Day Seven: Every New Day

Here's my final offering in my series of seven songs that touch my heart, convict my soul, or speak to my feelings so well that I want to pretend like I wrote them....

So, Ben is Canadian.  Which makes sense as to why he loves Five Iron Frenzy so much.  He spent a lot of his youth going, with his brothers, to ska shows with these guys, The Supertones, etc.  Anyway, when I was trying to impress Ben I invested a lot of energy in learning some of their lyrics.  A few songs actually caught me - and this was by far my favorite.  You can listen here, which is great because they happened to use the live version from their very last concert.  The end is so full of emotion - it's just awesome.

When I was young, the smallest trick of light,
Could catch my eye,
Then life was new and every new day,

I thought that I could fly.

I believed in what I hoped for,

And I hoped for things unseen,

I had wings and dreams could soar,

I just don't feel like flying anymore.

When the stars threw down their spears,

Watered Heaven with their tears,

Before words were spoken,

Before eternity.

Dear Father, I need you,

Your strength my heart to mend.

I want to fly higher,

Every new day again.

When I was small, the furthest I could reach,

Was not so high,

Then I thought the world was so much smaller,

Feeling that I could fly.

Through distant deeps and skies,

Behind infinity,

Below the face of Heaven,

He stoops to create me.

Dear Father, I need you,

Your strength my heart to mend.

I want to fly higher,

Every new day again.

Man versus himself.

Man versus machine.

Man versus the world.

Mankind versus me.

The struggles go on,

The wisdom I lack,

The burdens keep pilling

Up on my back.

So hard to breathe,

To take the next step.

The mountain is high,

I wait in the depths.

Yearning for grace,

And hoping for peace.

Dear God...

Increase.

Healing hands of God have mercy on our unclean souls once again.

Jesus Christ, light of the world burning bright within our hearts forever.

Freedom means love without condition,

without a beginning or an end.

Here's my heart, let it be forever Your's,
Only You can make every new day seem so new
(Bolded for my own emphasis)


AMEN!

Day Six: Worlds Apart

Okay, so if Third Day is legendary, I have no idea how to describe Jars of Clay...  Here's a song that just plain brings me to my knees.  You can listen here.

I am the only one to blame for this
Somehow it all ends up the same

Soaring on the wings of selfish pride

I flew too high and like Icarus I collide

With a world I try so hard to leave behind

To rid myself of all but love

to give and die

To turn away and not become

Another nail to pierce the skin of one who loves

more deeply than the oceans,

more abundant than the tears

Of a world embracing every heartache

Can I be the one to sacrifice

Or grip the spear and watch the blood and water flow

To love you - take my world apart

To need you - I am on my knees

To love you - take my world apart

To need you - broken on my knees

All said and done I stand alone

Amongst remains of a life I should not own

It takes all I am to believe

In the mercy that covers me

Did you really have to die for me?

All I am for all you are

Because what I need and what I believe are worlds apart

[Additional lyrics:]

I look beyond the empty cross

forgetting what my life has cost

and wipe away the crimson stains

and dull the nails that still remain

More and more I need you now,

I owe you more each passing hour

the battle between grace and pride

I gave up not so long ago

So steal my heart and take the pain

and wash the feet and cleanse my pride

take the selfish, take the weak,

and all the things I cannot hide

take the beauty, take my tears

the sin-soaked heart and make it yours

take my world all apart

take it now, take it now

and serve the ones that I despise

speak the words I can't deny

watch the world I used to love

fall to dust and thrown away

I look beyond the empty cross

forgetting what my life has cost

so wipe away the crimson stains

and dull the nails that still remain

so steal my heart and take the pain

take the selfish, take the weak

and all the things I cannot hide

take the beauty, take my tears

take my world apart, take my world apart

I pray, I pray, I pray

take my world apart

Day Five: Grace and Love

I became a huge fan of Kutless many years ago, when I loved rock Christian music.  I enjoyed lots of their music...until I found this song (a gem amongst hard rock) and fell in LOVE with it.  Of course, they later came into their own with worship music (go figure...).  You can listen here.

Many things in life are hard for me
Many things can pull us down 

I don't understand why I do what I do 

How could I take my eyes off you 

After all You've done for me 

And after all You've done for me 

It's by Your grace and love I am saved 

It's by Your grace and love You've forgiven me, hey 

And by that love and grace, I'm amazed 

It's by Your grace and love I am free 

I am free 

And it's by grace and love that I am free 

I'll live with you eternally 

I thank you Lord that I am free 

I thank you Lord for loving me 

I thank you Lord for dying upon the tree of Calvary 

I thank you Lord for loving me 

I thank you Lord for dying for me 

Because it's by grace and love I am saved 

It's by Your grace and love You've forgiven me, hey 

And by that love and grace, I'm amazed 

It's by Your grace and love I am free 

I am free 

Many things in life are hard for me 

Byt my grace and love You've forgiven me 

And by grace and love we are free

Day Four: I Need You to Love Me

I discovered Barlow Girl several years ago, and have spent considerable time belting these particular lyrics.  You can listen here.

Why, why are You still here with me 
Didn't You see what I've done? 

In my shame I want to run and hide myself 

But it's here I see the truth 

I don't deserve You 

[Chorus:]

But I need You to love me, and I 

I won't keep my heart from You this time 

And I'll stop this pretending that I can 

Somehow deserve what I already have 

I need You to love me 

I, I have wasted so much time 

Pushing You away from me 

I just never saw how You could cherish me 

'Cause You're a God who has all things 

And still You want me 

Your love makes me forget what I have been 

Your love makes me see who I really am 

Your love makes me forget what I have been

Day Three: When the Rain Comes

Third Day is basically legend when it comes to Christian music, so here's my favorite.  You can listen here.

When the rain comes it seems that everyone has
gone away

When the night falls you wonder if you shouldn't

find someplace

To run and hide

Escape the pain

But hiding's such a lonely thing to do

I can't stop the rain

From falling down on you again

I can't stop the rain 

But I will hold you 'til it goes away

When the rain comes

you blame it on the things that

you have done

When the storm fades 

you know that rain must fall

on everyone

Rest awhile

it'll be alright

No one loves you like I do

When the rain comes

I will hold you

Day Two: Your Hands

JJ Heller is an incredible artist.  I actually had the pleasure of hearing her in concert and meeting her before her career took off on the radio.  She's a friend of Young Life, a ministry that was instrumental in coming to Christ and that I have been intimately involved with for some time.  She serves as a musical guest at Young Life camps during summer camp assignments, and I've gotten to meet her in such a setting.  (Similar thing happened with Brandon Heath - apparently YL helps musical careers :) ).  Not only do her lyrics captivate, she and her husband are extremely entertaining in person!  Anyway, this is one song of hers that I feel fills in the blank when I'm searching for words to pour out my heart.  You can listen here:

I have unanswered prayers

I have trouble I wish wasn't there

And I have asked a thousand ways

That you would take my pain away

You would take my pain away

I am trying to understand

How to walk this weary land

Make straight the paths that crooked lie

Oh Lord, before these feet of mine

Oh Lord, before these feet of mine

When my world is shaking, heaven stands

When my heart is breaking

I never leave your hands

When you walked upon the earth

You healed the broken, lost and hurt

I know you hate to see me cry

One day you will set all things right

Yeah, one day you will set all things right

When my world is shaking, heaven stands

When my heart is breaking

I never leave your hands

Your hands that shaped the world

Are holding me

They hold me still

Your hands that shaped the world

Are holding me

They hold me still

When my world is shaking, heaven stands

When my heart is breaking

I never leave you

When my world is shaking, heaven stands

When my heart is breaking

I never leave

I never leave your hands

Day One: I Am Understood?

Okay - I'm going to try an experiment.  My next seven posts are going to focus on music that speaks to me, comforts me, or that I just plain love.  I think that music has a special place in our souls, so I'm going to take some time to share some of my favorites.  There are some songs that I feel like I wrote - even though I could never be this talented.  But here's one.  You can listen here.

Sometimes it's embarrassing to talk to you
To hold a conversation with the only one who sees right through

This version of myself

I try to hide behind

I'll bury my face because my disgrace will leave me terrified

And sometimes I'm so thankful for your loyalty

Your love regardless of

The mistakes I make will spoil me

My confidence is, in a sense, a gift you've given me

And I'm satisfied to realize you're all I'll ever need

[Chorus]

You looked into my life and never stopped

And you're thinking all my thoughts

Are so simple, but so beautiful

And you recite my words right back to me

Before I even speak

You let me know, I am understood

And sometimes I spend my time

Just trying to escape

I work so hard so desperately, in an attempt to create space

Cause I want distance from the utmost important thing I know

I see your love, then turn my back and beg for you to go

[Chorus]

You're the only one who understands completely

You're the only one knows me yet still loves completely

And sometimes the place I'm at is at a loss for words

If I think of something worthy I know that its already yours

And through the times I've faded and you've outlined me again

You've just patiently waited, to bring me back and then

[Chorus]

The noise has broken my defense

Let me embrace salvation

Your voice has broken my defense

Let me embrace salvation 

Come to Me

A couple weeks ago, my Pastor shared a sermon based on Psalm 77 and Matthew 11:28-30.  When hearing Psalm 77, I think it's a natural reaction to be surprised that such language is even in the Bible (verses 7-9):

"Will the Lord reject forever?

Will he never show his favor again?

Has his unfailing love vanished forever?

Has his promise failed for all time?

Has God forgotten to be merciful?

Has he in anger withheld his compassion?"

I felt as though I was kindred spirit to Asaph, the one who uttered these words.  My heart - so broken and torn to pieces at some points along this road less traveled, spurns questions like these.  He poured out his honest questions, a result of his brokenness and humanity.  And drawing it back to Matthew, the Bible points out that Jesus is ready.  He's ready for the broken heart, the honest questions.  He is ready to offer rest for the soul.  

Here's a couple more quotes from Hannah's Hope:

"Bitterness is described in Hebrews as a root that defiles the soul, causing us to miss the grace of God.  Nothing chokes out peace faster.  Intense marah was deeply rooted within my heart for a long time.  I felt raw, weighed down, constantly rubbed in the wrong direction. I was disconnected from God, my husband, my friends, and even myself." (pg. 102)

"While I demanded the joy of motherhood, I never stopped to consider how it would break my heart to be rejected by my child in the way I was treating the Lord."  (pg. 104)

BUT - then Asaph REMEMBERS.  He remembers the Lord's mighty deeds, his power and authority over all elements.   But what an incredible example he provides of how to not complain for complaint's sake (verses 13-15):

"Your ways, God, are holy.

What god is as great as our God?

You are the God who performs miracles;

you display your power among the peoples.

With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, 

the descendants of Jacob and Joseph"

And here's a final quote from the book for this post:

"God has a plan that is better than anything I can imagine.  He knows the ultimate purpose of each ingredient He allows to flavor my life.  As bitter as His recipe may seem, God can make it good, accomplishing His great purpose."  (pg. 105)