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.