Considering Mary

I’m not really a baby person. I’ve said that here before. I struggled in those early years of being a mother. So I find it quite interesting that one of the things that touches me so deeply during the Christmas season is thinking about Mary as she approached and entered motherhood. 

Maybe it’s my penchant for fictionalizing history, for wondering what really went on in the heads of those who experienced the world-altering events we only read of. Whatever the case, I find that more than any other songs at this time of year, these three bring me to tears every time. 

What strikes you as so poignant about the ideas conveyed in one or more of these songs? 

Worship and Surrender

There are a few worship songs that grab me by the heart and hurl me into intimate worship, all with a strong sense of who God is and my surrender to him. Yesterday in church we sang three of them right in a row! So I thought I’d share this morning.

If you don’t have time to listen to them, just read the lines I pulled from each song, words that stir me tears every time. And may your day and week and life be one of total worship and surrender.

“So let my life be a blazing offering, that shouts and sings the greatness of my King. Take my life and let it be, all for You and for Your glory. Take my life and let it be Yours.”

 "My heart and my soul, I give You control, consume me from the inside out, Lord.”

“What can I say? What can I do? But offer this heart, O God, completely to You.”

He's Alive!

My Testimony in Three Songs

In spite of the fact that I am a writer, I often wish for someone else to put words to my feelings, my experiences. And that’s where music comes in. All my life I have looked to songs to help me articulate my feelings and my experiences.

I remember several years ago when I first heard two songs that encapsulated where the Lord had taken me in my journey with Him. I wept for two reasons: that someone had captured my experience so completely and that someone else had obviously journeyed a similar road. Not long ago I ran across another song that touched me in the same way. However this song spoke to where I had been before the Lord and I got down to real business.

So today I wanted to share with you those three songs that seem to so completely convey my testimony. Maybe they won’t seem so amazing to you—or maybe you’ll identify in part or in whole. Either way, I hope you enjoy each one.

Do you have a song or songs that seems to have captured your feelings at a specific time in your life?

Warning: Worshipping Driver Ahead

I’m a radio girl when I’m tooling around town in my SUV. When I’m on short little trips, in and out of my car, I can deal with the spurts of music that I find on the dial. But when I have to go any length of way on the highway—especially alone, I plug in my adapter and fire up my ipod. Driving and listening to music is good for me. And most of the time it doesn’t cause a problem. Except lately. You see, I’ve discovered the Genius feature.

Oh my.

Now I can play whatever is my favorite worship tune on that particular day and press the Genius button and it will pull all the similar songs on my ipod into a playlist. Now that should be a good thing. But here comes the issue: it gets hard to drive when you’re having a personal revival meeting in your car! Keeping my hands on the wheel becomes a problem. Tears cloud my vision. I’m even tempted to close my eyes! But surely the Lord will put His angels on high alert when that happens. Right?

So I apologize if I cut you off or ride up on your tail or do any of those other annoying things on the highway. I guess maybe I need a little sign on my back window: warning, worshipping driver ahead.