Go... Stay... Follow... Wait...
The words echo around in my head, as I feel torn between conflicting messages. I'll go where You send me. I'll stay where You've planted me. I'll follow where You lead me, follow you anywhere (see here). I'll wait for you (here), I'll stay right here while the waves crash in around me.
This (new) song by Native Kingdom perfectly summarizes for me these conflicting directions and emotions, and I strain to hear God's whisper over me:
I need to hear You speak Your promises to me
I need to hear You speak, O Jesus
Surrender to Your will
I’ll follow where You lead
I need to hear You speak, O Jesus
O Jesus, how I need to hear you speak Your promises. Your truth.
What are the promises God has spoken over you? You are chosen... You are loved... I will make you a great nation... I will prepare a feast for you in the presence of your enemies...
Fear will not have the final word
I’m waiting here until You whisper
I'm waiting here until You whisper... I'll not listen to the voices around me telling me lies and falsehoods - the people who tell me that I deserve better... that I have earned better. Because I know the truth - I will receive better, but not in this life.
Surrender to Your will, I'll follow where You lead, I need to hear You speak, O Jesus.
Where are you leading me? Where do you want me to go, what do you want me to say, today, to that person you have put in front of me?
Is it about moving when it seems tough? Is it about leaving when too much is asked? or is it about leaning in, quieting my heart and listening for God's whisper, right where I am. I'm not saying God doesn't call people to follow, in hard and challenging and amazing and grace-giving ways. What I am saying is don't go without his voice. Listen for His voice.
Speak to me, speak to me... I need to hear You speak... I'll wait for You to speak...
Your voice is freedom for my soul
Your love is drawing my heart closer
Fear will not have the final word
I’m waiting here until You whisper
I need to hear You speak Your promises to me
I need to hear You speak, O Jesus
Surrender to Your will
I’ll follow where You lead
I need to hear You speak, O Jesus
I walk by faith and not by sight
Your truth is holding back the darkness
I know your plans for me are good
I dare not wander from your presence
I need to hear You speak Your promises to me
I need to hear You speak, O Jesus
Surrender to Your will
I’ll follow where You lead
I need to hear You speak, O Jesus
I'm listening, You have my attention
I'm leaning in, Come and break the silence
Much more than bread,
I hunger for Your words
Speak to me now, Oh Lord
I need to hear You speak Your promises to me
I need to hear You speak, O Jesus
Surrender to Your will
I’ll follow where You lead
I need to hear You speak, O Jesus
Speak to me, speak to me
I need to hear You speak, O Jesus
Surrender to Your will
I'll follow where You lead
I need to hear You speak, O Jesus
I need to hear You speak
I'll wait for You to speak
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Breakthrough - Belonging Co
You know those days where you don't feel like doing anything... not even a little bit? I've definitely been having that feeling for the last couple of days. As such, you end up with a blog on Thursday instead of Wednesday, and I'm left wondering if I even care that I missed. Which is weird for me - I'm normally super focused on following the rules, and the rules say that this is "Wendy's Weekly Words of Worship on Wednesdays" (for no real reason, other than that it's lots of Ws and I like Ws... for a while my address had 5 Ws in it and it made me really happy).
While sometimes rules can be helpful, they help us live together harmoniously, they keep us safe, they provide structure in areas of our life where we are sadly lacking structure, and they can give a healthy context from which to interact with other people, other rules are important to break - to realize they are faulty and unhelpful.
When I was little, I had made a "rule" that if it flew it was a duck. As children we create classification rules. At some point a starling flew down our chimney and into our house. I promptly went and told my mother "Momma duck in living room!!!!" She said "No, no duck in the living room." "BUT MAMA, DUCK!!!!!" You see, I was right there was a bird in the living room - but there wasn't a duck. The problem was that years later (long after I learned that my classification system had an error) I still thought a duck had been in our living room. Because that was the words I had used at the time to describe the situation.
How often are your rules holding you back? Holding you into definitions that are not real, that are not based on truth? Are your memories of events colored by that as well? Do you remember something as bad because that was how you defined it then? Is it possible that later you learned it wasn't, but that your memory is still colored by that?
To cross over the line
Leave it all behind
Nothing's gonna keep me here
Oh, until I see a change
I'm lifting up Your name
There's freedom in the atmosphere
Cross the line, leave it behind... break the faulty rules in your head and become whole and free in the change that he provides. I'm gonna breakthrough.
This is where my heart will beat again
This is where I get set free
This is where Your love is calling me
I'm ready, yeah, I'm ready
To cross over the line
Leave it all behind
Nothing's gonna keep me here
Oh, until I see a change
I'm lifting up Your name
There's freedom in the atmosphere
Oh, I feel like dancing
I feel like praising You
'Cause I know, this is my breakthrough
I'm gonna see You move
This is my breakthrough
This is my breakthrough
I'm gonna breakthrough
This is where Your word takes hold of me
And this is where my fear lets go
Your Spirit is alive inside of me
I'm ready, yeah, I'm ready
To cross over the line
Leave it all behind
Nothing's gonna keep me here
Oh, until I see a change
I'm lifting up Your name
There's freedom in the atmosphere
Oh, I feel like dancing
I feel like praising You
'Cause I know, this is my breakthrough
I'm gonna see You move
This is my breakthrough
This is my breakthrough
I'm gonna breakthrough
This is my breakthrough
This is my breakthrough
I'm gonna breakthrough
I'll keep on dancing, I'll keep on singing
I'll keep on praising You
I'll keep on dancing, I'll keep on singing
I'll keep on breaking through
I'll keep on dancing, I'll keep on singing
I'll keep on praising You
I'll keep on dancing, I'll keep on singing
I'll keep on breaking through
Oh, I feel like dancing
I feel like praising You
'Cause I know, this is my breakthrough
I'm gonna see You move
And oh, I feel like dancing
I feel like praising You
'Cause I know, this is my breakthrough
I'm gonna see You move
This is my breakthrough
This is my breakthrough
I'm gonna breakthrough
Source: Musixmatch
While sometimes rules can be helpful, they help us live together harmoniously, they keep us safe, they provide structure in areas of our life where we are sadly lacking structure, and they can give a healthy context from which to interact with other people, other rules are important to break - to realize they are faulty and unhelpful.
When I was little, I had made a "rule" that if it flew it was a duck. As children we create classification rules. At some point a starling flew down our chimney and into our house. I promptly went and told my mother "Momma duck in living room!!!!" She said "No, no duck in the living room." "BUT MAMA, DUCK!!!!!" You see, I was right there was a bird in the living room - but there wasn't a duck. The problem was that years later (long after I learned that my classification system had an error) I still thought a duck had been in our living room. Because that was the words I had used at the time to describe the situation.
How often are your rules holding you back? Holding you into definitions that are not real, that are not based on truth? Are your memories of events colored by that as well? Do you remember something as bad because that was how you defined it then? Is it possible that later you learned it wasn't, but that your memory is still colored by that?
To cross over the line
Leave it all behind
Nothing's gonna keep me here
Oh, until I see a change
I'm lifting up Your name
There's freedom in the atmosphere
Cross the line, leave it behind... break the faulty rules in your head and become whole and free in the change that he provides. I'm gonna breakthrough.
This is where my heart will beat again
This is where I get set free
This is where Your love is calling me
I'm ready, yeah, I'm ready
To cross over the line
Leave it all behind
Nothing's gonna keep me here
Oh, until I see a change
I'm lifting up Your name
There's freedom in the atmosphere
Oh, I feel like dancing
I feel like praising You
'Cause I know, this is my breakthrough
I'm gonna see You move
This is my breakthrough
This is my breakthrough
I'm gonna breakthrough
This is where Your word takes hold of me
And this is where my fear lets go
Your Spirit is alive inside of me
I'm ready, yeah, I'm ready
To cross over the line
Leave it all behind
Nothing's gonna keep me here
Oh, until I see a change
I'm lifting up Your name
There's freedom in the atmosphere
Oh, I feel like dancing
I feel like praising You
'Cause I know, this is my breakthrough
I'm gonna see You move
This is my breakthrough
This is my breakthrough
I'm gonna breakthrough
This is my breakthrough
This is my breakthrough
I'm gonna breakthrough
I'll keep on dancing, I'll keep on singing
I'll keep on praising You
I'll keep on dancing, I'll keep on singing
I'll keep on breaking through
I'll keep on dancing, I'll keep on singing
I'll keep on praising You
I'll keep on dancing, I'll keep on singing
I'll keep on breaking through
Oh, I feel like dancing
I feel like praising You
'Cause I know, this is my breakthrough
I'm gonna see You move
And oh, I feel like dancing
I feel like praising You
'Cause I know, this is my breakthrough
I'm gonna see You move
This is my breakthrough
This is my breakthrough
I'm gonna breakthrough
Source: Musixmatch
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Strong God - Jesse Jorgensen
In my work I often run into students who have pretty messed up home lives. From parents in prison, to drug addicts, to teen parents who left kids with grandparents to go live their own lives, my students come from backgrounds that I can't begin to imagine (nor do I want to). And I'm put in a unique situation of being able to love my students (hopefully well) with a love that comes from Christ, that is different from what they have experienced or could imagine.
Father to the fatherless, defender of the weak
Freedom for the prisoner, we sing
Do you sing that? Does your life sing that out? If people looked at your interactions with people, do they sing out that Christ brings freedom for the prisoner? Are you living in freedom? Because these promises are not just for my students who have clearly broken childhoods - it's for all of us. Are you living like you're free? Or are you slipping your wrists back into unlocked shackles, claiming prisoner?
Sing out lift your voice and cry out
Awesome is our strong God mighty is our God
Our God is strong and mighty - He breaks the chains and unbolts the shackles. And He is with us, no matter where we go. So... whether in full voice or full action, sing out - let your voice be lifted and cry out about the awesomeness of our God.
May my life fully reflect the freedom for the prisoner - that He defends the weak. Not just the weak around me, but the weak in me. May my voice ring out both as it does in this song, out loud, but also as the quiet whisper of me loving on my students - providing them with the hope that they have a Father, a defender, and a future living in freedom.
Father to the fatherless Defender of the weak
Freedom for the prisoner we sing
This is God in His holy place
This is God clothed in love and strength
Sing out lift your voice and cry out
Awesome is our strong God mighty is our God
You're with us in the wilderness faithful to provide
Ev'ry breath and ev'ry step we see
Sing out lift your voice and cry out
Awesome is our strong God mighty is our God
Sing out raise your hands and shout out
Awesome is our strong God mighty is our God
There is no higher, no,
There is no greater, no,
There is none stronger than our God.
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Jason Ingram / Jon Egan / Meredith Andrews
Strong God lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc, Spirit Music Group, Essential Music Publishing, Capitol Christian Music Group
Father to the fatherless, defender of the weak
Freedom for the prisoner, we sing
Do you sing that? Does your life sing that out? If people looked at your interactions with people, do they sing out that Christ brings freedom for the prisoner? Are you living in freedom? Because these promises are not just for my students who have clearly broken childhoods - it's for all of us. Are you living like you're free? Or are you slipping your wrists back into unlocked shackles, claiming prisoner?
Sing out lift your voice and cry out
Awesome is our strong God mighty is our God
Our God is strong and mighty - He breaks the chains and unbolts the shackles. And He is with us, no matter where we go. So... whether in full voice or full action, sing out - let your voice be lifted and cry out about the awesomeness of our God.
May my life fully reflect the freedom for the prisoner - that He defends the weak. Not just the weak around me, but the weak in me. May my voice ring out both as it does in this song, out loud, but also as the quiet whisper of me loving on my students - providing them with the hope that they have a Father, a defender, and a future living in freedom.
Father to the fatherless Defender of the weak
Freedom for the prisoner we sing
This is God in His holy place
This is God clothed in love and strength
Sing out lift your voice and cry out
Awesome is our strong God mighty is our God
You're with us in the wilderness faithful to provide
Ev'ry breath and ev'ry step we see
Sing out lift your voice and cry out
Awesome is our strong God mighty is our God
Sing out raise your hands and shout out
Awesome is our strong God mighty is our God
There is no higher, no,
There is no greater, no,
There is none stronger than our God.
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Jason Ingram / Jon Egan / Meredith Andrews
Strong God lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc, Spirit Music Group, Essential Music Publishing, Capitol Christian Music Group
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
More of You - CCV Music
Today I am struck by how little I can see. How big the world around me is. How much there is going on that I don't know. The experience of others that I can't even begin to imagine. And when I think think about how much God knows, the secrets He holds. 🤯
So this is the cry of my heart now, because I know so little, and He knows so much, because His ways are so much better than mine:
How beautiful this life can be
When there's more of You
And less of me
Oh, Jesus, You are all I need
So give me more of You
And less of me
I also think intrinsic in this is my desire that I actually truly want this all the time. I am by nature a control freak. I like to be in control - of myself, of my emotions, of others, of everything. And God very much asks me to give that up and trust His control. Help me to realize, Jesus, that You are all I need, and that I need more of You and less of me.
Beyond the depths of the horizon
Beyond the shores of foreign seas
Beyond the stars we haven't found yet
Beyond the secrets of the deep
There is more than what I see here
There is more than earthly dreams
There is Heaven to be found here
If I am still enough to see
How beautiful this life can be
When there's more of You
And less of me
Oh, Jesus, You are all I need
So give me more of You
And less of me
Within the heart of Your creation
Within the depths of every soul
Within the beauty of the mystery
Oh, the wonder to behold
How beautiful this life can be
When there's more of You
And less of me
Oh, Jesus, You are all I need
So give me more of You
And less of me
There is more
Where You are more
There is more
Where You are more
There is more
Where You are more
There is more
Where You are more
How beautiful this life can be
When there's more of You
And less of me
Oh, Jesus, You are all I need
So give me more of You
And less of me
Give me more of You
And less of me
There is Heaven to be found here
If I am still enough to see
Written by Sam Hoffman, Jordan Howerton, Ben Gowell, Jacob Bombaci and Ryan Hunt © 2019
LEUMAS1988 (ASCAP), JAJO Music (ASCAP), and Seek Chamber Music (ASCAP)
So this is the cry of my heart now, because I know so little, and He knows so much, because His ways are so much better than mine:
How beautiful this life can be
When there's more of You
And less of me
Oh, Jesus, You are all I need
So give me more of You
And less of me
I also think intrinsic in this is my desire that I actually truly want this all the time. I am by nature a control freak. I like to be in control - of myself, of my emotions, of others, of everything. And God very much asks me to give that up and trust His control. Help me to realize, Jesus, that You are all I need, and that I need more of You and less of me.
Beyond the depths of the horizon
Beyond the shores of foreign seas
Beyond the stars we haven't found yet
Beyond the secrets of the deep
There is more than what I see here
There is more than earthly dreams
There is Heaven to be found here
If I am still enough to see
How beautiful this life can be
When there's more of You
And less of me
Oh, Jesus, You are all I need
So give me more of You
And less of me
Within the heart of Your creation
Within the depths of every soul
Within the beauty of the mystery
Oh, the wonder to behold
How beautiful this life can be
When there's more of You
And less of me
Oh, Jesus, You are all I need
So give me more of You
And less of me
There is more
Where You are more
There is more
Where You are more
There is more
Where You are more
There is more
Where You are more
How beautiful this life can be
When there's more of You
And less of me
Oh, Jesus, You are all I need
So give me more of You
And less of me
Give me more of You
And less of me
There is Heaven to be found here
If I am still enough to see
Written by Sam Hoffman, Jordan Howerton, Ben Gowell, Jacob Bombaci and Ryan Hunt © 2019
LEUMAS1988 (ASCAP), JAJO Music (ASCAP), and Seek Chamber Music (ASCAP)
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
Follow You Anywhere - Passion (ft. Kristian Stanfill)
Wherever You lead me
Whatever it costs me
All I want is You
Jesus, all I want is You
This song is high challenge for me. As a pastor's wife, sometimes I talk church with my husband (sometimes?? ok, all the time)... We talk a lot about making church high invitation and high challenge. We talk about the balance between those two things - that we need to be inviting new believers in, that we are high invitation, everyone and I do mean everyone can come to Jesus, no matter what, that He loves and forgives and holds us tight. But we also need to be high challenge - that what we do pushes everyone closer to Jesus, no matter how long they have been following Jesus, that we are all pushed closer to Him.
Can I just say that some of those moments are scary? Like hold onto the handles and scream as you rush down the roller coaster of life scary? Because if we sing this song and actually mean it - YIKES! Hold onto your hair because it might just fly off in the wind!
Wherever you lead me
Whatever it costs me
All I want is You
Jesus, all I want is You
Simple notes to sing. But gosh the cost that could mean! All I want is You... I'll follow you anywhere.
God may you shine bright like a fire in the night that I can see where to follow... Say the word, and I'll be there.
You make it easy to love You
You are good and You are kind
You bring joy into my life
You make it easy to trust You
You have never left my side
You've been faithful every time
All I want is You
Jesus, all I want is You
You are the refuge I run to
You are the fire that leads me through the night
I'll follow You anywhere
There's a million reasons to trust You
Nothing to fear for You are by my side
I'll follow You anywhere
Oh Jesus, You came to my rescue
Took my place upon that cross
You redeemed what I had lost
Now my whole world revolving around You
Yes
You're the center of my life
You're the treasure, You're the prize
All I want is You
Jesus, all I want is You
You are the refuge I run to
You are the fire that leads me through the night
I'll follow You anywhere
There's a million reasons to trust You
Nothing to fear for You are by my side
I'll follow You anywhere
Follow You anywhere
I'll follow You anywhere
Wherever You lead me
Whatever it costs me
All I want is You
Jesus, all I want is You
Wherever You lead me
Whatever it costs me
All I want is You
Jesus, all I want is You
Wherever You lead me
Whatever it costs me
All I want is You
Jesus, all I want is You
You are the refuge I run to
You are the fire that leads me through the night
I'll follow You anywhere
There's a million reasons to trust You
Nothing to fear for You are by my side
I'll follow You anywhere
Follow You anywhere
Woah
I'll follow You anywhere
Woah
Follow You anywhere
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Jason Ingram / Kristian Stanfill / Phil Wickham / Brett Younker
Follow You Anywhere (Live) lyrics © So Essential Tunes, Be Essential Songs
Whatever it costs me
All I want is You
Jesus, all I want is You
This song is high challenge for me. As a pastor's wife, sometimes I talk church with my husband (sometimes?? ok, all the time)... We talk a lot about making church high invitation and high challenge. We talk about the balance between those two things - that we need to be inviting new believers in, that we are high invitation, everyone and I do mean everyone can come to Jesus, no matter what, that He loves and forgives and holds us tight. But we also need to be high challenge - that what we do pushes everyone closer to Jesus, no matter how long they have been following Jesus, that we are all pushed closer to Him.
Can I just say that some of those moments are scary? Like hold onto the handles and scream as you rush down the roller coaster of life scary? Because if we sing this song and actually mean it - YIKES! Hold onto your hair because it might just fly off in the wind!
Wherever you lead me
Whatever it costs me
All I want is You
Jesus, all I want is You
Simple notes to sing. But gosh the cost that could mean! All I want is You... I'll follow you anywhere.
God may you shine bright like a fire in the night that I can see where to follow... Say the word, and I'll be there.
You make it easy to love You
You are good and You are kind
You bring joy into my life
You make it easy to trust You
You have never left my side
You've been faithful every time
All I want is You
Jesus, all I want is You
You are the refuge I run to
You are the fire that leads me through the night
I'll follow You anywhere
There's a million reasons to trust You
Nothing to fear for You are by my side
I'll follow You anywhere
Oh Jesus, You came to my rescue
Took my place upon that cross
You redeemed what I had lost
Now my whole world revolving around You
Yes
You're the center of my life
You're the treasure, You're the prize
All I want is You
Jesus, all I want is You
You are the refuge I run to
You are the fire that leads me through the night
I'll follow You anywhere
There's a million reasons to trust You
Nothing to fear for You are by my side
I'll follow You anywhere
Follow You anywhere
I'll follow You anywhere
Wherever You lead me
Whatever it costs me
All I want is You
Jesus, all I want is You
Wherever You lead me
Whatever it costs me
All I want is You
Jesus, all I want is You
Wherever You lead me
Whatever it costs me
All I want is You
Jesus, all I want is You
You are the refuge I run to
You are the fire that leads me through the night
I'll follow You anywhere
There's a million reasons to trust You
Nothing to fear for You are by my side
I'll follow You anywhere
Follow You anywhere
Woah
I'll follow You anywhere
Woah
Follow You anywhere
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Jason Ingram / Kristian Stanfill / Phil Wickham / Brett Younker
Follow You Anywhere (Live) lyrics © So Essential Tunes, Be Essential Songs
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