Its funny how God works....

Tonight has been a bit of stressful night.... life, school, people... all had me stressed, frustrated, worried, overwhelmed... add which ever other word you think fits. About 9or 930 I left school to come home and keep plugging away on my paper because a recent turn of events in life had me stressed and focusing on a paper at school just wasn't happening. I got home and did the usual of letting the dog out, taking a really hot shower to focus back on school work and then settled in to write this paper. Lately I have been listening to Pandora's Christmas station however after listening to that for a few minutes, I just wasn't feeling it and switched over to Lala. Lala is where I have most of my country music (I know.. weird, but sometimes I really just want to listen to country) and some of my contemporary christian/praise/worship music. So I set Lala to play my whole collection... 200+ songs in the queue. The first few songs to come on were country songs... fun... tap your toes.... fine and worked well as background noise. But, I should probably forewarn you that I put all my music (country and christian) in the queue and that I had had it on random... so it was not playing in any order I put it.... it was playing on its own. So, then the songs switched.....

Its funny how God works.... First song that really caught my attention-- From the Inside Out by Hillsong United. Great great song with great great lyrics! "A thousand times I've failed, Still your mercy remains. And should I stumble again, Still I'm caught in your grace. Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades. Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame. My heart and my soul, Lord I give you control, Consume me from the inside out..." That basically was what He first used to smack me across my face-- I have to be consumed with Him from core of who I am, heart and soul. When I let other things consume my life, I am just setting myself up to be unhappy and setting myself up to faill to see Him and His glory and goodness in my life. After that song, it switched to the next one. He is still working in funny ways... The song to come on was It Is Well. "Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul....Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,It is well, it is well, with my soul." I love that song. I kept restarting it and listened to it a few times before letting Lala move on to the next song. Next song... Who Am I by Casting Crowns. "I am a flower quickly fading, Here today and gone tomorrow, A wave tossed in the ocean, A vapor in the wind. Still you hear me when I'm calling, Lord, you catch me when I'm falling, And you've told me who I am. I am yours." So at this point I am thinking that no matter what happens with school, life, etc, it is all good because its all part of God's will and and no matter what I may do and no matter how I may fall short, I am His child and it is well. Good.. my evening was starting to get so much better because of my renewed focus on what really matters.

Its funny how God keeps working.... The next song to come on was Francesca Battistelli's Free to Be Me. "At twenty years of age I'm still looking for a dream. A wars already waged for my destiny, but You've already won the battle and You've got great plans for me. Though I can’t always see ‘Cause I got a couple dents in my fender... Got a couple rips in my jeans. Try to fit the pieces together, but perfection is my enemy. On my own I'm so clumsy, but on Your shoulders I can see, I'm free to be me. When I was just a girl I thought I had it figured out; My life would turn out right, and I'd make it here somehow. But things don't always come that easy and sometimes I would doubt ‘Cause I got a couple dents in my fender... Got a couple rips in my jeans. Try to fit the pieces together, but perfection is my enemy. On my own I'm so clumsy, but on Your shoulders I can see, I'm free to be me... Sometimes I believe that I can do anything yet other times I think I've got nothing good to bring. But You look at my heart and You tell me that I've got all You seek and it’s easy to believe...I'm free to be me" So still getting better! Its crazy how great God is! I must be His all-consumed child, I am free to be the person He has created me to be, and no matter what life throws my way or how far short of His glory I fall, I am his and it is all well with my soul. He was not finished though.... He threw in Jars of Clay's Two Hands... just to make sure I got his message. "I use one hand to pull closer, the other to push you away. If I had two hands doing the same thing, Lifted high, lifted high... And if we just keep digging we can reach the foundation of our souls and if we just keep cutting all the chains from our hearts we’ll lose control and it feels like giving in. It feels like starting over. It feels like waking up, and you know it’s coming. It feels like a brand new day. Open your eyes... because if I had two hands doing the same thing....Lifted High Lifted High" Yes. I am getting this message. Very clearly.

Finally, as I am typing this... Go Tell It by Lee McDerment just came on..."Go tell it on the mountain, Over the hills and everywhere. Go tell it on the mountain....." Its funny how He brings amazing peace and comfort when you least expect it but most need it. Its amazing how He puts you right where He wants you and not where you expected to be. Its funny how God works......

I can say with assurance... I got His message. and I'm still thinking.... its funny how God works....

I just heard this song. and I like it a lot.

As I have said before... I am a pandora radio junkie! Nothing like free online radio that you can customize!!! Anyways... I heard this song called I'm Alive last night while I was working in the studio. I like it.... plus I like that it is Kenny Chesney and Dave Matthews... interesting mix!


Sorry I don't know how to include the youtube video here... but link is in the word "this" above!

Music to my ears...

As one of my friends had on their facebook status... "Im over September.... This has been a really rough month.." Ditto. Yes. But in these times of trouble, turmoil, suffering, etc I have always found that God uses the stormy seasons of life to pull me closer to Him. I always find comfort reading different passages in scripture about suffering, rejoicing in our suffering, and perseverance.... God's perfect will and plan. They all bring comfort.
For me though, since I listen to music all the time, I also find that certain song lyrics get stuck in my head and help remind me of my focus... especially since I tend to listen to more Christian/praise music when I am faced with adversity. So. Here are a few songs that have hit home with me in the past few weeks, and especially in the last few days. (If these are duplicates of previous music to my ears posts... sorry.) (oh and this time I decided to put links you tube so you can listen if you have never heard them before....I could not find all of them, but I found some)

Stand Amazed (by 33 Miles)
You will be my strength when I am weak
When I wanna give in and not turn the other cheek
Let this be the prayer that I speak...That I speak...
When all the lights go down and the world is quiet
No one is aroundI wanna be the same man that'll serve you then
Like I serve you now
That my convictions never change
O let my need for you remain
As real as the moment I was saved
So I will always stand amazed

From the Inside Out (Hillsong United)
A thousand times I've failed
Still your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
Still I'm caught in your grace

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame my heart and my soul,
Lord I give you control
Consume me from the inside out
Lord, Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out


Shine (Salvador)
As simple as a passing smile
Or listening a little while
To someone that's convinced that they are in this all alone
Here's my chance to share the news
To introduce the good that's You
Here You go again, You never cease to blow my mind

Lord let me shine, shine like the moon
A reflection of You in all that I do
Lord let me be a light for Your truth
Light of the world, I wanna be used to shine for You

You're the love that we all need
You lift us up to our feet
You hold the key to eternity
The King of Kings alive in me.

You Rescue Me (Salvador)
Aching in a place that only I can see
Tears have a way of catching up to me
All it ever takes is a glimpse of something free
Like birds in flight
So I'm giving up on clarity
Cause I want to trust where I cannot see and

You rescue me, You hear my cry
You shelter me through the night
And You are my strength when I am in need
You are my God, You rescue me

Caught between the ocean and eternity
Broken by the weight of my attempts to be
Everything that everyone expects of me
This time, and every time

So I'm giving up on my righteousness
Cause grace, alone, will give me rest cause

You rescue me, You hear my cry
You shelter me through the night
And You are my strength when I am in need
You are my God, You rescue me

Amazing Grace (Newton)
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,Was blind, but now I see.

T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snaresI have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

More music to my ears

In this post, I did my first Music to my Ears post... and told you I would update with new songs I like... so here are a few more!



1.Meredith Andrews The River


Chorus:
Welcome to the river come drink come away come find your very life
Welcome to the river of God where your brokeness is washed away
Find your healing find your freedom in the river of God




2- Newsboys Adoration



Chorus:

Come, let us adore Him He has come down to this barren land Where we live And all I have to give Him Is adoration. Come, let us adore Him He has come down to the world we live in And all I have to give Him Is adoration

3- 33 Miles Stand Amazed

Chorus:

When all the lights go down and the world is quiet

No one is around, I wanna be the same man that'll serve you then

Like I serve you now. That my convictions never change.

O let my need for you remain. As real as the moment I was saved

So I will always stand amazed.

PS... sorry about the formatting. It is like the paragraph spacing has changed, but I dont know how why it has changed. So... it will stay strange for this post!

Music to my ears....

I listen to music... pretty much all the time. I listen all day at work... I listen when I am at home, in the car, cleaning. Whatever I am doing, usually music is on. I usually listen to Pandora Radio on my laptop or from my cellphone where I have created a variety of stations with everything from country, to pop, classic rock, and contemporary christian and praise. If you have never used Pandora before, it is amazing and you should try it!!! It is an Internet radio station that you type in a song, artist, or group and it will play their music plus music that is similar in topic, rhythm, beat, etc. So good! You can give songs thumbs up and thumbs down to tailor the station to your wants! Its very cool!

Anyways. One of the stations I created and listen to most is my Travis Cottrell station. Since I heard Travis perform at a Beth Moore Living Proof Live event a few years ago, I have been hooked! I have had the station long enough that it is pretty tailored to what I want and like. So I thought I would share some of the songs that have really hit home for me and remind and help me focus and praise my Lord. Some of these artists are incredibly talented and their song's lyrics are simply wonderful!



I thought I would post some song titles, artists, and the chorus of each song so you can see what I am talking about! Here are a few of my favorites (oh and they are not in order... just my favorites right now)

1. Point of Grace Heal the Wound

Chorus :
Heal the wound but leave the scar
A reminder of how merciful You are
I am broken, torn apart
Take the pieces of this heart
And heal the wound but leave the scar

2. Selah I will Sing of My Redeemer

Chorus:
I will sing of my Redeemer
Lift my voice to praise my Lord
Ransomed by His blood and mercy
I am His forevermore

3. Casting Crowns Somewhere in the Middle

Somewhere between my heart and my hands
Somewhere between my faith and my plans
Somewhere between the safety of the boat and the crashing waves
Somewhere between a whisper and a roar
Somewhere between the altar and the door
Somewhere between contented peace and always wanting more
Somewhere in the middle you'll find me


My favorites change regularly.... pretty much as often as the songs change. So. I will try to keep updating my blog with new good songs!