Tag Archives: song

Song for a Sunday // Finally

Finally  by Gary Chapman.

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror…” 1 Corinthians 13.12 ear buds What if, regardless of the deep-seated belief that we are not worthy of the love of God, that we have gone too far in sin or been too much of a disappointment to Him; what if the torment of the accuser and the heaviness of self-doubt, the negative things we believe about ourselves (whether self-imposed or heaped upon us) and the things that so easily beset us and keep us imprisoned and afraid could just be wiped away by one glimpse of ourselves in the eyes of our Maker, our own true, most genuine reflection?  What if it could change everything?

I wish my mind wouldn’t argue with my heart

It splits the day apart

Into time well spent and time just thrown away

I wish my heart would please make up my mind

I’m wasting so much time

Gotta catch a glimpse of how it’s gonna be

When finally I look inside Your eyes and see

Reflections of Yourself in me

The way You always said it would be

When finally, I’m loving You like You love me

It happened oh, so easily I looked at You and it came to me  ~ finally

Backstory {mine, anyway}

This song by Gary Chapman was an early-80s hit for T.G. Shepherd and I never thought of it as anything more than a country love song with a great melody – until about a year and a half ago, that is.

I’d read some research disproving what we’d always been told, that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” meaning as we age, we’ve lost brain cells and the ones we have are set like stone.  What a horrible prognosis to believe that whatever we are, have thought and believe based on life’s input so far is just it, as if we are in a trap we can’t escape.

It isn’t true!  I was fascinated to learn that science now proves the neuroplasticity of the brain, meaning our brains are not static.  Our brains can be retrained to catch up to truth.  The neural pathways can grow and be renewed and the grooves and  driven river of thought which has cut defined paths into the landscape of our brains, sometimes taking us down painful passageways again and again,  can be changed and healed and our beliefs and responses can be re-routed.  Our minds and hearts and souls can be healed and set free of negative emotion and erroneous belief.  Science caught up to the Word of God in proving we can, without a doubt, be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12.2), which is incredibly good news!

a mind is a powerful thing

So, as I pondered the mind-blowing, brain-healing, course-altering, change-potential, joyful-relief possibilities – I came across this YouTube video of Gary Chapman singing.  And the words represented the dilemma so well ~ the battle between our perceived reality and the hope that something can be different and that we are wholly, deeply and totally loved and accepted.  If only we could finally grasp what is the truth of God’s heart towards us, wouldn’t it just alleviate the fear, the battle in our hearts and minds – wouldn’t it just bring relief?

I may or may not have mentioned {quite a few times} that I am reading Staci Eldredge’s Becoming Myself and it reminded me of that revelation and this song when she spoke of having a magnifying mirror that reveals all the things you’d rather not have revealed, but that the truest reflection is what we see in the eyes of Jesus, who He sees us to be.

Because you can just kick back and relax and enjoy the abundant life He came to bring so much more if you know you are everything God created you to be and are doing what He actually created you to do (rather than wrestling and clawing and scratching to try to do or be what you or anyone else thinks) and you just reflect Him like crazy – which is SO the point!

Finally!!!

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”              2 Corinthians 3.18 NKJV

Oh man – if we could just believe and receive His love.  Wouldn’t it change everything?

…You’re my harbor in the storm I looked at You and the love in Your heart cut right through to me And my eyes can see ~ finally. -Gary Chapman

My prayer for you today, friends and familia~

And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.” Ephesians 3.18 Yes, may you be able to grasp it all…finally.  Me, too.

Song for a Sunday // A Very Present Help

Oh, my word.  Every time I NEED help from the sanctuary, I get surprised all over again, amazed and shocked that the God of the Universe, the Creator of everything – yes, THAT God- our Father, the Blessed Redeemer, the Savior of mankind, the Alpha and Omega {the Beginning and the End}, the Holy Spirit of God Himself, He is also the One who is the Helper {MY help}, helping me, helping me!

He helps us.  He is our Helper!  I keep forgetting this and God keeps reminding me.  I keep doubting it and He keeps proving it is true, time and again.

Circumstances can look bleak, the path obscured, answers seem hopelessly hidden.  We shake our heads, barely breathing out to Him…We pray, God, help me…and then He does.

Reading Frank Viola, God’s Favorite Place on Earth, in his account of the raising of Lazarus from the dead:

“…as high as God is going to elevate you is as deep as He digs to lay the foundation.

Sometimes the brightest light comes from the darkest places. And what doesn’t destroy you ends up defining you in some significant way…

Interestingly, Lazarus is the shortened form of a name that means ‘God helps.'”

I’d say being raised from the DEAD qualifies as being helped!   :)

The dictionary says to help is to give assistance or support; to make more pleasant or bearable (improve, relieve, rescue, save). It says to help is to be of use to (benefit); to further the advancement of (promote) or even to serve with food or drink as in a meal {Reminds me of “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies”}.

He is a very present HELP in time of need.

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—

where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121

So here is this old song for this new Sunday: Made Me Glad by Hillsong, based on Psalm 46 and every word true!

I will bless the Lord forever

And I will trust Him at all times

He has delivered me from all fear

And he has set my feet upon a rock

And I will not be moved

And I’ll say of the Lord….

You are my shield

My strength

My portion

Deliverer

My shelter

Strong tower

My very present help in time of need

Whom have I in Heaven but you?

There’s none I desire beside you

You have made me glad

And I’ll say of the Lord….

You are my shield

My strength

My portion

Deliverer

My shelter

Strong tower

My very present help in time of need

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Friends and family, let me declare/speak/pray this blessing over you:: May the everlasting One hear you today and send help from His sanctuary.  May the most Helpful One come to your rescue, bringing provision and relief and providing the support you need right now and be so very, very present.  I pray this for you – for the Help you need.  Amen!

Joyful-Joyful // Song for a Sunday

Laura Hackett from the JOY album.

 

 

It’s fine.  Nobody is looking.  Get up and dance a little!  I’ve got the J O Y !

A Hymn of Faith from Habakkuk 3

17 Though the fig tree may not blossom,

Nor fruit be on the vines;

Though the labor of the olive may fail,

And the fields yield no food;

Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,

And there be no herd in the stalls—

18 Yet I will rejoice {I will JOY} in the Lord,

I will joy in the God of my salvation.

19 The Lord God is my strength;

He will make my feet like deer’s feet,

And He will make me walk on my high hills.

To the Chief Musician. With my stringed instruments.

Love Hurts…like a stabbing wound, even

Rocky’s Adventure

Rocky went camping with his brother-in-law a few weeks ago (Jovan’s sister, Jessica’s husband, Matt).  After dark, by the light of the fire, he waxed romantic for Jovan, who was home with Averi.  So he started carving a stick to say, “I love Jovan.”  Thoughtful, yes?

However, as he was nearing its’ completion, just as he bore into the wood, which by now carried the sentiment, “I love Jova…” on the downward stroke of the “A,” he stabbed himself.  He stabbed himself really deeply.

Getting stabbed

There was blood, lots of blood.  Thankfully, he admitted what happened to Matt instead of hiding it pridefully, which he was tempted to do and they were able to take care of it until he could get back to safety and a hospital.  We can laugh about it now, but I saw the poor guy barely able to move the next day and it made me wince.

I think, though, for the sake of the romantic points it must surely have gotten him, it was probably worth it.

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Video

The video is a song he put together for the church staff, who love teasing him about it,  about his stabbing adventure.  He’s just silly.  And sweet.  I love the kid (and his girls).

photos by Ellie, The Photo Card Chef; video by Tredessa

Sunday Song ~ Beautiful News!

Beautiful News

Joy is the theme of my song,
And the beat of my heart,
And that joy is found in You.
For You showed the power of Your cross
And your great saving love,
And my soul woke up to You.
I heard Your beautiful news;
Grace so amazing, so true…

Shout it out, let the people sing
Something so powerful should shake the whole wide world.
Make it loud, make it louder still;
Saviour we´re singing now to celebrate Your beautiful news.

There´s a God who came down to save
Showed the world His amazing grace
There´s a God who came down to save
And He calls your name

Bible reference: John 3:16
Matt Redman ©2006 Thankyou Music (administered worldwide by EMI CMG Publishing, excluding the UK which is administered by Kingswaysongs.com)

http://www.mattredman.com/

Sunday Song “Fire Fall Down”

I love this song.  I have loved it forever and the “fire fall down” part is a major life-song for all my grandbabies.  They sing their lungs out on it!  Rocky and my kiddos led it again this morning and, wow – the words…


 

FIRE FALL DOWN

Cause I know… that you’re alive
You came to fix… my broken life
And I’ll sing… to glorify
Your Holy Name
… Jesus Christ

You bought my life
With the blood that you shed on the cross when you died
For the sins of men and you let out a cry
Crucified now alive… in me

These hands are yours
Teach them to serve as you please
and I’ll reach out
Desperate to see all the greatness of God
May my soul rest assured… in you

I’ll never be the same
No I’ll never be the same

Cause I know… that you’re alive
You came to fix… my broken life
And I’ll sing… to glorify
Your Holy Name… Jesus Christ

You changed it all
You broke down the wall when I spoke and confessed
In you I am blessed
Now I walk in the light
In victorious sight… of you

Fire, fall down!  Fire, fall down on us we pray, as we seek You…

Show me Your heart

Show me Your ways

Show me Your glory!

This is the song I am singing today!…Jeanie

NOTE TO SELF: These hands are Yours, teach them to serve as You please…

Carried to the Table

Leeland was, I am told,  17 years old when he wrote this song. I wonder how he already understood the beauty of being the made the guest of honor in a place you don’t even feel you belong?

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.”  Psalm 23. 5 NKJV

I know what it is to have been carried.  I have been carried.

 

NOTE:  The actual recording is one of my favorite songs.  I could only find the recording with pictures.  It does show up as a link when the song is through if you’re interested in a less busy rendition.

The Father’s House

Laura Rhinehart does amazing open, prophetic worship.  This song is a welcome right into the presence of the Lord:

“I can hear the Father saying, ‘My house is your house, My table is your table…’.” 

The video image is just the CD cover.  Ignore.  Turn up your speakers and hear the heart of the Father towards you.

God, it seems you have been our home forever…”  Psalm 90.1