Story Behind a Song

Each week, I expectantly await the arrival of the set list of songs for the weekend services. We have gotten into the habit of looking up the history and stories behind some of the songs on the list. Even more powerful than the song itself, is the story behind the song…the story of how God brought a song about.

This hit me so strong this morning. Last night, a reunion with friends happened. We shared and relived the stories of our January Mission’s trip to the Dominican Republic. The Lord is so personal and taught us each a lesson unique to the season we are walking through with Him. He is good.

But the January trip isn’t the week pressing on my heart and mind…it was the trip at the beginning of this month that would change me forever…for the better.

The Lord gave me a song. And if I have to sing it daily, just so people can experience the story behind it…or sing it to remind myself of the Joy of the Lord and to relive the passion felt in the presence of Jesus so thick…then Jesus, please give me the voice to sing it.

What follows, is my testimony of our week, that I had written directly following the trip…the story of my song….

The Lord revealed Himself so real to me this week. I have never experienced Him so wholly and fully. I have tasted of the Lord and He is good. (Psalm 34)

When I went to the DR last month, I talked about how God was challenging me to put into action everything that I say that I know that I know that I know. He was telling me to stop using excuses, to stop adding “buts” to the end of my…”I believe and know…but…” sentences. He didn’t let up on the challenge this trip.

I was nervous about going with adults. I have been on youth trips and with those my own age…but adults? I had all the wrong expectations that this group would be boring, go to sleep too early, and spend too much time focused on the to-do lists rather than the adventure at hand. I love when God proves me wrong. I have never laughed so hard in my life. These people were goofballs. I loved each member of the group and what they contributed. We had so much fun, ate way too much ice cream, laughed about being soaked in the pouring rain, and cried together in devotions.

In the village, I spent so much time just visiting with people…sitting and talking. So often, we use the quote, share the gospel and use words only when necessary. As much as I agree with this and full-heartedly agree that we need to live it out, need to be like Jesus, need to love like He did and be imitators of Christ (Ephesians 5)…we also need to stop using this as an excuse for never opening our mouths. There is a time to speak. We need to be bolder in sharing the good news. It is necessary to speak words, and tell people of Jesus love, to share with people the joy of the Lord, to share our stories of His faithfulness. Having gone four times to the Dominican Republic, I am no longer satisfied with just tossing a ball back and forth. I love these people. I want to know their hearts and encourage them…speaking has become necessary. So, I broke out my Spanish dictionary (probably sounded like a baby trying to speak their language) and it brought me so much closer to so many. Loving on the little ones, walking, singing and hanging out with the Pastor’s daughters, holding babies…I fell in love all over again with these sweet energetic kids. I loved running and being crazy with them and just letting go.

Now let me share just how much God worked through this week and intertwined every detail of life together…

The verses God places on my heart leading up to the trip are so important…because God always shows Himself and reveals a lesson…there’s always a reason behind what He does…

I was stuck in Psalm 46…to be still and recognize that He is God. When we stop and look up and fully rest in this…there is no option other than surrender. To be still…put away the cell phones, Facebook, Instagram…give Him every attention…He fills…and He is the only One who can. He is so powerful. These verses were so stuck in me that a song came about…this song God gave me, would be more needed than I knew.

Psalm 46 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride…God is in the midst…Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in all the earth.’ The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.”

The night before we left, I felt the familiar fear rising to the surface and creeping to take control…I was encouraged to read Isaiah 40. I am encouraging you to read this whole chapter! It is full of such comfort. The Word of God stands “firm and forever”. His promises cannot run dry. They have no end. His Word is truth. No one is like our God. His power. His creativity. He calls the stars out to shine and knows each by name. The greatness of our God is beyond what we can even begin to imagine. He makes a way, when there seems to be no way. He lasts. And He offers this strength to us. He doesn’t grow weary or faint.

Isaiah 40…I sat in it all night, the whole ride up to the airport, in the airport…then I clicked on my Bible app and the verse of the day was Isaiah 40…

It wasn’t a coincidence.

“Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.”

What a promise! He will carry us. This was all I needed to cling to, to have the confidence to walk onto the airplane.

All week, we talked about the power of prayer and how we need to be in constant communication with God. We talked about getting ourselves out of the way. We prayed, not our will but Yours Lord and we will follow. We talked about leaving our comfort zones and taking a step out into the water and trusting God.

“I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back”.

We sang songs of surrender and the might of God.

Then the story of the storm…how much time we spent here in this passage…

Mark 4:35-41 Read it.

“…And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. Jesus himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’ And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Hush be still.’ And He said to them, ‘Why are You afraid? Do you still have no faith?”…

So here we are. Getting ready to leave a beautiful week of serving the Lord. It is easy in our human brains to assume that the Lord would just know how physically exhausted we all were. He knew that we were all feeling a bit achy about the trip home, we just wanted to get the travels over with…it would be comfortable right?

You may have heard that the flight to Miami was bumpy…that is the biggest UNDERSTATEMENT ever to have existed.

It is now the first thing that people ask me about…”heard the flight was bad?” Yes…it was. It was actually the worst possible scenario for me. Being in an airplane during a severe storm is actually a nightmare that I have had…and it became very much a reality.

But I don’t want people to hear about the details of the actual ride—hear this—GOD IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS. I cannot help but become overwhelmed with tears and the goodness of the Lord when I think back to sitting on that terrifying flight.

I have never been in a situation where there has been complete chaos and fear. When the plane dropped and all people screamed…my first thought was panic…and I’m thankful that emotions themselves are not sin…this was my worst fear happening. But what would I do with this fear arising?

My next thought…if the absolute worst thing that could happen to me is death…what in this world do I have to fear? Death isn’t defeat…it isn’t my end…I’ll be with my Savior.

That thought was all I needed…I was Peter, taking step out of the boat into troubled waters…I believed. I remembered my song…”we will not fear, though the mountains shake, though the earth will change, when all hope seems lost and the winds are raging—His love stays the same” This song was from God. This is ALL God.

I remembered songs we sing week after week…they weren’t just lyrics—they were the next breath I needed to breathe in God. “Trouble surrounding, chaos abounding, my soul will rest in YOU…I will not fear the storm, my help is on the way!”

To have been able to give encouragement to those anxious around me…to point to the Word of God and say a definite and firm “NO. We will claim victory in this because we claim Jesus. This is truth. We will believe in His promises that will never fade—Isaiah 40. He is God.”—that is ALL God. We can do nothing without God—but connected to the Vine—we were able to be a light in the storm (John 15)…we are members of The Lighthouse Church—shouldn’t we be the ones that shine real hope brightly through a storm!!

I gave off the starting note…“LORD OF ALL THE EARTH WE SHOUT YOUR NAME—FILLING UP THE SKIES WITH ENDLESS PRAISE!” then…I was violently ill for the rest of the journey. But nothing brings me more joy…real joy…than remembering the sweet voices of our group filling up the skies with “endless praise”. It was the storm in Mark coming to life, would we grow faint-hearted or would we believe in the power of our Jesus who can calm the storm with just a single word. Worship invites God in…and our group worshipped, sang and prayed from their innermost being.

Lord! Help us to always believe and always worship You with such intensity. I’m beyond thankful that the Lord grew us. We talked all week on the power of prayer and He forced us to put our words into action. Christianity is never a spectator sport…He will call you to act.

I’m thankful. He is always at work—Join Him!

…So we come home, and what do we do now…we continue to stay mission-minded, we continue to be driven by the purpose and task He has given us…to love, be love, and to seek and serve the Lord. To bring Him honor and glory and worship in every act, circumstance and situation—whether it’s an ordinary day or an extra-ordinary experience. But you have to know Truth. You have to memorize scripture. You have to have His words hidden in your heart. To know His word only draws you closer to knowing Him.

So…go…and show them Jesus.

Sing the song He gives You…the song of His faithfulness…always.