Shine - Jan Krist

Have you ever heard a song that you are pretty sure was written about your  life, but you don't even know the songwriter? That's definitely how I felt about this song this week when I heard it for the first time. There was this moment while listening that I had to check myself. Did I write this? Is she looking deep into my soul and just singing this song?

"For who will love her, if she doesn't shine?"

Anyone else out there feel like their worth and identity come from how others see them? That you have to look perfect to have value? To be lovable? That if people saw the cracks in you they would not find you worth being around? How hard have you worked to pull yourself out of that stuck place, only to find yourself more trapped than you were when you started?

I can't tell you how much of my life I have spent trying to make other people happy, to perform correctly so that I will be loved. My insatiable need to be needed has led me into so many horrible corners, so many places of depression.

I really like this song, because it is a good reminder of where I have been, but... I don't like that it doesn't offer an answer.

Because the reality is that you don't have to live in this place.

You are loved - no matter whether you shine or not.

So, I offer you this alternative final verse...

You see her sit alone
dwelling in guilt and shame
She turns to Your arms
Finds Your strength and no blame
Why did she wait so long?
"My child you are mine"
For you will love her
When she does not shine

You will love her
You will love her
You will love her
When she does not shine




She buries the problems
but they grow and bloom again
No one need see them
She will deftly pretend
Play her high cards
Best foot forward overtime
For who will love her
if she does not shine?

Hopelessness dogs her
but she will not give in
She will reason fear away again
A full and leaky vessel
She hides the cracks behind
For who will love her
if she does not shine?

Who will love her? Shining
Who will love her? Shining
Who will love her
If she does not shine?

She tries to pull herself
from difficult request
Works to be satisfied
with just doing her best
Till someone doubts her courage
and she struggles with resign
For who will love her
if she does not shine?

Who will love her? Shining
Who will love her? Shining
Who will love her
If she does not shine?

She tries to pull herself
from rejections debris
And the more she pulls
the less she seems to be free
When did this all begin?
Was there one point in time?
And who will love her
If she does not shine?

Who will love her? Shining
Who will love her? Shining
Who will love her
If she does not shine?

Beyond My Brokenness - EverFlow

"You find me at my worst, but it never made you turn away, you look beyond my brokenness saying I am yours."

I have had many "worst" moments. Places where depression has sunk in, where I'm feeling shame. You know the place - the one where you feel completely unlovable, and possibly also feel unloved. The lonely moments, the places where you think you are completely without. Completely broken.

God says: "you are mine, I made you, and I love you - your brokenness doesn't make me turn away."

More than anything, what scares me is how very normal people  can look when they are feeling their "worst". While some people are very clearly struggling, others can hide it so very well. I am struck by a conversation I had a couple days ago with a man who just lost his wife a few weeks ago. Looking at him, you wouldn't have known he had just bawled his eyes out, you wouldn't have known that he had spent the previous hour screaming at himself for how "stupid" he was. But a simple "How are you" and then showing I actually wanted the answer led to a good conversation of how he was really doing.

You never know who needs to hear the words "you are the rose from my garden, you are the lily that I have chosen." So watch around you. Speak life to those who need to hear truth. Love well. Remind people that they have value. Ask someone how they are doing, and stick around to hear the answer! And let's also remember that even when people aren't at their worst, they can always use encouragement.

And if you are struggling, please say something. Find the person who will ask "How are you?" and then stick around for the answer. And then, answer them truthfully!

I can't thank my friend enough for trusting me with his pain. I hope he felt loved by our quick conversation at the grocery store.

"I won't be the same again."


You find me at my worst
But it never made you turn away
You look beyond my brokenness
Saying I am yours

Take me as I am
Making me overwhelmed
You take delight in me
I won't be the same again

I am the rose from your garden
I am the lily that you've chosen
You are the light that bring me life
It is your love that makes me rise
I am the rose from your garden
I am the lily that you've chosen
You are the light that bring me life
It is your love that makes me rise

You keep my head held high
At the times I really want to cry
You give me strength and advice
Pick me up and i'm alive

I am the rose from your garden
I am the lily that you've chosen
You are the light that bring me life
It is your love that makes me rise
I am the rose from your garden
I am the lily that you've chosen
You are the light that bring me life
It is your love that makes me rise
your love that makes me rise

This love I can't hide it
This love I can't deny it
This love I can't contain

I am the rose from your garden
I am the lily that you've chosen
You are the light that bring me life
It is your love that makes me rise
I am the rose from your garden
I am the lily that you've chosen
You are the light that bring me life

It is your love that makes me rise
your love that makes me rise

I won't be the same again

Filled With Glory - Michael Gungor

Whose praise do you seek? Why do you do what you do? Are you seeking praise for your own accomplishments? Are you seeking your own glory and fame? Or are you looking for God to be glorified?

I have a love-hate relationship with this song. There's lots of reasons for that, but one is that I think I find it super convicting, but then also super exciting. "The earth will be filled with glory, like water o'er the sea, filled with glory" - there is a day coming where the earth will be filled with His glory!

"As we join as one, As we live to let Your kingdom come, Father, through our lives, We want to see You glorified"

That is my prayer - that first I would join with other believers in the One church, that I would live to let His kingdom come, and in that find urgency to share about Him, and that through my life I would show that I want Him to be glorified.

Glorify your name. God keep me humble. More of you, less of me.


As we all bow down
As we all come casting off our crowns
Would You hear our cry?
We want to see You glorified

As we all bow down
And as we all come casting off our crowns
Would You hear our cry?
We want to see You glorified

Glorify Your name
Glorify Your name
Glorify Your name
We want to see You glorified

As we join as one
As we live to let Your kingdom come
Father, through our lives
We want to see You glorified

Glorify Your name
Glorify Your name
Glorify Your name
We want to see You glorified

Glorify Your name
Glorify Your name
Glorify Your name
We want to see You glorified

The earth will be filled with glory
Like water o'er the sea, filled with glory
The earth will be filled with glory
Like water o'er the sea, filled with glory

The earth will be filled with glory
Like water o'er the sea

Glorify Your name
Glorify Your name
Glorify Your name
We want to see You glorified

Glorify Your name
Glorify Your name
Glorify Your name
We want to see You glorified
We want to see You glorified

Stray - The Assemblie

Do you have people in your life who have seen you at your worst, seen you when you thought all hope was lost, but still stuck with you? What about seeing you at your best, when your best was still not enough? People who stick around and you don't know why, because you don't see the worth in you?

What about eternally? Do you believe God will do that for you? Do you believe Jesus sees through all your masks, past the "picture window" face you put on, to let people only see the good? Do you believe that He sees you in all of those places, and in a way that humans cannot still loves you?

A friend told me recently that it was really nice to be "known" - to have people know their story, to know their past and still want to be around them. To have them understand some of why they do what they do.

Friends, God knows you. You are known. And He can take your mess and make it something beautiful.

Jesus, please draw near. You know my heart tends to stray.

How does your heart stray? Do you long for things you can't have? Do you believe in the lies Satan tells you about who you are? Do you crave coping behaviors that you think serve you "well" but you know that really lead you to feel more empty?

Hear the truth: God is faithful, and He is good. Your heart, once stained by sin and shame, can be restored to innocence.

He offers a second (and third, and fourth, and fifth...) chance. Will you take it today?

You've seen me at my worst
When I thought all hope was lost
You've seen at my best
And still I've fallen short
What You see of worth in me
I will never know
I'll never know

I'm so thankful
That new mercies rise with the morning sun
I'm so thankful
That You've never given up on me
Please draw near
You know my heart it tends to stray
It tends to stray

Mystery of all mysteries
What You've done in my heart
Once stained by sin and shame
You've restored innocence
Why I have this second chance
I will never know
I'll never know

I'm so thankful
That new mercies rise with the morning sun
I'm so thankful
That You've never given up on me
Please draw near
You know my heart it tends to stray
It tends to stray

You must be greater
I must be less
You can take this mess
And make it beautiful
Make it new

Let this be my crossroads
Where faith and action meet
Where looking back at my past will prove
You are faithful God
And if I've learned one thing
I know that You are good
Yes, You are good

Jesus At the Center - Darlene Zschech

"Jesus you're the center, everything revolves around You."

I love astronomy. I love physics. I love how things interact together. I love that the earth and other planets revolve around the sun because of the MASS that is the sun. It's the magnitude of the star that controls the amount of gravity pulling things in - and the distance you are from the sun that controls that gravitational pull.

We serve a BIG God. A mighty, massive amazing Son. And that gravity keeps us revolving around Him - and the closer we draw to Him, the more we will be drawn in. So... keep Him at the center, and lean in - you'll find yourself sucked in even further, drawn to His gravity.

It's all about you, Jesus!


Jesus at the center of it all
Jesus at the center of it all
From beginning to the end
It will always be, it's always been You
Jesus, Jesus

Nothing else matters
Nothing in this world will do
'Cause Jesus You're the center
Everything revolves around You
Jesus You
At the center of it all
At the center of it all

Jesus be the center of my life
Jesus be the center of my life
From beginning to the end
It will always be, it's always been You
Jesus, Jesus

Nothing else matters
Nothing in this world will do
'Cause Jesus You're the center
Everything revolves around You
Jesus You

From my heart to the Heavens
Jesus be the center
It's all about You
Yes it's all about You

Jesus be the center of Your church
Jesus be the center of Your church
And every knee will bow
And every tongue shall confess You
Jesus, Jesus
Jesus, Jesus
Jesus, Jesus
Jesus, Jesus

From my heart to the Heavens
Jesus be the center
It's all about You
Yes it's all about You

It's all about You, all about You, Jesus