"Only Grace"

Recently, I have been hearing Matthew West's song "Only Grace" on Shine.FM. In the past, this song hasn't made an impact on me, but recently it has. I am reminded that my sins are gone and that the only thing left in this crazy world is God's grace. This song is very comforting for me to hear when I am nervous about something. I also listen to it when I am in need of comforting. Read the lyrics and be comforted knowing that your sins are gone, and that there is only grace.

"Only Grace" by Matthew West

There is no guilt here
There is no shame
No pointing fingers
There is no blame
What happened yesterday has disappeared
The dirt has washed away And now it's clear

[CHORUS]
There's only grace
There's only love
There's only mercy
And believe me it's enough
Your sins are gone
Without a trace
There's nothing left now
There's only grace

You're starting over now
Under the sun
You're stepping forward now
A new life has begun
Your new life has begun

There's only grace
There's only love
There's only mercy
And believe me it's enough
Your sins are gone
Without a trace
There's nothing left now
There's only grace

 And if you should fall again
Get back up, get back up
Reach out and take my hand
Get back up, get back up
Get back up again

There's only grace
There's only love
There's only mercy
And believe me it's enough
Your sins are gone
Without a trace
There's nothing left now
There's only grace 

"Proof of Your Love"

My other current theme song is "Proof of Your Love" by For KING and COUNTRY. I have heard this song many times on Shine.FM. Most recently, I was at another church and we sang this song. Since that Sunday, this song sparked an interest in me because I see it as a prayer to God.
In the song, the two singers sing the first 3 verses of 1 Corinthians 13, the love passage. There is also a version of the song where in the middle, one of the members quotes the 3 verses as a monologue. The music video is really dramatic. They really did a great job. Check out the lyrics and sing or recite them as a prayer to God.

"Proof of Your Love" by For KING and COUNTRY

If I sing but don't have love
I waste my breath with every song
I bring an empty voice, a hollow noise
If I speak with a silver tongue
Convince a crowd but don't have love
I leave a bitter taste with every word I say

So let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love
Let my love look like You and what You're made of
How You lived, how You died
Love is sacrifice
So let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love

If I give
To a needy soul but don't have love then who is poor?
It seems all the poverty is found in me

So let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love
Let my love look like You and what You're made of
How You lived, how You died
Love is sacrifice
Oh, let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love

When it's all said and done
When we sing our final song
Only love remains
Only love remains

Let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love
Let my love look like You and what You're made of
How You lived, how You died
Love is sacrifice
So let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love

"One Thing Remains"

One of my current theme songs is "One Thing Remains" by Kristian Stanfill. This song is just absolutely amazing because I am reminded that God's love for me never fails. He is an AMAZING God. Every time I sing this song at youth group, I always raise my hands and praise God with all of my heart. I joked around with my friend that one day I'm going to throw my arm out. I'm sorry, but I love this song so much and I love to praise God with everything that is in me. Read the lyrics and be reminded that God's love for us never fails.

"One Thing Remains" by Kristian Stanfill

 Higher than the mountains that I face
Stronger than the power of the grave
Constant in the trial and the change
One thing remains

Your love never fails it never gives up
Never runs out on me (x3)
Your love

 On and on and on and on it goes
It overwhelms and satisfies my soul
And I never, ever, have to be afraid
One thing remains

Your love never fails, never gives up
Never runs out on me (x3)
Your love

 In death, in life
I'm confident and covered by the power of Your great love
My debt is paid
There's nothing that can separate my heart from Your great love

Your love never fails it never gives up
Never runs out on me (x3)
Your love

"The Hurt and the Healer"

Read this journal entry I had to write on one of my theme songs. My theme song right now is "One Thing Remains" by Kristian Stanfill.

For most of my life, I have never had a song that I could call a theme song. At the end of my freshmen year, I found a song that made an impact in my life. The song was “No Matter What” by Kerrie Roberts. Since then, I have had different theme songs. Some include: “Walking on the Stars” by Group 1 Crew, “Speak, O LORD” by Keith and Krysten Getty, “Mighty to Save” by Laura Story, and “Strong Enough” by Matthew West. As of right now, my theme song is “The Hurt and the Healer” by MercyMe.

When this song first played on the radio, I was somewhat paying attention to it. As it was playing more and more, I started becoming interested in it. I would sing little parts of it at school while walking through the hallways. Eventually, it became my theme song because the lyrics relate to me when I am hurting and I need a healer.

In this song, the artist is saying that he doesn’t know where the healing comes from. He wants to dwell in his circumstance, such as a death of a loved one, or someone being sick. He doesn’t want God to let him go. He is all he has left. Sometimes the only thing that he can do is to just breathe. His pain is so deep that he can’t move. This is when the artist presents himself to God because he needs Him to pull him through his situation. In the chorus, he says that when he is around God, he is alive, even though he is still suffering. God takes his heart and breathes it back to life. When he is upset, he can fall into God’s arms, which are open wide. This is where the hurt (the artist) and the healer (God) collide.

“I’m alive.

Even though a part of me has died

You take my heart, and breathe it back to life.

I fall into your arms, open wide.

When the hurt and the healer collide.’

Another part of the song that has meaning to me is the Bridge. In this section, the artist is saying that when the hurt and the healer collide, things change. All of his questions are gone, and his scars are taken care of. In the end, he will bow before God, and hear Him say “It’s over now.” This part gives me a glimpse of hope that God is coming. He will come and calmly say, “It’s over now.” I look forward to this time when He says that.

It’s the moment when humanity

Is overcome by majesty

When grace is ushered in for good

And all our scars are understood

When mercy takes its rightful place

And all these questions fade away

When out of the weakness we must bow

And hear You say “it’s Over now.”

Lately in my life, I have had a lot of things that weigh me down. I am hurting from all of the stress. I feel dead. I like hearing this song and hearing that God is there with His arms wide open for me to fall into when I am in need of comfort. When I hear the chorus, I am reminded that even though apart of me is still hurting, I am alive. God takes my heart and breathes it back to life. Sometimes I am hurting so much that all I want is God or a Christian song. This is a song that I can definitely turn to when I am like this.

"Temporary Home"

While in the shower this morning, I had my phone and I was listening to music. One song that came on was "Temporary Home" by Carrie Underwood. I haven't listened to this song in a long time. As I was listening to it, I was reminded of how this world is temporary; we are on our way somewhere else. For most of us, it is to Heaven to be with God; for others, we don't know if we are going to Heaven.
The song tells the story of three people who are each on their way to a place. A boy is going to a new home, a mother is trying to get a job, and a dying man who is on his way to Heaven. Read the lyrics and be reminded that this home is temporary.

"Temporary Home" by Carrie Underwood

Little boy, 6 years old
A little too used to bein' alone.
Another new mom and dad, another school,
Another house that'll never be home.
When people ask him how he likes this place...
He looks up and says, with a smile upon his face,

"This is my temporary home
It's not where I belong.
Windows and rooms that I'm passin' through.
This is just a stop, on the way to where I'm going.
I'm not afraid because I know this is my
Temporary Home."

Young mom on her own.
She needs a little help, got nowhere to go.
She's lookin' for a job, lookin' for a way out,
Because a half-way house will never be a home.
At night she whispers to her baby girl,
"Someday we'll find our place here in this world."

"This is our temporary home.
It's not where we belong.
Windows and rooms that we're passin' through.
This is just a stop, on the way to where we're going.
I'm not afraid because I know this is our
Temporary Home."

Old man, hospital bed,
The room is filled with people he loves.
And he whispers don't cry for me,
I'll see you all someday.
He looks up and says, "I can see God's face."

"This is my temporary Home
It's not where I belong.
Windows and rooms that I'm passin' through.
This was just a stop, on the way to where I'm going.
I'm not afraid because I know... this was
My temporary home."

This is our temporary home.

"Glorious Day(Living He Loved Me)"

 I love to sing and praise God with all of my heart. I also love to play keyboard and sing praise songs. I have been singing since I was 5 years old. I sing at churches and family functions. One praise song that is my favorite is "Glorious Day(Living He Loved Me)" by Casting Crowns. This song really tells the story of Christ's birth, death, and resurrection. Read the lyrics of this song and be amazed at how awesome our God is.

"Glorious Day(Living He Loved Me)" by Casting Crowns

One day when Heaven was filled with His praises
One day when sin was as black as could be
Jesus came forth to be born of a Virgin
Dwelt among men, my example is He

Word became flesh and the light shined among us
His glory revealed

Living He loved me, dying He saved me
And buried He carried my sins far away
Rising He justified freely forever
One day He's coming, oh, glorious day, oh, glorious day

One day they led Him up Calvary's mountain
One day they nailed Him to die on a tree
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He

Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree
And took the nails for me

'Cause living He loved me, dying He saved me
And buried He carried my sins far away
Rising He justified freely forever
One day He's coming, oh, glorious day, oh, glorious day
[ From: http://www.elyrics.net ]

One day the grave could conceal Him no longer
One day the stone rolled away from the door
Then He arose, over death He had conquered
Now He's ascended, my Lord evermore

Death could not hold Him
The grave could not keep Him from rising again

Living He loved me, dying He saved me
And buried He carried my sins far away
Rising He justified freely forever
One day He's coming, oh, glorious day, oh, glorious day
Glorious day

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming
One day the skies with His glories will shine
Wonderful day, my beloved one bringing
My Savior Jesus is mine

Living He loved me, dying He saved me
And buried He carried my sins far away
Rising He justified freely forever
One day He's coming, oh, glorious day, oh, glorious day
Glorious day, oh, glorious day