is shepherding you.

Gentle question to carry with you today: Where do I feel want rising up in me right now, and what would it look like to let the Shepherd meet me there instead of me trying to manage it?

If you'd like to get these episodes in your inbox and support my work head over to my substack