A Night Of Worship

Just a couple nights ago, I was blessed to have the most BEAUTIFUL and POWERFUL experience ever....TWICE. A Night of Worship with Leeland and Phil Wickham. These incredible musicians stopped by Twin Falls, ID on April 18 and Idaho Falls, ID on April 19.

Both nights were equally amazing. I was almost brought to tears when Leeland, Phil Wickham, and Matt Maher opened up the show together. Their harmonizing voices during "How Great Thou Art" was the perfect way to start the night. The presence of the Spirit immediately filled the room. Their rendition of "Awake My Soul" brought everyone to their feet and opened up their hearts in preparation for a sincere night of worship.

I had never really listened to much of Matt Maher's music but I was immediately made a fan after seeing and hearing him perform live. His song "Alive Again" became an instant favorite. The singing of the crowd to "Your Grace Is Enough" could be heard from miles around. "Christ Is Risen" captured my heart with reminders that He is alive! "Hold Us Together" preached that love will hold us together and show us that we are not alone. Matt Maher is a fantastic musician!

Phil Wickham. There are no words to describe. He opened up his set with his power-packed song "Eden" and had everyone clapping and on their feet. His vocals during "Beautiful" brought me chills. Such an incredible musician! His voice is just so amazing live. He continued his set with poetic and mesmerizing songs like "Cannons," "Divine Romance," "Safe," and "True Love." Phil provided a nice blend of songs from his older albums and his latest album "Heaven and Earth." Every single song was performed beautifully. I hadn't listened much to "In Your City" but now it is a new favorite. Perhaps the most powerful and memorable part of Phil's set was when he performed the song "Cielo." AMAZING! The beauty of the lyrics and his voice was indescribable. "Cielo" is just an incredibly beautiful song and the effect it had on the crowd was amazing. With lyrics like "I can't sing loud enough when I'm singing for You my God," "I can't bow low enough at the vision of You my God," and "I can't lift my hands high enough when I'm reaching for You my God" how can one not be affected? It was the most wonderful sight to see every person in the church reacting to the lyrics...singing and worshipping as loud as they could, falling to their knees and bowing, lifting their hands as high as they could in order to reach God. I will never forget the feelings I had during this song. It is perhaps the most beautiful song performed live. Phil reminded me why I am so in love with his voice, his music, and, most importantly, the Lord.

Leeland. What a gifted guy and at such a young age! Leeland started his set off with "The Door" and reminded the crowd that Jesus is the only one for us. Most of the songs he performed were unfamiliar to me since I hadn't listened to much of his older songs. Familiar or not, his songs were performed with so much passion and tugged at my heart. "Count Me In." "Sounds of Melodies." "Tears of the Saints." "Beautiful Lord." "New Creation." I loved every song! The second most memorable part of the night came when Phil Wickham joined Leeland in singing "Follow You." It is such an incredible song and a great reminder as to what we are supposed to be doing...following Christ. Phil's vocals were the perfect addition to such a wonderful song. I loved seeing Leeland take a few minutes during their set to talk to the crowd about how much God sacrificed and how much He loves us. Leeland has so much passion for the Lord and a beautiful faith.

The night ended off just as it had begun...with all three musicians sharing the stage and lending their vocals to worship one last time. They continued with "Awake My Soul" and reminded us, one last time, that we were made to meet our Maker. I absolutely loved seeing the three of them perform that song and their rendition was awesome.

I didn't want the night to end....either nights. Powerful. Beautiful. Unforgettable. Indescribable. The Holy Spirit was present. I am just so grateful to have had the opportunity to see these magnificient musicians perform live. They are true instruments of God.

A Thousand Words Spoken By The Heart

Put together a few quotes that inspire me, or that I can relate to, when it comes to the truths that matter the most.

Love and Hope

"Love is of all passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart, and the senses."

"Love comes to those who still hope even though they've been disappointed, to those who still believe even though they've been betrayed, to those who still love even though they've been hurt before."

"To often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."

"You don't love someone for their looks, their clothes, or for their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear."

"I don't pretend to know what love is for everyone, but I can tell you what it is for me; love is knowing all about someone, and still wanting to be with them more than any other person; love is trusting them enough to tell them everything about yourself, including the things you might be ashamed of; love is feeling comfortable and safe with someone, but still getting weak knees when they walk into a room and smile at you."

FAITH

"Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible."

"Every character has an inward spring; let Christ be that spring. Every action has a keynote; let Christ be that note, to which your whole life is attuned."

"What we are is God's gift to us. What we become is our gift to God."

"The true call of a Christian is not to do extraordinary things, but to do ordinary things in an extraordinary way."

"In happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. In every moment, thank God."

MATTERS OF THE HEART

"You can close your eyes to the things you do not want to see, but you cannot close your heart to the things you do not want to feel."

"One of the hardest things in life is having words in your heart that you can't utter."

"It hurts to love someone and not be loved in return, but what is the most painful is to love someone and never find the courage to let the person know how you feel."

"It takes a minute to have a crush on someone, an hour to like someone and a day to love someone - but it takes a lifetime to forget someone."

"Trying to make someone fall in love with you is about as pointless as trying to control who you fall in love with."

BEAUTY

"The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart."

"Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting --- a wayside sacrament. Welcome it in every fair face, in every fair sky, in every flower, and thank God for it as a cup of blessing."

"Beauty is how you feel inside and it reflects in your eyes. It is not something physical."

"Some people, no matter how old they get, never lose their beauty - they merely move it from their faces into their hearts."

"Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams."

OPTIMISM

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

"The optimist sees the rose and not its thorns; the pessimist stares at the thorns, oblivious to the rose."

What Is Your Mission Statement?

I was recently given an assignment to write down my personal values and a mission statement for myself. Here is what I came up with:

Personal Values

* Compassion
* Faith
* Love
* Optimism
* Selfless
* Self-expression
* Respect
* Loyal
* Driven
* Family-oriented

Mission Statement

To live a life of love, for nothing is bigger than love. I strive to live each day to the fullest with love, gratitude, hope, and faith. I shall never let negative thoughts or failures consume me and I will live without regrets. I am determined to have compassion for, and bring strength and hope to, those who are less fortunate.

What is YOUR mission statement?

ReSOLUTIONS

At the beginning of each year, people make resolutions...promises to themselves that they must try not to break. Those promises usually end up being broken and leave the promiser disappointed in themselves. Why should we set ourselves up for disappointment? These resolutions are meant to make us better individuals, not weaker.

Instead of resolutions, this year I will make reSOLUTIONS. These are merely SOLUTIONS to the problems I may face in the new year. I can turn to any of these reSOLUTIONS and find the answers to any hardships. If I stick to these, I can overcome any obstacle and become a stronger, better person.

1) Grow stronger in my FAITH.
2) Love more.

3) Live more.

4) Live life uninhibited...let go of fear!

5) Breathe deeper!

Happy 2010!!!