Category Archives: worship

"And If Our God is For Us": a review {Chris Tomlin}

“I lift my hands to believe again…”
So writes, so sings Chris Tomlin in the song “I Lift My Hands” from his latest musical compilation, And If Our God Is For Us, due for release on November 16th. A seven word statement of faith that sums up my feelings about the eleven songs included on this recording.
Lifting my hands to believe again.
I love the depth of what that means, of how my heart resonates with that single chord. In doing so, I’m given permission to re-issue a personal statement of faith out loud to the world and back to my Father. It doesn’t mean that I’ve forgotten to believe, that somehow in the mess called “cancer” that has invaded my life, I’ve lost touch with my belief system. No, what it means is that sometimes I need a catalyst to aid me in my remembering of God and his faithfulness and to serve as a vehicle toward my doing what should come naturally for me to do as a believer in Jesus Christ.
To experience pure and untainted worship before the throne of God.
Chris’s music never fails to take me there. He’s one of the few artists I trust. You know what I mean by that statement… that there are those artists whose work you so admire that no matter the “press” up front you’d almost assuredly stand in line to get a front row seat for the unveiling. Why? Because the artist behind the work can be trusted with the gifting—with the obedience to yield a product in keeping with the talent given to him/her by God.
Whether it be a writer like Alicia Chole or a photographer like Shirley; a jewelry designer like Lisa Leonard, or a potter like Robert Alewine. Regardless of the artistic bent, when these artists create, I’m “all in” regarding their work because their creations remind me of something that we often forget. That each one of us carries an eternal pulse within us, and with that pulse comes a channel of creativity linking us all back to the Master Creator. When we recognize that—when we use our giftings to further magnify the truth of our sacred bloodlines—then we honor our King. We give back to him, in part, what he has initially seeded within us. And that, my friends, is an unveiling of sacred proportion.
To acknowledge the heartbeat of creation within another human being is to validate the breadth and depth of God’s handiwork (see Psalm 139). I recognize that pulse within the heart of Chris Tomlin and his work therein.
  • Not because of his number one radio singles. He’s had nine.
  • Not because of his Grammy nominations. He’s had three.
  • Not because of his Dove awards. He’s had sixteen.
  • Not because of his sold-out concerts.
  • Not because of his connection to well-known artists and speakers.
  • And not even because of his Texas roots; who doesn’t love a cowboy?
No, none of these prestigious accomplishments amount to much of anything in my mind. What matters most to me is the way that Chris allows our Father to push his heart and pen along to create some of the most worshipful music I’ve ever encountered. He is a modern-day psalmist, never failing to bridge the gap between the human condition and the heart of Father God. And if ever there has been a season in my journey when I needed that bridge to be steady and secure, it’s this one.
There have been many days in my recent history when the nights have exceeded their parameters. When hope has teetered on the edge of destruction. When flesh has failed and faith has wavered between two varying opinions. When tears have wept their portion, and when temporal thoughts have crowded out eternal truth. It is in those times, when I need a song or two to speak to the witness and faithfulness of God.
Chris has given that to me with his new release. And as these eleven songs cycle through my iPod while walking outdoors, it’s very easy for me to look up at the sky and to remember my God. To find his eyes and to feel his pulse. To lift my hands to believe again and to say back to him some words of faith that need saying.
Not because God has forgotten who he IS, but rather because I am prone to my forgetting therein.
Accordingly, I am thankful to hold Chris’s offering as my own in this season and to sing alongside him a praise or two to the heavenlies believing that my Father bends low for a listen. Pure and untainted worship before the throne… it serves us both, God and me, and I am grateful for the single obedience from a single heart that has yielded such beauty for such a time as this.
Indeed, if our God is for us then who can stand against us? God is for you, friends, and so am I, and I’d like nothing more than to gift a couple of you with Chris’s newest work. If interested, please leave a comment along those lines, and I’ll draw the winners with my next post. In the meantime, if you’d like to learn more about Chris’s music, give it a listen, and hear from his heart, visit his website by following this link. Also, be watching over the next couple of weeks for another giveaway of his Christmas CD, Glory in the Highest.
Thank you, Chris, for penning these songs and for helping me to lift my hands to believe again. You have given me a very good gift, and you have strengthened the faith that anchors deep within my heart. As always…
Peace for the journey,
post signature

Ascending to my "overlook"…

“When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped.” (2 Chronicles 20:24).
My spirit is moved today in a strong direction—a navigational pull that leads me into the midst of a story belonging to my spiritual ancestors. They are your ancestors as well, for (as believers in Jesus Christ) we are the spiritual seed of Abraham. Those long ago and faraway events tucked into ancient history and laid out for us on the pages of Scripture belong to us. They are commended to us for our good care and careful consideration. Theirs are the ancient paths (Jer. 6:16) given to us as a road map for our current walkabouts in faith.
I find strength in their witness, and today my thoughts are anchored within a Judean soil, alongside a king named Jehoshaphat, and in the midst of a people named Israel. Collectively, they faced a real threat by a real enemy in a real place during a real point and time in history. Their response to that threat has me thinking… even more so, has me doing.
1. When the enemy came knocking, they immediately took their concern to the one place, the One God who had promised them consideration along these lines:
Spoken by the king… “If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple, that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.” (2 Chronicles 20: 9)
2. The corporate gathering of Israelites waited in anticipation of God’s Spirit to move; when He did, He lighted upon one of them and spoke this message over them:
“Listen King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow march down against them…. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’” (2 Chronicles 20:15, 17).
3. The Israelites received the message as their own, and when tomorrow came, they obeyed God’s directives, worshipping as they went:
“Early in the morning they left for the Desert. … As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. (2 Chronicles 20:20,22) 
Note that in the midst of their praise and worship and unbeknownst to them, God moved on their behalf.
4. God’s people took their position at the overlook and witnessed his faithfulness in manifold measure:
“When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped.” (2 Chronicles 20:24).
These are the makings of a good walkabout in faith, don’t you think? When the threat came…
They prayed;
They listened;
They worshipped;
They obeyed;
They took up their positions;
They witnessed the deliverance of their God.
And in the midst of all their “theys”, God was working to procure an ending in keeping with his God-ness. This is corporate, spiritual victory at its best; responses from both ends of the equation—ours’ and God’s—working together to solidify and set in concrete a heart truth. Not merely a head truth, but a truth that exponentially increases as we courageously allow it some feet and a voice so that it can make its way from the pages of a book onto the pavement of real understanding.
Theirs is a faith I want to live.

 

Accordingly, I have stood before the Lord in his temple (1 Cor. 6:16). I have listened to his directives, and I have worshipped. I am taking him at his word, and now begins my ascent to the overlook. I don’t imagine the climb will be easy. Mountain terrain always hosts its fair share of rocks, edges, misshapen branches, and pebbles that like to get wedged into the soles of our feet. Sometimes the air around us betrays us as we make that ascent, forcing the issue of our every breath. Sometimes our companions as well; not every mountain ascent is created for every mountain climber. Sometimes our journeys are meant to walk in isolation.
But of this one thing I am certain of today, for I have known it to be true in my yesterday…
When we arrive at the overlook of God’s intention, the view will be breathtaking. Why? Because our good and gracious Father has gone ahead of us to secure for us a victory that will far outweigh any difficulty required of us while making personal pilgrimage toward eternal Promise.
I am counting on the upcoming view from my overlook; in many ways, I’ve had an advance glance at it today. What a joy to know Jesus and to know that he can be trusted with my all! He just keeps multiplying his goodness and grace into my world. May you know and hold a similar understanding in your hearts this day. You are good pilgrims with which to share my journey. Thank you for spending some of your time with me. I count it a privilege. I love you each one. As always…
Peace for the journey,
post signature

 

 PS: I will be MIA most of the week, but will try and check in with you as I can. Shalom.
paying it forward…

paying it forward…


Not long ago, I won a pay-it-forward giveaway from my friend, http://thesecretlifeofanamericanwifeandmom.blogspot.com/ These are the goodies I received in the mail yesterday. I’ve never read Captivating but dearly love the work of John Eldredge, so I’m looking forward to diving into this “read” over spring break. In addition, I have a new travel mug for my morning brew and some Nips (another new for me) that, if I’m not careful, might cause me a trip to the dentist! Thank you, Christy, for your kindness. Your package arrived on a good day when I needed a friendly lift.

Now, as a winner of the giveaway, I’m to pick a few of my favorite things and pay-it-forward to one of you. Here is the book that will be included, Alicia Chole’s Anonymous: Jesus Hidden Years and Yours. You can read about it further by clicking here. Also, I will add in a few extras to sweeten the win.

If you’d like to participate in this contest, here are the pertinent details:

  • Leave a comment to this post, letting me know you’d like to be included in the contest (I have some readers who might want to comment but don’t want to be included, so please make sure you let me know).
  • If I draw out your name as the winner, be willing to write your own pay-it-forward post once receiving the package in the mail, posting a link back to peace for the journey.
  • Create your own pay-it-forward package to bless one of your readers and be willing to mail it in a timely manner.
  • Enjoy each page of Anonymous.

Make sense? I hope so. I’m not very good at this type of thing but feel so blessed to have won Christy’s giveaway. I’m all about paying-it-forward, friends, because the love of Christ compels me to do so.

Just this morning, I was reading in John 12:1-10 about Jesus’ anointing at Bethany. As a way of preparing my heart for this week-long pilgrimage to the cross, I’m re-reading The Final Week of Jesus by Max Lucado. It includes seven days worth of reading, all recaps of chapters from his book, And the Angels were Silent. Saturday’s readings focus on Simon the Leper’s dinner for Jesus, along with the lavish anointing of Jesus by Mary. Again, I am moved by Jesus’ response to the dinner guests who thought little of her extravagant worship…

“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me” (John 12:7-8).

Extravagant love loves abundantly. I can’t help but recall a piece of godly wisdom I received from my mother several years ago regarding the wealth and worthiness of our words and actions toward others. It went something like this…

Elaine, we all do a really good job of sending people flowers once their dead. We send them to the funeral home and litter the graveside with blooms of extravagant remembrance. But rare are the people, Elaine, who send people flowers while they are still living. Be one of those people, daughter, send flowers now while you still have the recipients with you.

Mary gave a rich bouquet to Jesus that day. It came in the form of a costly anointing. She gave Christ her lavish worship because she understood, better than most, that his death was imminent. She didn’t concede her grief to an “after the fact” moment. She gave it to him while he was yet living, and it has been remembered to us these last 2000 years. It’s a story that teaches us about giving God our best now while today is yet today–about loving others as we love Christ, for what we’ve done in his name for others, we’ve done as unto him.

This week, I was given a bouquet by my friend, Christy. I’d like to do the same for you. In turn, I imagine that there is someone in your path today who needs the witness and kindness of heaven given to him/her via your heart and hands. Would you be willing to pass on God’s love to one of his created? It doesn’t have to cost you a year’s worth of wages, but it should cost you something… your time, your prayers, your deliberate attention, and yes, perhaps your wallet. We have been richly blessed by God with great abundance, so let’s get to the “flower shop” and start putting together a bouquet that will let your neighbors know that they matter to you and, therefore, matter to the kingdom.

Pay-it-forward, friends, and see if God is not faithful to plant a beautiful garden on your behalf and for his renown! As always…

peace for the journey,

PS: In your comments, please make sure you indicate whether or not you want to be included in the giveaway, which indicates your willingness to pay-it-forward. Winner will be drawn with my next post. Blessed Sabbath rest to you and yours this weekend. Shalom.

know that you know that you know…

know that you know that you know…

“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)

{photo compliments of Shirley}

I hadn’t planned on being here this week, but I couldn’t let today go by and not give witness and praise to the tenderness and care of Jesus who interrupted my pain last evening with the gift of his presence.

Last night, I gathered with my Bible study gals. Together, we’re working through Jennifer Rothschild’s “Me, Myself, and Lies.” Our weekly homework landed us in Psalm 46:10 for some pondering. We spent time discussing what it means to “be still” before the Lord and “know him.” I asked them when that happened for them—when are those times in their days when they know that they know that they know their God is present and reachable.

Some of them responded with…

when witnessing scenes of nature… rain, snow falling, beautiful sunrises, sunsets.
while working in the yard.
when the kids are sleeping.
when the house is quiet.
while driving alone.
with praise music.
while praying.

It was a lively discussion filled with the palpable hungering of hearts for more allowable moments of stillness before God. And when our discussion closed, I reminded them that they didn’t need to wait for the quietness of a house or the brilliance of a morning’s sunrise or even the serenade of voices to lead them to a place of stillness. I reminded them that God’s stillness is available to each one of us in the midst of swirling chaos—times and seasons in our lives when we can hold a full knowing of Jesus simply by pausing and turning inward to do what Brother Lawrence would spend his life doing—

practicing the presence of God.

And with that admonishment and with loud acclaim, I voiced these words to the thirty-some women sitting within earshot…

“Times, ladies, when we say with all the confidence of heaven, ‘I know that I know that I know that you are God, Father, and I am not.’”

And with those words and in that moment, I received the rich witness of the Holy Spirit’s agreement to my proclamation. Chills ran up and down my spine, the tears came, and my gals were spectators to the truth of God’s Word in living color.

Last night, I stilled my heart before God, spoke truth regarding his witness, and, once again, knew that I knew that I knew. And it was true and perfect and, for a few brief moments, enough to make all of heaven bend low to shout its witness regarding its King.

I pray for you a know that you know that you know kind of moment today. I prayed it for my girls last night. Oh that we would all take time to pause in our schedules to simply breathe our Jesus in and to acknowledge him for who he IS.

Be still and know your God. He longs to validate his witness in your inner being through the power and strength of his Holy Spirit. Take care to notice your King. He is great; he is good; he is here. As always…

peace for the journey,

post signature

 

born again in me this morning…

 

***

“Yea, Lord we greet thee, born this happy morning…”

Those were the familiar words that greeted me as I headed out on my morning run. The air was crisp, the sun brilliant–a fitting backdrop for Chris Tomlin’s rendition of “O Come All Ye Faithful” from his newest release, Glory in the Highest. I spent the next hour cycling through the entire CD with a few repeats along the way (have I mentioned to you that I am the slowest runner in the free world?).

Over and over again, I kept hearing the words “born this happy morning…” and then another phrase–one that surfaced from the deepest well within me reserved for the Divine.

Born again in me this morning, born again in me this morning.

It was all I could do to stay upright rather than falling prostrate on the pavement in grateful thanks for the truth that Jesus Christ is born again in me this morning. He’s born again in you as well. If your eyes opened to the grace of a new day (and I imagine that to be the case if you’re reading this), then Jesus Christ should be as fresh and as new to you this day as he was in those first moments when you knew him as Lord, Savior, Messiah, Emmanuel, Prince of Peace, King of your heart.

His mangered arrival isn’t an isolated event–set in stone some 2000 years ago as a specific date in time to mark his entrance into this world. His arrival is today, just as real and as potent as it was on a starry night in Bethlehem. The Christ-child that was held in his mother’s arms intends for us to hold him in ours. To pick him up in his humanness… his Godness and to cradle him close to our hearts. To feel the gentle whispers of his tender breath upon our cheeks and to embrace the penetrating grace radiating from his glance.

When we get that, when we realize that Bethlehem is as much a part of our story as Calvary is, then we are given the grand and glorious invitation to come and to adore him. If we are amongst the faithful, then we should come each day to the manger, to the cross, to the tomb, and then to our worship. It’s our story to live. It’s our mantle to wear. It’s our privilege to tell.

Everyday, born again and afresh in us each morning. May today be a day that begins with a Bethlehem pause and that finishes with the same. Our Savior is so worthy of our notice. As always…

peace for the journey.

~elaine

PS: I want to mention a couple of great things going on in blog land this week.

1. Exemplify is hosting a Christmas spectacular in the month of December. Click here to check out all the details and the current giveaway of Casting Crowns’ Christmas CD.

2. My new blogging friend, Jackie at Fresh Oil Today, is hosting a Christmas giveaway at her blog. Check it out and sign up to win.

3. Thanks to all of you who endured my Black Friday video and found the hidden clue within regarding the giveaway. Those of you who left a comment along those lines were qualified for a name drawing to win Chris Tomlin’s CD “Glory in the Highest” and Sarah Young’s “Jesus Calling”. The winners are…

Chris Tomlin CD – Cheryl B. from Cheryl’s R&R

Jesus Calling – Donna from Donna’s Booknook.

Congratulations ladies; please e-mail me your addresses, and I’ll get these to you this week!

error: Content is protected !!