What are the sounds of Heaven?

We will sing, sing, sing
And make music with the heavens
We will sing, sing, singGrateful that You hear us
When we shout your praise
Lift high the name of Jesus

What's not to love about You?
Heaven and earth adore You
Kings and kingdoms bow down
Son of God, You are the One
You are the One we're living for

You are the love that frees us
You are the light that leads us
Like a fire burning
Son of God, You are the one
You are the one we're living for

Two Fridays ago I was at the Chris Tomlin/Toby Mac concert with my best friend, Megan. I can't even explain how powerful it is to hear thousands of people praising the Lord. As we were singing Jesus Messiah, I got tears in my eyes and as I slowly opened them and began to gaze around me thousands of hands were lifted high above their heads as if they were trying to pour out all they could to their great Lord in Heaven. I get goosebumps just remembering it. I had this thought, "Is this what Heaven will be like?" People stretching their hands out to Jesus, praising Him for eternity? I don't think we can really know what it will be like but I think if I had to imagine that is how I would imagine it to be. When you love something the way we love Jesus how can you not sing? But then Toby Mac came out. Everyone was still worshiping, no doubt, but instead of swaying back and worth with their hands lifted high there was more jumping up and down, dancing and clapping. It was so fun but it made me think about the elders at my church. They wouldn't like it...although praises to Jesus, it is not how they praise Him. Heaven will be filled with millions of people, all sorts of people praising Jesus together. Have you ever thought about what that will sound like? Look like? Do you think it is anything like we do on earth? Do you think it will be gospel, christian rap, rock, contemporary, worship? Or maybe we will have a new kind of worship...a worship made just for us to bring just to Jesus. It will be like our own love language to Him that we will only know once we are in His presence. :) I don't know...but it sure fun to think about and all I know is that I can't wait to find out one day. Until then I will praise Him the way I know how here on earth, anticipating the day I can praise in Heaven.

Your love is amazing, steady and unchanging

Your love is a mountain, firm beneath my feet
Your love is a mystery, how you gently lift me
When I am surrounded, your love carries me

Hallelujah, hallelujah
Hallelujah, your love makes me sing
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Hallelujah, your love makes me sing

Your love is surprising, I can feel it rising
All the joy that's growing deep inside of me
Every time I see you, all your goodness shines through
And I can feel this God song, rising up in me


Yes, you make me sing
Lord, you make me sing, sing, sing
How you make me sing

A Strange Inheritance

I tried something the other day. Throughout the entire day I checked my thoughts. As I did this I realized how much my thoughts drifted away from things of the Lord. Not that my thoughts were bad, just things of myself, of this world. So then I tried to recognize throughout the week the moments when I needed the Lord. Sometimes I felt like I was in a war between needing the Lord but not wanting Him. Why is it that we as humans think that we don't need God in our lives? But the more we think this, the more we need him. How amazing is it that the Lord still wants us as we continue to push Him to the side? It got me to thinking about a section in the Crazy Love book I read. It was one of my favorite sections and really stood out to me.

"The very fact that a holy, eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, merciful, fair, and just God loves you and me is nothing short of astonishing. The wildest past is that Jesus doesn't HAVE to love us. His being is utterly complete and perfect, apart from humanity. He doesn't need me or you. Yet He wants us, chooses us, even considers us His inheritance (Eph. 1:18). The greatest knowledge we can ever have is knowing God treasures us. That really is amazing beyond description. The holy Creator sees you as His "glorious inheritance." The irony is that while God doesn't need us but still wants us, we desperately need God but don't really want Him most of the time. He treasures us and anticipates our departure from this earth to be with Him-and we wonder, indifferently, how much we have to do for Him to get by."

My prayer for myself and for you is that we would look to His return and our departure from this earth as well. Instead of being so concerned with the things of this world and being consumed with our own lives I pray that we would be fully obsessed and consumed with the Lord and His Kingdom. I pray that while on this earth we would look to what we could do for Him and how we can bring glory to His name. The Lord will bring good things to those who love Him. He wants us...all of us. So what are we waiting for? Run to Him and give Him your all, after all He did that for you didn't He?

Every Moment Counts

The breeze was just right across my face, blowing the few wispy pieces of hair hanging down in my face. The Colorado sun was hot but the air was thin. Overlooking the top of the parking garage we saw hundreds of people in multiple colored shirts. Masses of blue, green, tie die and so many others...masses of teams put together, each to support their own person or persons. My family wore red in honor of my aunt Chris who survived open heart surgery just five months prior. Walking the race was such a rush of emotions. I felt like I wanted to savor the moment with my family as a small group of 13 of us walked together for a much bigger cause than any of us could even really comprehend. I watched my aunt walk and laugh as she took a picture of herself and every single one of us walking with her. She looked so radiant and happy. This healthy, carefree woman. You would have never guessed she had her heart replaced in January.

Ahhh...January. I think back to the day when she had her surgery. I was so scared. Sure I had prayed and had faith in the Lord and the doctors working on her but I had never been faced with something so real before. I remember thinking that day that I could lose my aunt. My mind started racing. What would happen to her boys? Would Donnie (her husband) be able to handle all the boys and grieve on his own from the loss of his love of 25 plus years? Would she know how much she inspired me and how much I looked up to her? Would she realize that I wish I was more like her and that I loved her very much? I remember opening up my bible and just journaling prayer after prayer and just reading and reading. 4 hours passed and before I knew it she was awake, alive and healthy.

And now here she is walking in a 5k for heart disease. I am so proud of her. All these thoughts just made me realize that every moment counts. Even the little ones that we take for granted like helping my grandma cook dinner or setting the table with my little cousin, Garrett. I want to hang on to every word my cousin Hunter says to me and give all my attention to my only girl cousin from Colorado, McKenna. And I want to savor every hug Nick gives me because the mean the world to me. Maybe I am thinking these things because I don't see my Colorado family very often but even for my family that I do see everyday, it is so easy to take the little moments for granted. I know I have had similar thoughts in other blogs lately but I think it is something worth hearing...

So stop...and just live your moments because every moment counts.