Wow! You guys have posted some really good insight to the “Colors” blog post. Thank you! I needed to hear alot of that. I think it is good to hear and listen to what God has revealed to others. Especially in moments of trying times, we get so closed in and surrounded by our situation, our pain, our heart aches, that someone else’s point of view is almost like gold.

So, my next question….does God’s love hurt? Or better yet, not all the time, but CAN God’s love hurt? After all, God’s love is way different than ours.
Your turn….
Joy

“Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these things?
HE who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name.”
Isaiah 40:26

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

So, my idea with these “Story Behind the Song” blogs is to just go straight through the list on the album. That would make “Faith Dont Fail” next in line, but seeing as how Ive already posted the story behind it in an earlier blog, I wanted to give you guys something new. Now, “Colors” isnt on the album, but I really identify with this song all too often, and I believe others do as well.

One of the many mysterious things about God is His silence. And oh how it seems to come at the worst possible times in my life…like today. Honestly, today has been a really rough day, and God’s silence seems to be louder than His voice ever has…as it was at the time that I wrote this song. The question is…is God really silent? Or like the song says, is it the loudness of all the other voices that His gets drowned out? I dont have the answer. Thats why the song doesnt have an answer either. I still dont fully understand when God gets quiet. Does it make me doubt His love? Honestly, it has in the past. We’ve all doubted God. But I know the Lord’s nature. I know our Heavenly Father loves us more than we will ever know. After all, the Bible says that Jesus is an exact representation of the Father. The word exact leaves no room for error. It means exact….like.. the two are one….exactly the same. Jesus came to show us His Father’s nature. So, we know that God loves us, but yet at times may choose to remain silent.

Would anyone like to shed some light on this subject? I think it is very important for us as followers of Jesus to understand the quiet times. So who would like to take a stab at it?

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Hey friends!
We are gonna start a series called “Story Behind the Song”. Every Tuesday, we will post a new blog that tells the story of a song from the album. Today is Tuesday you say? Well lets get started then!

“Cost of Being Free” was the second song I wrote after coming to know Christ. I can remember that song coming to me so easily. It basically wrote itself. I was so amazed that God had showed me that I was a new creation…that everything I had ever done had been cast into the sea. After asking for His forgiveness, He had promised to never hold those things against me. Its kind of a before and after song…who I was before, contrasted with who I am today.

That was an easy one, wasnt it? This song is probably the most light hearted song on the album. In the weeks to come though, we will get into subjects such as sin, betrayal, sorrows, the end of time, dead saints, running from God (as if!), and so on. So, hope to see you back here next week. As always, thank you for reading.
Joy

I just want to take this day to honor, if only by words, all of our Veterans and active duty military. They have done more for this country than any human leader, any human government. Other than God, they are our protectors and they receive the least credit. Here in America we honor athletes and scholars and celebrities, all of whom were given their talents by God. But rarely, in the eyes of the people, are the true heroes held in the same regard. It is character and integrity and selflessness that should be prized in our culture and in our world. Not talent. 

My grandfather served in WWII. He later gave his life to Christ and became a minister. He is still alive today. I have included pictures of him way back when in the 1940’s. He is a man of character, integrity, selflessness….and a man of God. And that is a hero.
Thank you, Veterans, for giving so much.
Joy

So, how do you great Americans feel on the day after our historic election? And even all of you who live abroad. Did you watch the coverage yesterday? Me…..I was pretty much glued to either the TV or the AM radio.

I spoke with a young lady named Rachel who lives in the UK and she said that even there it was a huge deal! Everyone, everywhere, I do believe had their eye on our country….to behold the outcome that, in my opinion, was quite obvious. I do know, without a doubt, that it was God who appointed our new President, to serve His purposes. Not ours.
So, what are your thoughts?
Joy

I first heard of this poet many Sundays ago at church. Her name is Amy Carmichael. She has long since passed from this world, but her words still remain in a powerful way. This is one of my favorite poems thus far.
Joy

NO SCAR?

Hast thou no scar?
No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand?
I hear thee sung as mighty in the land;
I hear them hail thy bright, ascendant star.
Hast thou no scar?

Hast thou no wound?
Yet I was wounded by the archers; spent,
Leaned Me against a tree to die; and rent
By ravening beasts that compassed Me, I swooned.
Hast thou no wound?

No wound? No scar?
Yet, as the Master shall the servant be,
And piercèd are the feet that follow Me.
But thine are whole; can he have followed far
Who hast no wound or scar?

Do you have a favorite poet?

My niece, Grace, had a program last night at her school. During the program, we were asked to stand for the pledge of allegiance. Obviously, being 28 years old, I have said the pledge many times throughout my life, but, admittedly, it has been a while since doing so.

So, there I was in the church auditorium with a huge cross hanging on the wall in front of me (Grace and Isaiah both go to a Christian school). I stood up, placed my hand upon my heart, and recited the century old words that I have said many, many times. But something was different last night. In spite of what is going on in our country and in our world, I was proud. I was proud to be an American. I was proud to be a Christian. Seeing the flag held with the cross behind and overshadowing it, was a profound and sobering moment for me. God made this country free. Lives were sacrificed to bring about that freedom, but it was ultimately God who gave us the victory in the many wars that have been fought to maintain our freedom. God gave us freedom from sin and death with the sacrifice of His Son, and He gave us freedom from tyranny and dictatorship with the sacrifice of men and women throughout the years.

I guess that makes me a patriot. I love my country. I love my God. I want to see this country be great again. I want it to return to the principles of our founding fathers. They knew that to be a great country meant keeping God first and seeking His counsel. Honestly, I don’t know what God has planned for the USA. For those of you who read the the Bible thoroughly…you know what’s coming, and I don’t know what part our country will play in all of that. Ultimately, at the end of all of this, there will be no divide. There will be no Russians. No Americans. No Arabs. No Mexicans. We will all be citizens of Heaven. And there we will know what true freedom is.

I would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks for reading.
Joy

P.S. Did you know that the original pledge of allegiance was written in 1892 and did not contain the words “under God’? The words “under God” were actually added in 1954.
Guess who added those 2 words……Congress.