I'm Sorry, Did I Offend You?

Very recently I made the choice to start a blog (which you are reading!) I didn't know if anyone would ever read it, but it sounded like a fun way to pass the time. Shortly after I started, I began my 'Marketing Fails of the Day' which are geared to improve the quality and relevancy of Church media. The blog's popularity began to rise rapidly as did my understanding of humanity. I have been blessed to receive a lot of feedback over these pieces, some good, some bad, and some very, very ugly. This last week as I was being chastised for my colorful, yet generationally appropriate language, I began to wonder.....

Why are we (Christians) so very sensitive? I mean seemingly so much more sensitive than the rest of the world?

Emily's long overdue, all-inclusive list of church resources (mostly FREE!)

         I am forever getting emails asking me for my resources on art and media. Mostly it's churches and people I know that work for churches. After a couple of years of doing this, I thought to myself "Duh, do a post about".
         So, here it is. Emily's long overdue, all-inclusive list of resources. I created/recycled a TON of media over the years and 80% of it started with these amazing sites.

This is the air I breathe......

This weekend I was very blessed to be invited to a worship conference in Lakeland. At the conference I got to hear John and Marie Barnett. For those of you who don't know they are the people who brought us the song "Breathe" which is one of the best worship songs ever.

Anyhow, while I sang along to Breathe with Marie (who has a crazy awesome voice!) it took me back some years. You see Breathe was the first song I ever really led. In many ways it was a catalyst that got me where I am. I was taken back to that night almost 10 years ago. I was on stage with my guitar that I'd only been playing for a few months, scared to death, and feeling like I was flunking out with dozens of eyes staring at me. Then the keys came in, I shut my eyes, and suddenly 'I' didn't matter anymore.

"This is the air I breathe. This is the air I breathe" I began to sing timidly. I remember hearing my voice in the monitor and it's like it wasn't even the same voice I'd always sang with. It was something powerful, because God had moved. I was taken out and somehow God was put in. To this day I can't fully explain the situation. Some might say it was just the rush of being on stage and such but I know it was so much more than that. It was in that moment I knew that worship would be a huge part of my life. God deposited something in my heart that day and I'm still discovering parts of it all the time.

So, what's the point of my story? Well, hearing Marie sing that song made me remember the very first moment I entered in to true worship and it made me hungry for more. It made me want to feel like that 18 year old girl who knew nothing about, well, anything. I only knew that I wanted Jesus.

Do you remember that moment? Sit and ask God to take you back there this week.

A question I can't answer.....

What is worship? Somehow I always get asked this question and I seriously hate answering that question.

*sigh*

I know, I know. I'm a worship leader and so I'm supposed to have this completely epic answer, but the truth is when I get asked that question I usually stand there with my mouth gaping open until some generic answer I heard at some conference or read in a book falls out of my mouth.

humanity to divinity

The other day I was commenting on a blog over at Revolution115 and I said: "God takes our ordinary humanity and infuses it with His extraordinary divinity". It was one of those statements that made me pause and think. I have to give credit to God for it, because I really am not smart enough to say something that profound on my own. It stuck in my head and as I began to chew on it, I decided I should try to expound on it.

Think about all the people you know from the Bible, even if you don't know their whole story or even their whole name. I would bet you that person was really nobody special at first. Look at people like Moses, David, Paul, Mary, or any of the Apostles. All regular people. Some of them were even considered evil by our standards. So, why do we remember them? The simple answer is that we remember them because of what God did with/through them, not really for any reasons that have to do with the person.

Marketing Fail of the Day

(Can I picket Westboro Baptist instead?)
P.S.- this is an actual press release from them. I found it on a secular new site.
Dear Westboro: thanks for completely misrepresenting Christ and all His peeps to an already critical world. You suck!

So Beautiful- Lyrics

I was worshiping and stumbled on to this song. It feels like a metaphor for my life or something. I really have no idea what it will end up sounding like. I was playing it in D, but from there it was all very random and organic, so for now I'll just post the lyrics without chords. If anyone has a thought, please share :)


Verse:
I was broken and lost in depravity
You found me, healed me, set me free
Ashamed, rejected, no where to call home
You kept me, held me, called me Your own

Chorus
So beautiful
So beautiful
So beautiful
Is the Savior's love for us

Verse:
Your greatness and power I can't even comprehend
And still you want me just as I am
You're Justice, Love, Peace, and Truth
Everyday you make me a little more like you

Bridge:
No matter how I fall, or how far I stray
You love still saves me, this Grace will never change

Peace- New Song :)

Okay here's another song currently under construction. I know I keep saying that I will upload a recording and eventually I will :) Truth be told, I'm not a big fan of my own guitar playing (or singing for that matter) But someday I will make one of my very talented friends do a recording for me. For now I'll let you use your imagination :-P

Peace

Verse:
D Dsus
I come and I bow
D/F#m7 Asus
Here I find Your peace now (repeat)

Chorus:
Em7 G Em7 D/F#m7
Oh how You love me and oh, how you comfort me
Em7 G G/b Em7 Asus
Oh, how you you hold me. In Your hands I'm whole

Verse 2:
D Dsus
Here I am, all for You
D/F#m7 Asus
No chaos around me, only truth

Bridge:
(under construction)
Oh how I love you

Oh how I need you

Doubt: Saboteur or Smoke Alarm?

There is a fine line between self-doubt that seeks to hinder and coming to a realization that you simply are not meant to do something. What I am struggling to find is the line between the two. How do you know when it's time to lay aside uncertainty and push forward toward the goal or lay down what you want to do because it's just not something that God has for you? I only wish I knew the answer.........

I have always struggled with self-doubt. I really don't talk about it, but I am consistently filled with feelings that tell me I not good/pretty/talented/smart/liked enough to do this or that. Most of the time God really helps me overcome these things, so I can do the things He needs me to do, but the feelings exist nevertheless. Like I said, I don't really have many people that I talk about 'feelings' with but I know that there are probably many people who struggle with the same things. Right now I'm feeling like a certain thing (that I won't name) is something that I'm just not cut out to do. It's hard to distinguish between whether my doubt is just a lack of confidence on my part or something alarming me to the fact that I'm going the wrong way. Benjamin Franklin once said, "When in doubt, don't"

So, I remain stuck, I can either push past my feelings and risk disappointment or I can accept that I'm just not cut out for this and lay it down. Oh decisions, how I hate you, but at least I get to gripe on my blog :)

Fall on Me

Finally got my new guitar! I've been guitarless for 3 months and it sucked, but good things really do come to those who wait!

So I could not put my new baby down today, and God blessed me with the beginnings of a new song (YAY!). I would have posted a recording but my voice is MIA at the moment. It's not totally gone, but I sound like a combo between Louis Armstrong and Bono. So I just posted the lyrics and Chords. I'd love any feedback or suggestions anyone would like to give :)

Verse 1:

E Bm7 A2 E A2 F#m7

Fall on me. let me feel you here, set me free from fear.

E Bm7 A2 E A2 F#m7

Fall on me. wanna seek your face in the Holy Place

Chorus:

E A2 E

Yeah, Jesus you’re all I need

F#m7 C#m7 A2 G3m7 A2

My soul comes alive as I sing your praises

Verse 2:

E Bm7 A2 E A2 F#m7

Fall on me. you’re my hope, my all. to the cross I crawl

E Bm7 A2 E A2 F#m7

Fall on Me. Father hold me close in your arms I’m home

New Essentials Courses: Songwriting (Baloche) and Worship Leading (Park)

This is a post from Dan Wilt's Blog. I've already taken the 3 core Essentials Modules and they were AWESOME! I'm looking forward to taking these on! Let me know if you want to join me!

From DanWilt.com:
it’s a privilege to do what I do, and I get to do it with some beautiful souls who have the fame of God on their mind. We’ve just handcrafted two new works of art for the service of creatives in the missional Church. Weha. Hope these can serve you and lift your calling in God.

Write A Song. Learn Songwriting.

ESSENTIALS IN SONGWRITING
LIVE GUESTS: PAUL BALOCHE (God of Wonders), ANDY PARK (In The Secret)
PRIMARY RESOURCE: God Songs (Baloche),
SECONDARY RESOURCES: Songwriting For Worship DVD (Vineyard Music), Worship Songwriting DVD (Doerksen)

Write a song in the month of January, while you learn the craft of songwriting with some of today’s best. Learn More.

Learn The Skill Of Worship Leading.

ESSENTIALS IN WORSHIP LEADING
LIVE GUEST: ANDY PARK (In The Secret)
PRIMARY RESOURCE: To Know You More (Park),
SECONDARY RESOURCES: Leading Worship DVD (Vineyard Music)

Learn the foundational skillset of great worship leaders, while you learn from today’s most effective worship leaders.

Plus A Free One Year Learning Community Membership.

Every course now comes with a full ONE YEAR COMPLIMENTARY MEMBERSHIP TO OUR LEARNING COMMUNITY if you sign up by DEC. 1.

I.e. A year of other amazing free training resources, live and in media. Learn More.

Yeah, baby. We’re pumped. Hope you and a group can join us, blog friend crazies.

Dan out.
www.WorshipTraining.com