A Victory For Me - 3 Songs Posted On A New MySpace Page

Hey Guys !

Can't wait to see you all this Thursday. Hope you are all having a great summer, and WRITING ! What a blessing that Casey and our church have a heart for us writers, to provide this kind of support for us. I know that we are all so thankful to the Lord, and to those who are bringing this encouragement to us through the Belmont Songwriters Guild. And aren't we all enjoying the awesome website, too? Thanks, Joseph !

I am pretty excited - I recently got a MySpace music page up with 3 songs posted.

http://www.myspace.com/backtobethelministries

As I have shared with you guys before, I wish that I could have figured out how to invest more time in my music, down through the years. I really tried. But sometimes, as they say, "Life comes at you fast," and it can bring us some very cold, winter winds. In these times, we have to hold on tight to the Lord to "outlast" bleak, desert seasons, as we await the unfolding of God's goodness and His promises to us. We need to remember: Winter does not last forever, and Spring will come again!

I love meditating on the story of Joshua and Caleb, who kept their hearts pure during all of the arduous, wilderness years, and who ultimately pressed into all of the destiny for their own lives, and for the lives of their families and beloved ones, as well.

As artists, we also have to figure this out - how to live in peace and the joy of the Lord in this complicated, fallen world - as we wait upon the Lord for the fulfillment of the hopes and dreams that He has put in our hearts! I wish I was more like Joshua and Caleb -they never gave up, and therefore stayed so "fit!" They were ready to roll when the fullness of time came...

I haven't always stayed strong in holding onto vision, and now I find myself trying to take back some lost ground, and having to really press in - especially vocally - and knock the rust off ! But I know it's OK - my "DAD" is cheering me on ...

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About my songs... the 1st post is from Psalm 1. I have big plans for a Psalms project - lots of music written already...

"PSALM 1"

Blessed is the man who walks not
In the counsel of the ungodly
Nor stands in the way of sinners
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful

But His delight is in the Law of the Lord
His delight is in the Law of the Lord

And on His Law he meditates, he meditates
On His Law he meditates

Day and night, day and night
Day and night, day and night

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The 2nd post is from the Song of Solomon, and was written for my daughter and son-in-law's wedding in 2004 - of course, with earthly marriage being a beautiful metaphor of our love-relationship with the Lord. This song is going to be a part of a musical with a "call and response," such as we find in the Song of Solomon. The music, in this musical, has Scripture-based lyrics, and is all (so far) in minor keys, with a very Jewish, Middle-Eastern tone...

"COME AWAY WITH ME"

I had a dream
I dreamed I awoke in the night
And You were gone

I had a dream that I awoke in the night
And You were gone
So I searched for You in the city
I searched for You in the streets
Watchmen, have you seen the One I love

And then I turned, and You were there...

I have found the One Whom my soul loves
Let me hold You, let me hold You
I have found the One Whom my soul loves
My Beloved, I will never let You go

Come away with Me, (Come away with me)
Come away with Me, (Come away with me)
Come away with Me
And I will hold You
And never let You go

I have found the One Whom my soul loves
I have found You,
I will never let You go
I have found the One Whom my soul loves
My Beloved, I will never let You go

Come away with Me, (Come away with me)
Come away with Me, (Come away with me)
Come away with Me
Let me hold You
And never let You go

Come away with Me, (Come away with me)
Come away with Me, (Come away with me)
Come away with Me
My Beloved
I will never let You go

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The 3rd post - I wrote about 2 weeks ago, in an early morning time with the Lord...

[ May I digress for a moment and say that I love all kinds of music, and try to listen to as much variety as possible- from Big Band to Electronica; from Classical to Punk! Excellent art glorifies the Lord - the gift to create is from Him; even if an artist is not a believer, his talent was a gift to him from God, and I can enjoy it and thank God for it. And when we as Christians create art that is not necessarily "spiritual" - still, we are employing our God-given gifts and talents, and are bringing Him pleasure !

Hey, a skillful plumber or carpenter or seamstress does this, too ! Whatever our hands find to do, we do it with all of our might, as unto the Lord ! And it makes His heart happy.

But even though I love and listen to different musical forms - somehow, though, my writing is usually always "devotional." This is just what comes to me. But this doesn't make it any better than writing from other aspects of life, such as relationships, or sad things, or fun things !

The ability to write a song is such a gift, and everybody's gifts are just different, and we shouldn't compare ourselves to one other. He has given each of us something very special and unique...

Any-hoo... hope you guys like the songs; I am enjoying all of you guys' work! And any constructive criticism is very welcome ! !

Thanks - and see you Thursday!]

"IN THE MORNING"

Good Morning to You, O Lord
I worship You today
With the rays of the rising sun
I want to bring You praise
In the morning, In the morning

Good Morning to You, My King
I come before Your throne today
I bring You my song of love
I bring You my sacrifice of praise
In the morning, I come to You in the morning

I sing to You, I worship You
I pray to You, I'm enchanted by You
In the morning, In the morning

I long to abide with You
In this marvelous, heavenly place
To walk by Your side today
To rest in the joy of Your embrace

I sing to You, I worship You
I pray to You, I'm enraptured by You

I want to stay in this secret rest, this hideaway
I want to stay in this place with You
The whole day through

As I'm here now with You in the morning

I long to abide with You
Here in this marvelous place
Right by Your side
In this marvelous, wonderful
Marvelous, heavenly place of love with You

In the morning, In the morning
I bring my love to You
In the morning, In the morning
I bring my prayer to You

In the morning