Worship Wednesday: Passionate Worship

This video literally gave me chills all over when I watched it yesterday. I have heard all kinds of talented singers sing this song, but somehow this little boy's version affected me in such a powerful way. It reminded me of my freshman year in college, when I traveled with my choir to Brazil during Spring Break. We toured Rio de Janeiro singing songs of praise to God. We visited churches, schools, and favelas spreading the gospel in song...and what did we find in those places? We found a people that were greatly affected by music, a people that were moved to worship passionately in song and dance!! A people that opened their arms and their hearts to us! I've never really seen or heard anything like it here in the United States.

Why did Brazil affect me so? Why did I find these people so amazing? What was it that made me never want to leave? Maybe, it was because I could feel the joy radiating from their faces, contagiously seeping from their spirits! Maybe, it was because many of them had so little, yet worshipped so passionately!! Maybe it was because they knew something that I needed to learn...that God is great and mighty and all-powerful, and with Him in our hearts, we can handle anything that comes our way with JOY and VICTORY in our spirits!

Little Jotta brought me back to a time when I experienced worship like never before, a time when God was transforming my life in AMAZING ways. It was the summer after my freshman year that I realized my call to ministry. It was that summer that I learned to worship freely! Over the years, I have forgotten what it felt like to follow God so passionately. I do love Him and worship Him, but life has distracted me from loving and worshipping Him passionately. It is time for me to narrow my vision and turn my eyes upon Jesus alone. It is time for me to get back to passionate worship. Thank you, Jotta, for that reminder!

I pray that my heart will burn with His love, my soul overflow with His joy, and my voice rise to praise Him with wholehearted passion!!

Revelations 3:14-16 NLT

 ¹⁴ “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning^[e] of God’s new creation:

 ¹⁵ “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! ¹⁶ But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!

Deuteronomy 6:4-6 NLT

 ⁴ “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.^{[a] 5} And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. ⁶ And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.

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Ministry Monday & The Sunday Sermon Review: The Importance of Recieving

There is nothing that is more overlooked by ministers than the importance of being ministered to. I know this because I am a minister and I have many family and friends in ministry as well. We often give and give until we are past empty. We pour out our hearts on Sundays, Wednesdays and other days of the week, and keep ourselves so busy that we don't have much time to be ministered to...to be poured into.

I have been running on fumes for a long time, and I am intimately acquainted with burn-out! Trying to pour into people, when you feel completely empty is not a good feeling! Receiving criticism rather than encouragement makes it even harder. This is why ministers must immerse themselves in times of personal worship and devotion. Without that time, we can not continue to minister to others without the overwhelming feeling of doing ministry out of our own strength instead of God's strength. And let's face reality...ministry in our own strength is completely worthless!!

Sunday morning, our pastor preached a sermon called the "Foolishness of the Gospel." In that sermon, he talked about God using the weak, the broken, and the empty. As part of the sermon, he read the story of the Widow's Olive Oil in 2 Kings 4:

  ¹ The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the LORD. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.”

 ² Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?”
   “Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”

 ³ Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. ⁴ Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.”

 ⁵ She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. ⁶ When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.”
   But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing.

 ⁷ She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”

In this story, the widow was at her witts end, and what did she do? She cried out to the man of God for help. She had almost nothing left, but because she cried out, obeyed the instructions of the man of God, and believed, God multiplied what she had. In the same way, as ministers we give and give until we have nothing left, but when we make time to cry out to God, listen for His guidance and instructions, and worship Him as our faithful, trustworthy God, we will always have plenty of energy and strength left to minister to others and make it through our day with JOY! This is how we are effective in ministry; we allow God to pour into us on a regular basis through personal times of prayer and worship, not just in corporate worship or when we are studying and preparing to minister to others!

When it comes to this point, I am most definitely preaching to the choir. I am the worst at letting my personal worship and prayer time slide because I am doing ministry. I pour out my soul till it is dry, forgetting to go to that well of living water for a refill. The supply is always there, but we have to recieve it...we have to go after it!

This weekend, I was ministered to in an awesome way. I had been through a long tough week, and my soul was in need of a refill. I needed so badly to sit back and worship without having to be the one leading. Don't get me wrong...I love leading worship! However, week after week of planning and organizing a worship service, leading the choir and congregation, being scrutinized and criticized, and yet pouring out my soul every Sunday, leaves me empty and longing to be filled. So, it was an incredible experience for me to be able to attend the premiere of "Fear Not Tomorrow: The Worship Experience," a musical worship service with all new original songs based off of Ruth Graham's book, "Fear Not Tomorrow: God is Already There."

Sunday was my birthday, so I took the evening off from ministering at my own church. My mom came in from out of town, and we had lunch and went to the worship service together. It was so crowded that we almost decided to turn around and go back to my church, but my soul was longing to stay. God has drawn me there to do a work in me. So, we found ourselves a seat on the stairs in the balcony of the church. It wasn't comfortable, but I was determined to stay. I thank the Lord that I did!

By the second song, my eyes were filling wih tears, and by the fourth song the tears would not stop flowing. In the end, all I could do was raise my hands up and sing through my tears.

 Ruth Graham talked about being "undone," a state in which we are numb to God's love and protection...a place where we are blinded by our circumstances and overwhelmed by confusion and fear of the future. I have been there, and in many ways, I am still in that state. The journey that I am on is a journey to healing. Why would God chose to use me in my state of brokeness and fear? I don't know the answer to that question. But I do know that he works in mysterious ways, and that He has a greater plan that I can not see right now! I was reminded Sunday night of His all-knowing and always loving character!

Here are a few of the lyrics that touched me deep within my soul and became the cry of my heart:

You are a God who's always reaching
The hope that we are seeking
A God who will not change

You are a love that's so amazing
Joy that never ends, faithful friend
You are, you are
                               ~ You Are

His arms always open
They're aching to hold
The bounties of Heaven
Are waiting to flow
Let go what restrains you
Let God fill your soul
You don't know tomorrow
But you know who's in control!

                           ~ Fear Not Tomorrow

Trembling with fear
Eyes filled with tears
Afraid to take one single step
Blinded by pain
With nothing to gain
Dreading the unknown ahead

At the end of all of me 
He proves Himself to be

In my place of undone
I find He is the One
No shadow of turning away
My beloved He gently holding me
The breath that will sustain
In my place of undone
                                    ~ Undone

 The "Fear Not Tomorrow" worship experience was truly a comfort and a blessing to me, and one of the best parts was getting to share it with my mom and getting to talk to her and spend some time with her. She lives 1.5 hours away, and with my very busy schedule, I don't get to see her or talk to her often. We didn't always have the kind of relationship that we have now, and I feel so blessed that we are now able to share with each other and pray with each other. It was such a big blessing to have her with me. She is always encouraging me to worship and pray with freedom and honesty. Our relationship has come a long way, and we have both grown and matured so much spiritually. Along the journey, I have come to appreciate her love, her support, her prayers and her encouragement. She truly ministered to me this weekend, as did the worship service!

My problems haven't been solved, and there was not one easy step to freedom of fear and wholeness of spirit. However, I feel a little bit lighter today. I feel less focused on what's ahead and more focused on seeking God, here and now, to fill me up so that I can pour myself out to those that I minister to each week.

I now have the book, Fear Not Tomorrow, God Is Already There, and the CD of the original worship songs. I started reading the book today, and I hope to telling you more about it and what I am learning from it as I go along. Right now, I can feel that God is going to use it (along with my study of His word) to do tremendous things in my life. I have already been ministered to today, by both the book and the CD!

Traveling Fun and Photos Part 1

As promised, I am sharing with you some photos and fun from our Fifth Anniversary Trip.

Warning: This will be a rather long post with lots and lots of pictures!!

Mr. The King & King's Queen:
On our way to Chester, SC

Sometimes it is so nice just to get away for little while...to go someplace new with the one you love. It also doesn't hurt to have a long car ride to communicate with one another. We have had lots of meaningful conversations in the car...we have also had lots of arguments in the car and worked through many of our issues in the car! This time around there was some serious talk, but mostly just fun and laughter....oh yeah...and loud singing too! 

One of the CDs that we listened to over and over again on this trip was the Glory Revealed 2 CD. It has some great tunes on it, and it is one album that the two of us can agree on. We call it great road trip music!

It doesn't get any better than this! We love the scripture based songs and the great rootsy sound! 

Here is Mr. The King's favorite song from the album:

How Great

As soon as we hit the road, I could feel myself begin to relax. When the music is cranked up and there's a long road winding before your eyes, you can just feel the stress leaving your body! It is such an adventure to take to the road and head to a place that you have never been before, and we both needed a little adventure to help us shake off the cares of life and break us free from our endless busyness and mundane routine!

I felt more joy on this journey than I had felt in a long long time! I can't remember the last time I felt happy and carefree like that! It was a welcome change...so refreshing!

The town of Chester is a sleepy little town in central South Carolina that is rich in history and located near several large cities with a multitude of attractions. The Bed & Breakfast, where we stayed, was a beautiful Victorian style house surrounded by Magnolia trees and appropriately named

The Magnolia Inn.

We had never stayed at a Bed & Breakfast before, and we felt so spoiled!

The room was beautiful and comfortable, and the food was delicious.

On the afternoon that we arrived in Chester, we checked in to the Inn and then drove into the city of Rock Hill, which is only 30 min. away. There are lots of shopping and restaurants in Rock Hill, but the reason we went there was to visit the beautiful Glencairn Garden. It was such a picturesque spot, and we enjoyed perusing through the garden for a couple of hours, taking picture and marveling at the beauty of nature.

My darling husband was so patient as I took tons of pictures all around the garden grounds! He even  pointed out some interesting things for me to photograph, like this little guy!

 

 

We affectionately called him, Leo. After the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, Leonardo. This was Mr. The King's doing!!

 

I was quite amused as Mr. The King shouted, "Hurry! Come take a picture of this little turtle!" 

I laughed and said, "He's a turtle for crying out loud...he's not going anywhere fast! Let me photograph this dragonfly before I chase the turtle! Haha!"

Mr. The King even got creative with a few shots himself, and then he stopped to pose for me! 

 The next morning, we headed out to someplace very very exciting...

In Columbia, SC

It was a very interactive zoo, and I had the most fun that I have had in a very long time. I know what you're thinking...I'm an odd one to love the zoo like I do, but I don't care!! I loved every minute of it, especially feeding my favorite animal...

The Giraffe

I love Giraffes !!

Well, since this post is getting rather long, I think I will close for now and make this Part 1 of the Traveling Fun and Photos...
Stay tuned this weekend for Part 2!!

To Be Continued...

Wednesday's Wonder

If you read your Bible or pray because you knows it is the right thing to do, rather than a spiritual desire in your heart at the time... Does it still honor God or are we just going through a ritualistic motion much like the Pharisees?

I'm sure the Cross was not what Jesus wanted after all he prayed for the cup to pass from him in the garden, however he disciplined himself to please the Father and be about the Father's Will. I, therefore, believe that if we spend time with God in scriptures and prayer when we don't feel like it but show God a discipline and dedication to draw close to Him we honor God even more than we do in the times when we yearn for the closeness.

What are your thoughts on this Wednesday's WONDER ???

The Tuesday Talk About

Today I want to Talk about Heaven. The King's Queen and I differ on the emphasis on Heaven. She knows about Heaven and knows that she will one day be there, but when it comes to me... I find myself consumed by the thought of Heaven. Most of my favorite songs talk about heaven or at least have a heavenly theme. It is not that I have a death wish and want to die... or is it??? Let me clarify I AM NOT SUICIDAL!!! No! This is an internal battle that many people are faced with. The most well know person who battled with this was Paul. Yes! Paul had and internal battle raging within his soul. What is better, to be here on Earth being about the Father's business or being in the presence of God in Heaven.

(Philippians 1:21-26) For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.

Paul is hard pressed between the same two choices that plague me. This world offers pain, heart ache and disappointment while Heaven offers permanent healing, joy and peace... what will I choose??? How about both. I'll keep one eye toward the eastern sky ready for my turn to go home while the other eye is focused on completing the mission while I'm here. I've heard it put this way don't be too heavenly minded that you are no earthly good. I asked the King's Queen what she thought about heaven and she said "I don't think about it really. I think about the here and now." Maybe my wife is more like Paul than I am but I just can't stop thinking about it. It's kind of like when we go on a hike she wants to stop and take pictures along the way while I am in a hurry to complete the hike. Her joy comes from the journey while my joy comes from the accomplishment of the task. Hiking to me is being able to mark another trail off so I can earn the claim of I have hiked all the trails in the park. (This is one of my Life Goals hiking all 900 miles of trails in a National Park near my house). The result from our hike called life is Heaven and within is our reward for living the life of faith. I want to go Home... and it is with sadness that I admit that it is not my time yet. Jesus said "I go to prepare a place for you..." If that place was ready I would be there, so I hope I can take a lesson from my wife... Take pictures along the trail and enjoy God's beauty on Earth because Heaven is worth the wait. Paul continued on with life as will I, seeking his will for my life on earth while I remain watchful for that wonderful moment for me to go home. Below I have included a list of some of my favorite songs.

I Can Only Imagine - Mercy Me

And Your Praise Goes On - Chris Rice

All My Tears -Jars of Clay

Changing Neighborhoods - Big Daddy Weave

Spoken For - Mercy Me

Deep Enough To Dream - Chris Rice

Homesick - Mercy Me

In the Sky - Three Bridges

If You Could Just See Me Now - Brad Lee

The Ministry Of Being A Husband

The largest thing that shapes our definition of a husband normally is the examples we have seen as we grew up. For those of us who grew up with a Christian backgrounds we understand that being a husband is a biblical concept, but have you ever thought that being a husband is a ministry in itself? This ministry is to be a leader.

Ephesians 5:²³ For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.

To be the head is also seen as being out front or simply a "LEADER". To see this word leader associated with husband can be a little unnerving. We want the company of our wives but would rather not take the responsibilities that come with being their leader. Add to that our societies suppression of women and it at times even seems fair to allow the wife to lead and make decisions. However this does not align with the biblical explanation of what a husband is to be.

 

^{Ephesians 5:25} Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, ²⁶ that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷ that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. ²⁸ So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.

Being a husband is a high calling. A ministry that asks each man to Lead, Love, Cherish, Protect and sacrifice. While I can honestly say that I meet most of these elements especially "cherish" I fail miserably when it comes to being the spiritual leader that God calls me to be. Men if you truly desire to be a husband according to God, you must lead your wife in a walk with God. And no... driving her to church on Sunday is not good enough. We can tell ourselves that since we work a job and fix things on the house and car we show our love. When what our wives are really needing is a friend to lead her, to be strong for her, to support her and be her spiritual guide and most of all show her love forgetting about ourselves. If we can understand our wives need for these things and fight for them in all things, maybe then the house we have built together can be a home of love. This has been a burden on my heart ever since I heard the Sanctus Real song Lead Me. As the song states men, if we try this on our own we will once again fail so let us privately seek God's definition of a husband so we can openly love our wives in the manner that God intended.

Ministry Monday: The Billy Graham Library

Recently, Mr. The King and I had the opportunity to visit the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, NC. It was the last day of our vacation, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to go to the library or not. I felt bad because most of our trip was spent doing things that interested me, and I want my hubby to get to do something that he was interested in (libraries and museums and such are not his thing). However, he insisted that we go to the Billy Graham Library. He felt that I would regret it if we didn't go, since I had been talking about going there for months. I am so glad that he was so thoughtful and willing to sacrifice, because the Billy Graham Library turned out to be an amazing experience for both of us.



The Billy Graham Library
Photo by King's Queen


From the outside, the library and surrounding prayer garden takes your breath away. It is such a beautiful place! I could have spent hours walking the grounds, taking pictures, and reveling in the peace that permeates the air! You can feel the spirit of God there, as if you have entered a sanctuary...a place of spiritual rest.



Photo by King's Queen

 I wasn't sure what to expect inside the library, but what I found was an inspiring story of faith, courage, perserverance, and hope. It wasn't a place to pay homeage to Billy Graham, the Great Evangelist and Missionary. Instead, it was a place that told a story of how God can use the ordinary to do His extraordinary work. It was a place that spoke of hope for all mankind through the message of redemption.

This is what the library's website has to say about it's history and purpose:

History of the Library

“An ongoing Crusade ...”

Until the vision for the Billy Graham Library was explained in these terms, Billy Graham was against the idea of a library bearing his name, so adamant was he against anything that would detract from the message he has preached for more than 60 years—a message that points to Christ alone as the way to God and away from any human strategy or effort to gain salvation.

When the concept of the Library was described to Mr. Graham as a “Crusade” that would continue for generations to come, he reconsidered. “When it was presented as an ongoing ministry and that people would have the opportunity to be won to Christ, I changed my mind,” he said.

In line with Mr. Graham’s wishes, the Library’s core experience is the Gospel and the transforming power it has on a life that says yes to Jesus Christ.

Built on the same property as the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, right off of Billy Graham Parkway in Charlotte, N.C., the Library is organized around the themes of “The Man,” “The Ministry,” “The Message,” and “The Mission” with the message being pre-eminent: the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The ministry is taking that message to the ends of the earth. The Journey of Faith focuses on what God did in the life of a young farm boy who grew up in rural North Carolina, committed his life to Jesus Christ at a local revival and, through God’s grace manifested in him, became what many consider “America’s pastor” and evangelist to the world.

Reminiscent of Billy Graham’s upbringing on a dairy farm on the outskirts of Charlotte, the Library building is styled after a dairy barn, and his boyhood home has been restored a short walk from the main Library building. The entrance to the Library is in the shape of a cross, a visual reminder to visitors that it is only through the Cross of Christ that we can be reconciled to God.

The Highlights of the Visit

For me, the highlights of the visit were the meaningful quotes and scriptures that covered the walls, as well as the media presentations that featured Billy Graham answering hard questions of faith and giving meaningful messages of hope! It was also very special to get a glimpse of Billy's relationship with his late wife, Ruth Bell Graham. He honored and respected her as his faithful partner in ministry and as his main spiritual advisor. They had a love and respect for each other that was so admirable and inspiring, that it touched me and moved me to ask God to help me develop that kind of deep spiritual relationship with my husband!

I also found it both ironic and inspiring that Billy Graham got his start in radio ministry! It is encouraging for me to think that the little radio program that my husband and I started 2 years ago, could be the beginning of a greater calling that God has on our lives. I pray that we will let the Lord guide our life and our ministry according to His purpose and plan, just as Billy and Ruth did. 

The thing that probably moved me the most at the Billy Graham Library was visiting Ruth Bell Graham's grave in the Memorial Prayer Garden. I can't think of a more beautiful place to be buried! The garden was so lovely and peaceful that I didn't want to leave, and the inscription on Mrs. Graham's grave was such a comfort and inspiration to me.

I dare say that there is not one us who can not relate to that feeling of being permenantly under construction! Mrs. Graham understood that life for each of us is a journey of redemption and transformation. She understood that our human nature would hold us back from completion and perfection, and she looked forward to the day that God would finish His work in her. However, she also took joy in the journey and lived her life with the hope and expectation of wonderful things to come. What a legacy!

Time Keeps Ticking Away

Time doesn't stop for any of us. It keeps ticking on, no matter what we do! This week, I have come to the realization that my biggest downfall is letting time get away from me. It seems I have always had a problem with this. The moments fly by, and I am still just trying to catch up!

I apologize for not posting all of the posts that I promised this week. It seems like once you get back from vacation and reality sets in again, there is never enough time to get everything done. I've been a bit overwhelmed actually. My house is a mess and I am too. Once again, I realize how much I need change! On vacation, I felt like my old self again for little while, but back in my daily routine, I'm that stressed out burnt out wreck of person that I don't want to be anymore. I'm learning to cope and deal with it all, but I still have so far to go...and something HAS TO CHANGE. Only God knows how to work out the details, and I am trying to trust in His timing. As I said before...I'm not good with time.

Please be patient with me. I will eventually share with you all that I want to share. It will just take some time...a commodity that is becoming increasingly more precious and rare to me every day.

Worship Wednesday: Songs of Surrender...Our Vow Renewal Worship Time

As I will mention later this week in the Fabulous Friday post, Mr. The King and I celebrated the milestone of 5 years of marriage on Friday, August  12. My hubby came to me a few months before with the idea that we renew our vows on this milestone anniversary. For months, I could not come up with any ideas for this celebration and ceremony. It was really discouraging. Life was dragging me down, and honestly, I just wanted to forget the whole idea. It seemed like too much trouble when added to all the other things I had to do. So, there I was, a week before the vow renewal, with nothing but a dress that I had bought a couple months before. The other details were just vague ideas. We talked about canceling the whole thing and just going on the vacation that we had planned for afterwards. However, on Friday night, a week before the ceremony, God spoke to my heart and all of the details started to fall into place. He told me to make the ceremony an opportunity to praise Him for all that He has done for us, as well as a time to let go of all the suffering and hurt that we have experienced and recommit our lives to Him, allowing Him to make us new.

After hearing from God on this matter, I recieved a new excitement regarding our vow renewal service. I knew that we wanted and needed worship to be an intregal part of the ceremony. In fact, I felt like the whole service should be a time of worship. Throughout that week before the ceremony, certain songs began to stand out to me. They were songs of worship, and songs that were reflective of where we are on our journey. Today, I want to share theses songs with you.

Never Let Go

by David Crowder Band

I couldn't help but cry as I sang this song with my brother at the vow renewal ceremony. This song is so descriptive of where Mr. The King and I have been in our marriage and our life in general for the past couple of years. When we had felt like giving up, God never let go of us! He continue to show us what perfect love really is. How beautiful is that! How wonderful and appropriate it was to worship Him with this song as we renewed our vows to one another.



Agnus Dei

by Michael W. Smith

More than anything, we need to realize the our Lord God Almighty reigns! This realization will help us through the toughest times in our lives. How lovely it was to acknowledge this in the company of our some of our friends and family!

Be Thou My Vision

Traditional Irish Hymn

arrangement by Selah

This song is absolutely my favorite hymn! Oh, how we need Him to be our vision! We need Him to be all we see, and we need Him to guide us and strengthen us for the fight! I know that in my busy stressful life, I need "God Vision" more than ever! I need it to permeate my ministry, my relationships and my everyday routine!

  I also love this hymn because it is a traditional Irish hymn that brings me back to my roots. My maiden name was Murphy, and my ancestors were Irish immigrants living in the Applachian mountain region. I know that there is alot to be learned from our ancestors. We shouldn't dwell on the past, but we should allow the Lord to teach us through our past and through the testimony of those who came before us. It is always important to remember who we are and where we came from. This will keep our identity secure from Satan's grasp, as well as cultivate an attitude of grattitude with us.

Lead Me

by Sanctus Real

This song was the one song that Mr. The King insisted on including in our ceremony. He requested that my brother play and sing this song after he gave me His personal vows. I won't say much about this song right now, because I have asked Mr. The King to share how this song has inspired him, so he will post about it later this week. However, I will say that need the Lord to lead us, and I pray that I will let that be the cry of my heart everyday for the rest of my life.

The Potter's Hand

by Darlene Zschech

 

I have loved this song since the first time I heard it. As a teenager, I read Jeremiah 18, and the image of the potter and the clay really stuck with me. This song was my personal prayer of surrender to the Lord as we renewed our vows on Friday. I know that, without this surrender, renewal and change can not happen in my life. How wonderful it is that both Mr. The King and I chose songs for our ceremony that talk of surrender and the Lord's guidance! It was truly beautiful to worship the Lord together with some of our friends and family. It was so meaningful to incorporate worship into our renewal ceremony. The whole service revolved around worshipping and honoring Him, and I know that there was no better way for us to celebrate our 5 years of marriage!

 

Doxology

To end the ceremony, I lead everyone in singing the doxology as the benediction. I always love to sing hymns accapella with a congregation. It is such a beautiful sound as voices rise in unity! I have recorded a simple video of me singing the doxology to share with you today.

King Family Update

You may have noticed that we haven't updated this blog in almost a week. It has been such a whirlwind of a week. Mr. The King and I have been very busy and a lot has been happening. We have experienced new progress in our ministries, and we have celebrated our 5th Wedding Anniversary with a renewal of the promises that we made in 2006.

Four the last 4 days, we have spent some time away being renewed and restored. During this "retreat" of ours, the Lord spoke to us in many ways. So, for the next week, we will be sharing with you about our trip, the new insight we have gained into our life and ministry, and our renewed commitment to one another.

Here is what you can look forward to on our blog for the next week:

 Tomorrow - Worship Wednesday: Songs of Surrender...Our Vow Renewal Worship Time

Thursday - Traveling Fun and Photos

Friday - Feeling Fabulous Friday: Five Year Renewal

Saturday - Random Bits and Pieces from the Kings' Retreat

Sunday - Sunday Sermon Review: Testimonies

Monday - Ministry Monday: The Billy Graham Library & Road Trip Revelations

Tuesday - May I Introduce...Our New Blogging Venture

So, stay tuned for photos, updates and insights...and the reveal of a new blog

Worship Wednesday: I Still Believe in Him

I heard a song on the radio this morning that I have heard many times before, but this time the words caught my attention. I really listened to this song for the first time. It was so expressive of what I have gone through lately, and it truly said what I have wanted to say to the Lord. Although it is not a typical worship song, this song is my worship today. So, on this Worship Wednesday, I will let this song speak for me...

The Redeemer

by Sanctus Real 

Scripture to Ponder in Worship Today 

 ²² “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take a branch from the top of a tall cedar, and I will plant it on the top of Israel’s highest mountain. ²³ It will become a majestic cedar, sending forth its branches and producing seed. Birds of every sort will nest in it, finding shelter in the shade of its branches. ²⁴ And all the trees will know that it is I, the Lord, who cuts the tall tree down and makes the short tree grow tall. It is I who makes the green tree wither and gives the dead tree new life. I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do what I said!”

Ezekiel 17: 23-24 NLT

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

1 Peter 5:8-10 NIV 

 Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. He said,

 “I came naked from my mother’s womb,
      and I will be naked when I leave.   

The Lord gave me what I had,
      and the Lord has taken it away.
   Praise the name of the Lord!”

Job 1:20-21 NLT

Feeling Fabulous Friday: Roller Coaster Ride

It seems like life for me lately has been a real roller coaster ride. I know that we all go through peaks and valleys in our life, and that is perfectly normal. However, what I am talking about is the hopeful, thrilling and joyful highs of life...followed by the sudden, swift and frightening decent into the pit of despair. There have been so many emotions swirling around inside of me in the last couple of months, that I could be my own theme park! It's quite exhausting to live that way, but I will take the roller coaster ride anyday over the frozen tundra that I was before!

You see, I know the reason for the sudden changes in my emotions... It is the Lord's way of bringing healing! He is causing me to stand face to face with the things I fear and the mistakes I've made. He wants me to get a good long look at them...and move on!! He wants to replace my ashes with beauty and my winter with spring. He wants to make me new, but to do that, he has to get me to fully let go...to throw my hands up in the air in surrender like a kid on a roller coaster!In order to really feel fabulous again, I have to stop pretending that I can fix myself and give everything over to Him in full abandon.

While going through some of my forgotten CDs today,  I found a great song that talks about finally letting go and letting God take control. It is han open and honest prayer

Find more songs like The Altar at Myspace Music

Lyrics:

I'm at the end of myself, I just dropped out of the running
I don't recall when I last pulled the shades and said "here comes the sun, here comes the new day"
Someone remind me again that joy might show up on ocassion
I'm sitting here with my hands on my head, and my eyes on the ground, wondering if I'll be found by You

Will you make me new? Will you take what's left of me?
I guarantee that it won't be a fair trade.
Will you set me free from what's keeping me afraid?
I know I've prayed it all before, but I'm back on the altar

I don't believe what they say about one foot in front of the other
If my life was a map, you'd see every last step just circling around, still lost, never found by You

So will you make me new? Will you take what's left of me?
I guarantee that it won't be a fair trade.
Will you set me free from what's keeping me afraid?
I know I've prayed it all before, but I'm back on the altar

Maybe last year I'd have made empty promises
Maybe last month I'd have tried to pull strings
But I don't have one single chip left to bargain with
The only thing left is me needing You to make me new

Will you take what's left of me?
I guarantee that it won't be a fair trade
Will you set me free from what's keeping me afraid?
I know I've prayed it all before
But I'm back
On the altars:



So, the tip for this Feeling Fabulous Friday is to put your hands up in the air and try to enjoy the ride, as bumpy as it may be. Fall on your face before the Lord our God and find your freedom!

Worship Wednesday: Kingdom Encounters

In our blog description, we explain that the name for our blog comes from the name of the radio program that we produce every Saturday night. However, we never explained to you just how we came up with the name Kingdom Encounters. It is actually a big deal and has a lot to do with worship, so I want to share the story behind the name of our blog with you on this Worship Wednesday.

The Beginning: Why Encounters?

When I was in college studying religion and music, I attended a wonderful and friendly church near campus. This church had a Minister of Congregational Life named Karen, who really became a mentor to me. She taught the College and Career Sunday School Class that I attended, and her enthusiasm and gentle welcoming spirit really drew me in. When I was required to do a ministry internship for my degree, it was a natural fit for me to work under Karen's supervision. Although, I was assigned to work with the Middle School students for my internship, Karen saw a need for a program geared towards my peers and allowed me to design and implement a collegiate program as a project for my internship. What I came up with was a Sunday night coffeehouse-style meeting of college students called Encounters 631.

The idea behind Encounters 631 was to create a welcoming enviroment for college students to come to church on a Sunday night and encounter God in community with other seekers and believers and to share about their own encounters with God. The  "631" represented the theme verse of our meeting:

You, God, are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water.

Psalm 63:1

I was attracted to this verse because of the desire it expresses...the longing to encounter the peace, love, joy and satisfaction that is the very essence of God!

Kingdom Encounters, the Radio Program

Years later, Mr. The King and I were approached by his radio station about producing and hosting an hour-long weekly radio program. As we discussed what we wanted the program to be about and what we would call it, I remembered the program that I had started in college, and we finally decided to name the program Kingdom Encounters. Honestly, at the time, we just really liked the sound of that name and the basic idea of it, but it wasn't until recently that I began to understand the meaning on a deeper level.

Encounter: Definition and Relationship to Worship

Recently, as I considered the definition of the word encounter, I found out just how appropriate that word is to describe the way that God works in our lives. Here are several definitions that I have found for the word encounter : 

en·coun·ter 

 /ɛnˈkaʊntər/ Show Spelled[en-koun-ter] Show IPA

verb (used with object)

1. to come upon or meet with, especially unexpectedly: to encounter a new situation.

2. to meet with or contend against (difficulties, opposition, etc.): We encounter so many problems in our work.

3. to meet (a person, military force, etc.) in conflict: We will encounter the enemy at dawn. 

I find these definitions to be so relevant to our spiritual journey. An encounter with God is often an unexpected meeting. It is often a meeting that he uses to contend with us and show us the things that we are holding onto - things that are in conflict with His Word. When our fleshly nature comes in contact with the spirit of God, it can be a brutile encounter, but out of this meeting comes a true spirit of worship...a laying down of worldy things to recieve the spiritual things. These encounters are opportunities to learn and grow. These unexpected meetings are life-altering moments that lead us into a lifestyle of worship.

encounter - a casual or unexpected convergence; "he still remembers their meeting in Paris"; "there was a brief encounter in the hallway" meeting convergence - the occurrence of two or more things coming together

In this definition, it is obvious that an encounter involves "two or more things coming together." I couldn't give a more accurate definition of what it means to worship! Worship is like marriage...it is a joining of our souls with the spirit of God. Just as the "two become one" in the union of marriage, I believe that the goal of worship is for our spirit to become one with the spirit of God, and for all believers and followers of Christ to become united in spirit as well.

So, to Mr. The King and I, "Kingdom Encounters" are daily moments of worship, drawing us ever closer to The King of Kings and His will for the Kingdom. These encounters promote change in us and prompt us to promote the kind of change that the Lord desires to bring about in this world and in the lives of His people! These kind of encounters are what our radio program is about, what our blog is about, and what we want our entire life to be about!