Why are there so few opportunities to worship the Lord together?  It’s so wonderful, so amazing and makes us (hopefully) more like Jesus.  As we praise we are filled with more of the Holy Spirit.  He baptizes us anew.  We see more of His fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control.  Who wouldn’t want more of that (especially those who live with us:)?

When I was in Illinois, there were two fellow staff members and a few others at the church that loved to get together informally and worship.  Usually around the piano and sometimes with a guitar we would just begin to sing and proclaim Scripture.  There were prayers for each other and various needs we were aware of.  We would cry out for God to move in the upcoming services.  Sometimes it could be dry and just us singing a few songs before we went about our day, but often it was so much more.

Many times we would sing, “I’m falling on my knees” from the song “Hungry” and everyone would be on their knees.  It wasn’t uncommon to glance over and see someone on their face, prostrate before the Lord.  We all looked for times when we could slip away and worship…it was such a delight to get in God’s presence and focus on Him.

So many amazing things were happening at the time in the church body and I believe this was a key to that.  People crying out to God for Him to make His presence known.

Sunday morning meetings are wonderful and I’ve known the presence of the Spirit in powerful ways during these times.  But there are so many other items that must be attended to (announcements, etc.).

I miss the fellowship and power of those intimate times with a few – two or three – singing and declaring the goodness of God.

With the current change in seasons I have a renewed longing for those times.  I long for the expectancy they produced.  Anything could happen – Jesus could do anything and He was doing it.

Lord, may it be so again in greater measure.

Jesus told us that where two or three are gathered in His name He would be there. The problem is, most of the time we make Him sit in the back while we do our thing. This is a prayer that He would “stand up among us.”

That we would sit before Him while He reveals His power, His grace, His love, Himself.

Much thanks to my father-in-law, Keith Curlee, for teaching me this!

Download here.  Play here:Download audio file (Stand-Up-Among-Us.mp3)

Stand Up Among Us

We’re dry inside these walls of pride
Without You we’re empty
We’re thirsty from our vain pursuits
We long to drink of You
The weight of our sin presses down upon us
Driving us to our knees
We call out to You our God, Redeemer
Blessed is He who brings us peace

Stand up among us
Make Your presence known
Rise up within us
Set Your people free
In Your presence is where we need to be

To the fatherless be a Father, Lord
Show Your compassion
To the prisoner and the captive
Bring Your release
To those who cry out for Your mercy
That always seems out of reach
Holy Spirit come in power
Ignite our passion to believe

Stand up among us
Make Your presence known
Rise up within us
Set Your people free
In Your presence is where we want to be

The Lord is clothed in beauty and power
No one is like Him, He is great

Stand up among us
Make Your presence known
Rise up within us
Set Your people free
In Your presence is where we’re going to be
In Your presence is where I will be

Sometimes life can get pretty lonely.  It can feel like you’re the only person in the world — the only one who’s going through what you’re going through.  But  then there’s the truth that God knows me.  He knows everything that’s going on in my life and He knows what I feel.  I am known…

Download here.  Play here:Download audio file (I-Am-Known.mp3)

I Am Known

I’m a stranger in the world
Does anyone really know me?
I’m on the outside looking in
I just need You to show me
That what I believe is true
That You really care
Then quietly I hear Your voice
And I know You’re there

CHORUS:
I am known, I am celebrated
I am recognized, so familiar
You call me by my name
I am known, I am loved and accepted
And as I seek Your face
You wash me with Your grace
And promise me I’ll never be alone
I am known

That the God of all the universe
Even thinks of me at all
I’m like a tiny little leaf
But He sees when I fall
And He picks me up and sings a song
A song of mercy and kindness
No one else around, I know His heart
He knows mine and I am blessed

CHORUS

Better than I know myself
More than I could dream
But I don’t have to run and hide
His forgiveness covers me
Sets me free

CHORUS

This week, I’ve got a wonderful worship song that I hope you’ll enjoy.  I love doing it in this slow, contemplative way.  I could sing it for hours! (thanks Harold Greene).  It was written by Kathryn Scott from the Vineyard in Ireland (we’re getting intenational here).

Download here.  Play here:Download audio file (Hungry.mp3)

So, I want to listen to some new tunes that are amazing and I need you to clue me in!  What songs / albums / artists do you absolutely love right now?  What do I HAVE to hear?

Leave your suggestions in the comments below and provide a link if you can .

Thanks!!!

Thanks to my friend Lani Brandon for letting me use her keyboard this week.  I wrote this tune after getting a few speeding tickets…seems I can’t speed without getting caught!

Download MP3 here.  Play here: Download audio file (Speed-Limit.mp3)

Wednesday was not a great day.  Nothing bad happened.  It just wasn’t good.  Have you ever had one of those days?

I stayed home from work to wait on the exterminator (another long story…) who never came.  I tried to record a new song for the YouTube Sessions on keyboard and I just couldn’t get a good take.  At about ten o’clock I decided to pack the recording stuff up (it’s New York – there no room for a dedicated studio) and try again another day.  I must’ve spent five hours or so working on that song.  Nothing to show for it.  I wanted to write a blog – no dice.  I even wanted to go for a run…didn’t happen.

It’s been a long time since I tried so many different things and nothing worked out.  But I guess it’s just one of those days.

One of those days

One of those days

One of those days

No matter how you say it (write it…whatever!) it just doesn’t give you any more satisfaction.

But just before midnight as I was packing up the gear to shove into my closet I stumbled onto something.  I put a vinyl copy of James Taylor’s Sweet Baby James on the turntable and I just enjoyed it.

Didn’t sing along.  Didn’t play along.  Just enjoyed.

So I did accomplish something after all on one of those days.  Something I could have done all day long: Listen to the sounds of some really great songs.

This past Saturday was our 11th anniversary so I did what any good songwriter does  [:) ] and wrote her a song. 

If you’re interested, the last anniversary song I wrote Olivia was “Like This” from my album State I’m In.

Let me know what you think!

Download the MP3 here.  Play here: Download audio file (11-Years.mp3)

A little change of pace this week.  I’ve played you eight new original songs in-a-row so I thought it would be fun to do a cover.  This is the first Garth Brooks song I learned to play.  It’s very James Taylorish so it fit me just right.  It was written by Garth and Victoria Shaw from the album Fresh Horses.

She’s Every Woman

Download | Play:Download audio file (Shes-Every-Woman.mp3)

This week I’ve got a new song that I  wrote a couple years ago with my friend Chris Roberts.  Chris is in the band One Flew South and is an all-around great guy.  I’m actually going into withdrawl beacuse we haven’t written together in so long .

Olivia and I love to go to estate sales, but they can be sad sometimes.  This inspired us to write about “Pictures hanging on the wall.”

Make sure to comment!

Download the MP3 here. Play here:Download audio file (Pictures.mp3)