Deliver Me

So right now my favorite author to read is Donald Miller, and my favorite artist to listen to is David Crowder. A couple nights ago before I fell asleep I had parts from a song running through my head…. “all of my life, I’ve been in hiding… wishing there was someone just like you…”

I couldn’t remember what song it was from or who had sung it, but I wrote it down to look up in the morning. Turned out it was by… guess who? Yep, David Crowder. Just thought I’d post the lyrics on here… the link to the Youtube video is in the title.

Deliver Me\\ David Crowder

Deliver me out of the sadness
Deliver me from all the madness
Deliver me courage to guide me
Deliver me Your strength inside me

All of my life
I’ve been in hiding
Wishing there was someone just like You
Now that You’re here
Now that I’ve found You
I know that You’re the One to pull me through

Deliver me loving and caring
Deliver me giving and sharing
Deliver me this cross that I’m bearing

Oh, deliver me

Jesus, Jesus how I trust You
How I’ve proved You o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus precious Jesus
Deliver me

Come and pull me through
Come pull me through

Only You – David Crowder

Open up the Sky

I don’t usually, but I took my mp3 while feeding the animals. The dusky sky was sprinkling cold raindrops that turned the ground into muddy puddles. My mp3 switched to this song as I was heading back from the dark barn to the lights of the house, and I slowed down and enjoyed singing it to the sky.

Here are the lyrics, for your enjoyment! For a temporary time the song is available (legally) for download here.

Open Up the Sky//Deluge

Our beloved Father
Please come down and meet us
We are waiting on Your touch
Open up the heavens, shower down Your Presence
We respond to Your great love
We won’t be satisfied with anything ordinary
We won’t be satisfied at all

Open up the sky, fall down like rain
We don’t want blessings, we want You
Open up the sky, fall down like fire
We don’t want anything but You

Our beloved Jesus
We just want to see You in the glory of Your light
Earthly things don’t matter
They just fade and shatter
When we’re touched by love divine
We won’t be satisfied with anything ordinary
We won’t be satisfied at all

Here we go, let’s go to the throne
The place that we belong, right into His arms
We won’t be satisfied with anything ordinary
We won’t be satisfied at all

Sweetly Broken…

The malls and parking lots are jammed full – our minds are calculating how to wrap the presents in our closet and sneak them beneath the tree. But let’s not forget… never, never, let us forget. Our humble King, stepping down among us.

Sweetly Broken//Jeremy Riddle

To the cross I look, to the cross I cling
Of its suffering I do drink
Of its work I do sing

For on it my Savior both bruised and crushed
Showed that God is love
And God is just

Chorus:
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, wholly surrendered

What a priceless gift, undeserved life
Have I been given
Through Christ crucified

You’ve called me out of death
You’ve called me into life
And I was under Your wrath
Now through the cross I’m reconciled

In awe of the cross I must confess
How wondrous Your redeeming love and
How great is Your faithfulness

Blessed Redeemer, Casting Crowns

As a volunteer usher for Overlake Christian Church, I stood in the darkness of the aisle and listened as Casting Crowns sang this song. It echoed faintly in my mind yet I was unable to find the lyrics until the actual album came out. Turns out the song was called “Blessed Redeemer” and is actually a retake of an old hymn. (Ah, those lovely old hymns!)

I love this woman’s voice for this song… the melody and the lyrics are so simple and quiet, yet so powerful in their truth. So here it is, enjoy! (the title is a link to the youtube video)

Blessed Redeemer

Up Calvary’s mountain one dreadful morn
Walked Christ my Savior, weary and worn
Facing for sinners death on the cross
That He might save them from endless loss

Blessed Redeemer, precious Redeemer
Seems now I see Him on Calvary’s tree
Wounded and bleeding, for sinners pleading
Blind and unheeding, dying for me

“Father, forgive them,” my Savior prayed
Even while His lifeblood flowed fast away
Praying for sinners while in such woe
No one but Jesus ever loved so

Blessed Redeemer, precious Redeemer
Seems now I see Him on Calvary’s tree
Wounded and bleeding, for sinners pleading
Blind and unheeding, dying for me
Dying for me

Oh how I love Him, Savior and Friend
How can my praises ever find end ?
Through years unnumbered on Heaven’s shore
My songs shall praise Him forevermore

Winter Snow

If you’re enjoying the Christmas music on the radio you may have heard this song with Chris Tomlin and Audrey Assad. I thought the lyrics were very neat. Often we as humans look in the big, showy events for God’s working. But this means we miss where He most often works – in small, small ways everyday. Just as Elijah, huddled in the crook of the rock, didn’t see God in the mighty, hurricane wind or in the earthquake or the great fire. God was in the quiet, gentle whisper.

And as the Israelites waited for their Messiah to come, expecting him as a king to vanquish their enemies and troubles. Instead… he came quietly in a humble form, as an eternal example to us.

So here’s Winter Snow:

Could’ve come like a mighty storm
With all the strength of a hurricane
You could’ve come like a forest fire
With the power of heaven in Your flame

But You came like a winter snow
Quiet and soft and slow
Falling from the sky in the night
To the earth below

You could’ve swept in like a tidal wave
Or an ocean to ravish our hearts
You could have come through like a roaring flood
To wipe away the things we’ve scarred

But You came like a winter snow
You were quiet
You were soft and slow
Falling from the sky in the night
To the earth below

Oh, no, Your voice wasn’t in a bush burning
No, Your voice wasn’t in a rushing wind
It was still
It was small
It was hidden

You came like a winter snow
Quiet and soft and slow
Falling from the sky in the night
To the earth below

Falling
To the earth below
You came falling
From the sky in the night
To the earth below

But a Fraction…

This song is from Winter Youth 2007 in Portland, OR. I apologize to whoever originally wrote it, as I can’t give you credit, but I was unable to find this song online. The lyrics are really neat, though.

The sunset is a fraction of Your beauty
The thunder is a whisper of Your voice
The ocean holds a power that would crumble in Your grip

And we are humbled
We are honored
To know You at all

And Your mystery
Will not frustrate me
It leads me to adore your beauty
And I don’t need to understand You
To know Your love is true

Who is this God?

While listening to the Kenall Payne Radio (see her songs in earlier posts) on Pandora I found this song. I was working on something and not really listening while it was playing, but seeing the title I looked up the lyrics and thought they were pretty neat.

I didn’t see any other Christian songs in this band’s album… so I’m not sure if they’re Christian or not. But here’s this song, enjoy!

Who is This God?

by Alli Rogers, album {Always Eden}

All the way down,

All the way down to where I fell

I stare at the ground, blood that I have spilled

But just to feed me you bend

All the way down, all the way down to where I fell

Who is this God that loves me still?

This love that keeps me safe when I run

Safe when I’m young and foolish

Out of the dark, out of the dark that hides my face

I’m coming apart when you say my name

With ties of love you lead me out of the dark

Out of the dark that hides my face

Who is this God that loves me still?

This love that heals me when I am bound

When I am found and humble

With love you lead me

You bend to feed me

Taught me to walk

was you all along

Who is this God that loves me still?

This love that finds me when I am lost

Although it cost you everything

p.s. Pandora is very neat, check it out! (http://www.pandora.com)

Kendall’s lyrics

You can find more info, etc at her website – www.kendallpayne.com. All of the song titles link to the song on youtube.

Here’s a neat one, called Daddy. Yeah, I know, it doesn’t apply to my situation. =) But maybe in the future.

How long have I been dreaming? Who forgot to wake, to wake me up?
I know it sounds crazy but daddy now I think I’m in love
Cause when he steps in the room my heart begins to pound

You said, “Never settle,” you promised there was one out there for me
It’s true, I might have doubted but he’s standing here and now I believe
Yes, I know you’ll be proud of the man that chose me

It’s elementary to the wise, for the fool in full disguise
Beggars bow and poets kneel, and as for me… it’s finally real

I will always love you and I will always be your little girl
None could come between us, you’ll forever be the first man in my world
But when he smiles I can see how much he reminds me of you
A man of faith, a man of strength, who loves me like you do

It’s all the time I’ve spent in tears, worth the heartache, worth the fears
To stand beside him on this day after you give me away

How long have I been sleeping? Who forgot to wake, to wake me up?
Daddy, he’s amazing, he’s everything that I’ve been dreaming of
And now he has become my very best friend…

I Will Show You Love

I will show you love like you’ve never loved before
I will go the distance and back for more if you just say the word

You will come alive again and call the trying times your friend
The pain that you have suffered through will never get the best of you
You will hope in something real that won’t depend on how you feel
When you call my name then I will answer, answer

I am on your side though the wind and waves beat against your faith
You were on my mind when the world was made
Trust in me my child, Trust in me my child

Walk out on the water where you have no control
So scared to death of failure you sacrifice your soul, please let that go

You have climbed an uphill road, You have worn a heavy load
You have cried through endless nights and nearly given up the fight
Watched your dreams like falling stars the heartaches made you who you are
Now looking back you see that I have always been there

Where you gonna hide? Where you gonna hide from Me?
Where you gonna go? Where you gonna go that I can’t see?

I have heard you cry and it breaks my heart for I love you so
I would never lie, this is not the end there is still a hope

Pray

I will pray for you now for you have been my faithful friends
While the road we walk is difficult indeed
I couldn’t not ask for more than what you’ve already been
Only that you would say these prayers for me

May your heart break enough that compassion enters in
May your strength all be spent upon the weak
All the castles and crowns you build and place upon your head
May they all fall come crashing down around your feet

May you find every step to be harder than the last
So your character grows greater each stride
May your company be of humble insignificance
May your weakness be your only source of pride

What you do unto others may it all be done to you
May you meet the one who made us
And see him smile when life is through

May your blessings be many but not what you hoped they’d be
And when you look upon the broken
May mercy show you what you could not see

May you never be sure of any plans you desire
But you’d learn to trust the plan he has for you
May your passions be tried and tested in the holy fire
May you fight with all your life for what is true

I have prayed for you now all of my dear and faithful friends
But what I wish is more than I could ever speak
As the way wanders on I’ll long to see you once again
Until then, would you pray these prayers for me?
Oh that you would pray for me.

Okay, just one more. This is called Aslan (and I couldn’t find a youtube video sung by Kendall, so this is by someone else)

Don’t stop your crying on my account
A frightening lion, no doubt
He’s not safe no, he’s not safe
Are you tempted now to run away?
The King above all kings is coming down

But he won’t say the words you wish that he would
Oh he don’t do the deeds you know that he could
He won’t think the thoughts you think that he should
But He is good, He is good.

I know you’re thirsty the water is free
But I should warn you- it’ costs everything
Well, he’s not fair no, he’s not fair
When he fixes what’s beyond repair
And graces everyone that don’t deserve

No-one knows him whom eyes never seen
No, I don’t know him but he knows me
He knows me. He knows me.

Lay down your layers, shed off your skin
But without his incision you can’t enter in
He cuts deep, yeah he cuts deep
When the risk is great and the talk is cheap
But never leaves a wounded one behind

All of these songs are copyright 2009 by Kendall Payne.

God’s promise…

As I was reading Hosea I was reminded of this song by a local worship leader, Duff Rowden. This is from a cassette from 1992 and is called, appropriately, “I Will Call Them My People”.

Hosea 2:16, 19, 23

In that day, says the Lord, you will say to me, “My husband,” and you will not say to me, “My master”. “I will betroth you forever, I will betroth you through righteousness and justice, with great love and compassion.

I will plant her (Lo-Ruhama) in the land; I will give her my compassion. I will say to her (Lo-Ami) “You are my people”. And she will say “My God!”

I will call them “My People” who are not my people

I will call the outcast my bride

And in the very same place they were unwanted orphans

They’ll be called the sons of the Most High

The Lord… Abba Father, He

The Lord… now His children, we

The Lord… Jesus Christ is He

The  Lord… His blood shed for me

In His great mercy He called us to be

children of the Most High!

In His great mercy He called us to be

children of the Most High!

So go tell all people who are not my people

Go and tell all the outcasts of night

I’ll forgive all their sins and heal all their sorrows

They’ll be called the sons of the Most High!

Gazing

From this blessed morning
My love constant has been pouring
Pouring out like rivers to Your heart

Glory bells are ringing
I can’t keep myself from singing
Singing out like rivers to Your heart

Oh, Lord, I have found my place
In this home, this home inside of You
And here, my Lord, I can see Your face
In this home, this home inside of You

Like a child I’m gazing
Into wondrous grace
For You have been the love that fell like sun upon my face

Like a child I’m gazing
Into wondrous love
You’re taking me to places that my heart is dreaming of

Broken I was crawling
And You saw my tears were falling
Falling down like rivers to Your heart

When my world was folding
God, You saw my prayers were flowing
Flowing out like rivers to Your heart

By Future of Forestry, formerly known as Something like Silas