To date, what is the best advice you’ve been given?

I’ll let you know my answer in the comments.

Ready?

Go.

Top of the week to you, folks.

Sometimes ’round here a little music is played.  Lately it’s been more frequent, but I’m not complaining.

Hope you’re not, either.

Today’s music goodness is from a new favorite of mine, Brooks Ritter.  Check him out and get to know his music, pronto.

Here’s a video to get you started – his tune, “Bones From the Ground.”
(click here if you can’t see the video)

I recently had the opportunity to get a hold of an advanced copy of a live worship album from The Oaks in Dallas, TX. The album is called Lift Up The Light, and it consists of many original songs written and recorded at the Oaks Fellowship.

The Oaks is the home church of Shane & Shane, who happen to be a favorite of mine.  They sing on several of the songs, which is never a bad thing.  Plus, I love when artists within a body of believers write music for their community.

Worship leaders, you’ll be able to use several of these songs at your church if you’d like.  My favorite track is a Shane & Shane tune, Worthy of Affection.  I loved it on their last record, and I love it here in the live setting.  Here’s the chorus:

You are worthy of affection
You’re the radiance of all of His glory
Let adoration fill this place
You hold everything together by the word of Your immovable power
We sing a song of praise

I think you’ll find several tracks that you can not only lead, but enjoy for your own personal listening.

For the non-worship leader folks, I think you’ll find yourself enjoying this album as a part of your own personal listening and time of worship.

You can get it on iTunes as of yesterday.

Disclosure:  This album was given to me for the purpose of a review.  My opinion is my own, honest and true.  I was not paid to post anything about this album.

I’m reminded of a story today I heard about a pastor (I can’t remember his name) who had traveled to Africa– Kenya, to be exact. He visited some of the worst slums he had ever seen in his time in ministry, and the poverty of the people there was overwhelming.

But so was their joy.

A conversation took place between this pastor and a young teenage boy from Kenya. He wanted to know how the people in the poorest area he’d ever seen had so much joy. Somewhere along the way in the discussion, the young man asked about the differences in churches across cultures. The pastor went on to talk about how churches all had different styles of music, different methods/frequencies of taking communion, style of dress, etc. The young man was astounded.

The pastor asked the young man, “What do you think is different about the American church compared to the African church?” Without hesitation, the boy answered….

“That’s easy. In America you believe in God. Here in Africa, we rely on God.”

I’m guilty of this far more than I’d like to reveal.

Wouldn’t you say that it’s easier for someone in extreme poverty, who doesn’t know when the next drop of water will come (and even then it may kill them) to rely on God compared to so many people like me who have all of their basic needs met (and more)?

Does it take that kind of plight to allow for us to fully understand our dependance on God? Surely it shouldn’t be.

We’re all unaware of whether or not tomorrow is our last tomorrow. We’re all breathing right now because of grace.

These are my thoughts on this Monday.  How often do I rely on my own strength and resources instead of God’s?  I’d honestly have to say a lot.  I want to rely on God because of my belief in who He is.  I want to live like the Gospel matters….because it does.  It changes everything. 

This post came from a prayer I read this morning:    

Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly, Thou hast brought me to the vally of vision, where I live in the depths but see Thee in the heights; hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold Thy glory.  Let me learn by paradox that the way down is the way up, that to be low is to be high, that the broken heart is the healed heart, that the contrite spirit is the rejoiceing spirit, that the repenting soul is the victorious soul, that to have nothing is to possess all, that to bear the cross is to wear the crown, that to give is to receive, that the valley is the place of vision.  Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from depeenst wells, and the deeper the wells the brither Thy stars shine; let me find Thy light in my darkness, Thy life in my death, Thy joy in my sorrow, Thy grace in my sin, Thy riches in my poverty, Thy glory in my valley. 

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Taken from:  The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions, edited by Arthur Bennett.

Happy Monday, otherwise known as the day ’round here that’s sometimes for music.

Today I bring to you some female folk music, filled with good harmonies.  We can all appreciate good harmonies, right?

Sarah Jaffe [pronounced 'jaffey'] is a singer/songwriter from Denton, Texas.  Seriously, Denton is cranking out some good, good artists right now….makes me wish I lived there to learn a thing or two from them.

Go to Sarah’s website.

Like her on Facebook.

And watch this video below.

Happy Monday.