#Thankful Sunday

Thanking God for hymns writers and musicians for creating a wonderful way for us to worship our Savior!
We sang "Only by His Grace" by Ron Hamilton and Cheryl Reid this morning and my heart was truly blessed by it!

"I found grace to save my soul; at the cross grace made me whole
when my Savior took control and washed my sins away.
Now the fellowship is sweet as I worship at his feet.

Only by His grace, I have found this holy place,
underneath His wings of love, trusting in my Lord above.
Grace for every need, grace that overflows and far exceeds,
lavished on my soul at Calvary, only by His grace.

Every valley I have known, such compassion I've been shown.
Giving strength that's not my own, it's only by His grace.
Every burden that I bear, Jesus comes and meets me there.

Only by His grace, I have found this holy place,
underneath His wings of love, trusting in my Lord above.
Grace for every need, grace that overflows and far exceeds,
lavished on my soul at Calvary, only by His grace."

My Two Cents

Wow, the month of November has flown by!  I can't believe Thanksgiving will be here in just a couple days and Christmas just a few weeks later!!  2014 has been a huge growing year...I know we tend to say that about a lot of years in our life, but you know how certain ones are REALLY growing years and others are still growing years, but maybe not quite as life impacting??

I think the biggest thing that God has been showing me this year is to find my validation in Him alone.  To meet His expectations alone.  To live for His smile alone.  I will never be able to do what every one thinks I should be able to do or live in such a way that meets the expectations of everyone and that is ok...   I am here to live the life God wants me to live - no matter how countercultural it is :)

Ok, so onto the monthly "My Two Cents"...

Watch

 

I'm just going to come right out and admit that I have been addicted to the "When Calls the Heart" series that came out last spring on the Hallmark Channel...  I know, I know but sometimes I can become a hopeless romantic.  I have those moments of wanting to curl up on the couch and watch a movie that has nothing wrong with it, still has a good story line and has decent actors.  The series is not based off of Janette Oke's books (When Comes the Heart series) like the "Love Comes Softly" series was (which is probably why I can watch it without any pre-judgments).  I have to admit that I am not a big fan of the Love Comes Softly series past the first and second movie... I just loved the books too much and didn't really enjoy the actors and story lines... So I admit to being a bit apprehensive when "When Calls the Heart" came out, however I was captivated by the pilot and have been impatiently waiting for all the episodes to come out on DVD for the past few months!  Definitely check it out!

"Love As I Loved"...

The words from Ron Hamilton's song, "Love As I Loved" have been ringing in my ears the past few days so I thought I would share the song with all of you :)

When the Lord was speaking to the crowd
A beggar came, who fell down
Before Christ and called out His Name
The disciples quickly came, and they turned the man away
Till they saw the Lord's compassion and they heard the Savior say-

Hello Friends,

I know it has been a long time since my last post and I'm sorry for that.  However, sometimes life seems to fly by and this past year has been a roller coaster of spiritual, emotional, physical and mental rides :p  I can now say they have all been for a purpose (although I don't think I'm done with them :]).   I may not know why God has worked these different things in my life, but I can trust they are for His glory and that is why I am here.

The echo of my heart this morning is found in the following song.  I heard it for the first time this summer at The Wilds of New England and it is has stuck with me since then.  I know you can't here the music that goes with it, but the words are so beautiful in themselves that I think you will be blessed just by reading them :)

Settled At The Cross by Cliff Duren

 How I love to read the book You wrote for me
You loved the world so much You gave Your Son
Written there in crimson, You told me I'm forgiven
It is done, it is done

chorus
So if you never speak another word of blessing
And the silence leaves me with a sense of loss
I'll remember when my heart begins to question
Any doubt that You loved me
Was settled at the cross

I would be the first to admit I don't deserve
The kind of favor You have always shown
But You don't have to tell me
You proved how much You loved me
And I'll know, I'll still know

That If you never speak another word of blessing
And the silence leaves me with a sense of loss
I'll remember when my heart begins to question
Any doubt that you loved me
Was settled at the cross

Every drop of mercy
Every breath forgave
Every drop of blood
Testifies of grace!

If You never speak another word of blessing
And the silence leaves me with a sense of loss
I'll remember when my heart begins to question
Any doubt that you loved me
Was settled at the cross

Any doubt that you loved me
Was settled at the cross.



~ God of Heaven ~

This video plays one of my favorite songs, sung by the Steve Pettit Evangelistic Team: God of Heaven.

The person who put the video together also placed some absolutely gorgeous photos of this beautiful earth our amazing and creative God made!  I hope you enjoy listening and watching as much as I did!

Let Me Burn Out For Thee

As soon as I heard about this song, I knew that I wanted find the lyrics and share them with all of you.

My Pastor has shared many times about this song being his mom's favorite, but recently it has become even more important as her time on earth is quickly coming to an end.  I've only met this woman twice, but she left a mark on my heart as a loving, caring, sweet and yet stubborn woman that has a heart for sharing the gospel to whoever is put in her path.  As she has been very ill for the last couple months, many people have come in contact with her.  Some came to her house, some were at the doctor's office and some at the hospital.  Yet, wherever she was, she made sure that the person she was talking to heard the gospel.  She is looking forward to spending eternity with the Lord, but understands that she is still here for a reason and her hearts desire is to burn out for Him.

Her family members could share story after story of her diligence in sharing the gospel.  One of the stories came from back when all her kids were young and with several in diapers she was not able to be out spreading the gospel to others and was frusrtated with that :}  She knew her place was with the kids at home and that the ministry of serving, sharing the gospel and training them was just as important as sharing it with strangers, but she had such an incredible desire to share the good news and was frustrated.  So she prayed to the Lord, to send someone or open up an opportunity so that she could minister in this way.....Well, the Lord sent a salesman to her door and she saw him as a gift from God :)  She figured that if she let him talk to her about what he was selling, then he would have to listen to her afterward.   And she did! 

There was a fervency in her heart to share, because she knew that her time on earth was short.  I pray that all of our hearts would be set on fire to share the Good News and that our utmost desire would be to "burn out" for the God we owe everything to.

Oh God, the world is lost in sin,

And so few that seem to care,

Many of whom profess Thy Name, No burden will help to bear,

We need a passion, Lord, for souls,

To bring the lost back to Thee,

Our hearts must be stirred till all have heard

At least once of Calvary.

Refrain
Let me burn out for Thee, dear Lord
Burn and wear out for Thee
Don’t let me rust, or my life be a failure, my God, to Thee
Use me and all I have, dear Lord,
And hold me so close to Thee
That I feel the throb of the great heart of God
Until I burn out for Thee.

How cold has been our giving, Lord!

How selfish our love has been,

Keeping from those who never heard

The gospel that saves from sin!

How often we have turned aside

Neglecting to do our part,

Forgetting Thy tears and agony,

Forgetting Thy bleeding heart

Refrain

Meet us and break us up, dear Lord

Until driven to our knees

Bare to our gaze, Thy cross and love,

Of blood-baptized Calvary,

Speak till we hear again Thy call,

And hold nothing back from Thee.

Oh, burn on our hears the hopeless wail

Of souls damned eternally.

Refrain

O God, with shame I humbly bow,

In tears and a contrite heart.

Forgive me for the broken vows,

And failure to do my part.

I heed Thy call and say “Farewell”

To all that would hinder me;

Thy grace and Thy love to lost ones tell,

And my life burn out for Thee

Refrain

Let me burn out for Thee, dear Lord
Burn and wear out for Thee
Don’t let me rust, or my life be a failure, my God, to Thee
Use me and all I have, dear Lord,
And hold me so close to Thee
That I feel the throb of the great heart of God
Until I burn out for Thee.

~ Bessie Hatcher

So High The Price

If any of you listen to the Steve Pettit Evangelistic Team, then you have most likely heard this song on one of their newest CD's, So High The Price.  You can listen to parts of the different songs from the CD HERE .  I love most of the Steve Pettit Music and this is one of my favorite CD's.  The first song on the disc is, "So High the Price".   A song that even without the music speaks for itself.

Here are the lyrics.

So High The Price

By

Deborah Bailey & Marty Funderburck

Lord of glory, reigning in His majesty,

Ruling long before the worlds were formed

Yet when darkness claimed His own

He stepped form heaven's throne

To bear a cross and wear a crown of thorns

(Chorus)

So high the price He paid, the nails, the cross, the grave

Such pardon He bestowed, such grace He showed

No greater sacrifice, He gave His very life

So deep the love, so high the price

Son of God so willingly He took our place

Clothed in robes frail humanity

Fragile flesh and blood, priceless crimson flood

Offered up for sin at Calvary

So high the price He paid, the nails, the cross, the grave

Such pardon He bestowed, such grace He showed

No greater sacrifice, He gave His very life

So deep the love, so high the price

Buried like a beggar in a borrowed tomb

Everything for nothing so it seemed

But death could never stand, agains the nail-scarred hands

And power of heaven's resurrected King

So high the price He paid, the nails, the cross, the grave 

Such pardon He bestowed, such grace He showed

No greater sacrifice, He gave His very life

So deep the love, so high the price