I had many 'wow' and 'aha' moments this weekend at the Healing the Wounded Heart Conference. This is one of them:
God's ultimate desire is to bring us closer to Him, to establish a relationship of intimacy. We can walk right up to Him with our baggage and dirty rags, and leave a changed person. He rebukes our accuser and proclaims that we are clean and we are His. He orders our filthy rags to be taken off and to be replaced with a beautiful robe, one that is only given to a son or daughter of royalty. This is because we are changed IN His presence. We don't have to strive to make things right before we get there. He's waiting for us, because no matter how hard we try, we cannot take the filthy rags off ourselves. Only He can. He does not want us to come for healing, and then leave. He does not want us to listen to His word, and then leave. He doesn't want us to sooth whatever qualm we are in for the moment, then leave. He wants us to stay and visit with Him - to simply feast on His love for us. How long has it been since you've done this? Just feasted on the Lord's presence? It's simple. Meditate on the picture above and put yourself in it. How do you feel?
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
Songwriter's Showcase at the Smithsonian
I recently joined a great group called the Songwriter's Association of Washington (SAW). They have concerts, events and seminars all year long in the DC area for songwriters, artists, or just people who love music :)
Tomorrow night they will host a Songwriters Showcase at the Smithsonian! For those in the area, it will be a treat. I will not be able to go (I know-what horrible luck!), but I wanted to share the featured songs with my friends to check out. SAW has chosen the 12 selected performers and 16 finalists from 250 submissions in the Adult Contemporary, Pop, R&B, Jazz Vocals, and Young Artist categories.
These are good so listen and enjoy! Who is your pic for "People's Choice" award?
Performers for Smithsonian/SAW/BMI Showcase
"Sure Feels Real"- Doug Stanglin (co-writer Janet Devers)
http://www.%20myspace.com/dougstanglin
www.myspace.com/janetdevers
"Like It Like That"- Yvette Barnes
http://www.mystylemusic.com/
"Kindness Don't Rest Easy" - Laura Baron
http://www.laurabaronmusic.com/
"Let's Get Down" - Sol
http://www.sol-roots.com/
"Spend My Life" - Markeisha Ensley
http://www.markeisha.com/
http://www.myspace.com/markeisha
"Whole Wide World"- Talia Segal
www.myspace.com/taliasegalmusic
"Spin Like A Top" - Susan Greenbaum
http://www.susangreenbaum.com/
"Where I'm At" - Dumi Right (co-written by Akim Funk Buddha)
www.myspace.com/ZL
www.reverbnation.com/dumiright
http://www.funkbuddha.org/
Young Artist Performers
"Wake Up" - Adam Swink
www.myspace.com/adamswink
"Runnin' On Empty" - Jamie Kathleen Boyd
Toastnjamababe@aol.com
"What's Good" - Paul Spiers
www.Myspace.com/crucial202
"Hold On" - Margot MacDonald
http://www.margotmacdonald.com/
www.myspace.com/margotmacdonald
Finalists for Smithsonian/SAW/BMI Showcase
"Maybe It's Peace" - Anne Heaton
http://www.anneheaton.com/
"Gravity" - Joanne Juskus
http://www.joannejuskusmusic.com/
http://www.telesmaband.com/
"Winter" - Rebekah McLeod
http://www.rebekahmcleod.com/
"Glass" - Ross Cooperman
http://www.rosscopperman.com/
"Super Girl" - Christin 'Cool' Henderson
http://www.myspace.com/coolhenderson
"Diggin On U" - Mehnlehseh Boayue
http://www.mehnlehsehboayue.com/
"Over and Over" - Lynnell Randall
http://www.lyricsmessage.com/
"Is it You" - Darrell Russ
http://www.darrellruss.com/
www.myspace.com/darrellrussmusic
"Last Call For Love" - Patty Reese
http://www.pattyreese.com/
www.myspace.com/musicianpattyreese
"Baltimore" - Renee McCullough
www.myspace.com/reneemccullough
"Blue Storm" - Barbara Martin
http://www.barbaramartinmusic.com/
"Kaleidoscope" - Greg Trafidlo (Co-written with Barbara Martin)
http://www.gregtrafidlo.com/
Young Artist Finalists
"I Can't Breathe" - Katherine Thorsey
www.Myspace.com/katherinethorsey
"The Cure" - Ryan Maher (Band Members associated with song : James McKissick, Daniel Taylor)
"Your Face" - Alex Blizniak
http://www.sonicbids.com/alexblizniak
"If It Weren't For You" - Colin Nagle
http://www.colinnagle.com/
Produced by The Smithsonian Associates
Songwriters Association of Washington (SAW) and BMI
Supporting Organizations - WAMA, NSAI, BSA, DC Cabaret Network
On-line purchase: http://residentassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/reserve.aspx?performanceNumber=218735. Hit the "purchase tickets" button and then register as "First Time Visitor" (far right side of screen).
Tomorrow night they will host a Songwriters Showcase at the Smithsonian! For those in the area, it will be a treat. I will not be able to go (I know-what horrible luck!), but I wanted to share the featured songs with my friends to check out. SAW has chosen the 12 selected performers and 16 finalists from 250 submissions in the Adult Contemporary, Pop, R&B, Jazz Vocals, and Young Artist categories.
These are good so listen and enjoy! Who is your pic for "People's Choice" award?
Performers for Smithsonian/SAW/BMI Showcase
"Sure Feels Real"- Doug Stanglin (co-writer Janet Devers)
http://www.%20myspace.com/dougstanglin
www.myspace.com/janetdevers
"Like It Like That"- Yvette Barnes
http://www.mystylemusic.com/
"Kindness Don't Rest Easy" - Laura Baron
http://www.laurabaronmusic.com/
"Let's Get Down" - Sol
http://www.sol-roots.com/
"Spend My Life" - Markeisha Ensley
http://www.markeisha.com/
http://www.myspace.com/markeisha
"Whole Wide World"- Talia Segal
www.myspace.com/taliasegalmusic
"Spin Like A Top" - Susan Greenbaum
http://www.susangreenbaum.com/
"Where I'm At" - Dumi Right (co-written by Akim Funk Buddha)
www.myspace.com/ZL
www.reverbnation.com/dumiright
http://www.funkbuddha.org/
Young Artist Performers
"Wake Up" - Adam Swink
www.myspace.com/adamswink
"Runnin' On Empty" - Jamie Kathleen Boyd
Toastnjamababe@aol.com
"What's Good" - Paul Spiers
www.Myspace.com/crucial202
"Hold On" - Margot MacDonald
http://www.margotmacdonald.com/
www.myspace.com/margotmacdonald
Finalists for Smithsonian/SAW/BMI Showcase
"Maybe It's Peace" - Anne Heaton
http://www.anneheaton.com/
"Gravity" - Joanne Juskus
http://www.joannejuskusmusic.com/
http://www.telesmaband.com/
"Winter" - Rebekah McLeod
http://www.rebekahmcleod.com/
"Glass" - Ross Cooperman
http://www.rosscopperman.com/
"Super Girl" - Christin 'Cool' Henderson
http://www.myspace.com/coolhenderson
"Diggin On U" - Mehnlehseh Boayue
http://www.mehnlehsehboayue.com/
"Over and Over" - Lynnell Randall
http://www.lyricsmessage.com/
"Is it You" - Darrell Russ
http://www.darrellruss.com/
www.myspace.com/darrellrussmusic
"Last Call For Love" - Patty Reese
http://www.pattyreese.com/
www.myspace.com/musicianpattyreese
"Baltimore" - Renee McCullough
www.myspace.com/reneemccullough
"Blue Storm" - Barbara Martin
http://www.barbaramartinmusic.com/
"Kaleidoscope" - Greg Trafidlo (Co-written with Barbara Martin)
http://www.gregtrafidlo.com/
Young Artist Finalists
"I Can't Breathe" - Katherine Thorsey
www.Myspace.com/katherinethorsey
"The Cure" - Ryan Maher (Band Members associated with song : James McKissick, Daniel Taylor)
"Your Face" - Alex Blizniak
http://www.sonicbids.com/alexblizniak
"If It Weren't For You" - Colin Nagle
http://www.colinnagle.com/
Produced by The Smithsonian Associates
Songwriters Association of Washington (SAW) and BMI
Supporting Organizations - WAMA, NSAI, BSA, DC Cabaret Network
On-line purchase: http://residentassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/reserve.aspx?performanceNumber=218735. Hit the "purchase tickets" button and then register as "First Time Visitor" (far right side of screen).
Saturday, October 24, 2009
It is Impossible to Please God Without Faith
I heard a speaker share this message recently... if you are feeling weary today please read this!!
"It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who comes to him must believe God exists and he rewards those who sincerely seek him." Hebrews 11:6
Noah - Obeyed God who warned him about things that never happened before.
Abraham -Went to another land, without knowing where he was going, and lived there by faith.
Sarah - Believed that God would keep his promise, although physically it looked impossible.
Isaac - Abraham believed that God would keep his promise, and even if he sacrificed Isaac, God was able to bring him back from the dead.
Moses - By faith he shared the oppression of God's people instead of the fleeting pleasures of sin and treasures of Egypt, not fearing the King's anger, keeping his eyes on the One who is invisible.
Rahab - By faith she welcomed strangers in to her house, and was not destroyed along with her city.
By faith people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God promised them. They shut mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death. Their weaknesses were turned into strengths. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. They received loved ones back from the dead. Others were tortured, refusing to turn from God to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. Some were jeered at, backs were cut open with whips, chained in prisons, stoned, cut to death. Some went destitute and oppressed and mistreated. They were to good for this world. All these people earned a good reputation because of faith, yet none received all that God had promised. For He had something better in mind for us... they would not reach perfection without us!
We are surrounded by a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith! So let us strip off every weight that slows us down, and the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run the race God has set out for us. We do this by: keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion! He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people, then you won't be weary and give up! You have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.
"It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who comes to him must believe God exists and he rewards those who sincerely seek him." Hebrews 11:6
Noah - Obeyed God who warned him about things that never happened before.
Abraham -Went to another land, without knowing where he was going, and lived there by faith.
Sarah - Believed that God would keep his promise, although physically it looked impossible.
Isaac - Abraham believed that God would keep his promise, and even if he sacrificed Isaac, God was able to bring him back from the dead.
Moses - By faith he shared the oppression of God's people instead of the fleeting pleasures of sin and treasures of Egypt, not fearing the King's anger, keeping his eyes on the One who is invisible.
Rahab - By faith she welcomed strangers in to her house, and was not destroyed along with her city.
By faith people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God promised them. They shut mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death. Their weaknesses were turned into strengths. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. They received loved ones back from the dead. Others were tortured, refusing to turn from God to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. Some were jeered at, backs were cut open with whips, chained in prisons, stoned, cut to death. Some went destitute and oppressed and mistreated. They were to good for this world. All these people earned a good reputation because of faith, yet none received all that God had promised. For He had something better in mind for us... they would not reach perfection without us!
We are surrounded by a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith! So let us strip off every weight that slows us down, and the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run the race God has set out for us. We do this by: keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion! He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people, then you won't be weary and give up! You have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.
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