Music Mondays – Page 4

Music Monday: I Am New

May 9, 2011 // by Nikol// Leave a Comment

When you describe yourself what words do you use? Are you a wife? Mother? Daughter? Aunt? Sister? Are you fat? Skinny? Homely? Beautiful? Average? Ugly?

God sees us differently. Jason Gray’s song, I Am New, reminds me that God sees us as: Forgiven, Beloved, Hidden in Christ, Made in the image of the Giver of Life, Righteous, Holy, Reborn, Remade, Accepted, and Worthy.

I Am New

Now I won’t deny
The worst you could say about me
But I’m not defined
By mistakes that I’ve made
Because God says of me

CHORUS
I am not who I was
I am being remade
I am new
I am chosen and holy
And I’m dearly loved
I am new

Who I thought I was
And who I thought I had to be
I had to give them both up
Cause neither were willing
To ever believe

CHORUS

Too long I have lived
In the shadows of shame
Believing that there
Was no way I could change
But the one who is making everything new
Doesn’t see me the way that I do
He doesn’t see me the way that I do

CHORUS

I am not who I was
I am being remade
I am new
Dead to the old man
I’m coming alive
I am new

Forgiven beloved
Hidden in Christ
Made in the image of the Giver of Life
Righteous and holy
Reborn and remade
Accepted and worthy, this is our new name
This is who we are now…

By: Jason Gray, Joel Hanson

Music Monday #8: Blessings

April 10, 2011 // by Nikol// Leave a Comment

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

‘Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

And all the while You hear each desperate plea
And long that we’d have faith to believe

‘Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

And what if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

When friends betray us, when darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It’s not our home

‘Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can’t satisfy?

And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?

Credits :
songwriters: story, laura mixon
© new spring publishing;new spring publishing

Music Monday #7: All The Way My Savior Leads Me

April 4, 2011 // by Nikol// Leave a Comment

If you have not heard of Chris Tomlin, please tell me which rock you live under so that I can bring you a CD because he sings the best praise and worship songs. He’s like the modern-day David without the crown (or harp, for that matter).

Speaking of David, we’ve been reading about him on our journey through the Bible. I chose this song for Music Monday because I think it is one David would sing.

All The Way My Savior Leads Me

All the way my Savior leads me
Who have I to ask beside
How could I doubt His tender mercy
Who through life has been my guide

All the way my Savior leads me
Cheers each winding path I tread
Gives me grace for every trial
Feeds me with the living Bread

[Chorus:] You lead me and keep me from falling
You carry me close to Your heart
And surely Your goodness and mercy will follow me

All the way my Savior leads me
O, the fullness of His love
O, the sureness of His promise
In the triumph of His blood
And when my spirit clothed immortal
Wings its flight to realms of day
This my song through endless ages
Jesus led me all the way
Jesus led me all the way

All the way my Savior leads me
All the way my Savior leads me
© 2008 Sixstepsrecords

Music Monday #5: The Silence of God

March 14, 2011 // by Nikol// 2 Comments

Looking back at our Music Monday posts, I noticed something odd. There are no men represented. Why is that odd? Well, because roughly 99.975% of the music that I listen to are male singers. Weird, right? You would think I would be all about some girl power. But, as a former alto, I find that I am able to sing along more loudly in the car to those of the tenor persuasion.

To remedy this lack of male representation issue, allow me to introduce you to Andrew Peterson. If that name sounds familiar it’s because I mentioned his concert “Behold the Lamb of God” in the (Re)Thinking Christmas series.

Andrew is hands down my favorite singer/songwriter. Hands. Down. He is able to weave the most beautiful stories into magical melodies which touch my heart.

I had the opportunity to meet him in May of last year at a house show in Nashville, TN. I’m not easily intimidated and rarely am at a loss for words, but my mind was boggled by talking to someone who works phrases into his songs like “shake a man’s timbers” and “he rode the night all full and bright with his face at the far horizon.” Ummm…yea. Somehow, “Hi” just seemed inadequate.

I was uber-excited when his new album came out recently entitled, “Counting Stars.” It is phenomenal, and there is not a bad song on there. I’ll share a couple of songs from it down the road, but first, I want to introduce you to one of his former works. So, without further adieux, behold one of my all time favorite songs by Mr. Peterson from his “Love and Thunder” album.

The Silence of God

It’s enough to drive a man crazy; it’ll break a man’s faith
It’s enough to make him wonder if he’s ever been sane
When he’s bleating for comfort from Thy staff and Thy rod
And the heaven’s only answer is the silence of God

It’ll shake a man’s timbers when he loses his heart
When he has to remember what broke him apart
This yoke may be easy, but this burden is not
When the crying fields are frozen by the silence of God

And if a man has got to listen to the voices of the mob
Who are reeling in the throes of all the happiness they’ve got
When they tell you all their troubles have been nailed up to that cross
Then what about the times when even followers get lost?
‘Cause we all get lost sometimes…

There’s a statue of Jesus on a monastery knoll
In the hills of Kentucky, all quiet and cold
And He’s kneeling in the garden, as silent as a Stone
All His friends are sleeping and He’s weeping all alone

And the man of all sorrows, he never forgot
What sorrow is carried by the hearts that he bought
So when the questions dissolve into the silence of God
The aching may remain, but the breaking does not
The aching may remain, but the breaking does not
In the holy, lonesome echo of the silence of God

Music Monday #4: I Am

March 7, 2011 // by Nikol// Leave a Comment

Remember that Jill Phillips’ album I was telling you about? Well, there is another song on her album that I think is completely beautiful. I know someone needs a reminder of exactly who our God is today. Enjoy!

I Am

Oh gently lay your head
Upon my chest
And I will comfort you like a mother while you rest
And the tide can change so fast
But I will stay
The same through past the same in future the same today

I am constant
I am near
I am peace that shatters all your secret fears
I am holy
I am wise
I’m the only one who knows your heart’s desires
Your heart’s desires

Oh weary tired and worn
Let out your sighs
Drop that heavy load you hold cause mine is light
And I know you through and through
There’s no need to hide
I want to show you love that is deep and high and wide

I am constant
I am near
I am peace that shatters all your secret fears
I am holy
I am wise
I’m the only one who knows your heart’s desires
Your heart’s desires

Oh gently lay your head upon my chest
And I will comfort you like a mother while you rest

Music Monday #3: You Are

February 28, 2011 // by Nikol// Leave a Comment

This weekend, I had the privilege of going on a solo prayer retreat to El Bethel. El Bethel is actually a condo in Destin, FL, but it’s such a special place to me spiritually, that I gave it a new name which literally means, “House of God.” (You can read about the real El Bethel in Genesis 28.)

El Bethel is special to me for many reasons, but mainly, because God speaks with me there. No, He doesn’t speak audibly. He speaks to my heart. He speaks through His Word.

I felt God calling me to come away with Him alone a few weeks ago. I wasn’t sure if I was just wanting a vacation or if God really was calling me away. So, I asked Him to confirm that for me.

Three days later, Pastor Calvin did an entire sermon on solitude and silence with God. Seriously? I didn’t need a whole sermon. A verse would’ve been sufficient, but obviously God wanted to make sure that I got the hint. So, I prayed for God to tell me where to go and give me the means to get there.

Enter my dear, sweet friend whose parents graciously offered a chance for me to go to my most favorite place on earth!

And true to form, God did not disappoint. He never does! It was such a sweet, sweet time of solitude with Him.

A song kept popping into my head while I was on the trip, and so it’s our Music Monday song. We sing this a lot at church, but the words held a special meaning to me this weekend. I hope they do to you as well.

You Are

You are holy, you are faithful.
You are Savior, you are friend.
You are all I’ll ever need, Lord, you are.
You are ev’ry questions’ answer,
You are ev’ry reason why,
You are moving, you are still, Lord, you are.

You are the Lord on high,
You are the way, the truth, the life.
You are the Word made flesh,
You are the bright Morning Star; you are.

You are Glory Hallelujah.
You are hope of peace on earth.
You are Alpha and Omega, you are.
You are comfort, you are refuge.
You are love personified.
You are kindness and compassion, you are.

You are the Lord on high,
You are the way, the truth, the life.
You are the Word made flesh,
You are the bright Morning Star; you are.

You are my God and my King.
You are the words that I sing.
You are the reason I make this offering.
(Repeat twice)

You are the Lord on high,
You are the way, the truth, the life.
You are the Word made flesh,
You are the bright Morning Star; you are.

You are the words that I sing.
You are.
You are my God and my King.
You are.
You are.
You are.