Beauty Beauty

I've been encountered so many times while listening to David Brymer. No other worship leader has helped me sing my way into the truth like this man. His song "Restoration" was my constant companion through many a dark night of the soul when Jesus was renovating my life from broken and wounded one to a new creation made in His image.

You bring restoration to my soul //
You've taken my pain, called me by a new name // You've taken my shame and in its place, You give me joy

Plead my case for me, O Lord. Reclaim my life. (Lamentations 3:58)

When I delved into Song of Solomon and strongly identified with the Shulamite woman, I obsessed on  "Daughters of Jerusalem". I cannot recall another song that better describes lovesickness for the One who's fairest of ten thousand.

Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you -- if you find my beloved, what will you tell him? Tell him I am faint with love.” (Song of Songs 5:8)

But it was his song "Beauty Beauty" that has most captivated my heart. I know that I know in my knower that I was created by my Father to appreciate His beauty. I see it everywhere in my life...in gardens, in museums, in restautants, in road trips, in sunrises and sunsets, in vistas on lakes, oceans, mountains and prairie fields, in friendships and people. And yes, He even lets me see His beauty in the hard places, jails, streets, crack dens and very often in the hurt and brokenness of lives.

My heavenly Papa created it all and He is incredibly lovely to gaze upon. This means everything He created is beautiful and precious in His sight. What I've discovered is He simply wants us to acknowledge this and then He pours His pleasure back into me. It's a cycle that can be never-ending...if I let it.

This track was the first to give me appropriate language to fully worship Him when I'm regarding His beauteous creation:
All we can do is stand in wonder and sing //
Beauty, beauty, beautiful // Glory, glory, glorious // You are, You are

In the beginning was the Word, the One we have seen, and we have heard
The only Begotten of the Father “You are my one and only Son”
“Not my will but Yoursʼ be done” All we can do is stand in wonder and sing: Beauty, beauty, beautiful Glory, glory, glorious
You are, You are Who has believed and who has seen? The suffering Servant is our King Though we despised You, You have loved us The Branch of the Lord has been revealed
And by Your wounds we have been healed All of the nations stand in wonder, and sing:
Beauty, beauty, beautiful Glory, glory, glorious You are You are Take me into Your throne room Let me see Your beauty, let me see Your face

#MonthfulOfMusic #HoodMom

Beautiful Things / Kiss the Son

Kiss the Son by Brenda Bogart

We've all heard this adage: music is the soundtrack of our lives. As true as that is, awhile back I got crystal clear revelation that our lives are actually a song. I've come to believe that each of us has a song written about and/or for us. The songwriters doesn't always don't know who it's for and in fact they may think they're writing about and for themselves. But there are times when they are penning for and about someone else, they just don't know exactly who.

When I first heard "Kiss the Son" by Kevin Prosch in a small home-based intercession prayer meeting I was absolutely transfixed. I don't know how, but I just knew this song is...me.

Right around the same time frame, I also heard Gungor's "Beautiful Things" and something deep inside of me connected with it and I said "whoop, there it is."

What's the connection between these two songs? Why do they make my heart sing and shore up my identity? The words shed some light. Pain? Broken? Change? Ashes? Garden? Fields? Chaos? Slay? Beautiful? Rose? New? Opened?

I cannot quite explain why the Father gave me this revelation or why He chose two such gorgeous and profound songs to sing over me. All I know is when I listen to these songs my heart becomes almost instantly pliable in His hands. Hope springs up in me. And I bow down and Kiss the Son.

KISS THE SON

When you've been broken, broken to pieces
And Your heart begins to faint
'cause you don't understand
And when there is nothing to rake from the ashes
And you can't even walk onto the fields of praise
But I bow down and kiss the Son
Let the praise of the Lord be in my mouth
Well, though You slay me, I will trust You, Lord
When the rock falls, falls upon You
And you get ground to dust, no music for your pain.
You open the windows, the windows of heaven.

And then You opened me and You crushed me like a rose.

BEAUTIFUL THINGS
All this pain I wonder if I'll ever find my way?

I wonder if my life could really change at all?

All this earth could all that is lost ever be found?
Could a garden come up from this ground at all?

You make beautiful things

You make beautiful things out of the dust

You make beautiful things

You make beautiful things out of us

All around hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found in You

You make me new, You are making me new

You make beautiful things
(You make me new)
You make beautiful things out of the dust
(You are making me new, making me new)

You make me new, You are making me new

#MonthfulOfMusic #HoodMom

Wonder

I want to live with a constant sense of childlike wonder at Jesus and what He's done in my life. But everything this world comes against that. Every message to middle-aged women comes against that. Admittedly, there are days that even I come against that. 

When I heard Amanda Cook sing "Wonder" all that collides with my desire for a life of awe fell away.

May we never lose our wonder // 

wide eyed and mystified // 

may we be just like a child // 

staring at the beauty of our King 

I vividly remember the afternoon I noticed the tone of my heavenly Papa's voice in the midst of Him correcting me on a sinful thought pattern. For the very first time I heard the lovingkindness in His voice. From that day forth, everything changed. I knew that the chastening of my good good Father wanted the best for me.

And once again it was Amanda who sang about what I'd been through with her spontaneous song at Bethel: 

We will see the look on Your face //

We will hear the tone in Your voice //

And we will be changed as we behold You

It's Thanksgiving Day and I'm grateful for artists like Amanda Cook who listen to heaven and can put words and voice to the issues I'm struggling with. It makes me feel so much less alone.

May we never lose our wonder// Wide eyed and mystified

May we be just like a child // Staring at the beauty of our King

Fill us with wonder // Cause You are beautiful in all Your ways

King of Kings // You are beautiful in all Your ways

Just close your eyes, you'll see Him

You are beautiful in all Your ways

Open the eyes of our heart to see You God

Cause You are beautiful in all Your ways

Oh You are, yes You are

We give our lives to sing

Cause You are beautiful in all Your ways

You fascinate me

You fascinate us, with who You are

You fascinate us with your love

You are beautiful You are glorious

You are beautiful Yes You are

#MonthfulOfMusic #HoodMom

Pressing On

I am a lifelong Bob Dylan fan, I've seen him live four times (with varying success) and spent many a Sunday afternoon analyzing his albums and lyrics (two of my favorite songs are "Lovesick" and "Everything is broken"). 

For a vast part of my life, I was also an enemy of the Cross so I never purchased nor listened to albums from Dylan's Christian period. I certainly heard "Gotta Serve Somebody", but mostly because it was a radio staple in the '80s and also won a Grammy Award.

I first heard "Pressing On" when Luke Wood covered it during one of his afternoon worship with the word sets at IHOP-KC. I was instantly smitten and did my usual research (including messaging Luke).

It wasn't just because I found a new Dylan track. That day I was caught up in a bit of a exasperation. I can't quite remember what was going on, but it could've been one of many things that vex me: an accusation, one of my kids being re-arrested, a young woman threatening abortion or one of my guys caught in the snares of sexual sin.

To hear the exhortation to press on, shake off the dust and keep on keeping on from the pen of one of my alltime favorite singer/songwriters was another potent reminder of the power of music in my life.

Well I'm pressing on
Yes, I'm pressing on
To the higher calling of my Lord
Many try to stop me, shake me up in my mind
Say, "Prove to me that He is Lord, show me a sign"
What kind of sign they need when it all come from within
When what's lost has been found, what's to come has already been?
Shake the dust off of your feet, don't look back
Nothing now can hold you down, nothing that you lack
Temptation's not an easy thing, Adam given the devil reign
Because he sinned I got no choice, it run in my vein
You know the adversary never sleeps - he is a roaring beast
He always comes at the time that you expect him least
And you know that he's responsible for death and pain and loss
 But we know we'll overcome him by the victory at the cross


#MonthfulOfMusic #HoodMom

Redemption Rain

I truly enjoy it when it rains. When it pours, I do the exact opposite of most and run into the storm. I don't like umbrellas or rain hats because I especially love the feeling of rain on my hair. When I was a little girl at the cottage, I washed my hair in the rain barrel and I still prefer it to tap water.

So it seemed fitting when my friend Janelle was listening to "Redemption Rain" by Melissa Helser one day and got the distinct impression the song held something for me. I have made no secret of my fandom of all things Helser, but I'd never actually mentioned this to her.

The song has become an anthem of sorts for me. Not just because I believe He will come like the rain, or because rain washes me clean, refreshes me, and is necessary for lushness and growth. But also because rain just feels so good on my skin, on my face and of course on my hair. And redemption raining in my life is so amazing in my heart, mind and soul. 

You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance (Psalm 68:9)

Redemption Rain by Starla Michelle Halfmann

Won't you come up here, come up high
Won't you sing His praise, let it rise
Up from your, ashes and all your pain
Won't you come and dance, in redemption's rain
Come up here
Redemption rain is falling down, down, down
Redemption's love is pouring out, out, out
Redemption's song is singing la, la, la
He's singing la, la, la
Won't you come up here, come up now
Won't you leave your worries below the clouds
And let His beauty fill your lungs
The heavenly chorus it has begun
Come up here
Oh love be in my bones
Love shake down my walls


#MonthfulOfMusic #HoodMom

Seven Stars

In my humble opinion, worship leader Luke Wood is the prayer movement's crown prince of killer lyrics. That dude has slayed me so many times with songs that have one line that set them apart in my heart.

Consider these nuggets:

You place a crown of pure gold upon my head //
And then You command Your loving kindness to chase me down
(Real Love)

All man's empty promises lie broken at Your feet //
But You have never broken one 
(You Pour Out Your Mercy)

Just one word from You could shatter a thousand lies
(Kiss My Soul)

But it's "Seven Stars" that has the most enduring connection for me. A friend of mine played it for me after praying for me one afternoon, and this particular lyric has always stayed with me through many a trial and tribulation: 
You who hold the seven stars in Your hand //
Hold my heart, hold my heart

That's right. Jesus, the King of the universe who holds the seven stars in His right hand and indeed much more, also cradles the broken and precious parts of my life. That He can do both with equal adeptness is just utterly mind-blowing to me. 




In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. (Revelation 1v16)

Now to You, now to You who is able to keep me
Now to You, who loves me more than I know
Have Your glory, have my love
Here's Your glory, here's my love
Both now and forever be clothed in glory Lord
Both now and forever I give You all my love
You who hold the seven stars in Your hand
Hold my heart, hold my heart
Take my heart Lord come and seal it
It's all I have to give

#MonthfulOfMusic #HoodMom

Take My Heart

I became instantly besotted with "Take My Heart"while watching a Thursday afternoon Misty Edwards devo on the IHOP-KC webstream in 2008. My Nigerian son and I were hanging out in my living room and before long we both ended up facedown and weeping.

It turns out "Take My Heart" was actually written by Winnipegger John Janzen and later covered by Misty. I promptly searched for the songwriter on Facebook and found him in Japan, where he was living, and wrote him a blathering fan letter about how the song undid me.

For me, the kicker was the lyric: tears make my heart soft. All those tears I'd shed over the years that seemed so futile suddenly made sense and took on a whole new meaning. 

In fact, that line has almost become like my life slogan. Now when I cry, I often glance down at my mushy heart and smile.

For a long time I have waited for you
You have won my heart and I am following
For a long time I've been crying out for you
Tears make my heart soft and I am ready

For the return of my lover

Take my heart, my mind and strength too
I was made for loving you
And I will wait, and Ill be faithful
I was made for loving you

Fashioned from the very fabric of God
At the start of time, set free to decide
I will love You for You're the one who loved me first
Just one look from Your eye
I'm captivated by the eyes of my lover
By the eyes of my lover 

Bowing low there in the presence of the One
At the end of time and I hear the bells chime
For our wedding, it will wait no longer now
Oh, how I love You
I finally fall into the arms of my lover

#MonthfulOfMusic #HoodMom