25 Worship Songs that Stir My Affections for Christ

I love to sing. So I LOVE that God loves for us to sing to Him and about Him. Below are a list of songs that I especially enjoy worshipping God through. Some of the renditions I found are not…um…musically appealing to me…BUT the lyrics and the basic tune remains true-just if you every have chance to sing it on your own, I’d suggest adding a little flavor to it! 🙂  Enjoy!

1. All I Have is Christ-
2. Before the Throne of God Above- 
3. Before You I Kneel- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPVtx_HCpOo
4. Behold Our God- 
5. By Faith-
6. By This We Know Love-
7. Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery-
8. Come Quickly, Lord –http://churchworksmedia.com/come-quickly-lord
9. Hallelujah for the Cross-
10. He Will Hold Me Fast- 
11. His Robes for Mine- http://churchworksmedia.com/his-robes-for-mine
12. I Love the Church-http://churchworksmedia.com/i-love-the-church
13. I Run to Christ-http://churchworksmedia.com/i-run-to-christ
14. Jesus Draw Me Ever Never-
15. Jesus, I am Resting, Resting-
16. My Precious Savior Gave His All- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGWT4Nhy-L8
17. Psalm 62- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSp-3kvKQZs
18. My Worth is Not in What I Own- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfFrJHuptUQ
19. O Great God- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKQHqUo6qOw
20. Oh the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPXapfFfesA
21. Out of the Depths – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwKPMqxmvGc
22. The Perfect Wisdom of Our God- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSnzYnOe6kI
23. Whate’er My God Ordains is Right- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exbOSxBCzdU
24. Wonderful, Merciful Savior- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FekKpKgq86k
25. You’re the Lion of Judah- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SF-s0cWsRCU

All I Need and Trust is the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus

When my eyes are wearied by what I see around me–and by what I do not see, I realize that I am often looking in the wrong places. Instead of what I lack, or what pains me, I turn my eyes to the Founder and Perfecter of my faith, and find my once heavy heart now light and peaceful. 

Dear friend, pray for a heart that understands and delights in this precious love. His love changes everything!

VERSE 1
Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus
Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free
Rolling as a mighty ocean
In its fullness over me
Underneath me, all around me
Is the current of Your love
Leading onward, leading homeward
To Your glorious rest above

CHORUS
Oh the deep, deep love
All I need and trust
Is the deep, deep love of Jesus

VERSE 2
Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus
Spread His praise from shore to shore
How He came to pay our ransom
Through the saving cross He bore
How He watches o’er His loved ones
Those He died to make His own
How for them He’s interceding
Pleading now before the throne

VERSE 3
Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus
Far surpassing all the rest
It’s an ocean full of blessing
In the midst of every test
Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus
Mighty Savior, precious Friend
You will bring us home to glory
Where Your love will never end

Redeeming Sneezes

It all started with this thing I saw on Pinterest:

Hysterical, right?

But it got me thinking about training our minds for godliness. What if every time we sneezed, and someone said “God Bless You”, we took time to identify ways that God already has blessed us? 

So I started doing this with the person across the hall from me at work (work is prime sneezing time for me, I don’t know why…). It just so happens to be one of the Senior Vice Presidents at Lancaster Bible College (he drew the short straw and had to let me work across from him! ;)). I asked him if every time one of us sneezes we would share something specific from that day that was a blessing from God. Whether first thing in the morning, or late in the afternoon-there has ALWAYS been blessings to share- blessings about our families, time in the word, general health, co-workers, etc.

It has been really encouraging to take a few seconds out of the day and randomly give God praise for his goodness that often goes unrecognized. It’s just a little thing–but it’s been an added joy to my days.

Also, Calvin and Hobbes is a joyful thing to add to your day too! 🙂 Have a good one and remember to keep Christ ever before you!

How to Support Your Cross Country Team

I get it. At other sporting events you get to sit on bleachers in a designated spot, and clearly cheer when a Charger athlete does something spectacular- a sweet header, a killer dig, a  slam dunk.

But what do you do for Cross Country runners?

There are no trick shots to applaud, no refs to heckle, and no seats to sit back and enjoy the show. So what do you do?

Well I am glad that you asked, because this sport I love is amazing to participate in and amazing to watch-when you know how to do it.

First of all-you should know how to win. Here’s the gist of it: the top seven runners from each team are awarded points based on their overall finishing positions. In other words, the winner of the race is awarded one (1) point; second place is awarded two (2) points; and so on. A team’s score is the total of the points earned by its first five finishers. The team with the lowest score wins! Winning is awarded by t-Shirts/medals for the top finishers and a team trophy 🙂

Each runner is pushing their bodies to the limits trying to earn their team the lowest number possible.

So as they are willingly enduring this pain for the success of the team, and for the glory of God in discipline & perseverance, it is INCREDIBLY encouraging and helpful to have people cheering them on along the way. The Bible compares life to running a race (Rom. 12, 1 Cor. 9, Isa. 40, 2 Tim. 4), and just like YOU appreciate people going out of their way to give you an encouraging word as you preserve through life’s difficulties, so do our runners appreciate the motivation that comes from hearing their names cheered from the sidelines.

Here are a few generic tips to make you be the BEST race fan you can be:

1. Move– Of course it’s fun to be at the finish line and watch the runners give their all in those final 100 meters, but there is a lot more that you could be watching and cheering! If possible, research and plan your route and get the chance to cheer for your runner at multiple locations on the course! (It’s actually a blast to run like mad around the course to try and catch the runners at the next crossroads.)
2. Make Noise– Yell! Clap! Whistle! More cowbell! Encouraging phrases are the best to hear. Even if you don’t know the runners’ name’s you can still call out the individual (Yeah LBC! Way to go red! Etc.) Good phrases include but are not limited to: Push it! You’ve got this! You’re looking strong (unless they don’t look strong-thou shalt not lie ;))!  You can catch this guy (if that is attainable)! Work this hill!
3. Respect the Course– Don’t stand or walk on the course. Runners have enough to worry about navigating around-let’s not add spectator’s bodies to the list

The Lord teaches me so much through the sport of running (seriously, if you ever want to hear me monologue-just ask me about it!), and I LOVE the runners on our LBC Cross Country team. They are thoughtful, hysterical, caring, and have a deep desire to know God and make him known. I want people to come out and support them because they are amazingly hardworking and love to be cheered on at meets. I hope this post equips and motivates you to come to a race and cheer your heart out for your Cross Country team.

When I Doubt His Love

When my Love seems far away

When his gentle touch I cannot feel

When my heart, alone it longs

For me his voice to hear

 

I look through our old photographs

Through fondly journaled memories

I meet with friends who love him too

And my heart is warmed

by the fire of our recollections.

 

In those pages, pictures, stories

I remember with a smile

And a sigh of relief

The days I knew He loved me so

Proofs of delight listed miles upon miles

Upon miles upon miles.

 

He has not changed.

 

We are one.

Have I forgotten?

He is closer than my own soul.

Question his love, commitment, intentions?

A more foolish doubt, I’ll never know.

 

What a sweet gift

This love that answers my fears with more Love.

A protective father’s love.

That answers my doubts with more Love.

A faithful king’s love.

That answers my pains with more Love.

A powerful Lord’s love.

 

He steadfastly pursues my affection

He never left my side.

He’s not done a single thing to earn this mistrust

Yet he patiently resides

in my insecure heart.

While I question and miss his presence,

A presence that is more real than my own.

In my once wicked-now perfected- heart that he chooses to call his little home.