White Christmas

This song has been one of my favorite Christmas songs for as long as i can remember :)  This version is great! I usually listen to the one from his albums, or i hear it when i watch White Christmas.



 

"I Need You!"

There are times when a song moves beyond the realm of "that's a great tune" into the realm of being the very fiber of your being. I am amazed at how, at the right time, one can rediscover a song that is exactly what you need, right now.

There are many difficult things we pass through as we traverse this sod. Things happen and bring back echoes of past pain. Then those echoes become shouts in your head. It is at this point that all the heart can cry is, "Oh, I need YOU! God I need You now!"

One may cry out for God to take away whatever is causing the ache, the pain, the suffering. God, in His great wisdom, goodness, and love sometimes just gives you the strength to keep breathing. This is the rub. This is where one must learn to lean in to His sovereignty. THAT is hard. Trusting in His goodness in the midst of deep, aching pain. Yet, it is the place one must go in the midst of the ache, 

For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” ~Hebrews 13:5

Cry out to Him in your need. He is faithful. Always.

This Good Day

Today, I got in the van to go to the library with the kids, and turned on the disc that was in. It was Fernando Ortega (a favorite around here). I went to his song "This Good Day" and it was just perfect. Rain clouds come. Cold winds blow. But i know Who is in charge of it all... my heavenly Father.

okay... here is a cool side note: This video here is from his dvd "Live in St. Paul". Guess who is in the audience? Yep... Brian and I :). We own the dvd, and have spotted ourselves in it. I was about a week out from my due date with our 3rd child at the concert! 

Fernando Ortega - This Good Day Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

Morning sun, morning glories
Pouring down the hill
Through my window
I can feel the ocean breeze

Noisy sparrows fill the oak trees
Swallows can't stay still
And in the glad commotion
Lord, You speak to me

If rain clouds come
Or the cold winds blow
You're the one who goes before me
And in my heart I know

That this good day, it is a gift from You
The world is turning in its place
Because You made it to
I lift my voice to sing a song of praise
On this good day

I will walk to woodman's cove
The fishing boats are leaving
Seagulls follow just above the water

I will wait until the sunset
Brings them home again
Rigging lines and anchors in the harbor

If rain clouds come
Or the cold winds blow
You're the one who goes before me
And in my heart I know

This good day, it is a gift from You
The world is turning in its place
Because You made it to
I lift my voice to sing a song of praise
On this good day

If rain clouds come
Or the cold winds blow
You're the one who goes before me
And in my heart I know

This good day, it is a gift from You
The world is turning in its place
Because You made it to
This good day, it is a gift from You
The world is turning in its place
Because You made it to
I lift my voice to sing a song of praise
On this good day

Songwriters
ORTEGA, JUAN F./SCHREINER, JOHN ANDREW

Providential Hope

I heard this song this morning after my alarm went off.
absolutely Providential.
There is so much beauty in the midst of the pain...beauty in His drawing so near and in His faithfulness to carry us through.
Hope.
There is hope.




You Are Faithful ~ Raymond Gregory
When my heart is troubled
And I can hardly breathe 
I will rest on Your promises 
You won't abandon me
In the valley of the shadow of death
If I'm with You I will not be afraid 

You are hope for the hurting heart
You are rest to the weary soul
When I am broken, You are not shaken
Through trial, pain, and fears
You keep count of all my tears
When I am broken, You are not shaken
Lord You are faithful, God You are faithful

On the path of abundance 
I look back and I see
When the road was rough, I stumbled hard,
I was beaten down
It was then that you carried me

Through tragedy, In prosperity
You are faithful, You are faithful
In every season Lord, You are with me
You are faithful God

Great is thy faithfulness, Great is thy faithfulness
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord You are Faithful

Worn

I love this song.
This is the cry of my heart after this past week. That there is beauty after the ashes.

A Song-ett

{hoping you got that little play on words up there in the title! Instead of Sonnett, a Song-ett. i know.. pretty weak.}

As I was listening to some songs on my ipod, i realized that i was starting to make sentences of some of the song titles. I grabbed a piece of paper and pen, and this is what i ended up with! So, this is made up mostly of song titles, and it is a great summary of what the Lord has been doing in my life. 

Though You Slay Me and Move in Mysterious Ways, I will Turn My Eyes Upon Jesus, and cry out, "Jesus, Draw Me Ever Nearer". Because You Walked in Lonely Places, I can now Lift Up My Sorrows, knowing that You Did That For Me. Amazing Grace sets me on A Firm Foundation, knowing that Jesus exchanged His Robes for Mine. In Christ Alone can I truly say "It Is Well With My Soul!" Amazing love, how can it be that Thou, my God, shouldst die for me? Praise the Lord, for GREAT things He IS doing!!

Here are links to the songs if you want to listen to them :):
Though You Slay Me 
God Moves in a Mysterious Way
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
Jesus, Draw Me Ever Nearer
You Walked in Lonely Places  (M. Card talks about this song here)
Lift Up Your Sorrows
You Did That For Me
Amazing Grace
How Firm a Foundation
His Robes for Mine
In Christ Alone
It Is Well With My Soul
And Can It Be (Amazing Love)
Doxology 

Worlds Apart

For almost 20 years this has been a favorite song of mine (as well as the prayer of my heart). I absolutely love this version of it...
Listen. pray. release. rest in Christ.

God's Lovingkindness

Sunday's sermon stopped me in my tracks. One of our Elders, Pastor Dan Burris, was preaching on Ruth. He focused in on the lovingkindness of Boaz toward Ruth, and how Boaz was the instrument God used to show His lovingkindness. It was really a wonderful message. You can click to listen to it on the sidebar...it should be there shortly if it isn't already... 7.7.13 is the message date---->.

What is it that stopped me in my tracks? The amazing lovingkindness of God. Pastor Dan did an amazing job weaving all of scripture together, and showing God's chesed love for His people, me included. One thing he said is that God doesn't love with an exit strategy. that hit me. hard. God loves totally and completely. His love is for me, for us. I could type more, but won't. I am still processing it. Just wanted to share with you  that God loves His own completely, and He does not look for an exit, or a way out, of His relationship with you or I. As the psalmist would say.... Selah.


Here are the lyrics to a song we sang Sunday as well. These were a beautiful reminder of so many truths that i tend to forget.

His Robes for Mine by Chris Anderson & Greg Habegger

His robes for mine: O wonderful exchange!
Clothed in my sin, Christ suffered ‘neath God’s rage.
Draped in His righteousness, I’m justified.
In Christ I live, for in my place He died.

Chorus:

I cling to Christ, and marvel at the cost:
Jesus forsaken, God estranged from God.
Bought by such love, my life is not my own.
My praise-my all-shall be for Christ alone.

His robes for mine: what cause have I for dread?
God’s daunting Law Christ mastered in my stead.
Faultless I stand with righteous works not mine,
Saved by my Lord’s vicarious death and life.

His robes for mine: God’s justice is appeased.

Jesus is crushed, and thus the Father’s pleased.
Christ drank God’s wrath on sin, then cried “Tis done!”
Sin’s wage is paid; propitiation won.

His robes for mine: such anguish none can know.
Christ, God’s beloved, condemned as though His foe.
He, as though I, accursed and left alone;
I, as though He, embraced and welcomed home!

Love that never lets go

Are you tired too?

To say stuff has been going on in my life the past number of months would be an understatement. The good news? God is changing me. not my circumstances, necessarily... but me. I am forever grateful for the fire that refines.

a dear friend heard this song on the radio, and sent it to me. i found the story behind the song after i listened, and just wept. This was quite some time ago. I finally feel i can share it here.

Know that in the midst of all the trials, that God IS working. He IS there. Cling to the precious promises in the Gospel.

Here is the story behind the song:




Here is the song (~:

Worn ~ Tenth Avenue North at KLOVE radio

here is the official video

official music video for Worn

Turning My Eyes

Thought i would walk through this simple chorus  :-)

Turn Your Eyes ~ Nichole Nordeman ( <--- click to listen)

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Take your eyes off of anything else. Completely turn your eyes. Not just a bit. Not for just a moment. But completely, steadfastly, resolutely, fix your eyes on Jesus.

Look full in His wonderful face
definitions from dictionary.com (except for His) ~ 
Look: To turn one's eyes toward something or in some direction in order to see.
Full: Exactly or directly.
In: Used to indicate inclusion within space, a place, or limits.
His: the great I AM
Wonderful: excellent; great; marvelous.
Face: The front part of the head.

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace!
As we turn our eyes toward Jesus Christ, all of the cares and worries here are put in perspective. As we turn our eyes to His excellent Word, we are reminded that this world is truly not our home. As we read and meditate on the Bible, we realize that the hooks of materialism and self-love loosen their grip. We see that it is truly ALL.ABOUT.HIM. all we do. all we say. all we are, to His glory.
When the things of earth, those things that we have set our affections on higher than Christ, grow dim, we can walk in freedom. The freedom given to us in Christ.

We start to see things from His perspective.
We love, because we finally see how He has loved us.
We give, because we finally see how much we have been given.
We forgive, because we know the depths of our own depravity, and how very much we have been forgiven by God in Christ.

We can simply be, because we know that our very breath is given to us by Him.