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

Psalm 23:2 sounds peaceful, and it is. But it is also more intentional than we usually realize. David says, “He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.” That phrase “He makes me” is strong, because most of us do not naturally lie down. We keep moving, producing, thinking, and carrying the weight of what’s next.

In this episode of Formation to Transformation: A Worship Devotional, we talk about how a shepherd does not just take sheep somewhere pretty. A shepherd leads them into safety. Sheep only lie down when they feel secure. So Psalm 23:2 is showing us a God who creates the conditions where rest becomes possible, sometimes gently, and sometimes by bringing us to the end of our striving as an act of mercy.

We also look at what “green pastures” and “still waters” mean. Pasture is not just scenery. It is provision. It is nourishment. And still waters are not only poetic. They are practical. Fast water can be dangerous for sheep, so a good shepherd leads them to a place where they can drink without fear. This verse is not only describing God’s goodness. It is revealing His care for the whole person, body, mind, heart, and soul.

This is worship formation. Worship is not only what you do in loud moments. Worship is learning to receive, learning to be led into stillness, learning to trust without grabbing for control. Rest is not only recovery. Rest is trust. Stillness is not emptiness. Stillness is attention.

Question for today: Where am I resisting rest and stillness, and what might the Shepherd be trying to feed in me there?

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

In this episode of Formation to Transformation: A Worship Devotional, we slow down and talk about what restoration really means in Scripture. Restoration is not only fixing what is broken. Restoration is bringing something back into alignment with its true design. And David starts where most of us do not. He starts with the soul.

We often think restoration is external. A new circumstance. A new season. A new relationship. But biblically, restoration begins deeper. The soul is where your desires, longings, thoughts, and feelings converge. And a tired soul can keep functioning while never feeling whole. You can keep achieving and still feel depleted. Psalm 23:3 names the Shepherd as the One who does what nothing else can do. He restores the soul through His presence. Not as a one-time moment, but as an ongoing work of renewal and replenishment.

Then the verse shifts from internal restoration to external direction. “He guides me in the paths of righteousness.” Righteousness here is not moral perfection. It is right relationship with God, a life aligned with His heart. And the Psalm says the Shepherd leads us. He does not only give instructions. He guides step by step.

And then the phrase that changes everything. “For his name’s sake.” God’s leading is not only about making life easier. It is about His character being revealed through your life. Even when the path is hard. Even when it is unclear. The path is good because the Shepherd is good.

Question for today: Where in my soul do I need restoration, and what might it look like to trust the Shepherd’s leading even when the path is unclear?

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In this episode of Formation to Transformation: A Worship Devotional, we sit with the honesty of the Psalm. Psalm 23 does not pretend we only live in green pastures. It tells the truth. There are valleys. And David assumes the valley is part of the journey, not proof that something has gone wrong.

One of the quiet assumptions many of us carry is that the valley means God is absent, disappointed, or punishing us. But Psalm 23 gives a steadier lens. The presence of a valley is not proof of the absence of a Shepherd. And David says he walks through the valley, not around it. The Psalm does not promise a shortcut. It promises presence.

We also talk about the phrase “the shadow of death.” A shadow is real, but it is not the thing itself. It can feel heavy and terrifying, but it is not the end of the story. Then David says, “I will fear no evil,” not as denial, but as a refusal to let fear rule him. Fear is not only an emotion. Fear wants to take the throne.

The turning point of the Psalm is here. David shifts from talking about God to talking to God. “For you are with me.” Valleys have a way of taking theology from information to communion. This is worship in the valley. Not a performance. Not a moment. A choice to keep addressing God as present.

Finally, “Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” These are shepherding tools of protection and guidance. Comfort here is not sentiment. It is steadiness. Strength. Reassurance that holds you up when everything else is shaking.

Question for today: Where am I in a valley right now, and what would it look like to practice speaking to God there instead of only thinking about him?

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In this episode of Formation to Transformation: A Worship Devotional, we slow down and sit with David’s final confession. The word “surely” is not casual. It is confidence language. David is not saying, “I hope.” He is not saying, “Maybe, if everything goes well.” He is saying, “Surely.” Not because valleys never come. He already named the valley. Not because enemies never exist. He already named enemies. He is sure of something deeper.

“Surely goodness and loving kindness shall follow me.” Earlier in the Psalm, David is following the Shepherd. But here, David says goodness and loving kindness follow him. Mercy here is covenant love, steadfast love, the love that does not quit when you are complicated. David is saying my life will not ultimately be defined by fear, failure, valleys, or enemies. It will be defined by God’s character.

This is not shallow optimism. It is formed confidence. The kind that grows when you look back and realize God stayed, God led, God restored, God sustained, and God was faithful even when you were not.

Then David says, “all the days of my life.” Not only the days that feel easy. All the days. The strong days and the weak days. The clear days and the foggy days. The full days and the empty days. This is a verse for a lifetime.

And then, “I will dwell in Yahweh’s house forever.” This is not mainly about a building. It is about belonging. The house of the Lord is the nearness of God. And the word “dwell” matters. Dwell is home. Dwell is abiding. Not dropping by. Not occasional visits. A life that stays near.

Psalm 23 starts with “Yahweh is my shepherd,” and it ends with “I will dwell.” It begins with provision and ends with belonging. It begins with guidance and ends with home.

Question for today: Where have I been telling myself a story of fear or lack, and what would it look like to let God’s goodness and loving kindness be the story that follows me?

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Up to this point, the images have been shepherd images. Fields, waters, paths, valleys, rod and staff. Then suddenly David shifts the picture. God is not only a shepherd in a field. He is a host at a table. A table is not a rushed moment. A table is not panic. A table is presence. It is where you sit, receive, and are cared for.

In this episode of Formation to Transformation: A Worship Devotional, we talk about what it means that the table is prepared “in the presence of my enemies.” Most of us want the table after the enemies are gone. After the conflict resolves. After the threat is removed. But David says God prepares the table while the enemies are still there. That means God’s care is not dependent on your circumstances becoming ideal. Sometimes God protects you by feeding you in front of what opposes you. He sustains you under pressure. He steadies you while tension remains.

We also unpack “You anoint my head with oil.” In the ancient world, oil was a sign of welcome and honor. It was a way of saying, you are safe here, you belong here. David is describing a God who receives him, not as an inconvenience, but as a welcomed guest.

Then “My cup runs over.” This is not prosperity language. It is a picture of fullness that comes from God’s presence, a kind of sufficiency that becomes overflow. Scarcity makes us grab, hoard, and react. But God’s presence forms a different inner posture. Not perfect circumstances, but a steadier soul.

Question for today: Where am I waiting for the enemies to disappear before I let myself receive God’s care, and what would it look like to sit at His table right now?

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