Songwriting Exercise

Hey worship songwriters!!!!  If you're like me, the songwriting freshness has worn off a little bit, and you could use a boost!  Soooooo, I thought I might present a songwriting exercise to fellow worship songwriters in hopes to spark that desire in us to write again and more often.  Here we go:

* Take a few minutes to look around you, and focus on ONE object that catches your attention.
* Got that object in mind?  Think about all the attributes of that object: color, weight, size, purpose, design, etc.
* Ask the Father to share with you attributes of that object that relate to your relationship with him.  Ask him questions like: What do the attributes of this object say about me?  What do the attributes this object say about you?  What do the attributes of this object say about our relationship?  Etc.
* Think about metaphors, similes, allegories, colloquialisms, etc.
* If you are willing, share them here.  NOTE: Simply share the name of the object and the list of attributes and/or functionalities that apply to accumulate ideas.  Who knows, songs may come out of this process.

Any takers?

Christian Music Blog is Coming SOON!

Are you a songwriter who struggles with the discipline and productivity in your songwriting process?  Having trouble with “writer’s block”?  Are you insecure about sharing your songs?  Are your songs starting to sound the same?  Struggling with knowing where to start?  If you answered yes to any of these questions, then a blog is coming your way this summer with YOU in mind!

Nate Fancher, Worship Pastor at Living Way Church in Greensboro, NC, is starting up a new blog site on June 15, 2013 specifically designed for the Christian songwriter.  To build this site, Nate is seeking out Christian songwriters of all skill levels to join the Christian Music Blog group.  Since the blog is in its infancy stage, Nate would like to hear from you about what you would like to learn in the craft of songwriting.

So, please take a few minutes to join the group today and count yourself among the many Christian songwriters who have already joined!  Here’s how:

* Go to the Christian Music Blog site

* Enter your email address

* Click “Sign Up”

It’s THAT easy!  Nate will start an open dialogue with each writer to get to know you a little bit better, and see how the blog can help you in the future.  Blessings to you all!

Songwriting Motives

I must confess; I’ve not wanted to write songs lately.  I’ve not been inspired, motivated or encouraged to write songs at all.  I actually LOVE writing music, and really enjoy it when the juices are actually flowing.  However, I hate it when there are dry seasons in writing.  At that time, I ask myself “why even write at all?”  It wasn’t until yesterday that it occurred to me that my songwriting motives might need some calibrating.  My husband wants us to write a song for his parents’ 40th anniversary coming up soon.  We simply want to write a song that expresses our love and our appreciation for them even though the song will never make it to radio or even be appreciated in proportion to all the hard work we’ll put into it.  So, we’re gonna do this thing!!!  Please pray for us in the process.  :D

It led me to want to ask others about how much they appreciate songs written for them.  So, I’d like to ask YOU the following questions to hopefully gain insight into how songwriters are appreciated (in general):

• Is it appropriate to give a song as a gift?  Why or why not?
• What expectations do you have if someone were to give you a song as a gift?
• What would you do with the song?
• How would you respond if the song were the ONLY gift to you?
• What are some ways we can encourage songwriters to write out of “gift giving” as opposed to “attention getting?”

Of course, my questions are in general terms, not necessarily for writing worship songs – although, the thought process is similar.  I may ask more questions later depending on how the conversation goes.  So, this is just a start.  With that said, what are your thoughts?

Refuge: Sabbatical Retreat

Back in October 2011, I had the privilege of attending a 3-day REFUGE sabbatical retreat.  The retreat was held at St. Simons Community Church in St Simons Island, GA and hosted by Fred McKinnon, worship pastor of St Simons Community Church and founder of TheWorshipCommunity.com.

From www.RefugeSSI.com

It was an amazing time.  We hung out with incredible people like Ian Morgan Cron (author of "Chasing Francis" and "Jesus, My Father, the CIA and Me"), Trent Smith (worship leader, singer, musician, and songwriter), and Debby Berry (CEO of PraiseCharts).  We set time aside to stop, refocus, recharge, and enjoy the presence of the Heavenly Father.  The main theme of this retreat was "unhurried."  Although activities were planned, the intention was to have an unhurried flow so that attendees did not feel rushed or herded into a bunch of sessions.

Since the last Refuge was so wonderful, I'd like to inform the Worship Vanguard of 2013's Refuge coming up March 3-5.  It will have the same purpose, but the format will be a little different.  One special guest to Refuge will be Gary Molander (author of "Pursuing Christ. Creative Art").  Trent Smith will be back to minister to everyone through music.  If I understand correctly, this retreat will foster an atmosphere to encourage creativity through worship.

If you are available to attend this retreat, I highly recommend it to all of you who would love to rest and recharge with other ministry leaders.  Early Bird registration is $99 (until Oct 10), so you'll get more bang for your buck if you can register early.  Trust me, you will thoroughly enjoy this retreat!  So please check out the website, and consider attending.  Here is the link again: www.RefugeSSI.com.

You can also follow the retreat on Twitter or on Facebook.

Cleese and Creativity

This is a brilliant piece from one of the best comedians in the world, John Cleese.  He addresses issues with creativity that many people never think about.  The entire video is worth while!

The video is 36:10 in length.  So, provide ample time to listen.  You will find yourself laughing as you come to realize how creativity works (and doesn't).  Enjoy!

Wandering Thoughts in Prayer

Photo from Wikipedia

This week, the Lord refreshed me in many ways.  He continues to clarify his words to me as I continually seek him, especially in the area concerning his rest.  It’s an area that deserves diligence, and is not easy to come by.  The doorway, I’m learning, to entering his rest is a desire for his presence.  A piece of God’s refreshing came through “The Practice of the Presence of God,” a collection of conversations and letters from Brother Lawrence (c. 1614 – 12 February 1691), a lay brother in a Carmelite monastery in Paris.

In Brother Lawrence’s EIGHTH LETTER, he addresses the issue of wandering thoughts in prayer.  Everyone struggles with this; I am no exception.  It’s a constant battle in the mind to keep focus on the Lord's presence.  We know God is omnipresent, but as Brother Lawrence writes, we should also invite Him into our daily "business."  Brother Lawrence’s words confirm what my spirit seeks, and they encourage the path to know God’s presence in a real and tangible way.  My desire is for God’s presence to be evident to me in every way, even in the most mundane tasks.  Of course, we all have moments where we struggle with wandering thoughts in prayer.  So, I pray these words from Brother Lawrence encourage you.  Blessings!

********************************************************************************

Concerning wandering thoughts in prayer. YOU tell me nothing new: you are not the only one that is troubled with wandering thoughts. Our mind is extremely roving; but as the will is mistress of all our faculties, she must recall them, and carry them to GOD, as their last end.

When the mind, for want of being sufficiently reduced by recollection, at our first engaging in devotion, has contracted certain bad habits of wandering and dissipation, they are difficult to overcome, and commonly draw us, even against our wills, to the things of the earth.

I believe one remedy for this is, to confess our faults, and to humble ourselves before GOD. I do not advise you to use multiplicity of words in prayer; many words and long discourses being often the occasions of wandering: hold yourself in prayer before GOD, like a dumb or paralytic beggar at a rich man's gate: let it be your business to keep your mind in the presence of the LORD. If it sometimes wander, and withdraw itself from Him, do not much disquiet yourself for that; trouble and disquiet serve rather to distract the mind, than to re-collect it; the will must bring it back in tranquility; if you persevere in this manner, GOD will have pity on you.

One way to re-collect the mind easily in the time of prayer, and preserve it more in tranquility, is not to let it wander too far at other times: you should keep it strictly in the presence of GOD; and being accustomed to think of Him often, you will find it easy to keep your mind calm in the time of prayer, or at least to recall it from its wanderings.

I have told you already at large, in my former letters, of the advantages we may draw from this practice of the presence of GOD: let us set about it seriously and pray for one another.

********************************************************************************

Our Identity As Musicians

For years, one question nagged at me.  Is “musician” an identity?  On the surface, we may say no because our identity is in Christ.  Right?  Well, the Lord pointed something out to me I thought I would share.  One night, God shared a dream with me that bluntly stated that my husband, my children and I are “Descendants of Levi.”  In the dream, our DNA was tested (swabs to the cheeks) and we found out we are direct descendants of Levi.  So, we were taken to a different area where attendants explained what it meant to be descendants and what our new responsibilities as descendants are.  The dream is SO significant to my identity as a musician.

As I read the responsibilities of the Levites in Scripture, I find more amazing truths about my identity and what God has chosen me to do.  For starters, Levites are priests.  They are a royal priesthood whom God chose himself to care for the tabernacle.  The Levites also did not receive an allotment of land because God is their inheritance.  Their “income” was strictly the tithe of the Israelite community.  They lived in tents surrounding the “Tent of Meeting” where God’s glory dwelled for a time, and then at the temple once Solomon constructed it.  King David also established musicians from the Levite clan to minister before the Lord.  These musicians played day and night, 24/7; I’m sure they were on rotation since there were 4000 of them.  The study is fascinating!

Then I got thinking.  Since these musicians were chosen to play day and night at the temple, THAT was their identity.  They did not know anything else since they remained at the temple ministering before the Lord through music.  Music was even passed down from generation to generation.  Fathers taught their children the “roles and responsibilities” of the priesthood they were chosen for.  My conclusion for now is that being a musician IS an identity in Christ.  Levites are truly worship leaders according to scripture because the Israelites who desired God followed the Levites to Jerusalem to worship. Those of us who desire to minister before the Lord as musicians have a fascinating calling.  Check it out in the scriptures!  It’s awesome!

So, I’m curious to hear from others:
* What is your identity?
* Do you see being a musician as an identity in Christ?
* How did God reveal your identity to you?
* As a musician, how do you see yourself?
* What does it mean to be a Levite musician today?

Songwriting In Worship

When it comes to the journey of songwriting, there are a few paths to travel.  In all honesty, HOW we write music is as important as WHAT we write, especially when it comes to “worship music.”  The term “worship music” describes music written specifically for the use of congregational worship.  There are many schools of thought on the technical aspect of worship songwriting.  Songwriters understand meter, rhyme, and imagery of their songs, and that’s cool.  At the same time, do worship songwriters understand songwriting within the act (or lifestyle) worship?  Of course, I’m asking myself the same question here.

Often times, I think of King David’s psalms.  Since David was a “man after God’s own heart,” I’m convinced he did not think things like “what can I write that best expresses the heart of the congregation?”  I’m pretty sure he did not concern himself with rocking the music business boat, motivating hearers to follow his vision, or ensuring his lyrics were theologically sound.  David wrote out of the overflow of worship.  This overflow of worship began with an active seeking of God’s heart.  As a result, his psalms prophesied about Jesus the Messiah centuries before he was born according to the Prophets.  In essence, David sang what God spoke.  Isn’t that POWERFUL?!?!

In a general sense, every songwriter writes as a result of worshiping someone or something.  What does this mean to us worship songwriters today?  Out of what overflow do our lyrics come?  What is God speaking?  How much prophecy flows from us when we worship?  How much of God’s heart flows from us when we worship?  Of course, these are simply reflective questions.

I’d love to hear from you.  Where are you in your songwriting journey?  How much does worship precede your songwriting?  How can we pray for you in your songwriting journey?

UPDATE:  To clarify more regarding the meaning behind the term "worship music," genre should not be a factor.  Going back to King David, when he wrote the psalms from the overflow of his heart, he also wrote according to his culture.  Same applies here.  When songwriters write worship music from the overflow of their moments with God, they also write from their culture.  So if your culture is jazz, write worship music in the jazz culture.  So, feel free to write songs in the music culture you're currently in.  Don't worry about trying to sound like Christian radio or the well-known worship artists.  In many cases, culture plays a big role in music.

We'd still love to hear from you!  So, please provide some feedback so the group will grow according to the needs of the group.  Blessings!

Imagine! Productions

Calling all actors, singers, musicians and dancers!!  Auditions are coming soon for Imagine! Productions, a Triad based production company.  Imagine! is looking for experience all over the arts spectrum for live performances at local public and private venues.  Genres include Inspirational, Christian/Sacred, Folksongs, Irish & Celtic, Pop, Showtunes, Jazz, Multi-cultural, Patriotic and Christmas.  So if you or anyone you know is interested in becoming part of a multi-talented arts team, EMAIL Imagine!

Experience in the following areas are desired:

• Arranging music
• Songwriting
• Drama/plays script writing
• Playing musical instruments
• Acting
• Singing (S, A, T, B)
• Dancing
• Choreography
• Piano Accompanist

Please pass this information along to your worship arts teams.  This is a great opportunity for local worship arts programs to join together in community based productions.  Blessings!

June 2012 A-LARM: Abby Sutton – “Rejoicing”

June 2012 A-LARM's focus in on Abby Sutton.   Abby is Director of Worship Programming at Westover Church in Greenbsoro, NC.  She’s also a good friend.  I’ve known Abby for several years, so I’ve come to know her heart for the Lord, and I can testify she is truly a worshiper of Jesus, the risen Christ.  Her love and passion for the Lord is clearly evident in her worshipful album, Rejoicing.  After many months of recording with several people from the local NC Triad community, she released Rejoicing in November 2009.  Although not all songs are intended for congregational use, every song is a reflection of Abby pouring out her heart before the Lord.  The love and passion behind her voice clearly reveal the worship lifestyle she lives. Here is a song-by-song breakdown with recommendations for music libraries:

You Are is a beautiful congregational friendly song.  I’ve heard Abby and the band play this song in various ways, and it’s a great song to introduce into any worship music library.  You Are simply expresses to God his marvelous works such as “you make the mountains bow” and “you’ll make rocks cry out when I can’t.”  The melody sticks with you, and it’s a simple melody to utilize in various styles.  One can’t resist singing along offering praise to the God of creation – he is holy, he is worthy, he is awesome, he is our mighty God.  So, we’ll offer these words in his presence.  Lord, “you are holy, you are worthy.  You are awesome.  You are my God. You are. You are.”

Simply Amazed expresses the beauty of being in God’s presence.  His glory, his power, his love, his mercy, his healing, and his touch are amazing, but those words are not enough to describe how amazing his presence truly is.  “Most of all, I’m simply amazed by you” captures that realization that God has unlimited attributes.  The lyrics are a humble expression of desiring God for who he is, and they reach into the depths of one coming before God acknowledging who he is.  The melody is very catchy, and can easily adapt to a congregational setting.

Rejoicing is a great song that expresses the notion that we desire the Lord to find us rejoicing in our good times and bad.  It’s a raw expression of Abby’s heart to constantly rejoice even in suffering.  Many people will connect with the words because we all desire to love our Savior more as we grow in his grace.  “I want to be faithful as you see me through the circumstance, and in the end you find me rejoicing” so adequately expresses how God see us through our circumstances because we are defined by who he is, not by what we do.  Amen, Abby!  Amen!

I Adore You is breathtakingly beautiful.  With only piano and strings, the lyrics pour out adoration to Jesus.  We are “here in this world to adore the one who gave life” to us.  I’m also taken in by the dynamics.  The A-A-A lyrical format starts off with only piano.  The verses progress from “I adore you, Jesus” to “I worship you, Jesus” to “I love you, Jesus.”  By the time, “I adore you, Jesus” comes around full circle, the song progresses to a powerful and full sound.  Slowly, the dynamics back off to only piano again to bring it to a sweet ending.  I Adore You is a wonderful song to add to a music library.

The One You Love has a great upbeat flow.  It’s a fun song that expresses our identity as children of God and our gratitude of how God loves us “just because.”  It’s not because of how we act, it’s not because of how we’re treated, it’s not even because we believe; it’s all because we are the ones he loves!  The chorus says it all, “You say that you love me in spite of who I am; You knew who I would be before my life began; You say that I’m your child no matter what I think of myself.”  It’s a great song, and a great reminder of how valuable we are in the eyes of a heavenly Father.

Yours expresses a heart for being that living sacrifice as Paul encourages in Romans 12.  Everything we are belongs to God.  Abby uses everyday language to express this living sacrifice posture with lyrics like “my dreams are yours”, “my heart is yours” and “my self is yours.”  The verses offer a humility that desires God to live inside the heart that belongs to him.  Even though Yours is a personal cry to the Lord, it can easily adapt to congregational singing.

Meaningless is a great song about our identity in Christ.  Our lives have meaning, purpose, and value to the heavenly Father.  We are not meaningless!  I love the 2^nd part of the chorus: “Even if I never see the legacy of all that you have done in me; Still I will never be meaningless.”  Dynamically, Meaningless has great progression from soft and tender to strong and full, and then back to tender.  It’s a great song for personal worship.

Rest is a great acoustic song like what one would sing around a campfire.  It’s a believer’s confession that among all the stuff in this world, all we desire is rest in his presence.  Since Jesus is our rest, many will connect with the heart's desire to be with Him alone.  Rest is a great song to sing in personal worship as a reminder of who we are when we are with Him.

I Adore You (Church Version) adds the Westover Choir.  It’s a great song to add to a worship music library, and this version sets the stage (so to speak) for what it sounds like when a full choir is added to the mix.  Like I mentioned above, it’s a beautiful song to add to any music library.

Abby and her team of musical experts do a great job capturing the pure worship for the world’s savior in Rejoicing. Abby’s voice is so sweet, pure and worshipful.  Her words beautifully express the heart that is after God’s heart.  Every song centers around God’s love for us, and the human desire to experience His love to the fullest.  I highly recommend Rejoicing for both corporate worship libraries and personal worship music collections.  For more, check out her music at AbbySutton.com, or in iTunes.  Well done, Abby, and may the Lord continue to pour out favor over you and your music teams.  Blessings!

Introducing A-LARM

What is A-LARM?  Glad you asked!!!  Each month, Worship Vanguard will highlight a local worship project.  We call it “A Local Artist Review Month,” or A-LARM.  In the month of May, we will introduce to you Abby Sutton, worship leader and singer/songwriter at Westover Church in Greensboro.  So stay tuned, for our first A-LARM posting.  We welcome local Triad artists and groups to submit their projects for review on this site.  If you or your team is interested in presenting an album for review, here are a few guidelines to keep in mind:

* Some of the project is intended for congregational use.  We realize songs on a project are simply the artist’s personal impressions from the Lord, and that’s great.  Feel free to express what you hear from the Lord in your music.  At the same time, our vision is for congregations to eventually share songs.  So, it’s something to keep in mind.

* Music style can be any variety, though we like to focus on songs for use in corporate settings.

* The project is at most 2 years old from the project’s completion date.  Of course, current projects are preferred.

* Projects with congregational intent may also be posted at The Worship Community for international exposure.  Not all projects will be republished at TWC, but the option is available.

* If you or your team is interested in a review, EMAIL US.

The heart of Worship Vanguard is to encourage community worship projects.  So, feel free to also use Worship Vanguard as a source to find musicians for future worship projects.  May the Lord bless and keep all of you!!!!!

Developing a Worship Songwriting Community

For several years now, I’ve been mulling over the need for a network of Christian musicians in the Triad area.  After speaking with several worship leaders, one of the most common struggles is finding musicians to fill certain gaps in their teams.  The triad region (Winston Salem/High Point/Greensboro) has a vast array of musicians.  With colleges like UNC School of the Arts and UNCG School of Music, and the magnet high school in Greensboro that has a strong music program, I often wonder why many churches struggle with finding musicians for their worship teams.  So, after speaking with these worship leaders, I found out that by having such a network would bridge many gaps in the music community, especially among the church.

Several factors come into play here: relational gaps, generational gaps, denominational gaps, and genre gaps.  In the church world, we call this the “worship wars.”  The worship wars are more of a battle between mindsets that don’t want worship music to change, and mindsets that constantly push worship music to change.  It’s a vicious cycle, really.  One generation pushed the use of hymns when whatever-church-music-styles-before-hymns were the norm.  When hymns became the norm, another generation pushed for something more contemporary.  Now that contemporary music is the norm, another generation is pushing for change.  Is there a balance?  Is there a way to bridge the gap between traditional and contemporary?  Who knows, but I’m willing to find out.

The most important question to ask is: what (rather who) does every Christian have in common?  The answer is obvious – Jesus Christ!  If every Christian worships the same savior, why are there so many divisions/denominations among us?  To put this in perspective, the triad region has roughly 1500 churches.  That’s A LOT of churches!  What statement does this make to non-Christians?  Is there something we can or should do about this division?  Is it a cultural issue or is it a spiritual issue?  So, I let my brain wonder a bit and seek some ideas to promote unity (not uniformity) among the denominations in the area.  Songwriting seems to be a very effective means of networking the denominations.

In my seeking, I asked myself these “what if” questions:

* What if local congregations shared musicians?

* What if local congregations wrote original worship songs together?

* What if local congregations exchanged each other’s original worship songs?

* What if local congregations gathered together for one evening periodically and worshiped together?

What would all of that look like?  If any of these “what if” scenarios come true, I believe it would have a huge impact on the church in the triad community.  With that said, I found some great insight from Bobby Gilles, a worship leader in Louisville, KY.  Bobby Gilles provides some incredible insight into community songwriting with a four-part article he wrote for TheWorshipCommunity.com:

            Part one provides a biblical and historical look at worship songwriting.

            Part two explains the foundation for worship songwriting

            Part three addresses the “shepherds” of the church

            Part four provides clear direction on developing the group

When reading this series, I’m encouraged and motivated to nurture something like this in the triad region.  It will take time, it will take prayer, and it will take like-vision among the group to see this group grow into its vast potential.  So, I continue to seek the Lord for guidance with this.  I recognize the need and the potential.  Time will tell what kind of worship music comes from the local church for the local church.  In the meantime, it’s a really good way to get to know people better and serve one another through creative means.

Review: Silent Brass SB7-9

I bought the Silent Brass SB7-9 several months ago, and have experimented with its potential. The unit has an auxiliary input so you can hook it up to an mp3 player (or CD player), and a plug for headphones. This way, users can play along with other recorded songs to practice parts in a quiet environment. It also has a volume knob and an Echo feature. In playing with the unit, I found some insight into three main areas: Practice, Recording and Live. I divided up the areas to provide a more thorough review:

Practice
This is a great practice tool. It has the capability of hooking up to a computer, mp3 player, or CD player to play along with songs for practice purposes. Since I have two young children, I’m able to practice songs without making too much noise that would wake them up. However, I did notice that I got tired more quickly. Either I don’t have the endurance I used to, or the backpressure from the unit caused my embouchure to tire more quickly. Some reviews I’ve read online often mention the noticeable backpressure. If the purpose of using this device is to practice fundamental techniques (as opposed to tone, volume, etc), then this is a good tool to use when you want to play quietly as to not disturb those nearby. Thus, backpressure is not really an issue unless you’re practicing breathing or endurance techniques.

Recording
I tried using this in some recordings to see what kind of sound I could get. When I used the SB7-9, I hooked up the unit to my MacBook, and used GarageBand to manipulate the sound. With no effects added, it sounds like a regular muted trumpet. With the right effects, it sounded like I played in a large open room. However, it is still no match for the natural play-into-a-mic sound. The air flows so much better in an open space than containing the sound into a pickup mute. I used a standard SM57 microphone and the trumpet sounded really crisp. Again, the purpose of future recordings will determine whether this unit is a good tool. If the song requires a muted trumpet, then there are numerous possibilities to get the sound you want in the mixing phase. Otherwise, I'll simply stick with recording the trumpet into a regular microphone and mix from there.


In comparing the different sounds, I recorded three short 10-second blues riffs to show the tone differences:

Live
I have not yet used this live, but I already have some thoughts about it. When using the unit in some recordings, I noticed it picked up some things that I don’t want. It picked up the pressing of the valves, which could be annoying during a song, and it also picked up blowing in the trumpet, like emptying the spit valve. So in live sessions, there must be some discernment on when to empty the spit valve, how hard to press the valves when playing, and how good the sound person is to make sure you’re muted so you can quietly empty the spit valves or test the response of the valves during song breaks. Judging from the sounds in my recordings, using the SB7-9 in a live setting is very possible, especially if you need a muted trumpet for a more acoustic and rustic feel. All that is necessary to accomplish this is to either plug the unit directly into the sound system (with the proper adaptors and cables), or plug the unit into a computer where you can set the muted trumpet tone through recording software. Otherwise, I would say stick with a regular microphone if the song demands a more fanfare feel.

Overall, I would say this unit is very good for the money ($150 list price; $127 on Amazon). Since it has the capabilities of connecting to other sources, there are numerous possibilities as to its usage. Of course, the device works best as a practice tool in more private locations, but it can really be used anywhere given the right connections and some practice with the unit itself. It’s really a matter of determining what kind of sound you want, and spending time with the unit to hear what it sounds like when run through recording software. I would recommend the Silent Brass SB7-9 to any trumpet player looking for creative ways to mix some trumpet sounds into some recordings or a live performance.

Support a Missionary!

I grew up in a church where the foreign missions ministry was ALWAYS talked about.  Even as a child, I was taught to pray for missionaries.  Although missionary work was valued where I grew up, I never saw the value in supporting foreign missions when there was plenty to do on the local level.  My thought process was that I can’t support people I do not know, and they don’t know me.  I would much rather minister to people I can see and sit down with than people half way across the globe doing something I know little about.  Now that I’m a bit older, and hopefully wiser, I’m recognizing the extreme value of supporting foreign missions.

Before I share my thoughts, I’d like to begin by stating that any support for missions (whether local or foreign) should never be forced or coerced.  Financial, logistical and prayerful support often comes from a move of the Holy Spirit in asking people to provide some necessary means for missionaries.  So, please receive the following reasons to support missionaries as something to pray about and seek our Heavenly Father for more answers and guidance.  Since the Lord loves cheerful givers, never do anything out of guilt or forced obligation.  Rather support them through love.

Reasons why I would encourage supporting missionaries:

* We understand it’s a higher calling!  Every missionary is called.  There are areas in the world without the real and tangible gospel of Jesus.  People in that area need the gospel, and God needs willing believers to minister to them so they will know His heart better.  Thus, missionaries need honor and respect from us.

* We understand their struggles!  Missionaries do the kind of dirty work that not many other people want.  They have a special calling because they must count the cost before moving in the direction God desires of them.  When God calls people to be missionaries, he essentially requests of them to give up everything they know for the sake of the people who need the gospel.  He asks them to leave behind their culture, their jobs, their way of life, etc, even to leave behind family.  [Please note here that I am NOT referring to spouses and young children.  Marriage and parenthood are roles God ordained and will not ask anyone to break the vow of marriage or the responsibility as a parent.] So, leaving behind all that you know and adapt to a different culture is extremely difficult.  Thus, they need our mercy, encouragement and prayers.

* We understand our responsibility!  My husband and I had a conversation one evening about foreign missions, and what happens when a church sends missionaries.  He had a very good analogy that is so fitting to why we should support missionaries.  Since my husband has an Air Force background, he explained to me that there must be at least 200 personnel on the ground for every plane that takes off.  These 200 personnel are responsible for ensuring the mission runs smoothly.  See how that relates to missions?  For every missionary the church sends, there MUST be a great support system.  Missionaries need money, supplies, food, basic necessities, etc.  So in the grand scheme of things, we are ALL responsible for ensuring our missionaries are provided for.

* We also reap the benefits! To explain this better, 1 Samuel 30 offers a view into how God sees this.  In this story, David’s army destroys the Amalekites.  Two hundred men were too exhausted to cross the Besor Ravine, so they stayed behind to guard the supplies.  When the remaining 400 won the battle, they did not want to share the plunder with the 200 who stayed behind.  David explained to the 400 why this way of thinking is not wise, and said, “All will share alike.”  So, whether we are out in the mission field or staying home to support them, we ALL reap the benefits!

My love for missionaries grows by the day.  Even though the Lord has not (yet) called me into foreign missions, I’m more than willing to help missionaries in whatever means are accessible to me.  Who knows, the Lord may be preparing my heart for missions as he teaches me the value of supporting them from THIS side of the ministry.  May your heart be full of God's love, and may he show you the fullness of his love for missionaries.

Encouragement for Stay-At-Home Moms

I’m always amazed at how God encourages stay-at-home moms!  I’ve been a stay at home mom for 6 years, and I’ve often had discouraging thoughts.  When the Lord revealed some deep truths to me, my whole demeanor changed in regards to being a stay-at-home mom.  If you are a stay-at-home mom, have you ever had any of these thoughts?

* Who am I?  I’m ONLY a stay-at-home mom.

* I feel useless in ministry because my kids consume my time.

* I'm so disconnected from the world

* My prayer time is limited with all the motherhood work I’m doing.

* I feel like I have to go back to work because we REALLY need the extra money.

Well momma, I have a word for you.  You are NOT just a stay-at-home mom.  You have an extremely high value in God’s sight!  You set the spiritual tone in your home; you are responsible for teaching your children spiritual truths among many other things you teach your children; you are responsible for physically and spiritually protecting your family; and you have the kind of spirit that easily connects with God’s Spirit.  The prayers for your family have so much value!  I’ll explain more.

One day, I had a tough day and I really desired to drop everything so I could spend time with the Lord.  Because of my motherhood responsibilities, I had no time for one-on-one time with my Heavenly Father.  In the midst of my discouragement, I heard God speak to me during my motherhood duties.  He said, “But I am here raising them with you.”

Isn’t that incredible?!  The God who made the heavens and the earth, put the stars in their places, formed me while in my mother’s womb, and adopted me into his kingdom desires to raise my children WITH me!!  We tend to forget God is also a Father.  He KNOWS how to raise children; he’s got plenty of experience, ya know?

The Lord revealed more motherhood truths to me!  To get to those motherhood truths, we have to look at a basic truth.  God’s desire for mankind is to restore us to PRE-FALL maturity.  This means, he desires to heal us, restore us, redeem us, save us, and reconcile us unto himself to have the same relationship than he did with Adam and Eve before they disobeyed.  So what is God restoring us to exactly?  To know more details, we look at Genesis 2 to discover what God’s desire for man and woman before they disobeyed God.

Verse 15 shows us “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”  This was Adam’s worship, to work and take care of the Garden of Eden.  In verse 17, God commands Adam to NOT eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  Interestingly enough, soon after God tells Adam to NOT eat from the tree, he says in verse 18, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

Look at the word “helper.”  Is this a physical helper to aid Adam’s efforts to work and care for the Garden?  NOPE!  The Hebrew word for “helper” is the same Hebrew word in the Psalms when David says, “The Lord is my HELPER.”  Interesting!!  Do you think God knew Adam would disobey, and desired to create a spiritual helper?  If so, this means YOU as a wife and a mom is the SPIRUTAL HELPER of the family, and a SUITABLE one at that.  Do you see your value yet?  There’s more!!!!

While Adam’s worship was to work and care for the Garden, Eve’s worship was raising and teaching their children as well as being the spiritual helper of the family.  So being a stay-at-home mom IS an act of worship!!!  As you parent and teach your children in the ways of the Lord, you are also preparing your children for a more devoted walk with the Lord!  How awesome is that!!!!

If you are a single mother, your value does not diminish here whatsoever!  Your willingness to teach your children in the way they should go is still an act of worship.  It’s the love we have for God that Father that motivates us to see our role in his kingdom with high value.  Since the Lord sees your heart, he knows your motives.  If your motives are pure to raise your children in His ways, he’ll take care of your needs.

If you are a male reading this post, your value in God’s kingdom is not diminished here either.  Your acts of worship are just as valuable as a woman’s.  There’s so much to add for a dad’s value to the family.  Since the intention of this blog post is to encourage stay-at-home moms, I hope you’ll receive insight into how to encourage the women around you.

If you would like to read about more of your value in God’s kingdom, check out these books.  Both are written by Rabbi Shalom Arush.  Although these books are Jewish in nature, the author does a GREAT job expressing God’s design for men and women.  Christians and non-Christians alike will benefit from these books.  (Note: The books are gender specific for good reason.  Do not read the book of the opposite gender.  Doing this will prevent expectations and judgment of the opposite gender.)

For women: Women's Wisdom: The Garden of Peace for Women

For men: The Garden of Peace: A Marital Guide for Men Only

So be encouraged, stay-at-home mom and strong woman of faith!  The Lord sees how you care for your children.  He sees your struggles, he sees your tears, he sees your motives to devote your children to Him, so he’ll raise your children with you as you walk in his ways and teach your children to also walk in his ways!  You are BLESSED to have the God of creation in your home with you!

REVIEW: "Hymns & Sacred Songs" by Leigh Nash

Leigh Nash fans are in for a treat!  After 5 years, she is releasing her first solo album, Hymns & Sacred Songs on November 15, 2011.  For those who are unfamiliar with Leigh Nash, she is the lead voice of Sixpence None the Richer.  Hits like "Kiss Me" (1997) and "Breathe Your Name" (2002) made Sixpence a mainstay in American pop culture.  When asked to record an album of hymns with Kingsway, Nash jumped at the opportunity.  Hymns & Sacred Songs holds a special value to Nash, and she graciously shared her thoughts with The Worship Community.

**********
How did this project come about?
I was asked if I'd be interested in making a hymns record and flipped!  I've always wanted to do this and am so grateful for the opportunity!

How did you come to decide which hymns to use?
John Hartley, who produced the record, did much of the song selecting.  He did a beautiful job I might add.  I contributed to the writing of several, and I selected those by looking through an old hymnal and finding words I was particularly moved by.

What brought on the decision to write new melodies as opposed to using the traditional ones?
I really love the idea of bringing new life into these beautiful words.  They're timeless, but sometimes melodies can get a bit stale and it's hard to be as inspired by them.  These new melodies are beautiful and I feel they breathe new life into these sacred words.

Which hymn(s)/song(s) mean the most to you in this project and why?
I love "O Heart Bereaved and Lonely" - this song resonates with me the most because it so adeptly describes feeling discouraged and broken.  It is a common human emotion and I think this song says so beautifully in words not to be discouraged because Jesus know all - we are not alone.  Such a comforting song.  I also really love "The Power of the Cross."  It's such a powerful song - I had chills while singing it.

What are your hopes as a result of this project?
I pray that people are encoruaged and lifted by this music.

**********
In familiar Sixpence fashion, Nash brings some bluegrass and folk in Hymns & Sacred Songs to some memorable hymns by Fanny J. Crosby, Charles Wesley and others.  The collaboration in this project really impresses me.  This collection contains songs from unknown lyricists, Nashville worship leaders, independent songwriters, etc.  You'll see what I mean as I share the song-by-song breakdown:

Savior, Like A Shepherd, attributed to Dorothy A. Thrupp in 1836, was musically arranged by Brian Ortize and Season 9 American Idol finalist Katelyn Clampett.  It starts off the album with a sweet upbeat bluegrass style.  The banjo adds such a nice touch to the dynamic of the song, and Nash’s voice makes it all the more sweet.  The melody is new.  So, it brings a fresh arrangement to the classic.

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing is a VERY well done adaptation of the original.  The melody is fresh in keeping with the original 1758 lyrics by Robert Robinson.  The new melody, arranged by Leigh Nash, Chris Eaton, and John Hartley, is written in a minor key, which breathes new life into it.  Since I’m a sucker for minor, I was immediately drawn into the melody.  Adding a light “music box” feel to the beautifully crafted lyrics, I’m a new fan of this old hymn.  I highly recommend the arrangement for worship music libraries.

Isaiah 55 (Nothing You Can’t Do) is a new song written by singer/songwriter/worship leader Katie Gustafson.  It’s a great melody inviting everyone to the goodness of Jesus in the verses, adoration of God in the chorus, and exaltation of the Lord in the bridge.  Nash brings a light rock style to this modern hymn, and introduces Gustafson through this project.

O Heart Bereaved And Lonely is one of 8000 hymns written by Fanny J. Crosby.  It’s a great hymn encouraging those who have been broken to trust in the Savior who “knows it all.”  Leigh Nash, Chris Eaton, and John Hartley arranged the melody and accompaniment to a 6/8 light rock flavor.  Lyrically, it’s a great song to add to a set list when needing to encourage those among you that in all our trials, we can still trust the Savior to see us through.  Musically, it’s a tender minor melody that expresses the bereaved believer calling out to the Savior like what we would find in a lament.

The Power of the Cross is a new hymn from Keith Getty and Stuart Townsend.  This song gave me chills when I first heard it.  As the title suggests, Getty and Townsend go back to the cross at Calvary and wrote around its theology in worship.  “Ever bitter thought, every evil deed crowning your blood stained brow” and “we stand forgiven at the cross” bring that theology to life in a powerful way.  Musically speaking, it’s an easy listening song, but the lyrics make it more powerful than one may anticipate.  This makes a great teaching song when adding to a set list.

Give Myself to You is a new song from an unknown lyricist.  Nashville worship leader Savannah Ellis originally wrote the music, and Nash introduces it through this project.  It’s a light rock worship song that expresses the thankfulness of what Jesus did on the cross. 


Come Ye Thankful People Come is a great song of thankfulness.  Want a song around Thanksgiving?  This would make a great addition to a set list in that season. Henry Alford originally wrote it in 1844, whereas Leigh Nash arranges the melody.  The style of the song seems like a soft march with a light banjo mixed in.  It’s a great folk-style song to add to any music library.

Blessed Redeemer is another Fanny Crosby classic hymn in this project. Written between 1820 and 1915, Crosby brings Christ’s character to the forefront. Chris McClarney, Chris Eaton, and John Hartley arranged this hymn with a 6/8 folk style.  The melody is fresh, which allows a modern dynamic using electric guitar power chords.  As with many of Crosby’s hymns, it’s a great song to add to a Sunday set list.

Out of My Bondage (Jesus, I Come) was written in 1887 by William T. Sleeper.  Leigh Nash brings a light melodic 6/8 folk style to the arrangement.  This is a great song of freedom, coming from bondages of fear, despair, discontent, sickness, and need to everything that only Jesus provides like freedom, gladness, love, health and wealth.  It’s a must-add to any music library.

Song of Moses was recently recorded by Aaron Keyes.  He provides a great history of the song on his website.  I like how the banjo is used in this song.  It doesn’t sound bluegrass, but it has a folk flavor that is so fitting for Nash’s voice.  Congregations have already used this song in their set lists, but this arrangement may work great with female vocals with a folk-ish texture.

Praise The Lord Who Reigns Above is a great 1743 hymn from well-known theologian Charles Wesley.  The song was originally written in a 4/4 time signature, whereas Chris Eaton and John Hartley arranged the melody to a 6/8 time, arranged the dynamics to a light rock style, and added a new chorus.  The chorus is powerful and works very well with the new melody.  I highly recommend adding this song to every music library.  It’s a great adaptation of the original.

Be Still My Soul brings a slow bluegrass style into the project mix.  It was originally written in German by Katharina A. von Schlegel in 1752, and then translated to English by Jane L. Borthwick in 1855.  Chris Eaton, John Hartley and KatieGustafson arranged a new melody.  It’s a great song in a minor key that brings a tender lament feel to the dynamic.  This is also a great song to add to a music library.

Since most of these songs are well-known hymns, the lyrics simply need admiring (as opposed to critiquing).  It’s refreshing to hear some of these popular hymns to new melodies because as Nash stated in her interview, it brings freshness to melodies that may have become stale over the centuries.  Hymns & Sacred Songs is an extraordinary fusion of old and new.  Using any of these songs as part of a music library would help bridge the gap between generations.  Well done, Leigh Nash and Kingsway, well done!

REVIEW: "My Soul Yearns" by Vineyard UK

Vineyard has a long and rich history of bringing accessible praise and worship music to the church.  When I say “accessible,” I mean they write music that most musicians can pick up, learn, and sing/play in their local congregations.  Melodies are catchy, vocal range is accessible, melodic intervals are manageable, and the instrumental dynamics allow for other arrangements.  My Soul Yearns continues Vineyard’s focus of bringing music for the church by the church.  According to their website, this album “is an authentic expression of how God is moving with Holy power through the Vineyard UK & Ireland movement where worship is one of its cornerstones.”

My Soul Yearns features 4 worship leaders, each leading 3 songs at the 2011 Vineyard National Leaders Conference.  Carly Billingham, Dave Miller, Samuel Lane and Joe Blustin bring Vineyard UK’s passion for Jesus Christ from UK/Ireland to the US.  Here is a song-by-song breakdown of this 12-song live album:

1.  My Soul Yearns opens with a prayer to “galvanize us by the power of your Spirit to make a mark on this land” and a spontaneous worship moment.  It’s a cry of love to Jesus expressing that we belong to him and our souls yearn for him.  Samuel Lane leads this powerful worship song expressing the love of God and the reason we worship him.  It starts off slow but builds to a powerful chorus when the drums and guitars kick in.  This title track sums up the rest of the album.  We long for his Sprit to do the work in us first so we are empowered to go out into the world.

2.  Hear the Sound starts with a light upbeat rhythm that builds to a strong chorus.  It’s definitely a praise and worship song – recognizing the holiness of God giving him “glory and honor, thanks and praise.”  The dynamics add to the cries of the believer’s heart to hear the sound of our worship.  Led by Dave Miller, the melody is very singable for most vocalists, and can easily fit with various styles depending on the dynamics of the local worship team.

3.  Love Rain Down gets to the heart of the motivation of our “mission.”  We cannot and should not go out until we are filled with the Holy Spirit.  We cannot give Christ’s love away until we are filled with his love ourselves.  It’s a great way of poetically expressing the greatest commandment overflowing to love for our neighbors.  “This is our prayer that your love and your power would come like an ancient day, so your word will be heard and history is made as lives are changed” beautifully expresses the Great Commission.  The chorus (“Love rain down, fill us up and send us out to the cities and towns, one by one to see your kingdom come”) then expresses the need to be filled with the Spirit before being “sent out.” Carly Billingham’s voice adds to the purity and innocence of the song.  I highly recommend adding this song to your music library.

4.  Jesus Name speaks of the beauty and wonder of the name of Jesus. Joe Blustin leads this song with a richness of worship.  It’s a great worship song, good range, easy melody to learn, and great dynamics.  There is an ebb and flow to the worship going from a smooth flow in the verses to a strong chorus.

5.  The Lamb Has Conquered is an anthem-like song that celebrates the work of the cross.  It starts off kind of soft but it picks up to a strong chorus.  There is a section of the song that’s only drums and vocals, making it sound like a march to the drums.  In essence, this song expresses the Gospel, including the coming kingdom.  Dave Miller leads this powerful song.  It’s wonderful.  I highly recommend this song for a Sunday set list.

6.  Lift Up His Name (Part 1) is a short “spontaneous worship” time.  While the music is playing, people sing as they feel led by the Spirit.  For those who are unfamiliar with spontaneous worship, the congregation sings their personal praises to the Lord while the band plays simple chords and leads.  Vineyard has been doing this for decades, and many worship teams have emulated their desire to allow people to sing their hearts while the band eases back.  This portion of the song is only 1:05 in length, so it’s a pretty good feel for how spontaneous worship sounds.

7.  Adore Him is a ballad that includes a bunch of theology.  It takes what we know to be true of God and puts them in a teachable song yet it also includes a chorus that encourages others to adore the Father because we know these things to be true.  Using Romans 3, Colossians 3, Ephesians 3 and Psalm 119, Samuel Lane leads this worship song expressing our desire to come adore him by singing “To our God, To our Father, Be the glory, forever and ever.”

8.  Sweetly Broken is a great song of surrender and redemption. “At the cross you beckon me, you draw me gently to my knees, and I am lost for words, so lost in love, I’m sweetly broken, holy surrendered” beautifully expresses the heart of the believer.  Since Christ’s love pursues us, we’re brought to the beautiful brokenness as we follow his ways. Joe Blustin leads this great worship song.  I highly recommend this for congregational worship.

9.  Lift Up His Name (Part 2) continues the spontaneous worship from Part 1 into a song called “I Will Worship You.”  It’s a good song of surrender and a cry of worship.  Spontaneous worship songs are difficult to make recommendations for set lists because of their nature.  As with most worship songs, I encourage worship teams to allow their creativity to come out when arranging worship songs.  As long as the lyrics connect with the team and the congregation, go for it.

10. I Respond is a song of response to the cross.  It’s pretty straightforward of a “sinner” recognizing what Jesus did on the cross, and “I respond to your invitation.”  It has standard theological lyrics using phrases like “Wash me white as snow” and “you died on the cross.”  It may make a good song during an alter call. Carly Billingham leads this beautiful worship song.

11. Jesus, You Reign honors Jesus as our king.  It is a great song to lead into a spontaneous worship time with a good range for vocalists and easy melody for congregations to learn. Joe Blustin leads this song with the music starting off soft yet dissonant, and clears to a worshipful chorus.

12. You Are is a ballad that recognizes Jesus for who he is with lyrics like “You are the risen one who died to save … You are my God.”  It also expresses a willingness to hand over our lives to the Savior with lyrics like “You breathe new life into these dry bones again.”  Since it’s a piano-driven song, both traditional and contemporary worship services can use this song to express how Christ refreshes us when his presence is near us.  Carly Billingham leads this worship song.

Most of the songs in this album I would consider more “adult contemporary” or “easy listening” compared to other modern worship artists.  All the songs have melodies that are easy to sing along since the vocal ranges are obtainable by most vocalists.  Vineyard has a reputation of writing songs that are easy to sing and easy to arrange for most worship teams.  Every song in My Soul Yearns makes a great addition to a worship team’s library and I highly recommend downloading this album to add to your music library.  It has theology, poetry, and beauty.  Enjoy!

Does God Still Heal Today?

Let’s ask my friend, Randall.  Back in September 2010, he began displaying definitive symptoms that something was terribly wrong.  On February 8, 2011, he was officially diagnosed with having Glioblastoma Multiforme, an aggressive form of brain tumor.  Prognoses for this type of brain tumor are not good.  The median survival time is 14 months.  Even if treatment works well, 1-in-4 survives past a year.  When Randall was diagnosed, the medical doctors immediately set him up for surgery to attempt removal of the tumor.  When the surgeons went in, they found the tumor was larger than what they measured on the scan; it was the size of a softball; one doctor called it “a whopper.”  The tumor also crossed to the other side of the brain (called a midline shift), and he also had brain stem compression and hydrocephalus (water on the brain).  Because of the severity of the tumor, the surgeons could only remove half of the tumor, and gave him 12 months to live.

Tumor the size of a softball; photo used by permission.

So what do you do when medical experts give you only 12 months to live??  Like many people, Randall and his wife started praying.  The morning after the diagnosis, Randall had a dream that he was in Heaven with God.  God told him it was not yet his time, and that the tumor did not come from him.  The cancer is a work of the enemy trying to kill him off because of the calling God has for Randall’s life.  [We also have to remember that nothing happens on earth, good or bad, without God allowing it to happen.  It’s called sovereignty.]  Others started praying with him.  Eight pastors visited him in the hospital.  Many laid hands on him, anointed him with oil, and prayed for God to miraculously heal him.  When he came home from surgery, many from his local church brought meals for the family and prayed in their home.  The only thing that was prayed by all these people was healing “in the name of Jesus.”

Can healing occur outside the name of Jesus?  Perhaps, but on May 26, 2011, the brain scan reveled the “whopper” tumor was GONE!  There was no midline shift, no water on the brain, and NO TUMOR!  It IS a medical miracle.  Even the doctors called it a miracle short of giving God the glory.  Three months later, Randall had another scan.  The tumor is still gone, and his brain looked healthier than the previous scan!

Hole in the head remained, tumor is gone; photo used by permission.

Does God still heal today?  According to Randall, YES!  According to the Bible, let’s look into this a bit more.  Psalm 103:2-5 (NASB) says,

“Bless the LORD, O my soul,

And forget none of His benefits;

Who pardons all your iniquities,

Who heals all your diseases;

Who redeems your life from the pit,

Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;

Who satisfies your years with good things,

So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.”

The same God who healed in the Bible is the same God who heals today.  No disease is too complicated for him to heal.  No sin is too great for him to forgive.  He expresses his deep love for humanity by physically, emotionally, and spiritually restoring them unto himself.  He shows no favoritism.  Anyone can call on his name, and seek his healing and deliverance.  Isaiah 53:5 (NIV) says, “But he [Jesus] was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are HEALED.”  The Hebrew word for healed in this verse is Rapa, which means “make fresh, complete, whole.”  When God heals, he goes all the way.  Another name for God is Jehovah Rapha, “the Lord who heals.”  So biblically speaking, we should believe in miraculous healing because God’s character includes "healer."

Also, we look at the life of Jesus.  Miraculous healing was a sign to everyone that the Kingdom of God was there.  Jesus even told his opponents in John 10:37-38 (NIV), “Do not believe me unless I do the works [miracles] of my Father. But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works [miracles], that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”  Essentially, Jesus was saying that the miraculous healing they witnessed is a testimony that God and Jesus [Father and Son] are one.  What does that say about us?  If we heal the same as Jesus, is it a sign that we are also one with God the Father?  If so, does it fulfill Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemene that we would be one with him and the Father?  I say, YES!!!  Ask God to reveal his kingdom to us!  Ask him for his kingdom come and his will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.  When we do, we’ll see more signs and wonders than we would expect to count.  So ask!

Whenever I hear people say, “Well, if it’s God’s will, he will heal.”  All I want to say in response to that is, “God’s desire is the restore people to himself.  So, it IS his will to heal.  Ask away!!!”  We would not be asking God for any “special favors” when we ask for healing.  It’s his nature to heal, it’s his desire to heal, and it’s his passion to heal.  He does this everyday.  It should be a privilege to ask God for healing because we get to see his mighty works with our own eyes!  We would not be asking him to do something he’s never done before.  So ask!!!!

My friends, Randall and Michelle; photo used by permission

Randall is one of many testimonies to the goodness and loving nature of God the Father!  Does this mean we can stop praying for Randall?  By no means!  We continue to pray for more completeness in his healing.  Even though the tumor is gone, he still has difficulty in his mobility.  Plus, the doctors still maintain that the tumor may come back.  Every three months, Randall is required to have a brain scan to ensure the tumor does not return.  So, we continue to pray for Randall’s healing so “his youth is renewed like the eagle.”

If you know someone who needs miraculous healing, be free to ask the Lord who heals. He may surprise you with how he reveals his deep love for them.  Seek out those who have a strong faith in the healing nature of God, and surround yourself with those people.  They may surprise you with how much they love the Lord and how much they love people.

God still heals TODAY.  So, I’ll say it again.  ASK!