5 Sep 2015

Blogtember: Music for the Car Ride

by | posted in: hymns, illustrated faith | 0

Dear Refuge of My Weary Soul

To be honest, I don’t listen to my ipod and I don’t have music loaded on my computer because it slows down the overall working of the computer – so I’d rather just have quiet in my home and then I definitely listen to it in the car.  You can always hear my older son asking for it by pointing to the radio dial and saying “more more” from the back seat.

SO, instead of pushing shuffle, I’ll just tell you what is in my 6 CD changer in our highlander:

  1. Sovereign Grace.  This CD is such a blessing to my soul – reassuring my of my position in Christ.
  2.  Getty.  The songwriting of the Gettys (and Stuart Townend, they often write together) is untouchable in these days. And the fiddle and penny whistle is well-worth the listen.  I love their live albums the most because you hear people singing passionately and expressively which encourages me in my walk.
  3. Hillsong United.  Whenever I want to rock it out in my car, this one gets played.  Mercy Mercy is my favorite song on the disk for sure.
  4. Daniel Renstrom.  A friend of mine and a lover of children learning the truths of the Word. My boys know this one by heart!  And some of my fave hymns on it too.
  5. Sojourn.  I attended church in Louisville and got to sing these songs weekly.  This CD is another reminder of the Gospel to my sweet soul.
  6. Songs from Luke.  The authority of Christ – Not In Me – Come to the Feast – definitely some of my favorite new ones.
23 Apr 2012

Behold Our God – Sovereign Grace Risen

by | posted in: Worship | 0

On our drive to Louisville a few weeks ago, this song was played in our car from the Sovereign Grace CD Risen (perfect for right around Easter time).  We also sang it during the one session I attended at the T4G conference.  What a powerful song!  E and I were talking about how it demands attention (not the song, but how it tells us to give attention to God)!

As far as musically – so powerful and singable.  I wonder also if you could also team it with Come, Let Us Adore Him at Christmas time. 

He is risen now to REIGN!

Who has held the oceans in His hands?
Who has numbered every grain of sand?
Kings and nations tremble at His voice
All creation rises to rejoice

Chorus
Behold our God seated on His throne
Come, let us adore Him
Behold our King—nothing can compare
Come, let us adore Him

Verse 2
Who has given counsel to the Lord?
Who can question any of His words?
Who can teach the One who knows all things?
Who can fathom all His wondrous deeds?

Verse 3
Who has felt the nails upon His hands?
Bearing all the guilt of sinful man
God eternal, humbled to the grave
Jesus, Savior, risen now to reign

Tag
You will reign forever
Let Your glory fill the earth

25 Nov 2010

Grateful FX – Thanksgiving 2010

by | posted in: sin | 0

My friend, Jennifer, over at Cornerstone Church of Knoxville (fabulous Sovereign Grace church, if I had to live in Volunteer country – this is where I would go) asked me to guest post for their singles’ blog for Thanksgiving. Here it is: enjoy!

Thanksgiving. Publix commercials of big turkeys perfectly roasted and stuffed with bounty from gardens (or the grocery store). Football games and parades on television. Long-lost relatives offering much advice on the state of our dating lives (or the lack there of). Most of us cook or eat way too much food only to nap on the couch and eat more for dinner. Unfortunately, the “thankful” part is a two-minute grace that we say before the meal. Really? Is that was Thanksgiving boils down to? Don’t we have so much more to be thankful for in our lives than turkey, cranberry sauce, and pecan pie (and the correct pronunciation can be debated by all southerners).

Colossians 3 is a reminder of what our lives should look like in response to the gospel of God in Christ. We can’t live out the end of Colossians 3 unless we start at the beginning of the chapter. Paul exhorts the Colossian believers with this: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:1-4) If we claim Christ as our Lord and Savior, then we should be dead to the things of self and flesh. This includes but is not limited to: quarreling (which occurs in most American homes at ALL holidays), ungratefulness (are you really going to argue about who gets the last crescent roll or the turkey leg), and bitterness (are we bitter that we aren’t married YET and may even still be eating at the kiddie table?) Oh, that our hearts may be changed because of the Gospel.

Colossians 3:16 tells us how we should live our lives in light of being raised with Christ. Hint: the gospel should compel us to live like this: “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” This doesn’t mean that we have to break out in songs as we pass each other on the street, in the church, or in our homes. But, the gospel should set the tone for our hearts and our lips. The Gospel has provided us so much. We were dead; but, God. God showed his immeasurable goodness and grace to us by sending His Son to save ungrateful people who cared nothing for the things of God. We now have the opportunity to sit and dine with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, with the Bread of Life, with the Living Water.

As we sit down to the Thanksgiving table with family and friends this November, let us remember that we deserve death. We don’t even deserve a turkey, or ham, or stuffing, or a home, or anything. But, in God’s kindness we can sit and dine with friends and family and have way more than we ever should have. Let our hearts and minds and lips reflect the goodness of our precious and abundantly-giving gracious Father who saved us in Christ.