This solid ground, firm through the fiercest drought and storm.

As weird as it may sound, my husband and I have both discussed which songs we want at our funerals one day. We thought through what we want to represent our thoughts. I think we have eached picked out at least two songs we want. This song is one that we both share in common as one that we want as an ANTHEM of our life & death. "For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain!" Philippians 1:21

In Christ alone,
my hope is found;
He is my light,
my strength, my song;
This cornerstone,
this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest
drought and storm.
What heights of love,
what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled,
when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.

-Keith Getty & Stuart Townend

When silence falls, you'll be the song within my heart.

What do we do when darkness reigns? Jesus had a very lonely and heart breaking moment of sorrow in the garden before going to the cross, where although His disciples were with Him, they could not stay awake to support Him and He was alone to face the darkness. He asked them to stay awake but it didn't happen. Instead He prayed to the One that He knew was there and sweat great drops of blood- the agony weighed on Him of the horrible task ahead.

To trust God is a choice in our suffering. It's meaningless to talk about our faith in God when things are going well. We see how much we really trust when things get hard. To choose to continue believing and to have faith takes courage and the belief that God loves us and is with us no matter what we are going through. It takes the hope that He will not only get us through it but that we will come out with victory!

This song speaks to my heart. It reminds me a lot of my broken childhood filled with abuse, and the way God was the song in my heart when silence fell. But it also speaks to my moments of darkness in the present. I know that I serve a God that will heal me, help me and guide me- just as He has always been faithful and done so.

I've had questions, without answers
I've known sorrow, i have known pain
but theres one thing, that i'll cling to
you are faithful, Jesus your true

When hope is lost, i'll call you saviour
when pain surrounds, i'll call you healer
when silence falls,
you'll be the song within my heart

In the lone hour,
of my sorrow
through the darkest
night of my soul
you surround me,
and sustain me
my defender,
forever more

When hope is lost, i'll call you saviour
when pain surrounds, i'll call you healer
when silence falls,
you'll be the song within my heart

Oh you're so good to me.
You've always been good to me.
So trust worthy.

I will praise you, i will praise you
when the tears fall, still i will sing to you
i will praise you, Jesus praise you
Through the suffereing still i will sing

How faithful and true.
You sustain me through and through
You are hope and truth
You're my spring of living water.
In the lone hour you're there.
Lord, In my sorrow you're there.
You're my healer.

Like a well watered garden
who's springs never fail
you're faithful and true.
Like a well watered garden
who's springs never fail
You're my spring that never fails.

-Tim Hughes & Newsboys (lyrics)

You Go Beyond My Silent Feelings

Sometimes we push our thoughts deep down inside. We try and surpress the doubts and fears and voices that tourment us. We make mistakes and trip up and feel defeated at times. We can feel wounded and beyond repair. A scary thought I've often faced is the one that "It's too late." The idea that too much time has passed and that whatever good intentions I have to do whatever I am striving for have passed me by, and that I will forever live with the guilt of my wasted opportunities and times. This song speaks to those feelings of failures that can sound so loud, and it reminds me that God will never let me go. His kindness is remarkable.

You know and You see
The times of my defeat
When I fail to realize
Your kindness reaches
Through all my fragile fears
Of wasting any years
And I see You go beyond
My silent feelings

Even when I wrote my life away
You still receive me
Even when I wrote my life away
You still receive me

You took this fading heart
And softened every part
I'll rest in light of what
You've promised to me

I'll always stay strong
Because I feel You holding on now
To You I belong and I know
And You heal me
And You heal me
And You heal me

Cause I feel Your forearms around me
And I know that I'll never escape from You

-Jeremy Camp

So wont you break free-wont you break free---get up and DANCE!

"I will become even more undignified than this" 2 Samuel 6:22.
Strong words that David uttered when He was rebuked for looking "inappropriate" because of his heart felt celebration of the Lord. Dancing has always been criticized for it's seductive appearance. Davids wife even accused him of "disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!" vs. 20
I don't know what a linen ephod was but David, was wearing one as he "danced before the LORD with all his might" in verse 14.
Certainly there is a need to be modest in our appearance... but I'm glad God see's WHY we dance and WHO we dance for.
According to the wisest man Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3:4 the bible states that there is "a time to dance".
If the world can throw a party with booze flowing & put up pics on facebook where they are out at clubs dancing to lyrics that would make your grandma puke in her grave, dancing for pleasure and self indulgence... dancing to seduce or just for sheer entertainment, why can't people dance for such a GREATER reason.
If dancing can serve any kind of worth while purpose, I can't think of any better reason to dance then to celebrate God. He has set us free.

Would you believe me
would you listen if i told you... THAT
There is a love that makes a way,
it'll never hold you back

So wont you break
wont you break free
Get up and dance in His love
So wont you break
wont you break free
Get up and dance in His love

Who would have thought that God
would give his one and only son
Taking a stand upon the cross
to show His perfect love

So wont you break
wont you break free
Get up and dance in his love
So wont you break
wont you break free
Get up and dance in his love
His love never ending

There's no escaping the truth
There's no mistaking it's You
God forever we'll
Get up and dance,
Get up and dance
And praise You

Theres no escaping Your light
Theres no mistaking Your love
Across the world we will
Get up and dance
Get up and dance
and praise You

Now is the time to take this
freedom that has come our way
Offer our lives to see
the glory of His name

So wont you break
wont you break free
Get up and dance in his love
So wont you break
wont you break free
Get up and dance in His love
His love never ending

Living all our days
We are holding on
holding on to all Your ways
We are holding on holding on
To all You say and You've done
We are holding on to Your love

Now we will...

...dance...

So won't you break free
Won't you break free
Get up and dance
Wont you break free
His love never ending

-Hillsong

The beauty of your majesty awakes my heart to sing

Sometimes words seem very inadequate. Psalms 40 verse 5, seems to point to this when it says:
"Many, O LORD my God,
are the wonders you have done.
The things you planned for us
no one can recount to you;
were I to speak and tell of them,
they would be too many to declare."

God has done amazing things... He created the earth, but among His creation is us. Human beings that He breathed life into and has unfathomable plans for, starting with a gift of forgiveness, life and friendship. When we allow God to capture our hearts with this love- HIS LOVE- we begin to get a glimps of His beauty. :)

Wonderful so wonderful
is Your unfailing love
Your cross is spoken mercy over me
No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
no heart can fully know
How glorious, how beautiful You are

Beautiful one I love
Beautiful one I adore
Beautiful one my soul must sing

Powerful so powerful
Your glory fills the skies
Your mighty works displayed for all to see
The beauty of Your majesty
awakes my heart to sing
How marvelous, how wonderful You are

You opened my eyes to Your wonders anew
You captured my heart with this love
‘Cause nothing on earth is as beautiful as You

-Tim Hughes

You hung to make me strong- though my praise was few!

We are a broken people. None of us are the way that God intended us to be. We fall short. We mess things up. We fight what is good for us and rebel against the things we should stand up for. I'm so glad to know that God "does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 103:10-12

My foster father once preached about two dads. One of them made sure to lay down the punishment for the child who messed up. The other dad was always extending kindness to the son who really deserved to be punished. Can you see which child would want to avoid being "caught" and which one would want to obey their dad out of repentance because they knew their dad was much too kind and that they, as the son, didn't deserve it?

Romans 2:4 says:
"Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?"

Make no mistake, the bible does say that God disciplines His children and that he does punish us to teach us:
"the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in." Proverbs 3:12
"the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Hebrews 12:6
"Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness." Hebrews 12:10

However, in stark contrast to this is the prodigal son and His dad (who is an example of God). His dad takes him back even though he does not deserve it. Not only does he take his son back, but he does it with no "I told you so". His son comes to the dad preparing an apology as he goes to meet Him, but the dad is waiting for him and spots the son far off coming, and runs to him throwing his son into his embrace and kisses him. Not only that, but He takes His son back with arms wide open. He then starts making arrangements to plan the acceptance PARTY to throw for the lost child.

Although God does discipline or punish to teach us, often He uses grace, and patience towards us to move us in a profound way; helping us to be pierced by the gift of Gods love. I can imagine that the prodigal son now wanted to obey his dad for a whole different reason then the "good" but ungreatful son in that story ever did. When we obey God out of thankfulness because we recognize His undeserved kindness it has a different effect in the way we want to obey Him. He died on the cross for us and reached out to us in love when we were still sinners (unrighteous).

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Rm.5:6-8

The reason why I stand
The answer lies in you
You hung to make me strong
Though my praise was few
When I fall and bring your name down
But I have found in you
A heart that bleeds forgiveness
Replacing all these thoughts
Of painful memories
But I know That
your response will always be

I'll take you back always
And even when your fight is over now
Even when your fight is over now
I'll take you back always
And even when the pain is coming through
Even when the pain is coming through
I'll take you back

You satisfy this cry
Of what I'm looking for
And I'll take all I can
And lay it down Before
the throne of endless grace, now
That radiates what's true
I'm in the only place
That erases all these faults
That have overtaken me
But I know
That your response will always be
I'll take you back

I can only speak With a grateful heart
As I'm pierced by this gift Of your love
I will always bring an offering
I can never thank you enough

You'll take me back always
And even when my fight is over now
Even when my fight is over now
You'll take me back always
And even when my pain is coming through
Even when my pain is coming through
You'll take me back

-Jeremy Camp

To write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry

God's Love is so big that it cannot be properly put down into words. It can reach us in our brightest moments and in our worst ones.
The story to this song is interesting; The story goes that when Lehman tried to write a third verse to the song the words just wouldn't fall into place. He then thought of a card he had once received that had on it a poem about the love of God. He searched for the card and soon found it. Lehman read the words on the card and his heart was just as thrilled with the poem as the first time he read it. He began to voice the words of the poem with the melody he had composed for his song. They fit perfectly and he knew he had his third verse to his song, "The Love of God."

Lehman noticed at the bottom of the card some smaller but heavier printing. It told the story of the origin of the poem. It told that the poem was found written on a cell wall in a prison some 200 years earlier. It was not known why the prisoner was incarcerated; neither was it known if the words were original or if he had heard them elsewhere.

The poem that became a part of this song is the third stanza (my favorite part).

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.

(Chorus:) Oh, love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

When hoary time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink
the ocean fill,
And were the skies
of parchment made,
Were every stalk
on earth a quill,
And every man
a scribe by trade;
To write the love
of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll
contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

-Frederick M. Lehman

Heed the words divinely spoken, may your restless heart be broken

I once heard someone call the bible Gods' love letter to us. It always stayed with me as a beautiful way to look at it. I remember back in grade 9 when I was 14 and started dating the man I am now married to (for over a decade), we used to write a lot of letters back and forth (I still have many of those letters). I would read them over more then once and analyze every sentence. Although it was a lot of fun to read them over, I've noticed the big difference between reading over a letter from a mere man and reading over and over a divine love letter that comes from The One who has ALL wisdom and knowledge packaged up for us. His message to us comes through many Authors, inspired by HIS Spirit. Written in many writing styles - different parts appeal or teach us in different ways. But the overriding message is clear: This is a LOVE letter. One Crazy transforming love letter, meant to teach us, equip us for everything, guide us, and help us know HIM better. A very cool thing about a divine love letter is that no matter how many times you read it there is a new message in there for you to speak to you in a different way. Things often jump off the pages in a passage I am familiar with, in a new way to give me a fresh take on it! And just as new meaning can be found in it time after time, it has the power to breath new life into those reading it. The words have the power to set people free.

Pages filled with a holy message
Sealed with a kiss from heaven
On a scroll long ago
Phrases, words that were bound together
Now have the power to sever
Like a sword evermore
Heed the words divinely spoken
May your restless heart be broken
Let the supernatural take hold

There is love in the red letters
There is truth in the red letters
There is hope for the hopeless
Peace and forgiveness
There is life in the red letters
In the red letters

One man came to reveal a mystery
Changing the course of history
Made the claim he was god
Ageless, born of a virgin mary
Spoke with a voice
that carried through the years
Its perseverence

What you say moves me, revelation, come and take me
The more I look the more I see
The word of God is what I need
its the book of love yeah, Its
the book of love
Speak to me, breathe in me new life
Let him in your heart

-DcTalk

Here's to the Lover of My Soul

There are so many questions and debates that fly around in Christian circles. Two respectable teachers in church can give us totally contradictory answers. And then there are always so many personal questions we may have about why God does things in the way that he does them in regard to our own lives. We sometimes think we heard God directing us only to be puzzled when things go down in a totally different direction causing us to question if it was God or not. There are even plenty of questions we may have about why we do things the way that we do, when we start to examine our own actions. Life is hard sometimes and the right ways that we should respond in any given situation do not always seem so clear to us. Sometimes it can seem frustrating that when we go looking for an answer we get more questions!! It is nice to have a constant: One thing that we can know for sure.

For me that one thing that I know is that Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me, the bible tells me soooooooooooooooo. I loved that kids Sunday school song. But it's so true. I've come to see better that the His love is better then life! Without Him I have nothing. Anything this world has to offer is bleak and yucky in contrast to His amazing love. It keeps me from free falling. It is that one thing I can raise a toast to and say THANK YOU JESUS!!!

I dunno nothing that I haven't been taught,
I dunno why I was born into the family I've got,
I dunno if I ever had an original thought,
maybe not, maybe so, maybe later, I dunno
I dunno how I can end a prayer, then turn on a friend,
I dunno what I was thinking when I just pressed send,
I dunno why I still criticize the things I dunno
I dunno, I dunno, I dunno, but this one thing I know

YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
Without your love, I'm just a broken machine
YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
Without your love, it's all a mindless routine
YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
Without your love, I'm in another free fall
YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
Without your love, I aint got nothing at all

I dunno what goes down the moment we die
Do we get halos & harps? Do we sleep? Do we fly?
I dunno how, when and why this world will finally end,
Speculation's gonna grow, who knows best, I dunno
I dunno if I should push ahead or stop and grieve,
I lie awake and wonder how to make a city believe,
I dunno when it's a ministry and when it's a show
maybe neither, maybe both, I dunno, but this one thing I know

YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
Without your love, I'm just a broken machine
YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
Without your touch I'm not a full human being
YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
If I should ever leave, where would I go?
YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
I look to you cause you're the lover of my soul

HERE'S TO THE LOVER OF MY SOUL!
~HERE'S TO THE LOVER OF MY SOUL!!

I dunno when to walk away
or stand and fight
just when I've got it wrong,
I'm sure I heard you right
and when my arguments
are water tight
you expose every hole
with a flash and a flood
and I know
I hear you call in the eye of the storm
and I know
you've had my back since the day I was born
still stoking my heart, still stirring my head
you're my pillar of fire,
you're the wine, you're the bread, and

YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
Without your love, I'm just a broken machine
YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
Without your love, it's all a mindless routine
YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
Without your love, I'm in another free fall
YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
Without your love, I've got nothing at all

YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
I dunno nothing that I haven't been taught,
I dunno why I was born into the family I've got,
YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
I dunno if I ever had an original thought,
maybe not, maybe so, maybe soon, maybe later, I dunno
YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
I dunno when I've got it right or wrong,
I dunno how I can wrap it in a four minute song, but I know
YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE
My grip is better when I'm not hanging on,
your love is making us strong (all along)
Your love is better than life

-Newsboys

What could we say that You have never heard?

Do you ever come to God wondering what you could say to Him that would actually matter? God has perfect angelic beings that sing His praise. He lacks nothing and does not need anything we have to offer. YET for human beings, He did the most wild thing He has ever done. Something even angels don't fully comprehend. 1 Peter 1:12 says that the gospel spoken to us through the Holy Spirit is something that they LONG to look into. God becoming flesh to die for sinful human beings. This salvation thing is so big that all angels were created for the purpose of ministering and serving those who will inherit salvation Hebrews 1:14.

We have been shown a love so great - a grace so big, that our response of humility and thankfulness... recognizing our unworthyness is the appropriate response. In fact, God delights in a humble and broken spirit.
“For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart - These, O God, You will not despise.”
Psalm 51:16-17

“I will praise the name of God with a song,
And magnify Him with thanksgiving.
This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bull.”
Psalm 69:30-31

“The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him,
In those who hope in His mercy.”
Psalm 147:10

That is why the loveliest sound is the song we are singing now when we come to God in view of who He is and what He has done for us.

What could we bring that You'd ever need?
What could we do that's worthy of You?
What could we say that You have never heard?
Sung by angels in heaven and earth.

The loveliest song-
is the song on the lips of the broken
and this is
the loveliest sound
when Your children
cry out:
We were lost
now we're found
The loveliest sound
to You...
is the sound
we're making now.

Merciful one there's
nothing we've done
to ever deserve
to be heard.
But You bend Your ear
to the sound of our voice
So let it rise up
above every noise.

Who are we that You look on us?
Our offering is a song of love,
How can it be that you delight in us?
In what we bring 'cause it's not enough.

Who are we that You look on us with love?

We're crying out
Your children cry for you.
The loveliest sound
...it's the sound we're making,
It's the sound You're longing for.

-Starfield