Goodbye Tech World - Hello Camp!

 Hey everyone, just a quick goodbye and mention that I'll be at camp for the next 3 weeks! I'll be home on the weekends, but those are jam packed already so the chance of me blogging is quite low. I shall return in July though. See you when I get back!

3 Original Songs!

 Today I have 3 VERY exciting videos to show you.... 




This is a song that I wrote just this afternoon that I really like. I understand that it's shaky still (especially vocally) but I felt compelled to share it. It really just deals with what God has been laying on my heart lately (or at least part of what He's been saying to me). I've just felt so much being laid on my heart just in the last few days and it's been such an answer to prayer. So this is basically my reaction to that.
Lyrics are as follows:

I am in awe of your mercy

You have spoken grace over me

I am at a loss for words

You have given me more then I deserve

Perfect love casts all fear out

Perfect love sets captive free

Perfect love is the gift that You’ve given me

Speaking softly speaking plain

You sing heaven’s sweet refrain

Further up and further in

To Your very presence

Lovely lovely

Pour it all down at your feel

Holy Holy

You judge righteously

"Clay Man" is a song I co-wrote with my dear friend Channyn the same day we did our photo shoot. I am so happy with this song and love it to death! She did a great job with the lyrics and I was happy with how the melody/music turned out. I am finding that I absolutely LOVE to collaborate on songwriting. It gives some variation from what I would normally do.


Lyrics:
Breath into me the breath of life
Shape me to Your imagination
Wet down my clay and let the old me melt
Then pick up the pieces and let me try again with You

Oh I once was a hollow clay man
Living without a soul
But then You wet me down and reformed me by Your breath
Oh I once was a hollow clay man

One day I was roaming around the road
Aimlessly searching for something to take off my load
You pulled me over and shared with me a secret
You told me I was ill


Oh and I'm sure you are now quite sick of hearing me sing... but... just in case you can take one more song... 



"Over Now" is another one that I wrote a month or two ago that doesn't really take any explanation. Here are the lyrics: 

My white flag is raised

All my shots have been shot

I’ve even tried to run away

The battle’s been faught

The war has been won

Every once of me overrun

Nothing more left to do

Then lift my hands up and admit that it’s over

It’s over – it’s over now – yeaaaah

I give up – I confess

That I’ve lost this war that’s been raging

And all of my walls are knocked down and it’s over now

I knew I’d never win

That you remain undefeated

But I thought that I’d be different

Yet here I am crushed and broken

Why did I dare run away?

Defy the holy?

Cause I melt like putty in your hands

Those hands that made me 

SUMMER!!

 It's official.... it's SUMMER!!! Oh, I can't tell you how excited I am about the fact that it's FINALLY here! The only thing that keeps me sane during Minnesotan winters is the wondrous hope of summer. The hope that eventually the snow will melt, school shall end, camp shall come, and I get to witness Northern MN during the most beauteous time of the year!

See what I mean??! (Photo credit goes to my dad)

 So what are my summer plans? Well there are sure a lot of them so I'll go in chronological order.
 June - this next week is our orchestra day string camp. The next 2 weeks I'll be at Camp Sa-Kee-Sa both for their Teen Serve week and Jr. Counseling the second week. Then it's on to Deeper Life Bible Camp where my dad will be speaking and I'll be attending. (And add onto everything play practice...) 
 July - I have plans to do ministry with Youth For Christ during the first part of July, working under the girl's ministry director who is also part of our church plant. Also play practice, play practice, and play performance!  That'll basically be my July. (As well as my brothers getting adopted!) 
 August - Some rest, some working with YFC, church launch prep, having my girl cousins come and stay while the guys go camping, and Sam back off to school. 
Also, hopefully add a move somewhere in there.


 And then summer is over. :( I know it's going to fly by crazy fast, but I'll enjoy it while I can. I already am enjoying it! The wonderful weather, wonderful friends, and wonderful God is going to make this summer... well... wonderful!

Kicking off the summer with a Bible Study hangout involving Frisbees, s'mores, and chickens. I'm looking forward to spending much of my summer with these friends. :)

Even When...

 God calls me to be content ALWAYS. Not just most of the time, not just when I feel like it, not just when it's convenient. Always. 

 Even when... this horrible sign continues to sit in front of my house day after day, week after week, and now we're approaching month after month. 

Even when I'm "forever" away from these amazing people. 

 

Even when I don't get to do "Father Abraham" in front of 70 people.

 

Even when between everyone in my family, rarely a day goes by that we don't have to drive into Virginia for something (church stuff, play practice, Bible study and friend stuff and the list goes on).

Even when tomorrow looks uncertain and we don't know what the final outcome shall be of our adventure in church planting or who shall be a part of our adventure. 

Yet despite all that, God is still faithful. He's still sovereign. He's still weaving together our lives to make a beautiful master piece. He has a purpose for everything. He has a purpose for our house not selling. And it's not a cruel or heartless purpose, it's good. And what He tells us to do is be patient. Serve Him, love Him, do what He has called us to do, and He shall move in His perfect timing. 

So now, we wait and find our contentment, our joy and our peace in Him alone. For Jesus + anything = idolatry. Jesus alone is what we need for contentment.

"I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me."

Philippians 4:11b-13

(But also, please pray that God would sell our house soon. We found a house that we feel would perfectly meet our needs both as a family and as a church plant but we need to figure out a few things. So keep us in your prayers!)