Ivory and space...

Tonight I was at Jacksons Java, reading, writing a little, and catching up with some friends. Once every week or so, I try to catch a night like this and get away from the routine, and have some quality time to myself to stop and reflect on what God is doing in my life, and how ultimately I can see His glory in it all. I really went alone, like I said, to have some reflection time, but ended up talking to the college women's bible study that happened to be there. It encouraged me so much to see faithful, Godly girls, pausing their busy schedules, and diving into God's word, exploring the attributes of God. (A table full of girls studying Piper...guys, you better step up your game, just saying!...) Also, my brother and two of his friends came by and I really enjoyed catching up with them as well...

After everyone left, I had a little time to myself to just sit back and enjoy the coffee, and some good music. Most of the night, it was an eclectic blend of world music, some jazz fusion, and indie-type singer songwriter stuff playing in the background, but I caught myself really interested in this one particular piano driven slow jazz song. What caught me was the melody. Not your typical chord-run based jazz, or even standard romantic slow number, this one was so different because of the simplistic melody it presented. Nothing showy, and not blended with your typical complex backing, this seemed intentionally simple to listen to. But it wasn't the song that I caught myself thinking about, it was my reaction. Even though I was trying to enjoy the simple melodic presentation of the song, I found myself tapping my feet, trying to find a rhythm, a beat, or any type of syncopated structure that I could frame this in. But I couldn't. I found myself subconsciously trying to put this song within framework that it was never intended to go in.

What hit me was what God was showing me through this seemingly trivial experience. Sometimes His plan, his melody for our lives, is so simple, so pure, that we find ourselves trying to frame it within the confines of our busy, scheduled, routine life that we have, and it doesn't work. Sometimes we try to understand His sovereignty in ways it was never meant to be understood in. God does not work within our concept of time. He is timeless. He does not move through the lens of our comprehension, He is omniscient. He is God, and who are we to question His ways...

While we are looking for our beat, we are missing His melody...

What a humbling thought, and I had to stop and write these few lines in worshipful response to what He was teaching me:




Such a simple melody
Ivory and space
We force the hand of rhythm
And change the nature of this place

Free from the chains of tempo
And syncopated time
My soul will find contentment
In melody and rhyme

Upon these pillars sanctified
By expression's humble cry
Of worship so harmonious
All vain glories cannot vie


He is God, and who are we to question His ways...

Job 38...Selah

-Trey

Reflections on a home...

Warped by years of living,
A testament to will
Shaped by love, yet cracks abound
And hope it offers still

A sentimental journey
Of mortar, rock, and tree
Generations of identity
Have molded what makes me

Humble in its nature
Abounding not in space or size
Character and necessity,
Not pretension, is its prize

Surrounded by aging glory
The elders of the land
Like patriarchs they stand esteemed
These oaks time will withstand

All the golden times of joy
Like pictures on the wall
Has all been framed by this old house
When memory comes to call

But like an empty canvass
This old square structure stands
To capture strokes of future love
From grace's steady hands

Trey Long 10/2/2012

faithful...

Let me begin by saying how blessed we are. Julie and I cannot express or convey just how good that God has been to us lately. From the everyday things to the extraordinary events surrounding us, let me say that the Lord has answered our prayers and has drawn closer to us than ever before. One of the biggest areas He has been faithful to us is in our child. Tucker is such a wonderful kid, and we have been given the incredible opportunity to be his parents, and feel blessed to be given the responsibility to instruct and teach him in the ways of Him. Having a first child is such and incredible, humbling, but scary experience. No, we have not been perfect, but every time we needed help, guidance, or anything else in dealing with this huge responsibility, God has shown us, through His Word, through wisdom of others, and through help and guidance of family and friends, that He is sufficient, and He will provide for us everything we need. Every time I see that huge smile, hear his contagious laugh, or see him learning, growing, and experiencing new things, the Lord is revealing Himself, and teaching Julie and I lessons that show His sovereignty and His character. Its amazing how such simple things from a 2 year old can reveal truths so rich in hope and faithfulness. Tucker has been such a blessing, and I continually pray for his continued health, growth, and that the Spirit starts working in His heart for the acceptance of the seed of the Gospel.

God has been faithful to us in several other areas as well. I first have to say that the way He has provided for us financially has been nothing short of amazing. From the blessing of steady income, and careers that have supported our short and long term goals, we are learning not to take anything for granted. He has been faithful in that through 6 years of marriage, two states, several moves, and on and on, God has always proved Himself reliable and a rock in whom we can go to to provide for us. Whether it be from steady paychecks, to unwarranted and unpredictable checks provided to us at just the right time, He has proven faithful, and Has shown us that you cannot out give, out bless, or out provide Him. Glory to Him! Now saying this, I admit that all the times we have not remained faithful to the will and direction of Him financially. What I will say is that at the end of the day, when I thought there was no way out, when all options had been exhausted, and I wasn't sure how everything would turn out, He came through. Funny looking back, but most of the time NOT AT ALL how I thought it would happen, but nonetheless, He proved faithful. He has shown us recently some areas where we have not been honoring Him as we should, and thought it has not always been easy or convenient, and I still don't know how everything will pan out, even at this very moment, wow has the hope of Christ been the most amazing thing. I will say this, to preach a quick sermon: give it all to Him. Not just what is overwhelming you. The things you are falling back on as a safety net and comfort are those things that You are replacing Him with. This has been very near to my heart today. God wants it all, not just part. You cannot live out the gospel and be on the verge of collapse financially. You cannot be living by the Spirit and be addicted to things that oppose His heart. I wept at the thought of Revelation 3:16 and the thought of appearing before my Savior, who had given up His majesty and splendor to redeem me, and being considered lukewarm before Him. I could not continue to appear confident and worthy of leadership in one area of my life, while being unfaithful and not what the Lord has called me to be in another. I had to be all in. And as I said earlier, He is still purifying me, as I am by no means perfect and complete. But He has been faithful through the process, being my strength when I was being tested, my hope when there looked like there wasn't any, and my sufficiency, when I felt inadequate in my calling as His child, as a husband, and as a father myself. I wish I could go into details on just how He has, and continues to provide this, and maybe when God has brought us through on the other side of this journey, He will allow me specify all of the details, blessings, and trials He used to get me and my family where He wanted us to be.

Another way He has provided faithful to me is a little more personal. And that has been in the incredible soul mate that He has provided me in Julie. What an incredible woman of God, a supportive wife, and a loving mother she is. Thinking back on our journey together, it's funny to realize just how big a development your relationship has been. How you thought you knew everything about a person when you marry them. What has been so great is to go through those tough times together, those times where it seems they are all you have, (and sometimes not), and to see the strengthening and bonding that happens as a result. I know, comparatively speaking, that we are still fairly young in our marriage, and although we have a lifetime ahead of us, God willing, the support she gives me as a husband has been the rock I have needed to get through sometimes. The love she has demonstrated in the creation, development and nurturing of Tucker, as well as baby #2 on the way, has reflected and shown me the love I needed to experience when I needed it. The sacrifices she has made as an individual to better the life of our family as a whole speaks volumes about the heart that she has for her God and family. Just tonight, her selfless attitude spoke to me in a way that conveyed the peace and comfort of Christ into the deepest part of my soul. She is truly my soul mate, and cannot fathom going on this journey without her by my side...

I just wanted to put into words tonight just how faithful my God has been. Through the good times, the bad times, the times I have not deserved to experience, and the ones that I have brought on myself, He has never failed me...never. He still is refining me, and is refining you. He loves us, and wants the best for us. We just have to give Him our all...

                                                                                             -Trey

reflections on sovereignty...

**Your love draws close, yet closer still

And satisfies my due

The void that marred my wounded soul

Is filled with all of You... **

You are Lord of all I have and Lord of all I don’t have

You are Lord of all that is, has been, and ever will be

You are Lord of things not seen, and emotions not yet felt

You are Lord of all

You are Lord when I praise you

You are Lord when I feel so far away

You are Lord when my life's circumstances seem good

You are Lord even when I think You are not there

You are Lord when nothing makes sense

You are Lord when Your ways don’t make sense

You are Lord when my senses fail me

You are Lord, You are Lord of all

You satisfy me

You heal me

You know me, and not just on the surface

You really know me, and have chosen me

Really?

You are Lord of my heart, and Lord of my thoughts

Even when my will distorts them

You are Lord over them

And I am still Your child... 

(Not because I had anything to do with it

But because You are Lord)

Really.

My Father, My Friend. Lord of all...the Sovereign King...

My heartcry

This is the blog I've written a thousand times, and never published. It may turn out to be the most personal thing I have ever written. It is both off the cuff and engraved into to very soul of who I am. It is my heartcry.

Let me start out by saying that I am not who you think I am. Neither are you. I know what you may be thinking...and no, this is not a tell-all obituary-type confessional. I am not perfect, as nobody ever is, but like everyone else, I sure do know how to put up facades to mask my imperfections. Imperfections that mirror the very essence of what I am: a sinner. I tend to be strong-willed, very stubborn, and very cocky sometimes. I love being passionate. This has gotten me into more trouble than it has helped me, sorry to say. It may be trying to mimic people, it may be trying to exude the spirit of a leader, and so on... The truth is, most of the time I am a very insecure person. Most people are, I think. We all have our areas where we don't want anyone to shine a light on. We have those issues, those memories, those insecurities that haunt us daily, weekly, and some for our entire lives. My goal in writing all this is not to glorify myself, or to have pity on any issues, but to create a living, breathing medium to where people that read this can relate to. To possibly offer a bit of hope and encouragement to someone who may read this. This is not just for me, it's for you...

"I don't have a clue, but I know who does..."

Well, that pretty much sums up my life... I have a great education, a loving family, great college years, a solid christian upbringing, no arrest record, and a good job. I have a beautiful wife, a wonderful son, one boy on the way, reliable (sometimes) transportation, a great house, and seem to have things pretty much in order. But I don't. Truth is, I still go to bed scared to death of what tomorrow may bring. Prayer and scripture help to bring this back into focus, but if we are honest, and human, we all go through times like this. I have regrets... Regrets of wasting so many years only to find myself seemingly wandering through the same circumstances over and over again. I worry that some of my dreams, because of timing, life events, and just situations in general, may not ever come to fruition. I get scared of living day to day without ever seeming to move forward, or have anything on the horizon that I can call a victory or goal. I worry about failing as a husband and a father. My decisions now at this point in my life affect a lot more people than just me. All it takes is one stupid decision these days, one moment of weakness, and I, like every man, could fall. I pray everyday for God's protection and guidance in my decisions. I sometimes wonder if I will look back on this time of my life and regret anything, and wish I had done things different. I am positive everyone does, but to what extent? I know I'm not alone on these things. But I put up walls, a facade like I said earlier, to try to appear that I have it all together, but I don't. My faith, my trust, my hope is in my Savior, who calls me His child, and gives me the strength to daily combat these earthly foes when they arise.

"My faith waivers, but my God does not..."

Man I love twitter. 140 characters to display exactly what you want your followers to know about you, what you are doing, or what you think and/or believe about things. I admit, I am a bit of a social media addict, and I am guilty of using mediums such as facebook and twitter to get across huge ideas to make it sound like I have religion figured out. Truth is, I don't. Daily I wrestle with God. I wrestle with my faith, with what I believe, with how to handle situations. I will be the first to admit, that I have screwed up a lot in this arena. I have been over-zealous and under-loving in situations. I have also compromised in the name of love and sacrificed moral integrity. This will always be a struggle, and one I believe all of us will have until the grave. No amount of theological expository will satisfy you when you are all alone crying out to God, begging Him to draw close and reveal Himself to you. No amount of musical environment can replace the worship of the heart in tune with the true and living God. What I am saying is that spiritually, I know I'm a work in progress, but thankfully God loved me enough to adopt me as His own, and like a child, immature and needing discipline, I know there will be times I will struggle to reflect His glory as He sees fit. The Psalms are so comforting to me in this regard. The life and prayers of David, a man after God's heart, serve to show us that even those close to the heart of God cry out, week and wavering, begging God not to abandon their lives. I tend to be a pretty emotional guy, and truth be told, there are many times, mostly in the car, in traffic nonetheless, when all I can do is cry out, asking God where in the world He is. Needing Him to come rescue me. Begging Him to draw closer than a brother. My spirit is crushed everyday, but I rest in the hope that my God never lets me go.

"I feel inadequate, but my adequacy does not come from me..."

Wow this opens up some things in my heart and mind that strikes some nerves. Most of my life I have been fortunate to be at least respectable in all things I do, except gymnastics and cooking, which are not my spiritual gifts... I have always considered myself of of those "jack of all trades, master of none" type of guys. Good in sports, but not great. Good in school, but not scholarly. Good in music, but not professional. I can float through life being ok in whatever I am into. But there came a point recently in my life when I really did (and still do) some soul searching, looking for that one thing that God has called me to do. That passionate burning desire to accomplish something so great, or to set off on the journey that my life was intended to be on. I thought it may have been something with my career and job, maybe something within the church, maybe in my dealing with family. I still desire to find what God is calling me to do. I must admit though that in pursuit of my life's meaning, the inadequacies and shortcomings of my life, and possibly yours if you are honest, pop up. I think alot to my education and not finishing college, and how that time in my life may have impacted who I am today. I think about my weight, and my personal, never ending struggles with it, my appearance, and how I present and carry myself, and wonder how that affects opportunities I may have/not have gotten because of it. I think of my desire to be called into full time ministry, or work within the church/music/creative departments, and knowing that God has not called me there, yet/if ever, and how that desire burns inside of me. I think of all the times I have been someone I am not in order to feel wanted/needed/used, knowing that I was fake. It's not a good place to be. All these issues, if not given to the Lord, can eat a mans soul alive. But recently God has started me on a journey, one that begins with Him, and never ends. One that has it's origins not in my inadequacy, but the adequacy that comes from the gospel of Christ. He is showing me love, mercy, grace, forgiveness, compassion. He is more than enough for me...that is my heartcry

I love you all... -Trey

the Gospel in worship...

Lately, I have been reading alot of different blogs, e-news, and status updates all in the name of contextualizing what exactly is going on in the modern day church. Don't get me wrong, it's really not a deep-level interest of mine, and I don't move pass the surface of most of it, but getting snapshots from here and there help put a more complete picture of what is going on in the bride of Christ. Music and worship had always been an attractive starting point for me, and alot of it, just because of my role and my passions, tend to be slanted, thematically speaking, in this light. I will say, that as a musician and worship leader, that I believe excellence should be sought after. Technical issues should, by every means possible, be kept to a minimum. Styles and influences should be relevant to the audience. You get my drift. There are so many issues, stories, and great ideas all floating around in cyberspace somewhere that you could spend all your time trying to go through it all. And unfortunately, we write, and hypothesize, and critique, and rate everything from decibel levels, to music styles, to traditions, to environment, and so on. But one thing I have noticed missing from most of the conversations...

Lets talk about the Gospel. This is the heart of the matter, correct? When did we start taking over the Holy Spirit's job of drawing people unto Him, and replacing it with gimmicks. When did we take our eyes of of missional evangelism and focus on internal solidarity? Please hear me out on this. Creative, relevant, well-done, quality results should naturally, with hard work, spring forth from our churches, worship teams, and outreach programs. But it should be a by product, not the main focus of our programs. I just read a blog today that was very well written, by a name that alot of people would recognize. The thing is, I agree with alot of what they said, and share alot of the same backgrounds and past experiences as well. They talked about tradition, about music styles, about age-related issues, about drawing people in, about making church appealing, etc... Very well thought out stuff, and very well said, but at the end, no mention of the Gospel in any of their arguments/rebuttals/concerns/solutions. I was so convicted myself. I have been that very way, and it is so easy to get caught up with all the stuff in and around church, that we loose sight of our vision. We worship Him to glorify Him, and we are called to spread the Gospel to ultimately glorify Him. I still haven't seen anywhere in the Great Commission anything regarding the quality of our music, programs, events, or services. But I do recall hearing the command to go into the world, and spread the good news, and make disciples. We have to do better. Our worship has to be centered in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and our focus has to shift from an inward quality model, to an outward obedience model. Our worship should serve to glorify God, and to advance His kingdom. May we be worshippers in spirit and in truth...

anatomy of a song...

One of the crazy ideas that I've had floating around my head lately is this thing called "anatomy of a song." I don't really know what brought it on, besides the longing to delve deeper into the contextual fibers of music lately, but I thought it was a good idea. Thinking about it the last week or so, I remembered the many literature and poetry classes in high school and college that did this sort of thing. Younger and more naive then, I can recall sitting in the classroom, discussing the numerous rabbit trails of hypothesis and theories about the context, the theme, the underlining subject matter of whatever piece of literature we were analyzing and thinking to myself "where in the world do they get all this crap, and why cant it be just about the words themselves...it's just a story, nothing more, nothing less..." Well, part of me still things that this is partially true, that we can over analyze things until we read deeper into them than what was originally intended, but there is some framework that is necessarily accomplished by diving deeper. I cannot help but to  think of it in terms of a painting, photograph, or and other visual art medium. Many people prefer, as do I, the open canvas look, in general, to it's framed cousin. Something about the way it seems to leave the piece open and unbridled makes me relate to it more. Like it is a snapshot of a place in time, but that it is inviting you to explore further, to look beyond the given, always looking for you to complete its framework. But, in contrast, one cannot deny the beauty of the artistic medium exceptionally matted and framed, the closure and finality of the work confidently displayed and highlighted. To me it seems, that in this category of art, the frame can be just as important as the work it is confining. That the eye has to continually be drawn back to the main focus is no meager task, and so the balance of the two are always in search of equilibrium. It does, however, pardon the cliche, frame the art in context, and gives it accountability. It now cannot hide from the wandering mind, and is now exposed for what it is, good or bad, inspiring or depressing. It is what it is.

I say all that to prequel what I believe breaking down a song can and cannot do. Some may look at music as an open ended canvas, a work of art completed, but not finished. One can say that music has the power and influence to affect different people in different ways, and that interpretation necessarily makes "framing" a piece of music impossible. Other look at it through the lens of contextual framework and a thematic weave slant. They say the artist always had something he or she wanted to say through the work, and that nothing short of analyzing the work from all angles and viewpoints can the audience ever fully appreciate and relate to the message that the artist, through his or her work, has presented. Whatever your approach, one thing must never be compromised, and that is the realization and enjoyment of the blessing known as music, given to us from a God who was, and is, the greatest artist, the most inspiring composer, the most creative being to have ever created. Music can inspire, music can humble, music can give hope. But music, art, poetry, sculptures, design, etc cannot be the end. It is always pointing, always searching, always finding ways, beautiful, crafty, odd, sometimes even unconventional ways to point to something. To relay a message. To ultimately speak to our souls. To give glory to the Ultimate Creator, by whom all things are made (John 1: 2), by whom all things are held together (Col 1:17), and who all things glorify (Psalm 19:1). It is for this reason that I have a desire to look past the surface of things, to dig deeper and find what it is that the song is trying to relay to me. What it is trying to communicate to me. What God is speaking to me.

Hopefully in the next few weeks or so, I will be breaking down a few songs lyrically and posting what I feel that the song is communicating to my heart and soul. Songs such as "Rosalyn" by Thad Cockrell, "Make it Without You" by Andrew Belle, "Hanging By a Thread" by Nickel Creek, "How He Loves" by David Crowder Band, and others I hope to dissect and have a deeper insight to what they could teach us about life, love, and hope. Until then here are some video links to the songs...


http://vimeo.com/23560978

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGXWr6Ixg60&feature=player_detailpage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpXDOXhHD-M&feature=player_detailpage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCunuL58odQ&feature=player_detailpage

desert and jungle...

Words fail me sometimes
In a desert, in a jungle
Searching for my place
That I know I am supposed to be

Like a blank paper before me
Your will beckons the spirit in me
To write, to create…
But what?

Decisions stand before me like
Buttons on the keys…
All jumbled, all independent
Yet destined to be used, to be connected

In the desert I ran
To a mirage of dead ends I ran
I, for my own end, I ran
Only to find You, and You only

Here in the jungle I stand
With life all around
Beautiful bountiful works displayed
But here I stand, overwhelmed by the fingerprint of You

In the end, it is You
The only constant, the only truth
But Your ways are not mine
And so I pause…

And take a deep breath

And wait for You

For words fail me sometimes
In a desert, in a jungle
Searching for my place
That I know I am supposed to be

wrath and propitiation...

Earlier this evening, I had a privilege to hang out with some college students and have a Q&A session on some theological topics. Questions such as: "Does God care about the details in our lives" to "Is the Lord's Supper literally Christ's body and blood" and "Is the God of the Old Testament the same God as the New Testament" provided great discussion, and more importantly, time diving through scriptures to base our stances on the Word of God, and not just mere opinion. I truly love spending time with these students, and I am so proud of the heart they have for the Gospel. Toward the end of the last question, I shared my thoughts on the wrath of God, Old Testament covenant vs. New Testament propitiation, and so forth, and as good as I tried to explain what I thought the scriptures were teaching us about what Calvary did to change our relationship towards God. Tonight I came home and tried to wrap my mind around exactly what God was trying to communicate, and I came across this paragraph that summed it up so beautifully...

"The doctrine of the propitiation is precisely this: that God loved the objects of His wrath so much that He gave His own Son to the end that He by His blood should make provision for the removal of His wrath. It was Christ's so to deal with the wrath that the loved would no longer be the objects of wrath, and love would achieve its aim of making the children of wrath the children of God's good pleasure." -John Murray

Such a wonderful thought, such a glorious hope, such an undeserved love...

our journey...

I am so excited about life lately. Don't get me wrong, there have been numerous things that haven't exactly gone as planned, and there have been many things that my family and I have had to go through, but my heart is as full as it has ever been. My journey has led me to a place where circumstances are what they are. They don't define me, but instead I am starting to see the bigger picture, and how God works all things out for our good. Do I still have questions and apprehensions about the future, sure. Do I always know exactly how everything is going to turn out, no. But through all the text, through all the paragraphs of events in my life, the book that is my journey is starting to take shape. It has always been written, no doubt, by my Maker, before time began, and through His providence He is revealing it to Me now in ways that honestly, reveals not only how great of a God He is, but how intimate of a friend He continues to be. As I write this, there are a lot of things both in my life, and in those lives that touch me personally on a daily basis that, to be as simplistic as I can be, do not make a bit of sense. Hearts are hurting. People are confused. Children are sick. Abuse is rampant. Unemployment is still an ugly reality. Separation is isolating. The list goes on and on and on. I do not know the reasons for everything, and I would be foolish to come across naive and blind to the fact that there are many more lessons to learn in this journey of mine. But one thing never has changed... this is hope that I have in Jesus Christ. This hope was a catalyst in my life before I was born. Before my parents were born. Before all there is, was... This is why life is hopeful for me now. This is why art is so beautiful to me now. This is why music is so inspiring for me now. This is why relationships are so important to me now. This is why my life has purpose now. This hope.
As the Lord reveals what He would have me do, I would ask for your prayers for me and my family. He is opening doors, creating opportunities, developing friendships, strengthening my career, reconciling relationships, and giving me an artistic flame in my soul that I have not had in years. As I look back over the past few years, as I said previously, there are some paths that the Lord allowed me to travel that are just now, through His truth and goodness, able to be viewed through a lens of clarity. Just seeing His faithfulness to me and my family has, in turn, made me that much more confident in His ability to take what I see as rough events in my life, and turn them into opportunities to mold me into the man I am predestined to become. In return, my prayer for you is that He would breathe life into your journey. Maybe you have hit a dry spell, a desert of circumstances that you cannot see any way out of. My prayer is that you stop staring at that open page ahead. You want to know the story, and believe me, it will have an incredible ending. Start over. Look back and re-read the chapters that have been written and see what an incredible story has unfolded so far. Don't worry about the chapters ahead, they have already been written...

music...

As a musician and worship leader, I am constantly listening to all sorts of music, from the latest worship titles to every form of secular genres you can imagine, constantly looking for inspiration, for incarnation in the artistic brushstrokes of whatever is coming through in the musical medium. Some may call it unconventional, although I don't see myself as progressive in today's standards, but I am always looking both inside and outside the box of traditional church/worship music for that moment that stops me in my tracks, for those moments that make me stop what I am doing, and reflect on the beauty and creativity of the song. From the complexity of classical overtures, to the intricate tapestry of harmony and rhythm in the jazz genre...from the rich theology in the hymns of our heritage, to the life and excitement of the dance/electronic sub-genre...from the passion of the blues, to the way rock music speaks to the human experience, all music has the capability to inspire, to speak to you in a way that no other thing can. It naturally can be distorted, to be used as a medium of hate and human depravity, but that has more to do with the heart of both the creator and recipient of the communicated artwork. Not that I am by any means an expert by anyone's standards, but I wanted to take a few minutes tonight to list some songs that have make me pause, reflect, worship, and do some soul-searching, not necessarily all inclusive of every action, and yet not exclusive of any one form either. Some may communicate these actions through the lyrics, some may be more effective in the melody produced, and naturally, each will speak to ones soul in a different manner. At the bottom I have typed out the lyrics to a worship song by Jason Upton that, for some reason, I cannot stop thinking about. Some of the most thought provoking and humbling lyrics I have ever heard...anyways, enough rambling, so here they are...enjoy!
David Crowder Band- How He Loves
John Mayer- Gravity
Giacomo Puccini- Nessun Dorma
Thad Cockrell- Rosalyn
Jars of Clay- Frail
Samuel Barber- Adagio for Strings
Gaithers- There is a River
Andrew Belle- Make it Without You
Shane and Shane- The Answer
Rachmaninoff- Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Jamie Cullum- In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning
Matt Redman- 10,000 Reasons
Nickel Creek- Green and Gray
Beethoven-Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor (Moonlight Sonata)
Hillsong United- With Everything
Eric Church- Those I've Loved
David Phelps- No More Night
Dave Barnes- Your Love Will Never Change
Jason Upton- Power In Poverty (lyrics below)

There is a power in poverty that breaks principalities
it brings the authorities down to their knees
There is a brewing frustration and an ageless temptation
to fight for control by manipulation
The God of the Kingdoms and God of Creation, God of the Nations
sent this revelation through the homeless and penniless Jesus the Son
"The poor will inherit the Kingdom to come"
Where will we turn when our world falls apart and all of the treasures we stored in our barns, can't buy the Kingdom of God?
And who will we praise when we've praised all our lives, men who build kingdoms and men who build fame, but Heaven does not know their names?
And what are we going to fear, when all that remains is a God on the throne with a child in his arms and love in His eyes?
And the sound of His heart cry...

second chances

It is midnight as I sit down and think about what I am about to write. So many thoughts are flooding my head right now about what to share, how to write it, and what subjects to touch on, that for a few minutes, the only thing I can do is just stare at this blank screen...and listen to the refrigerator hum... As someone who aspires creatively both in music and in writing to express his heart through an artistic medium, I intentionally have to look at ordinary everyday things, and pull a deeper insight, a greater meaning from them. Whether it is a book I read, conversations I overhear, music I listen to, poetry or blogs that I read, theology that I study, or people I observe, I am constantly finding that the more you take time to process more than the overtly obvious in things, that God expresses and teaches us amazing things in the details of life. Not to say that I am proposing that you do not need to simplify things ever, or make more of things than there is, I am just saying that sometimes we are to busy trying to figure out the whole story instead of reading the script.

Lately the script that has been written on my heart is the story of second chances. Of redemption. Of reconciliation. Of grace. Call it what you want, but the idea is the same nevertheless. To me, it is such a universally favored concept, yet most of us underestimate the power of the act, and the subsequent story that it produces. We all want second chances, but do we bestow grace on others? We want mulligans for our actions, but we are quick to condemn others to pay for their deeds. When did the act of condemnation start outweighing the power of reconciliation? I pray that we all read between the lines, and focus on those things that lead us, through a spirit of grace, to offer and receive second chances. I see families, torn apart by violence, drugs, money, etc... that the individuals are so guilt ridden, that all they need is hope, not scorn. I hear stories that have happy endings because a person, despite endangering themselves emotionally- and physically for that matter, have mended the heart of someone who had lost all hope. I see people, who instead of seeking unity and reconciliation to those whom they have disagreed in the past, actually digging through everything they can, albeit that they would have had no other desire before the rift to concern themselves in anything the other might have said, to find if they can conjure up any small disagreement. How is this good? I believe that we should know what we believe in, that we should be bold concerning truth and morality, but with graceful spirits and loving demeanour. Truth be told, none of us deserve second chances, and I thank God every day that he has been merciful in not giving me what I deserved. And we are to bestow this love on others. Good or bad. Pretty or ugly. Single, divorced, separated, widowed. Black, white, yellow, red. Protestant, Catholic, Muslim, Baptist, Non-denominational, Presbyterian, Methodist, Anglican, Atheist. Rich, poor. Whether they have burned you once or twenty times. Love others.

You see, I want to be a person who is rooting for that divorced mom. My natural inclination is to demonize her for the decisions that got her into the position she is currently in, but who am I? I want to be the person who respects the views and human rights of homosexuals. Hopefully they can see the love of Christ shining brighter in me than the condemnation and hatred. I am for them, as Christ's sacrifice is. I want to see human sex-slaves rescued, and victims healed. I pray that the woman who just walked out of that clinic will experience healing and restoration through Christ. I am for them, as Christ's sacrifice is. I am for the older generation who are dealing with the ghosts of the past, and think that redemption cannot conquer time and upbringing. I pray for second chances. I want to root for the the frat guy, the local grocer, the rape victim, the neighbor next door, the friend from high school, the boss, the enemy. I pray for second chances, I pray for unity. I pray for reconciliation.

As I typed this, and re-read it, my inadequacies as a human being and as a sinner fog my mind. I am not saying I am by no means perfect, and there is no one person that has not been guilty of being dis-graceful to another human being. I thank God every day for His Son, who by His love for us, humbled himself as a man, wrapped Himself in flesh, and came to die my death to reconcile me to Him. To offer grace to me, and to extend an opportunity of a second chance. I say these things in His name, for my adequacy is in Him, and my message is His. Grace flows freely. Redemption is here.

Selah