Things I Love...Things That Break My Heart, Part 3
When I was a college freshman, I attended a school known for it's country and cowboy roots. CMT (Country Music Television) was our preference to MTV. I often fell asleep to that channel so I could listen to music as I drifted into sleep. Dolly Parton (I heart her) performed this song live at the 1989 CMA awards and CMT began to promptly play it on their channel.
In 1989, I had many interactions with God, but no relationship with Him or His Son. One night, I had the TV on and was sound asleep. The TV volume was barely decipherable, but this song and video came on and I sat straight up in my bed and didn't move for the entirety of the song. Afterward I just cried and cried. But I didn't belive the song. I knew Jesus was alive, but I didn't believe I was forgiven. I just wouldn't let Him in because I didn't believe for one second God could love me as is and would change me if I let Him.
God woke me up dozens of nights to hear that song. CMT divinely played it, and I would wake up from a dead sleep and cry and cry. Lord, but I was dense not to see God was trying to talk to me.
I muddled through the next 7 years believing the lie that I couldn't be forgiven, and then Jesus showed up one day in a very undeniable and powerful way as I sat on my couch. Looking back, I can see that God used this song to talk to me and I just adore it. I listen to it at full volume in my car when I'm alone and when Dolly sings out "He's alive and I'm forgiven, Heaven's gates are opened wide" I cry and cry, but now it's because I know it's true :)
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What breaks me heart? People who don't know our Jesus. This Easter season reminds me moreso that there are broken people all around me who harbor fear, anger, unforgiveness, shame, pride, and feeling alone and unloved...
Things I Love...Things That Break My Heart, Part 2
Oh my, oh my, do I LOVE me some Kirk Franklin. He 's from the area I live in. One day I'm going to bump into him at some restaurant or book store and freak out when I see him. I hope I don't scare him too badly, but I digress...
These are some of my favorties of his, and when he collaborates with TobyMac, I can hardly contain myself. As you watch Revolution you have to promise me you'll be dancing in your chair :) And the song cuts off before it should because this isn't an official video, but Kirk shouts out to his saints in Chicago, Houston and Dallas to name a few, so Helen and Kat, whoo whoo to you my sistas. I'll take the whoo whoo for the Dallas saints!! The second one is just a fun video, not the real one (duh!). I love it because it has the words and the adorable Happy Feet penguins :)
Incidentally, these two songs are good for at least another mile on the treadmill if you put them on your iPod ;)
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North Korea has apparently successfully launched a long-range rocket. This is a scary thought seeing that North Korea festers a hatred for most of the rest of the world, including it's sister, South Korea. Nothing good will come of this if North Korea is allowed to continue this behavior. Join me in praying for the wisdom and action of our leaders to protect us...
Things I Love...Things That Break My Heart, Part 1
I love, love this Newsboys song. I'm in an "old school" phase with my worship music right now and found this song on an old CD yesterday and remembered how much I love it. Best I can tell, The Newsboy didn't make a video for this song because I can't find one, so here is a rendition. It's cute, but it shows a white Jesus with 1970's Shawn Cassidy hair...oh well. Maybe Jesus really does rock that hairdo. We'll find out soon enough ;)
Yesterday I picked up a copy of Reader's Digest (apparently I'm officially a middle aged woman now or I would read hip magazines) and it had the following article. I just sat there with my jaw on the floor...
Look at the countries who have people who profess to pray everyday. The rule moreso than the exception is likely they aren't praying to the True and Living God. I would imagine their religion requires prayer rather than it being a natural interaction with the Lord they love and serve. Now look at the ones that don't pray. That was even more distressing to me. Half, sometimes more, of the people in those countries don't profess to pray at all. I don't know who this quote is attributed to, but for years I've heard "what breaks God's heart, ought to break ours". That there are entire nations in this world where only half the people pray, and not all of those are to the One True God, must truly break His heart, so it should truly break ours. I used to spend a lot of time saying to God "It's just so bad here Lord. We must be living in the end times that Your Word professes. Come get us Lord, it's just so hard here and I fear for the future that my kids will live in". But I was enlightened by His scripture that He is slow to anger and that He wishes no one to perish. Clearly this article is evidence there is more to be done before Jesus returns for His Church. I'm praying for the compassion to fervently intercede for the world to know my Jesus and to talk to Him daily and get to know Him and to love Him.
