Open Up My Heart

Years ago, I heard this song, Open Up My Heart, for the first time. Some of my Norwegian relatives gave me 2 cassette tracks of the Oslo Gospel Choir. All their music is moving and beautiful. But this song... this song was amazing.

Quickly, I learned all the words and the inflections and crescendos. I shared it with a group I was singing with at the time called "Sister Act." We had the head pieces as costumes, and everything! We sang this song, along with a whole repertoire of other songs. We sang in church, and at parties, etc, it was so much fun! I really miss singing in groups and choirs, but unfortunately, we don't have a choir at our church right now.

I am thinking of getting a vocal group together for this song. Turn up your speakers and sing along!!!

OPEN UP MY HEART

Did you like Fireproof?

The brothers are producing again!

COURAGEOUS... check it out!

Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you;
He will never let the righteous fall.
Psalm 55:22

A new blog to follow!

My friend Bev just posted on Facebook about this blog she has been following. I just poked around there for awhile and found myself laughing at a lot of it...

Check it out - the blog is called "What Christians Like" and I wouldn't be surprised if you found something that struck a chord! I sure did!!

He will take great delight in you,

He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing.

Zeph 3:17 ♫

Baby Grace

My dear friends said goodbye to their precious baby Grace early this morning. She had been very sick since birth, and just turned one on Valentine's Day. What can console a mother when she knows she cannot kiss her sweet baby's face again until she gets to Heaven? How can a husband comfort his wife over the loss of their child when he is grieving so deeply he is in actual physical pain? We need our heavenly Father. We need him in times like this - everyday, actually, but in the "everyday" we don't always remember to reach out to His waiting arms.

A song that is so beautiful and lovely, and that expresses our eternal hope is "Come to Jesus" by Chris Rice. My friend sang this very song at her Grandmother's funeral only a few months ago. Now she is believing it for her little baby girl.

Watch: Come to JESUS...

Chris Rice - Untitled Hymn (Come To Jesus) Lyrics

Weak and wounded sinner
Lost and left to die
O, raise your head, for love is passing by
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus and live!

Now your burden's lifted
And carried far away
And precious blood has washed away the stain, so
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus and live!

And like a newborn baby
Don't be afraid to crawl
And remember when you walk
Sometimes we fall...so
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus and live!

Sometimes the way is lonely
And steep and filled with pain
So if your sky is dark and pours the rain, then
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus and live!

O, and when the love spills over
And music fills the night
And when you can't contain your joy inside, then
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus and live!

And with your final heartbeat
Kiss the world goodbye
Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side, and
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus and live!

A.C.T.S.

Do you ever need a kick in the pants to get your prayer life reactivated again? I sometimes do. This season in our care group we are studying prayer. Last night, Steve (my hubby, and the group leader!!) reminded us of the little acronym A.C.T.S. I've heard this numerous times before, but the reminder was great...

A = Adoration

C = Confession

T = Thanksgiving

S = Supplication.

Notice something? Notice that the supplication (the "asking for stuff" or "wish list" part of our prayers) comes at the END of the prayer... not the beginning!!

The other thing we talked about was journaling your prayers. Do you ever have distractions while you are praying? Things that came up were: falling asleep, kids interrupting, the phone ringing, your favourite show coming on, and not leaving enough time to finish your devotions. By Journaling your prayers - simply writing them down! you are doing 3 things that will help keep your focus... you are thinking the prayer, writing the prayer and then seeing the prayer. Studies tell us that when we do something 3 times we have a better chance of remembering it.

So, the next time you tell someone you are "praying for them"... do it, and try writing it down!!