Knowing You, Jesus

Lots of people have asked about the new song we sang on Sunday. It's taken from an old song & some of our amazing songwriters added a bit to it.
Here are the lyrics:

Knowing You, Jesus

verse1:
All I once held dear built my life upon
All this world reveres, and wars to own
All I once thought gain now I count as loss
Spent and worthless now, compared to this

chorus:
Knowing you, Jesus
Knowing you
There is no greater aim
In your presence here
My joy is found
There is no higher gain

verse2:
Now my heart's desire is to know you more
To be found in you, and known as yours
To possess by faith what I could not earn
All surpassing gift of righteousness

(chorus)

bridge:
Your love is higher
Your glory brighter
My hope is set on you
My greatest longing
Is found in knowing
My hope is set on you

verse3:
Oh to know the power of your risen life
And to know you in your suffering
To become like you in your death my Lord
So with you to live and never die

(chorus)
(bridge)

King of Love

We have a few new songs that we have been singing at church. They are SO good. I'm so thankful for the amazing songwriters that I get to work & sing with each Sunday. I learn so much from them!
Hopefully they will be on our next worship album so that y'all can get your hands on them and worship throughout the week!

I wanted to share one of them with you called, King of Love. It was written from an old hymn and with a new bridge that is so strong to end the song with...here are the lyrics:

The King of love my shepherd is
Whose goodness never faileth
I nothing lack if I am His
And He is mine forever
Where streams of living water flow
My ransomed soul He leadeth
From heights above to cavern low
With constant love He feedeth

Corrupt and foolish oft I stray
Yet in His love He sought me
And on His shoulders gently laid
He brought me home rejoicing
In deaths dark vale I fear no ill
With thee dear Lord beside me
Thy rod and staff my comfort still
Thy cross before to guide me

Thou set a table in my sight
Abundant grace bestoweth
All of Thy kindness my delight
From heaven's storehouse floweth
And so through all the length of days
Thy goodness faileth never
Good Shepherd may I sing Thy praise 
Within Thy house forever
And so through all the length of days
Thy goodness faileth never
Good Shepherd may I sing Thy praise
Within Thy house forever

My lips will praise
Oh King of love
Who sealed my heart
For realms above 
In sin and shame
Came mercy's flood
I run to You
Oh King of love

I just love it so much. I love the picture of my Shepherd gently laying me on His shoulders and bringing me home. There have been so many times that He has come after me like this. I stray so easily. So thankful for this good Shepherd.

The Reality of Brokenness

If I'm going to be honest and if I'm going to be vulnerable in sharing my life on this blog, I must include the depth of brokenness along with the joyous heights.
Surely I'm not the only one who struggles.
I've had some rough days.  I've had some good days.  The rough days seem really bad and the good days are really good.  Which makes me feel a little crazy at times.
I'm a feeler. I feel things deeply. I'm an "artist" a "musician" and a typical creative dreamer. I feel depths of emotions. I'm thankful, because I know that God has created me perfectly and uniquely just how He wanted me.
I'm learning, painfully and really far from fully getting it, how to use the depth of these emotions to bring glory to God and not to sin in them. I can easily use the excuse that God has created me to be a feeler and so it's okay when I respond in a way that is dramatic.
That's not okay and that's sin.
I don't know if I know how to fully glorify God in the way I respond to things. Especially when I don't know if I completely understand what is going on inside of me, when I feel such an ache of brokenness.
When I'm down, when I can't seem to lift my head, it is harder to care. I don't feel like myself. The ache seems to be stronger than anything else.
There are times I just want to give up. Be done.
I get so tired.
Tired of feeling so intensely. Tired of not feeling like myself. Tired of changing the mood of a room. Tired of fighting. Tired of having to explain what is wrong. Tired of crying for no reason. Tired of feeling like a crazy person.
BUT GOD...
I'm humbled that in my mess He still loves me and comes after me. He is still God. He has never left me. He binds up my broken pieces. Cleans up my mess. Pursues me with His mercy and His grace. He makes all the brokenness and all the mess, He makes it all beautiful...somehow.
BUT GOD...
He does the impossible. He heals hearts. He gives life. He comforts. He gives victory and strength. He lifts and shields.

Psalm 3:3 "But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head."

BUT GOD...
He hears me. He hears every word I speak, every mutter under my breath, every secret word that I haven't ever spoken of. He hears me. Every cry, every shout, every whimper, every whisper. He hears me.
He is good. Because He is good, I know that all of this is good. He will stay with me. He will show me how to die so that I can truly live.

I have been listening to this song on repeat tonight. "Show Me" by Audrey Assad.
Here are the lyrics:

You could plant me like a tree beside a river
You could tangle me in soil and let my roots run wild
And I would blossom like a flower in the desert
But for now just let me cry

You could raise me like a banner in the battle
Put victory like a fire behind my shining eyes
And I would drift like falling snow over the embers
But for now just let me lie

Bind up these broken bones
Mercy bend and breathe me back to life
But not before You show me how to die

Set me like a star before the morning
Like a song that steals the darkness from a world asleep
And I'll illuminate the path You've laid before me
But for now just let me be

Bind up these broken bones
Mercy bend and breathe me back to life
But not before You show me how to die
No not before You show me how to die

So let me go like a leaf upon the water
Let me brave the wild currents flowing to the sea
And I will disappear into a deeper beauty
But for now just stay with me
God, for now just stay with me

I'm resting tonight in peace. ONLY because of HIM.

Psalm 4:8 "In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety."

This Get's Me Every Time

This gets me every time.

"So teach my song to rise to You
When temptation comes my way.
And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You
Jesus You're my hope and stay."
-Lord, I Need You from Passion

Praise to the Lord

New favorite song that we just started singing at The Stone called "Praise to the Lord". Love it so much.
This song has connected in a way faster than I've seen, deeper and and more passionate. There is a strong cry that our congregation sings out in this song. It's beautiful.

Here are the lyrics:

We praise You

Our Savior and Friend

Your mercy, it flows like the wind

And I'll walk with You

Through the fire and the rain

You'll carry me

When my hope seems undone

Praise to the Lord, oh my soul

Praise to the Lord, for all that You are

You are the hope of my soul

Praise to the Lord, for all that You are

I'm broken

Yet perfectly sewn

Your story

A masterful tone

And I'll walk with You 

Through the fire and the rain

You'll carry me

When my hope seems undone

Praise to the Lord, oh my soul

Praise to the Lord, for all that You are

You are the hope of my soul

Praise to the Lord, for all that You are

Perfect Jesus, no You won't let me go

Gracious Jesus, no You won't let me go

Love Shines

Such a great day today leading at The Austin Stone. I'm completely humbled that God has allowed me to be part of this church and that He has been so gracious to let me help lead worship.
Today felt different. I felt like my heart connected in a deeper way. I guess that is what happens when you start consistently getting into His word. You start to know more of who He is, and what He's done for you and you can't help but worship Him. He is so good.
We've been singing a song called "Love Shines" some of the guys wrote it and it has been such an anthem for our church.  This song came out of a prayer from the book "The Valley of Vision".
The prayer is called "Love Lustres (Shines) at Calvary" it's beautiful....here it is:

My Father,
Enlarge my heart, warm my affections,
open my lips,
supply words that proclaim 'Love shines at Calvary'.
There grace removes my burdens and heaps them on Your Son,
made a transgressor, a curse, and sin for me;
There Your infinite attributes were magnified,
and infinite atonement was made;
There infinite punishment was due,
and infinite punishment was endured.
Christ was all anguish that I might be brought in,
trodden down as an enemy
that I might be welcomed as a friend,
surrendered to hell's worst
that I might attain heaven's best,
stripped that I might be clothed,
wounded that I might be healed,
thirsty that I might drink,
tormented that I might be comforted,
made a shame that I might inherit glory,
entered darkness that I might have eternal light.
My Savior wept that all tears may be wiped
from my eyes,
groaned that I might have endless song,
endured all pain that I might have unfading health,
bore a thorny crown that I might have a glory-diadem,
bowed his head that I might uplift mine,
experienced reproach that I might receive
welcome,
closed his eyes in death that I might gaze
on unclouded brightness,
expired that I might for ever live.
O Father, who spared not Your only Son that You
might spare me,
All this transfer your love designed and
accomplished;
Help me to adore You by lips and life.
O that my every breath might be ecstatic praise,
Satan baffled, defeated, destroyed,
sin buried in the ocean of reconciling blood,
hell's gates closed, heaven's portal open.
Go forth, O conquering God, and show me 
the cross, mighty to subdue, comfort and save.

The song that came out of this:

Amazing Love that sent His Son

To suffer in my stead.

The sinless King who died for me,
When I deserved His death.
Yes, I deserved His death.

The Savior wept my every tear,
He groaned that I might sing.
My thorny crown upon His head,
My cross, His suffering
My cross, His suffering

Your love shines
Love shines at Calvary, Calvary
Your love shines
Love shines at Calvary, Cavary

Jesus, Glorious Risen One,
No grave could keep Him stayed.
And He who triumphed over death,
Now lives and leads my way.
He lives and leads my way.
He lives and leads my way

Your love shines
Love shines at Calvary, Calvary
And we proclaim, that Jesus reigns
In victory, victory

From the cross from the grave you rose victoriously
Son of God, King of love you reign victoriously

Love this so much.

You Are On Our Side

Listening to this song today by Bethany Dillon.You Are On Our Side.
The words of this song are piercing.  Such a great reminder that we have a God who is on our side, who has loved us and sent His son for us when He could have been silent. The orphan, the widow, the broken, the thief, the whore, wherever we find ourselves, He is there. Fighting for us, sitting with us, loving us beyond our comprehension.
Here are the lyrics:

The orphan clings to Your hand
Singing the song of how he was found
The widow rejoices
For her oppressors are silenced now

You sit at the table with the wounded and the poor
You laugh and share stories with the thief and the whore
When You could just be silent and leave us here to die
Still, You sent Your Son for us
You are on our side

The runaway falls at Your feet
You are what he has searched for
The rich man is broken
When he stands beneath a sky full of stars

You sit at the table with the wounded and the poor
You laugh and share stories with the thief and the whore
When You could just be silent and leave us here to die
Still, You sent Your Son for us
You are on our side

You sit at the table with the wounded and the poor
You laugh and share stories with the thief and the whore
When You could just be silent and leave us here to die
Still, You sent Your Son for us
You are on our side

Still, You sent Your Son for us
You are on our side

I love when God uses music to soften my heart. But I have to be careful that I don't rely completely on that to give me life, to soften my heart and to fill me up again.
Jesus can do that. His word can do that. 
Psalm 147

"Praise to the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.  The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel.  He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.  Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.  The Lord lifts up the humble, he casts the wicked to the ground.  Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving, make melody to our God on the lyre!"

Austin Stone Live Worship

I wanted to share some exciting news with you all...we have started the process of tracking for a new live worship album at the Austin Stone.  We are so excited and feel that God's hand has been all over this and over the songs that all of the worship leaders have been writing.
I will definitely keep you updated on this, hopefully in the fall we will release our first Austin Stone live worship album!
I wanted to share the lyrics of one of the songs that we have been singing lately, not sure yet whether this will be on the record or not, but we will be singing it on Sunday for our Easter service. It's called God Undefeatable, written by Aaron Ivey, Ross King & Matt Carter.

Behold the King who conquered
And overcame our sin
Behold our Glorious Victor
Whose mercy knows know end
He is true, He is right
Death is broken, He is alive

God undefeatable, Kingdom unshakeable
In majesty and power You reign
Love undeniable, matchless and bountiful
To waken us to life You came

And now our way is certain
Our souls in You secure
Through every pain and struggle
Your victory endures
You are true, You are right
Death is broken, He is alive

The love of God is greater than we dare to hope or dream
The love of God is greater than we dare to hope or dream
The hold of God is stronger than we dare to hope or dream
The hold of God is stronger than we dare to hope or dream

My Scattered Heart

"The stars are brighter when the night is darker

Your grace is deeper when the lies are stronger

The lower I am, the higher You are

Come save me & heal my scattered heart"