the love of God

This is a new song that I wrote about a week ago.  Hope you enjoy it!  Tell me what you think!

You Are Everything

You Are Everything from christlikelife on GodTube.

Jordan's Banks, Someday

I wrote this song a few days ago, and wanted to share it.

Jordan's Banks, Someday

Are You there or am I here? Or are we both together here?

I can’t see Your face, I don’t feel Your touch

I don’t feel much

But You heal the broken things

And You give the flightless wings

And You give the weary strength

And You’ll lead me to Jordan’s banks,

Someday

I’m all alone in this old house, I feel so stuck, I can’t get out!

And I’m being chased by one who haunts, but I know my soul You bought

I’m hidden here in murky fog. Feel I’m sinking down, I’m in a bog

And I can’t see myself, but I see You! And You see You in me too

And You healed this broken thing

You gave this flightless bird some wings

I was so weary but You gave me strength

You are leading me to Jordan’s banks

By hand, in grace

To see You someday!

-- Sarah Butler

Thanksgiving

Taking a little bit of a break from Christmas music:

I meant to post this around Thanksgiving, but haven't gotten around to it 'til now. Enjoy!

The leaves are falling, swirling fast in all-abundant shades

Summer days are now long gone; it’s time for shorter days

And now we gather all our friends and all our loved ones too

To think awhile on this past year and all the gifts from You

We are thankful for the blessings that You give

We are grateful for Your grace that lets us live

We are thankful for our families, and Your church that is in unity

But most of all, God, we are thankful for knowing You

And as we think on this past year and all the gifts You gave

Sometimes it seems to overwhelm for all things do is change

But in Your Word we see that You are ever truly God

You never change—all is for our good—You will not spare the rod

Though at times Your gifts were hard some gave us joy and tears

For in those gifts such love was shown—Your goodness made so clear

A new baby life, the gift of love where there was none before

We are in awe of all Your gifts; Your love is shown still more

Oh God, You are unchanging

Our Lord, ever true

And all the blessings You ever give us

Are just a glimmer of what we have in You

We are thankful for the blessings that You give

We are grateful for Your grace that lets us live

We are thankful for our families, and Your church that is in unity

But most of all, God!

We are thankful that You took away our sins

We are grateful that it's by Your grace we live

And if You should take our families and allow the church disunity

You give, You take; God, we still bless You

It could never be enough to thank You that we can know You

In the Morning

I wrote this song about a week and a half ago as I was thinking about how busy I was going to be once I started college and continued on with work and everything.  I have made mornings my times for devotions for about four or five years now, but with starting work and everything it has sometimes had to be shortened.  I wanted to remind myself that my mornings with the Lord aren't just times to dutifully read four chapters out of my Bible, but to learn of Him, to speak with Him about my day, and to worship Him before anything else.  I really like how the song turned out; it has helped remind me that these mornings with God are precious and should come first and foremost, before anything else.  I'm going to try and record it this weekend, but for now here are the lyrics.

In the Morning

By Sarah Butler

Seeking Your face in the morning

Is one of the hardest things to do

Seeking Your face in the morning,

When all the world is askew

To lift my hands in worship

Would add so much to my day

But I don't lift my hands in worship;

Instead, I just go on my way.

Thanking You for Your blessings

The sunshine, and more, for the rain

Remembering all of Your goodness

At the start of a brand new day

To thank You for my family

And the love that You pour down

But I don't thank You for the blessings;

Instead, I just grumble and frown.

Lifting up the trials

And also the blessings that You give

To ask You for Your guidance

That I might know how to live

To lift this time before You

Would add so much to my day

But I just speak to You once in the morning

And otherwise, forget how to pray.

Seeking Your face in the morning

Is one of the best things to do

Praising You for Your wonders

And basking in Your love anew

Thanking You for my family

And for all, for me, You did

God, I ask Your blessing on this morning;

Show me how You want me to live.

A conglomeration of things...

First off I wanted to share a song I wrote yesterday and already recorded!  Such quickness on my part is probably a once-in-a-lifetime event, but it's really nice to have it already recorded and out of the way.  It turned out pretty well, and is one of my favorites that I've written, so I wanted to share it!

I also wanted to share a song by Jeremy Camp that I've been listening to a lot over these past couple of days, so I'll be posting the video below, and after that is a poem that I read about a week ago that I wanted to share.  And I think that's it!  Enjoy!



Ash Wednesday

My God, my God, have mercy on my sin,
For it is great; and if I should begin
To tell it all, the day would be too small
           To tell it in.

My God, Thou wilt have mercy on my sin
For Thy Love's sake: yea, if I should begin
To tell This all, the day would be too small
           To tell it in.

Good Lord, today
I scarce find breath to say:
   Scourge, but receive me.
For stripes are hard to bear, but worse
Thy intolerable curse;
   So do not leave me.

Good Lord, lean down
In pity, tho' Thou frown;
   Smite, but retrieve me:
For so Thou hold me up to stand
And kiss Thy smiting hand,
   It less will grieve me.

-- Christina Rossetti

Have They Left You Here?

200!

For starters, this is my 200th post!  Hurray!

Secondly, I wanted to share the lyrics to a new song I wrote based off of John 8 and the account of the woman caught in adultery, specifically these verses:

Straightening up, Jesus said to her, "Woman, where are they?  Did no one condemn you?"

She said, "No one, Lord."  And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you, either.  Go.  From now on sin no more."

John 8:10-11

Have They Left You Here?

"Woman, have they left you here?
Though your sin is great, and you could not draw near?"
Then He lifted me, and He held me close,
And He said, "My daughter, no one will ever cast that stone."

On the road I tarry, knowing what before me waits
The chief men rush ahead of God, eager to deal my fate
They push and crowd and grip the stones, and look 'round to He
The One they call the Son of God, and He asks, "Is this she?"

I cannot meet His eyes.  I am guilty, He is God!
He is the Maker; I, the sod.
But from His mouth I hear kind words, strange to my ears,
And slowly the people dissipate; He says, "Woman, do not fear."

"Woman, they have left you here,
Though your sin is great and you cannot draw near.
Know My name is Love, and it is for you.
Come to Me, My daughter, though I know all that you do."

I'm going to try and record it soon, and when I do I'll post the video on here.  I hope you enjoyed it!

If you have time (and even if you don't, make time), check out this video that Luke posted on his blog.  It's incredible.

More Than Everything