^*^ Formerly… ..Boydbrain Music Life and Worship Blog …..^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* * SONGS OF WORSHIP * Choral * Vocal Solos * Anthem Orchestrations * Congregational Praise * HEART OF JOY * Worship Pastor and Composer Travis L. Boyd and his wife, Cynthia, sharing the blessings of music, worship, and life.
“GOD IS FAITHFUL” IN AUSTRALIA!
OUR GOD IS FAITHFUL EVERY DAY AND EVERYWHERE!
Here is a testimony of a specific circumstance in which God used the message of His faithfulness through “God is Faithful” (a choral anthem written by my husband, Travis L. Boyd, and publshed by Lorenz) to bless and encourage the hearts of His people. In 2003, over 300 people from Oklahoma went to Australia for an incredible mission trip. The main performing group was The Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma. The group gave concerts in serveral large and well-known venues, such as the Sydney Opera House, and then split into smaller groups to minister in local churches. Over 90 of the people on this trip were the wives of the Churchmen; and for the first time ever on a Churchmen mission trip, there were enough of us to form 2 women’s choirs, which ministered in Churches and even in a pineapple canning factory during our time in Sydney, Newcastle, and Brisbane and surrounding communities.
The women’s choir that I was in, directed by Singing Churchmen member Tyrone Smith, sang at Annerley Baptist Church, near Brisbane, on Sunday morning, May 11th, 2003, which was Australia’s Mother’s Day. Although the Singing Churchmen were no longer singing “God is Faithful”, the two womens’ choirs were singing an SSAA arrangement of the song. I had been asked to sing the solo on “God is Faithful,” and I had done so during the Worship Service that day.
Our womens’ choir rehearses at Annerley with director Tyrone Smith prior to the service (minus a few members who were taking pictures of the group)
Later on, during the fellowship meal after the service, a woman approached me. She told me that her name was Noela (pronounced Nola), and that she was not a member of Annerley Baptist Church and did not live in Brisbane. She said that she was only at the church that morning because it was Mother’s Day. She and her husband had driven from their home 2 and a half hours away to be there with his Mother. Noela confessed that she almost did not make the trip to visit her Mother-In-Law. She explained that she had been fighting cancer and that she was feeling discouraged.
A lovely lady with a beautiful smile, Noela spoke with a radiant faith as she said, “I believe that I am here today by Divine appointment.”
However, she did feel an urging from the Spirit of God to come to Brisbane; and, with her husband’s encouragement, she made the trip. She told me that she now felt it was a divine appointment for her to be there. Noela said that the message of God’s faithfulness had come across to her so clearly as she listened to “God is Faithful” that she knew why we were there on that day and why God had prompted her to come. Several of us talked with Noela as long as we could, and it was an amazing conversation. God had so touched her and encouraged her heart through the message of His faithfulness that she seemed radiant with faith in His goodness and faithfulness to her, and Noela in turn became an encouragement to all of us. It was a very brief encounter, but I will never forget it.
I can think of many times when God has also touched my heart with His love and encouragement, just as he touched Noela’s heart. Comfort or encouragement can come through a kind word, a prayer, a song, a note, a sermon, a scripture passage or verse, and certainly through God’s presence within us and as revealed to us through the kindness and compassion of others. God is faithful to Noela, He is faithful to me, and He is faithful to you! Be encouraged today as you thank Him for His faithfulness! Encourage others as well. Remember that just as God is eternal, His faithfulness is eternal; and it continues as He continues. God is a keeper of promises, and He is faithful!
So, in light of the eternal faithfulness of our God,…
“When you find it hard to understand
And you’re just not sure you have the strength
To do all God commands…
When the task seems overwhelming,
You can rest within His hands.
For the One who called you is faithful!
God is faithful.
He will not forget His own.
God is faithful.
He’ll never leave you all alone.
He’s right beside you,
Waiting to guide you,
For the one who called you is faithful.
God is faithful!
He is always there when human eyes can’t see…
So aware of all your hurts and all your deepest needs!
God is faithful! He will not forget His own.
My God is faithful!
He’ll never leave you all alone.
He’s right beside you,
Waiting to guide you,
For the One who called you is faithful.
God is faithful!”
Lyrics to “God is Faithful” by Travis L. Boyd, SATB Choral anthem and Orchestration, Copyright 2003, Lorenz Publishing Company, a division of the Lorenz Corporation
Self-published copies of the SSAA, TTBB, and SATB octavos and the Orchestration that pre-date the Lorenz publications, Copyright Travis L. Boyd
Here, you will be able to click the listening link (music notes) and then immediately click the sample pages link (Adobe icon) to allow you to listen to the professional studio demo recording of the anthem while you view the music.
(To returen to this blog, please use the ‘back’ arrow.)
* Vimeo Performance Video link: (TTBB arrangement, recorded at a Sons of Jubal concert in September, 2010) http://vimeo.com/15390308
SoundCloud of the TTBB version of “God is Faithful,” sung by The Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma, under the direction of Dr. Bill Green, from the Churchmen CD entitled, “God is Faithful.” (Note: “God is Faithful” is also the title song on a CD which was recorded by the Georgia Baptist Convention’s Sons of Jubal, under the direction of Dr. Jon Duncan.)
Pray for the people of Australia and of Annerley Baptist Church. Their Pastor, Brother Jim Johnston, retired at the end of 2012 after 16 and a half years of service there. The people there were so kind, providing corsages for each of the women in our choir, plus a single red rose (mindful of the fact that mothers were being honored and that we had left our families to come). They had prepared a meal for us and were so friendly as we shared time together that day. What a blessing it was to be in the midst of Christian brothers and sisters who live on the other side of the world and to feel so welcome and at home.
Annerley Baptist Church Pastor, Brother Jim Johnston, and our womens’ choir Director, Tyrone Smith
Thank you for spending your valuable time reading the contents of this page. We hope that it has been helpful to you. If you or someone that you know is looking for answers about life, we hope that you will visit our page called “Do You Know Jesus?”. The links provided on this page will help to answer life’s deepest questions. Here is the link to “Do You Know Jesus?”: http://www.worshipsounds.wordpress.com/do-you-know-jesus/
Please feel free to share this URL with anyone who is looking for answers about life and eternity.
Here is a Youtube video of singer Debra Eden’s solo version of “God is Faithful,” recorded on Debra’s CD entitled, “It Was Love.” The video was put together with the recording by Debra’s sister. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIdfLJOo3q8
Note: This post, it it’s entirety, can also be found at the end of our song story poat on “God is Faithful”. This is not the story of how the song came to be written, which forms the main body of “Song Story for God is Faithful”. Rather, it is an additional testimony about the power of the message of God’s faithfulness to encourage and bless.
I have always loved music, and I love to sing; but the reasons that I love to sing in my church choir are are so much deeper than that. Here are the top ten reasons why I love to sing in the choir at my church:
MY TOP TEN REASONS FOR JOYFULLY SINGING IN THE CHURCH CHOIR
1. Singing in my church choir gives me an opportunity to express my love for the Lord.
I am so thankful for God’s love and mercy and for the sacrificial life and death of Jesus and the victory of His resurrection. How else could I express the profound spiritual understanding of the goodness of God that goes beyond words and is only revealed in my heart through the work of God’s Holy Spirit? It is only through musical praise that I feel I have done all that I can do, with God’s help, to share the message of God’s salvation and His incredible love for me and for all of mankind.
“O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon His name; make known His deeds among the people. Sing unto Him, sing psalms unto Him; talk of all His wondrous works. Glory in His holy name; let the heart of those who seek the Lord rejoice.” Psalm 105:1 – 3
2. Singing in my church choir is more than a hobby or an activity. It is a calling.
What an incredible privelege it is to know that God has allowed me to have the ability to participate in something that brings Him glory in the congregation! He has made each of us with particular gifts and talents. I believe that the calling to minister through these gifts is what gives faithful choir members the passion to continue their service and to strive for excellence in expressing their praise to the Lord. There is a lot of * JOY * in fulfilling your calling and in giving praise to the Lord, who has given us everything we’ve ever had and all that we ever will have!
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody! Awake, my soul! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn! I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples, I will sing praises to You among the nations. For Your steadfast love is great above the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let Your glory be over all the earth.” Psalm 108:1 – 5
Lift up His name!
3. Singing in my church choir allows for a type of expression of praise to the Lord that could not be accomplished in any other way.
Although I love all kinds of music and all kinds of arrangements, there are some songs, some lyrics, and some messages that just would not have the same intensity of expression if they were shared in any other way other than choral singing. The Hallelujah Chorus is one such example. Can you imagine it as a solo? It just would not have the same impact. There is something about voices joined together as a choir to share a message for God’s glory that is just a very unique means of expression. Although Tom Fettke’s “The Majesty and Glory of Your Name” or Heather Sorenson’s “God of Heaven” would still have a beautiful melody when sung as a solo, the impact would not be as great as if a choir were singing these worshipful anthems and joining their hearts and souls to bring glory to God in a soaring or contemplative or victorious or joyous choral arrangement.
“Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love, for His wonderful works to the sons of men! And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of His deeds in songs of joy!” Psalm 107:21 & 22
4. Singing in my church choir allows me to participate in the overall ministry of leading in worship, which is a joy and a privelege.
As long as I have a voice, I want to use it to praise God. I don’t want to miss an opportunity to use my voice and even the expression on my face to proclaim God’s goodness through all of the musical praise during congregational worship. I realize that the choir is not just there to sing an anthem or to perform. We are there to worship and to lead in worship. Whether we are singing a new song or an old song, a hymn, a worship song, a choral anthem, or a musical benediction, it is a joy to share these messages of hope and faith with the people of God and to gather in God’s name for the purpose of bringing Him glory.
“Oh, that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! Let them exalt Him also in the congregation of the people, and praise Him in the assembly of the elders.” Psalm 107:31 & 32
5. Singing in my church choir and in other Christian choirs has given me many opportunities to share the good news of Jesus Christ in many settings, throughout my home country and in other countries as well.
Whether a choir is singing in an outdoor setting, a shopping mall, a small church, a prison, a nursing home or assisted living center, a juvenile detention center, a community center, a state capitol building, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D. C., or in a great concert hall in Australia or a public school in Russia, the opportunity to bring glory to God and to share the message of His love and mercy and grace is a blessing and an incredibly humbling miracle of God’s grace! If God had not saved a wretch like me, I would have no message to share anywhere!
“Make a joyful moise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness; come fefore His presence with singing. Know that the Lord is God; it is He that has made us and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise; be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good: His mercy is everlasting, and his truth endures to all generations.” Psalm 100 (all verses, 1 – 5)
Psalm 107:8
6. Singing in my church choir and in other Christian choirs has implanted incredibly profound messages within my heart and soul through the lyrics of the songs that I have been able to sing.
I have been incredibly blessed to invest time in learning these wonderful words and then have had the blessing of remembering them so often as the Lord uses them to speak to my heart over and over again. Often, the words of sacred choral anthems are either entirely scripture, based upon scripture, are paraphrases of scripture, or contain some scriptural content. Singing them helps me to learn and to remember scripture passages and spiritual truths. As a choir member, I am not just singing these songs once a week on Sunday morning. Because of the work aspect that goes into preparation for sharing these messages in worship, we really live with these incredible words, and they have a deep impact in our lives. What a joy it is to sing these messages, live these truths, and share these words of truth and hope, faith and love, blessing and victory, challenge and mercy, and ministry and grace!
“O sing unto the Lord a new song; sing unto the Lord all the earth. Sing unto the Lord, bless His name; show forth His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the heathen, His wonders among all people. For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised.” Psalm 96:1 – 4a
7. Singing in my church choir and in other Christian choirs has allowed me to get to know so many wonderful people who love the Lord and have a heart of service.
A choir becomes a family as we serve together and care for one another. We pray for one another. We love each other and share God’s love with each other. There is an incredible bond when you have worshiped and cried and smiled and laughed and worked and learned and prayed together. I can sing a wrong note or sing in the wrong place, and my choir family just considers such things to be part of the process of learning the music and growing in faith and in musical expression together. I have never heard anyone groan or complain about singing the same portion of a song over and over in order to get it right. We embrace our humanity as we strive to sing beyond our own abilities in order to bring God glory.
“Blessed are those who dwell in Thy house, ever singing Thy praise! Selah” Psalm 84:4
8. Singing in my church choir allows me to participate in something that is so much bigger than my self.
The spiritual and emotional and mental messages that flow out of the marriage of music and lyrics in each song become so much more meaningful as I sing with my brothers and sisters in Christ. I know something of their stories and their lives. I know when someone is singing about God’s healing for broken hearts with deep emotion that flows from their own fountain of personal pain. I know when someone is singing of the joy of the Lord even when they have just experienced a personal loss. I know when the message of Christ’s victory over death has very personal meaning to one of my dear sisters or brothers. I know when the hearts of all of us are touched with God’s mercy and when the joy is so real that I am amazed that it is not visible in the air around us. So, not only is the sound and the arrangement something that I could never accomplish on my own. The collective testimony of this group and the way that God is ministering to our individual hearts as we sing (and to us and through us as a choir) create an impact through the very real and heartfelt sharing of musical testimony that extends far beyond myself or any one individual.
“O come, let us sing unto the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In His hand are the deep places of the earth; the strength of the hills is His also. The sea is His, and He made it; and His hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand.” Psalm 95:1 – 7a
9. I believe that singing praise to God is the closest thing to Heaven that I can experience on this earth.
What could be better than the times when I have the blessing of joining my own voice and heart with the voices and hearts of a group of people whose desire is to praise God, encourage God’s people, share the story of who God is and what He has done, tell the good news of Jesus, and bring blessing and honor and glory to God? The Bible speaks of the singers and the musicians and of choirs. The scriptures talk about the voice of God and how He rejoices over us with singing. There is something special about the way that God created us to use music as a form of expression that goes far beyond words. If is much more that the music itself. It is about how God Himself speaks through the music and then allows us to speak to Him and about Him through the music.
“And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, ‘Great and wonderful are Thy deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are Thy ways, O King of the ages! Who shall not fear and glorify Thy name, O Lord? For Thou alone art Holy. All nations shall come and worship Thee, for Thy judgements have been revealed.” Revelation 15:3 & 4
10. I love to sing in my church choir and in other Christian choirs because of the incredible songs that God has inspired men and women to write, which then become part of my own spiritual journey.
I believe that before a spiritual song can touch the hearts of people, God must first touch the heart of the song-writer (composer) of the song. I believe (and know!) that every song begins with a revelation of truth from God or a new way of looking at or expressing a truth already known. It is like experiencing my own spiritual journey as I try, then make mistakes, and then try again in rehearsal, while simultaneously experiencing the revelations that flow from the spiritual journeys of others. I have learned so much, and my own journey has been blessed beyond words by the profound spiritual truth that I have learned through the songs I’ve been priveleged to sing with my brothers and sisters in Christ. To me, a choir rehearsal is not just working on music. It is a time of worship. I have wept as my heart has been moved by the message of a song. I have reached out to grab the hand of a friend. I have felt my heart swell until I thought I might burst. I have experienced joy so great that I was amazed to find my feet still on the floor. My soul has been convicted and stirred. My heart has been broken and mended and strengthened and challenged. My faith has grown. I have walked through deep valleys and enjoyed the view from some mountaintops… all while praising the Lord through the songs that he has inspired men and women to write and then to arrange for choir, for the blending and unity of hearts and minds and souls as we learn and grow and rejoice together in this lovely, human expression of the eternal and divine that we call choir.
“The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. Then Hezekiah commanded that the burnt offering be offered on the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song to the Lord began also, and the trumpets, accompanied by the instruments of David king of Israel. The whole assembly worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished. When the burnt offering was finished, the king and all who were present with him bowed themselves and worshipped. And Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praises to the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed down and worshipped.” II Chronicles 29:26 – 30
What a blessing a joy it has been to sing in church choirs and in other choirs made up of my brothers and sisters in Christ! I will continue to praise the Lord through choral music for as long as I have the opportunity. I am so thankful to God for my salvation and for His presence in my life. I cannot help but sing.
This post was written by Cynthia A. Boyd, with thanksgiving to God for giving me something of eternal meaning and worth to sing about, and with love and appreciation for my favorite Choral Director, Travis L. Boyd, for giving me a love song in this life.
I am also thankful for all of the wonderful choral and band directors and voice and piano teachers who have taught me so much about music and then about singing and playing music for more than the here and now. They include: Dr. Jon Duncan, Dr. Bill Green, Dr. Terry Segress, Eugene Beck, Steve Westmoreland, Dr. Charles Jurrens, Mrs. Betty Westomoreland, Dr. Robert Reynolds, Faye Casey, John Robinson, Steve Smith, John Casey, Dr. Charles Chapman, Dr. Merle Taff, Lillian Loe-Stoddard, Eugene Butler, Dr. Irving Bunton, Lloyd Pfautsch, Wynn Anne Hook, Ron Stanton, Eph Ely, and John Gerber, who was directing the invitation hymn when I laid down my music and left the choir loft to say “yes” to Jesus.
Here’s one of my favorite choral anthems, written by my husband, Worship Minister and Composer Travis L. Boyd.
For more information about this anthem, with purchasing links, click on the title to go to our Sound Cloud page for “Jesus, My Redeemer”. There is also a set of other Publishers’ demos on our Sound Cloud.
Information about additional Choral Anthems, Orchestrations, Vocal Solos, and Congregational worship music by Travis L. Boyd, which can be found on our Worship Sounds Music website, is below.
Click this image to go to our WorshipSounds website.
Find Worshipful CHORAL MUSIC for your Choir at WORSHIP SOUNDS MUSIC!
Worship Sounds music offers downloadable Choral Anthems for Adult Choirs, Senior Adult Choirs, and Student Choirs in several voicings (SATB, SAB, SSATB, 2-Part, SSAA, and TTBB). Many of our anthems also have Full Orchestrations available, and some also have downloadable Mp3 Accompaniment Tracks. In addition, we offer Vocal Solos, with most available in 3 keys, Solo Accompaniment Tracks, and Congregational worship music.
Thank you for spending your valuable time reading the contents of this page. We hope that it has been helpful to you. If you or someone that you know is looking for answers about life, we hope that you will visit our page called “Do You Know Jesus?”. The links provided on this page will help to answer life’s deepest questions. Here is the link to “Do You Know Jesus?”: http://www.worshipsounds.wordpress.com/do-you-know-jesus/
Please feel free to share this URL with anyone who is looking for answers about life and eternity.
Click the photo above to go directly to our WorshipSounds Music website!
MUSIC PLAYERS or VIDEO DEMOS FOR EVERY SONG & CHORAL ANTHEM!
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This page takes a few seconds to load completely because of the Music Players & Video Demos. It will scroll normally after a few seconds of loading.
Thank you so much!
A. ON OUR WorshipSounds Music HOME PAGE:
1. Our SOLO MUSIC can be viewed and purchased on our website’s Home Page (in the left sidebar).
* Every Vocal Solo has a Video Demo.
* Some Vocal Solos also have new
Accompaniment Tracks available.
* For some Vocal Solos, there are Mp3 Accompaniment Track downloads available in all Three Solo keys (with a PDF lead sheet included). For other songs, the available Accompaniment Track download only works with the Medium Voice Solo. We’re working on additional tracks for other keys.
* There may be a Demo Vocal only on the Medium Voice track, but there will be a Video Demo of the other Keys that have tracks available so that a Soloist can determine which key works best.
> Our Vocal Solo PDFs are $5.00, with permission to make as many copies from the PDF as needed for your Soloist & Accompanists or Rhythm Section.
> Our Solo Accompaniment Tracks are $10.00 (for the Mp3 download with a lead sheet PDF download).
1, SOLO VERSIONS OF SOME OF OUR BEST LOVED ANTHEMS
* “A Mother’s Love” — A song for Mother’s Day, for a Baby Dedication, or for honoring a special Mom, this Vocal Solo is available in 3 keys. An Accompaniment Track is available for this song, featuring the flute and cello obbligati, in each of the 3 keys.
* “For the Sins of All” — A song about Christ’s sacrifice so that he could pay the penalty “for the sins of all”. This Vocal Solo is available in 3 keys, with an accompaniment track featuring the Full Orchestrations that works for the Medium Voice version.
* “I Am Here” — A song of assurance, which has been sung by The Singing Churchwomen of Oklahoma, “I Am Here” is available in 3 keys, with Accompaniment Tracks featuring the Full Orchestration available for all 3 keys.
* “Much More Than a Song” –This is a beautiful and meaningful song about choosing to praise God in every circumstance. It has been sung in SSAA by the Jubalheirs, under the direction of Dr. Jon Duncan, and recorded on their CD entitled “New Every Morning.” This song has also been sung in TTBB by The Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma, then under the direction of Dr. Bill Green. “Much More Than a Song” is available as a Vocal Solo in 3 keys. The Medium Voice key works with the Accompaniment Track.
* “One Like Me” — A song of praise and thanksgiving for salvation, “One Like Me” is available in 3 keys, with accompaniment tracks for all 3.
* “The Father’s Beautiful World” — This beautiful arrangement combines 2 hymns of thankfulness for God’s amazing creaton. It features the Travis’ own melody and arrangement of “All Things Bright and Beautiful” as well as a portion of the hymn “This is My Father’ World.” The Vocal Solo is available in 3 keys.
“The Father’s Beautiful World” Vocal Solo for Medium Voice PLEASE VIEW THIS VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE TO SEE LYRICS.
* “Where You Want Me to Be” — A song of dependance on God, “Where You Want Me to Be” has been sung by The Sons of Jubal, under the direction of Dr. Jon Duncan, and The Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma, then under the direction of Dr. Ken Gabrielse and Dr. Bill Green. There is one Solo version available. It is in the same key as the Choral Anthem, so this Vocal Solo works with either the accompanying Full Orchestration or the Accompaniment Track (which features the Orchestration).
2. OUR FEATURED MUSIC is also on the Home Page
(Click on any title to see and hear the anthem with our unique Demo Videos!)
* Seasonal Anthems or Vocal Solos
* Brand new to our website
(NEW Anthems, Orchestrations, Voicings, Vocal Solos, or Accomp. Tracks)
* An occasional special offer on our music
NOTE: Featured Anthems may include at least one anthem from each of the following categories:
Adult Choir, Student Choir, Senior Adult Choir, School and Community Choirs, and Seasonal (Christmas, Easter or Palm Sunday, Mother’s Day or Baby dedication)
3. “JOIN OUR LIST” WIDGET – A sign up blank for our mailing list (for occasional e-mails about new music available on our website, seasonal anthems, and special offers)
4. PRICING DETAILS (basic info about purchasing our music)
Our website offers the convenience of Pay Pal for your purchase. This allows us to do international sales. However, if you live in the United States and do not have Pay Pal, wecan arrange to work with you through check or money order. Downloads will be delayed until your money order arrives or your check has cleared, but we’ll be glad to work with you to get your music sent as soon as possible.
To make alternate pay arrangements or communicate with us about anything else, just contact Travis directly using his web mail address,Travis@worshipsounds.com
(This same address is found on our home page.)
* We use the affordable “you print” method for your music, sending a link to your PDF download almost immediately (for Pay Pal orders)!
* Our music PDFs come in either octavo format or full-page format.
You choose the format that works best for you, according to the sophistication of your copier.
(Printer requirements for making octavo copies are listed at the top of our shopping cart page.)
* $8.00 to $15.00 price range for Anthem PDFs, with permission to make an unlimited number of copies (for your Choir and Accompanists and/or Rhythm Section only)
* $25.00 – $30.00 for Complete Orchestrations
They are written to be practical for church musicians & to enhance the performance of an anthem without covering up the choir. The price includes bundled PDF master copies, from which you can dulplicate your Director’s Score, Parts for Strings, Winds, & Percussion, and a String Reduction for Keyboard.
* $5.00 for each Solo Version PDF, with permission to make copies as needed for your Soloist, Accompanists, and/or Rhythm Section
* $10.oo for each Accompaniment Track for a Vocal Solo or Anthem [This price includes the Mp3 Accompaniment Track download (plus a lead sheet PDF for Vocal Solos). Choral Anthem PDFs must be purchased separately.]
B. ON OUR “ADULT CHOIR” MUSIC PAGE:
23 Adult Choir Anthems plus 3 Adult Choir Christmas Anthems
See and hear the music! Our new, ONE CLICK DEMO VIDEOS allow you to view the music as you are listening to the computer demo! (You can view video demos on this page, but ordering these Adult Choir anthems can only be done from our Adult Choir website page, http://www.worshipsounds.com/Adult_Choirs.php )
* You’ll love the convenience of watching the music without having to scroll.
* Although the lyrics become just slightly blurry in the conversion from PDF to video demo, the notes are clear & words are still readable, especially when you watch demo videos infullscreen mode. Our actual PDFs are clear as a bell.
1. General Use Choral Anthems
Here’s our list of 23 Adult Choir anthems for any time of year !
Link to Video Demo
“A Mighty God”
* SSATB…..Anthem PDF, $15.00
(with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School or Choral Organization)
* Full Orchestration, $30.00
(with full score, string reduction for keyboard, and reproducible parts for all instruments)
This anthems is an upbeat, joyous declaration of reliance upon and trust in our mighty God. It’s available on our website’s Adult Choir music page.
“A Mighty God” SSATB Choral Anthem, with Full Orchestration available
PLEASE VIEW VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE TO SEE LYRICS BEST.
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Link to Video Demo
“A Mother’s Love”
* SATB with flute and/or cello obbligati…..Anthem PDF, $10.00
with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School or Choral Organization)
This anthem is a beautiful and meaningful message for Mother’s Day or a Baby Dedication. There’s an obbligato part for flute (or other C instrument) as well as one for cello. The anthem can be performed with either of the obbligati or with both to make the sharing of this lovely song extra special.
“A Mother’s Love” is also available in a solo version, which is found on our website’s Home Page.
PLEASE VIEW VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE TO SEE LYRICS BEST.
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Link to Video Demo
“A Prayer of Praise”
* SATB Choral Anthem, also useful for congregational praise…..Anthem PDF, $10.00
with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School or Choral Organization)
This upbeat anthem can be introduced by your Adult or Student choir and later sung as a congregational praise song. The message is about learning to focus on bringing glory to God in every moment, so that our lives become a prayer of praise. (lifestyle worship). There is a section in this anthem that can be sung unaccompanied (optional a cappella).
“A Prayer of Praise” SATB Choral Worship Anthem
PLEASE VIEW VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE TO SEE LYRICS.
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Link to Video Demo
“A Prayer for the Saints”
* SATB…..Anthem PDF, $15.00
with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School or Choral Organization)
* Worship Pak, $10.00 [includes lead sheet, reproducible hymn sheet (bulletin size), and Vocal/Piano score]
This anthem voices the prayer of every Christian’s heart and was the theme song for the 2012 Sons of Jubal rehearsal retreat, selected by Dr. Jon Duncan.
“A Prayer for the Saints” SATB Choral Anthem
PLEASE VIEW VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE.
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“Crucifixion Day”
Note: This is a sneak peek!
This anthem is not yet on our website and may be slightly revised before it is uploaded. Look for it for Easter 2014!
“Crucifixion Day” SATB Choral Anthem
PLEASE VIEW VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE.
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Link to Video Demo
“Don’t Let the Rocks Cry Out”
* SSATB…..Anthem PDF, $15.00
with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School or Choral Organization)
* Full Orchestration, $30.00
(with full score, string reduction for keyboard, and reproducible parts for all instruments)
An upbeat message of praise in a jazzy, southern gospel style, this anthem is as enjoyable to play and sing as it is to hear, exhorting your choir and congregation to praise the Lord in song.
“Don’t Let The Rocks Cry Out” SSATB Choral Anthem, with Full Orchestration available
PLEASE VIEW VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE IN ORDER TO SEE LYRICS BEST.
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Link to Video Demo
“For the Glory of God”
* SSATB…..Anthem PDF, $15.00
with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School or Choral Organization)
* Full Orchestration, $30.00
(with full score, string reduction for keyboard, and reproducible parts for all instruments)
This anthem is a joyful and gently syncopated call to praise, with a more lyrical “Alleluia” section and rhythmic, energetic verses. It will challenge your choir and inspire your congregation! It features multiple meter changes and never loses the intensity of the message. This anthem has been performed by The Jubalheirs, under the direction of Dr. Jon Duncan.
“For the Glory of God” SSATB Choral Anthem, with Full Orchestration available
PLEASE VIEW VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE TO SEE LYRICS BEST.
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Link to Video Demos
“For the Sins of All”
* SSATB…..Anthem PDF, $15.00
with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School or Choral Organization)
* Full Orchestration, $30.00
(with full score, string reduction for keyboard, and reproducible parts for all instruments)
* Solo Version, $5.00
(with permission to make copies for your Soloist and Accompanists or Rhythm Section)
With a message about the amazing sacrifice that Christ made on the cross, this anthem is perfect for general use, Palm Sunday, or Easter.
“For The Sins Of All” SSATB Choral Anthem, with Full Orchestration available, Accompaniment Track available
PLEASE VIEW VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE IN ORDER TO SEE LYRICS BEST.
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Link to Video Demo
“Greater”
* In SSATB or SSAA Voicing…..Anthem PDF, $15.00
with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School or Choral Organization)
Orchestration, $30.00 “His name is higher, His love is deeper. He reigns forever and ever more! …For our God is greater than all!”
“Greater” is in the current repertoire of The Jubalheirs, under the direction of Dr. Jon Duncan, and it has been recorded on their most recent CD, entitled “To Live His Song”.
“Greater” SSATB Choral Anthem, with Full Orchestration available
PLEASE VIEW VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE TO SEE LYRICS BEST.
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Link to Video Demo
“Great Things”
* SSATB…..Anthem PDF, $12.00
with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School or Choral Organization)
An energetic and rhythmic anthem of praise, “Great Things” celebrates God’s work in our lives and His provision for His children.
“Great Things” SSATB Choral Anthem
PLEASE VIEW VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE.
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Link to Video Demo
“He Took Up a Cross”
* SATB…..Anthem PDF, $8.00
(with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School or Choral Organization)
(Recorded on The Singing Churchwomen of Oklahoma’s CD entitled, ”The Lord is My Light” in SSAA version.)
“He Took Up A Cross” SATB Choral Anthem
PLEASE VIEW VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE.
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Link to Video Demo
“I Am Here”
* SATB…..Anthem PDF, $8.00
with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School or Choral Organization)
* Full Orchestration, $25.00
(with full score, string reduction for keyboard, and reproducible parts for all instruments)
(This song has been part of the repertoire of The Singing Churchwomen of Oklahoma.
(with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School or Choral Organization)
This song has been performed at Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma concerts. The anthem arrangement works well for an ensemble and for choirs or all sizes.
“in My Father’s House” SATB Choral Anthem
PLEASE VIEW VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE.
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Link to Video Demo
“Jesus Christ is Lord”
* SATB…..Anthem PDF, $15.00
(with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School orChoral Organization)
* Full Orchestration, $30.00
(with full score, string reduction for keyboard, and reproducible parts for all instruments)
An upbeat anthem of praise for the Lordship of Christ, “Jesus Christ is Lord” has a full Orchestration available.
“Jesus Christ Is Lord” SATB Choral Anthem
PLEASE VIEW VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE.
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“Let the Trumpet Sound”
* SATB …..Anthem PDF, $15.00 (The trumpet obbligato part is free but ordered separately.)
(Purchase of the anthem PDF grants permission to make an unlimited number of copies for your choir and accompanists.)
This anthem features an optional trumpet obbligato and is written in a classical style. Solid four-part writing and an energetic melody compliment the text to create a perfect service opener or a general usage anthem. Formerly sung at the beginning of worship concerts by The Singing Churchwomen of Okalhoma, then under the direction of Dr. Bill Green, “Let the Trumpet Sound” is suitable for Adult or Student Choirs.
“Let The Trumpet Sound” SATB Choral Anthem w/ trumpet obbligato
PLEASE VIEW VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE to see lyrics best.
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Link to Video Demo
“Much More Than a Song”
* SSATB…..Anthem PDF, $15.00
(with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School orChoral Organization)
* Vocal Solo, with Piano accompaniment and chord symbols
(with permission to make copies for your Soloist and Accompanists or Rhythm Section)
“May my praise to You be much more than a song.” The beautiful melody and powerful lyrics of this anthem will touch the hearts of your congregation.
(This anthem was recorded by the Jubalheirs on their CD entitled “New Every Morning” and has also been sung by the Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma.)
“Much More Than A Song” SSATB Choral Anthem
PLEASE VIEW VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE.
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Link to Video Demo
“O, For a Thousand Tongues to Sing”
* Easy SATB…..Anthem PDF, with flute obbligato, $8.00
(with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School orChoral Organization)
This anthem uses the familiar hymn text with a new melody in a lovely setting that brings new life to the lyrics. Add the flute obbligato (heard on this demo) to the piano accompaniment.
“o, For A Thousand Tongues to Sing” SATB Choral Anthem
There is only one Savior who takes away the sins of the world! He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Lift up Jesus with this stirring anthem.
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Link to Video Demo
“One Like Me”
* SSATB…..Anthem PDF, $12.00
(with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School orChoral Organization)
* SSAA…..Anthem PDF, $12.00
(with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School orChoral Organization)
An anthem of praise and thanksgiving to Jesus for saving “One Like Me”, this anthem has been included in the repertoire of The Singing Churchwomen of Oklahoma.
“One Like Me” SSATB Anthem
PLEASE VIEW VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE
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Link to Video Demo
“Prince of Peace”
* SSATB Choral…..Anthem PDF, $15.00
(with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School orChoral Organization)
* Full Orchestration, $30.00 (with full score, string reduction for keyboard, and reproducible parts for all instruments)
With a piano accompaniment that sets the mood perfectly, “Prince of Peace” is a message of hope about turning to the Lord in every day life and in times of crisis.
“Prince of Peace” SSATB Choral Anthem
PLEASE VIEW VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE.
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Link to Video Demo of SATB Anthem
“Since I Have Been Redeemed”
* SATB Choral throughout, with Unison or Solo on the first verse…..Anthem PDF, $15.00
(with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School orChoral Organization)
Video demos for the other two Choral options of “Since I Have Been Redeemed can be viewed on our website.
PLEASE VIEW VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE TO SEE LYRICS.
* SATB Choral back-up with Solo throughout…..Anthem PDF, $15.00
(with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School orChoral Organization)
* Two – part Choral…..Anthem PDF, $12.00
(with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School orChoral Organization)
* Vocal Solo with Piano accompaniment (chord symbols included)…..PDF Master, $5.00
(with permission to make copies for your Soloist and Accompanists or Rhythm Section)
(with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School orChoral Organization)
* Solo Version, with Piano accompaniment and chord symbols…..$5.00
(with permission to make copies for your Soloist and Accompanists or Rhythm Section)
Utilizing the familiar text for the hymn, “All Things Bright and Beautiful” with a lovely new melody and a portion of the beloved hymn, “This is My Father’s World”, this anthem is a beautiful and effective medley with a message of thankfulness for God’s majestic creation.
(with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School orChoral Organization)
This anthem has a stirring message, calling for God’s people to praise and glorify His name. It would be a great way to begin a service of praise, especially when the trumpet obbligato is added.
“The Name” SATB Choral Anthem
PLEASE VIEW VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE.
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Link to Video Demo
“The Theme of Our Praise”
* SSATB…..Anthem PDF, $10.00
(with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School orChoral Organization)
This anthem is a joyful proclamation that Jesus Himself is the theme of our praise.
“The Theme of Our Praise” SSATB Choral Anthem
PLEASE VIEW VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE.
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Link to Video Demo
“Where You Want Me to Be”
* SATB Choral, with Male Solo…..Anthem PDF, $15.00
(with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School orChoral Organization)
* TTBB Choral, with Male Solo…..Anthem PDF, $15.00
(with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School orChoral Organization)
* Full Orchestration, $30.00
(with full score, string reduction for keyboard, and reproducible parts for all instruments)
* Solo Version, with Piano accompaniment and chord symbols…..$5.00
(with permission to make copies for your Soloist and Accompanists or Rhythm Section)
This anthem has a message of humility in bowing before the Lord and seeking to stay in the center of His will. It has been part of the repertoire of The Sons of Jubal and The Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma, having been included in the latter’s 50th Anniversary worship concert. There is a video performance of the TTBB version from a Sons of Jubal concert at this link: http://vimeo.com/15477249
“Where You Want Me to Be” SATB Choral Anthem with Solo throughout
PLEASE VIEW VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE.
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2.CHRISTMAS ANTHEMS
Link to Video Demo
“Christmas Joy”
* SATB Choral…..Anthem PDF, $8.00
(with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School orChoral Organization)
“Christmas Joy” is a joyful proclamation of our Savior’s birth, celebrating the greatest gift ever given. It is written in 6/8 meter and has a bridge section with lyrics from Isaiah (“For unto us a Son is given….”). It works well for Adult Choir or for Student Choir.
“Christmas Joy” SATB Christmas Choral Anthem
PLEASE VIEW VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE TO SEE LYRICS.
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Link to Video Demo
“Glory to the Newborn King”
* SATB…..Anthem PDF, $10.00
(with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School orChoral Organization)
With a jazzy, southern gospel style, “Glory to the Newborn King” is not your typical Christmas anthem. It will hold your congregation’s attention from beginning to end, sharing the truth about the identity of the baby born in Bethlehem and what His birth means to us.
“Glory to the Newborn King” SATB Christmas Choral Anthem
PLEASE VIEW VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE TO SEE LYRICS.
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Link to Video Demo
“God Reached Down”
* SATB…..Anthem PDF, $8.00
(with permission to make an unlimited number of copies for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School orChoral Organization)
The beautiful message of God’s plan to meet our need by sending His Son is summarized in the title of this anthem and shared in detail through the glorious melody and lyrics of “God Reached Down. Your choir will love singing this message about the expression of God’s love and mercy that we celebrate at Christmas.
“God Reached Down” SATB Christmas Choral Anthem
PLEASE VIEW VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE TO SEE LYRICS.
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C. ON OUR YOUTH, SENIOR ADULT, AND SCHOOL OR COMMUNITY CHOIR MUSIC PAGE:
Four choral anthems for Student or Youth Choir, 3 for Senior Adult Choir, and 2 for School, University, or Community Choir
1. MUSIC FOR YOUTH OR “STUDENT” CHOIRS:
Click to view Video Demo
“A Joyful Doxology”
* SATB…..Anthem PDF, $8.00with permission to make an unlimited number of copies
for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School or Choral Organization)“A Joyful Doxology” SATB Choral AnthemVIEW IN FULLSCREEN MODE TO SEE LYRICS.
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Click to view Video Demo
“A Prayer of Praise”* SATB…..Anthem PDF, $10.00
(with permission to make an unlimited number of copies
for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School or Choral Organization)
This upbeat SATB Choral Anthem is also useful for congregational praise. The anthem can be introduced by your Adult or Student choir and later sung as a congregational praise song. The message is about learning to focus on bringing glory to God in every moment, so that our lives become a prayer of praise. (lifestyle worship)
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Click to view Video Demo
“He Put the Joy”
* SAB…..Anthem PDF, $8.00
(with permission to make an unlimited number of copies
for the use of your Church or Chrisitan School or Choral Organization)
In addition to the music available on our website for Congregational Worship, Choirs of all ages and sizes (Student, Adult, & Sr. Adult), Ensembles, Soloists, and Church Orchestras (our anthem orchestrations), you will find the following information and links on our website:
A. On our LET US SERVE YOU page:
1. Information about commissioned anthems and orchestrations, with an example of one of our published anthems (with our full orchestration) written using our process for making the inspiration for commissioned anthems most meaningful for the indiviual or group to whom the anthem is dedicated. References can be provided upon request.
2. Information about Compositition classes, Composer’s Weekends, and other services we offer.
B. On our PUBLISHED MUSIC page:
1. Information about our published anthems, listed by publisher (Shawnee Press, Lorenz, Choristers Guild, and Lifeway), with links to studio demo recordings as well as other recordings and videos, links to sample music pages, and information about each anthem, including the availability of related products such as accompaniment trax, brass and rhythm parts, and full orchestrations. For an even more exhaustive list of our published works dating back to the early 1980′s, see the info page on our WorshipSounds Music facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/WorshipSoundsMusic
2. A list of large choral and instrumental groups which have sung or played and have recorded our music (in SSAA, TTBB, or SATB choral anthem arrangements as well as full orchestrations).
Under the direction of Dr. Bill Green, over 700 musicians present a glorious worship concert, recorded on a DVD & CD, both called “Foundations.” My SATB choral anthem, “Amazing Grace, Eternal Life!” was performed & recorded.
3. A Discography of some of the recordings of our music, with some links to full recordings or samples. The discography includes several large group recordings as well as professional singing groups and solo recording projects.
C. On our SHOPPING CART PAGE
There is a search capability on the shopping cart page, which will allow you to seek anthems by voicing or by difficulty level. You can then return to the Adult Choir music page or the Student, Senior Adult, and School Choir music page to view video demos and information about the anthems located during your search.
All of the products currently offered on our website have their own identifying photo. All products associated with a particular song have the same photo. Each anthem is available in either full-page format or octavo format. Some anthems are available in more than one voicing, and some anthems have accompanying orchestrations or Solo versions that can be ordered as a separate product.
Title / photo thumbnail for “Where You Want Me to Be”
For example, “Where You Want Me to Be” has an identifying photo of a person walking alone on a beach at twilight. All products related to “Where You Want Me to Be” have the same photo, including:
* The Octavo version of the choral anthem in SATB
* The Full-page version of the choral anthem in SATB
* The Full Orchestration
* The Octavo version of the choral anthem in TTBB
* The Full-page version of the choral anthem in TTBB
* The Solo version of “Where You Want Me to Be.”
One of our next projects will take some time. We will be adding accompaniment trax for each song eventually.
Thank you for spending your valuable time reading the contents of this page. We hope that it has been helpful to you. If you or someone that you know is looking for answers about life, we hope that you will visit our page called “Do You Know Jesus?”. The links provided on this page will help to answer life’s deepest questions. Here is the link to “Do You Know Jesus?”: http://www.worshipsounds.wordpress.com/do-you-know-jesus/
Please feel free to share this URL with anyone who is looking for answers about life and eternity.
“This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24
What does it mean to rejoice and be glad in today?
Here’s one definition of the word “rejoice”: “animated with gladness, exhilarated, feeling joy” *
Pastors and Bible scholars often state that there is a difference between happiness and joy. The writers at GotQuestions.org state their belief in this way: “The Bible teaches that happiness is fleeting because it often depends on things outside of ourselves, but true joy is eternal because it is based on our relationship with Jesus Christ, which is itself an everlasting source of joy.”
Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/joy-happiness.html#ixzz2MbRweTBr
We shouldn’t be as focused solely upon happiness which is dependent on outward circumstances. Our joy in the Lord is based on an internal constant – our relationship with Him.
What does the Bible say regarding joy?
* Psalm 4:7 - “You have filled my heart with greater joy.” God is the source and provider of joy in our lives.
* Psalm 19:8 - “The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.” God’s Word also brings joy to the life of the believer because it is right.
* Psalm 92:4 - “For you make me glad by your deeds, O Lord; I sing for joy at the work of your hands.” God’s mighty works can bring us joy as we consider His mighty power, his creativity, and his kindness.
* Acts 16:34 - “The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God – he and his whole family.” Salvation brought joy to the Philippian jailer.
* 2 Corinthians 7:4b - “…in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.” Even in the midst of problems, we can have endless joy as we learn to keep our minds focused on God and his promises.
* Galatians 5:22 - “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.” Joy is one of the evidences of our spiritual conversion and our relationship with Christ.
* 1 Thessalonians 1:6b - “…in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy of the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit gives us joy, revealing God’s love and care for us in countless ways.
* 1 Thessalonians 5:16 - “Be joyful always…” We are commanded to always be joyful, a similar verse reminds us that we are “abounding in hope”.
* James 1:2 - “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” We should be joyful even when we face trials in life, choosing joy in spite of circumstances.
“So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.” Hebrews 4:7
Although this verse probably referred to salvation (similiar to “today is the day of salvation”), we can also enter His rest by choosing to spend time in meditation and prayer. As we allow God to specak to our hearts, we have chosen His rest rather than choosing to harden our hearts by allowing worry or doubt to take hold.
“Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.” Exodus 14:13
The Egyptians had been the captors of the children of Israel and then became their pursuers, intending to punish them and take them captive once more. Moses encouraged the people to believe and to trust firmly in God’s deliverance. After all that God had already done in sending the plagues on Egypt to secure the release of His people, He was not going to allow them to be re-captured and enslaved again. What holds you captive and pursues your heart? God has promised delieverance to those who will stand firm and trust him.
“I am making this covenant both with you who stand here today in the presence of the LORD our God, and also with the future generations who are not standing here today.” Deuteronomy 29:15
God was always thinking of us. Though we had not yet been born, we were in His heart. His covenant and His promises are for us! As the Psalmist said, “What is man that You are mindful of him?” And yet, He is. YOU are on God’s mind and in His heart.
“For he says, ‘In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2
Isn’t it incredible the lengths to which God has gone to show His favor to us and to offer us salvation. He did not withhold His only Son. He loved us while we were yet sinners. He sent the Holy Spirit to convict our hearts and speak to our hearts to call us to Himself. When you have already said “yes” to God’s salvation, you are the apple of His eye. His favor rests on you. This is not just the favor of an earthly King. God’s favor is the merciful and loving goodness of the King of all creation!
“The Sovereign LORD has given me His words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning, He wakens me and opens my understanding to His will.” Isaiah 50:4
God has given us His word, full of promises, assurance and comfort. He gives us His peace when we fix our minds upon Him. He opens our minds to the understanding of the eternal, even when the temporary circumstances of our lives seem overwhelming or even hopeless. He sends others to strengthen and encourage us, working in their hearts as well so that they may know how to comfort us; and sometimes He allows us to be the one with words of comfort or just a comforting presence for others.
“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:8& 9
Never forget God’s patience and His complete understanding. He is not slow to hear your prayers. He is patient. Unlike us, he is not prone to act hastily or unwisely. There is time…an eternity of time…for God to make everything right and to wipe away all sorrow, giving us the incredible, eternal gift of being present with Him in Heaven, where the joy and delight will be beyond anything we can imagine and will never end!
“This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24
Today, we can rejoice and be glad! We have a loving God who is a keeper of promises. He is patient, kind, merciful, and good. He cares about everything in our lives. He is the God of all comfort. He saw our need and sent His only Son to provide salvation. He is preparing a place in heaven for you! As the song “Trust His Heart” says, “To give you life forever, He left nostone unturned“. He is the lover of your soul and the keeper of your heart.
“In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.”Psalm 5:3
May we choose to begin the day seeking God, knowing that He hears us. May we wait expectantly for His work in our lives and on our behalf. May we wait, trusting Him, and choosing joy in the waiting!
Dear friend, rejoice today; and be glad in the loving kindness of the one true God, whose mercy endures forever!
Here are the words to a brand new song by Travis L. Boyd. This song is special and will bless a lot of hearts. May it be a reminder of God’s love and care and the way He meets us where we are and surrounds us with His loving presence.
EARLY IN THE MORNING
by Travis L. Boyd
Early in the morning
When the night is gone,
Creation awakens
To welcome the dawn.
Early in the morning
At the break of day,
Your glory shines forth
In the beautiful world You have made.
Early in the morning,
When I bow in prayer,
Your presence surrounds me.
I rest in Your care.
Early in the morning,
When I speak Your name,
Your peace overwhelms me.
My soul must proclaim…
Hallelujah, Amen!
Hallelujah, Amen!
(bridge)
Morning by morning, Your mercies are new.
Lovingly, You guide my way.
Moment by moment, You shepherd my soul,
Giving me strength and fulfilling my days.
Early in the morning,
I will lift my voice
To worship and praise You,
My soul must rejoice!
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This post was written and compiled by Cynthia A. Boyd, with song lyrics written by Travis L. Boyd.
Thank you for spending your valuable time reading the contents of this page. We hope that it has been helpful to you. If you or someone that you know is looking for answers about life, we hope that you will visit our page called “Do You Know Jesus?”. The links provided on this page will help to answer life’s deepest questions. Here is the link to “Do You Know Jesus?”: http://www.worshipsounds.wordpress.com/do-you-know-jesus/
Please feel free to share this URL with anyone who is looking for answers about life and eternity.
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:11
Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised— who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Romans 8:34
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9
He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces. Isaiah 25:8
But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; on him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and by his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5
“As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth.” Job 19:25
God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. 1 Corinthians 6:14
…who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 1 Peter 1:21
“If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.” 1 Corinthians 15:17
Resurrection Quotes
The tomb of Christ is famous because of what it DOES NOT CONTAIN. – Sam Morris
We live and die; Christ died and lived! – John Stott
The resurrection of Jesus changes the face of death for all His people. Death is no longer a prison, but a passage into God’s presence. Easter says you can put truth in a grave, but it won’t stay there. – Clarence W. Hall
The primary source of the appeal of Christianity is Jesus – His incarnation, His life, His crucifixion, and His resurrection. – K. Latourette
…Luke associates John with Peter in Acts, when, after the Resurrection, that strange boldness had come upon the disciples. – Alfred Noyes
“The cross is a one time visual representation of God’s grief over sin.” – Dean L. Harvey
“Live in the awareness that Christ lives and that He lives in His people.” – Julien B. Weil
“The cross is the victory, the resurrection is the triumph…The resurrection is the public display of the victory, the triumph of the crucified one.” – Leon Morris
“The best proof that Christ has risen is that He is still alive. And for the immense majority of our contemporaries, the only way of seeing Him alive is for us Christians to love one another.” – Louis Evely
♪ ♫ “Christ the Lord is risen today, sons of men and angels say. Raise your joys and triumphs high; Sing ye heavens, and earth reply.” – Charles Wesley (from the Hymn “Christ the Lord is Risen Today”)
All of heaven is interested in the cross of Christ, hell afraid of it, while men are the only ones to ignore its meaning. – Oswald Chambers
According to the laws of legal evidence used in courts of law, there is more evidence for the historical fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ than for just about any other event in history. – Harvard Law Professor Dr. Simon Greenleaf
♪ ♫ “Hear the bells ringing!
They’re singing that we can be born again!
Hear the bells ringing!
They’re singing, ‘Christ is risen from the dead!’
The angel up on the tombstone said, He is risen just as he said!
Quickly now, go tell His disciples that Jesus Christ is no longer dead
Joy to the world! He is risen! Alleluia!”
– Keith Green, The Easter Song
There is no historic incident better or more variously supported than the resurrection of Christ. – Brooke Foss Wescott
The Gospels do not explain the Resurrection; the Resurrection explains the Gospels. Belief in the Resurrection is not an appendage to the Christian faith; it is the Christian faith. – John S. Whale
♪ ♫ “Up from the grave he arose; with a mighty triumph o’er his foes!
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
and He lives forever with His saints to reign!
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!
– from ‘Up from the Grave He Arose’
Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime. – Martin Luther
The resurrection power of Jesus broke Satan’s captive power. When He led the Old Testament saints from paradise to heaven, He led captivity captive! – Leon Morris
Our justification hinges on a risen life, present in us now because Christ is present with us now. – Paul F.M. Zaul
Our old history ends with the cross; our new history begins with the resurrection. – Watchman Nee
The entire plan for the future has its key in the resurrection. - - Billy Graham
There is more evidence that Jesus rose from the dead than there is that Julius Caesar ever lived or that Alexander the Great died at the age of thirty-three. - - Billy Graham
“It was no accident, no coincidence, that the seasons came round and round year after year. It was the Lord speaking to us all and showing us over and over again the birth, life, death, and resurrection of his only begotten Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, our Lord. It was like a best-loved story being told day after day with each sunrise and sunset, year after year with the seasons, down through the ages since time began.” ― Francine Rivers The Last Sin Eater
“…left to ourselves we lapse into a kind of collusion with entrophy, acquiescing in the general belief that things may be getting worse but that there’s nothing much we can do about them. And we are wrong. Our task in the present…is to live as resurrection people in between Easter and the final day, with our Christian life, corporate and individual, in both worship and mission, as a sign of the first and a foretaste of the second.” ― N. T. Wright Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church
“It is not easy to convey a sense of wonder, let alone resurrection wonder, to another. It’s the very nature of wonder to catch us off guard, to circumvent expectations and assumptions. Wonder can’t be packaged, and it can’t be worked up. It requires some sense of being there and some sense of engagement.” ― Eugene H. Peterson
“I know the resurrection is a fact, and Watergate proved it to me. How? Because 12 men testified they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years, never once denying it. Every one was beaten, tortured, stoned and put in prison. They would not have endured that if it weren’t true. Watergate embroiled 12 of the most powerful men in the world-and they couldn’t keep a lie for three weeks. You’re telling me 12 apostles could keep a lie for 40 years? Absolutely impossible.”
― Charles Colson
“The devil, darkness, and death may swagger and boast, the pangs of life will sting for a while longer, but don’t worry; the forces of evil are breathing their last. Not to worry…He’s risen!” ― Charles R. Swindoll
“He, the Life of all, our Lord and Saviour, did not arrange the manner of his own death lest He should seem to be afraid of some other kind. No. He accepted and bore upon the cross a death inflicted by others, and those other His special enemies, a death which to them was supremely terrible and by no means to be faced; and He did this in order that, by destroying even this death, He might Himself be believed to be the Life, and the power of death be recognised as finally annulled. A marvellous and mighty paradox has thus occurred, for the death which they thought to inflict on Him as dishonour and disgrace has become the glorious monument to death’s defeat.” ― Saint Athanasius of AlexandriaOn the Incarnation
“Christianity, unlike any other religion in the world, begins with catastrophe and defeat. Sunshine religions and psychological inspirations collapse in calamity and wither in adversity. But the Life of the Founder of Christianity, having begun with the Cross, ends with the empty tomb and victory.” ― Fulton J. SheenLife of Christ
“No tabloid will ever print the startling news that the mummified body of Jesus of Nazareth has been discovered in old Jerusalem. Christians have no carefully embalmed body enclosed in a glass case to worship. Thank God, we have an empty tomb. The glorious fact that the empty tomb proclaims to us is that life for us does not stop when death comes. Death is not a wall, but a door.”
― Peter Marshall (Congressional Chaplain)
“The Bible says He was raised not just after the blood-shedding, but by it. This means that what the death of Christ accomplished was so full and so prefect that the resurrection was the reward and vindication of Christ’s achievement in death.” ― John PiperPassion of Jesus Christ
John 11:25-26Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Romans 6:4We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
Romans 6:5For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
Romans 6:9We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.
1 Corinthians 15:3-5For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day pin accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
Our old history ends with the cross; our new history begins with the resurrection. Author: Watchman Nee
The Word of truth teaches in the clearest and most positive terms that all of the
dead will be raised. No doctrine of the faith rests upon a more literal and emphatic
body of Scripture authority than this, nor is any more vital to Christianity. Author: C.I. Scofield
The first thing that stuck in the minds of the disciples was not the empty tomb, but
rather the empty grave clothes – undisturbed in form and position. Author: Josh McDowell
On what does the Christian argument for Immortality really rest? It stands upon
the pedestal on which the theologian rests the whole of historical Christianity — the
Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Author: Henry Drummond
I went to a psychologist friend and said if 500
people claimed to see Jesus after he died, it was
just a hallucination. He said hallucinations are an
individual event. If 500 people have the same
hallucination, that’s a bigger miracle than the
resurrection. Author: Lee Strobel
The truth of the resurrection gives life to every
other area of gospel truth. The resurrection is the
pivot on which all of Christianity turns and without
which none of the other truths would much matter.
Without the resurrection, Christianity would be so
much wishful thinking, taking its place alongside
all other human philosophy and religious speculation. Author: John MacArthur
Is the resurrection of Jesus Christ an historical event that really happened, or is it
only a myth, as many atheists claim? While no one witnessed the actual resurrection,
many people swore they saw the risen Christ after his death, and their lives were never
the same.
Archaeological discoveries continue to support the Bible’s historical accuracy. We tend
to forget that the Gospels and book of Acts are eyewitness accounts of the life and death
of Jesus. Further nonbiblical evidence for Jesus’ existence comes from the writings of Flavius Josephus, Cornelius Tacitus, Lucian of Samosata, and the Jewish Sanhedrin.
The following seven proofs of the resurrection show that Christ did, indeed, rise from the
dead.
The Resurrection Proof #1: The Empty Tomb of Jesus
The empty tomb may be the strongest proof Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Two major
theories have been advanced by unbelievers: someone stole Jesus’ body or the women
and disciples went to the wrong tomb. The Jews and Romans had no motive to steal the
body. Christ’s apostles were too cowardly and would have had to overcome the Roman
guards. The women who found the tomb empty had earlier watched Jesus being laid away;
they knew where the correct tomb was. Even if they had gone to the wrong tomb, the
Sanhedrin could have produced the body from the right tomb to stop the resurrection
stories. Jesus’ burial cloths were left neatly folded inside, hardly the act of hurrying grave
robbers. Angels said Jesus had risen from the dead.
The Resurrection Proof #2: The Women who were
Eyewitnesses
The women who were eyewitnesses are further proof that the Gospels are accurate
historical records. If the accounts had been made up, no ancient author would have used
women for witnesses to Christ’s resurrection. Women were second class citizens in Bible
times; their testimony was not even allowed in court. Yet the Bible says the risen Christ
first appeared to Mary Magdalene and other women. Even the apostles did not believe
Mary when she told them the tomb was empty. Jesus, who always had special respect
for these women, honored them as the first eyewitnesses to his resurrection. The male
Gospel writers had no choice but to report this embarrassing act of God’s favor, because
that was how it happened.
The Resurrection Proof #3: Jesus’ Apostles’ New-Found
Courage
After the crucifixion, Jesus’ apostles hid behind locked doors, terrified they would be
executed next. But something changed them from cowards to bold preachers. Anyone
who understands human character knows people do not change that much without
some major influence. That influence was seeing their Master, bodily risen from the
dead. Christ appeared to them in the locked room, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee,
and on the Mount of Olives. After seeing Jesus alive, Peter and the others left the
locked room and preached the risen Christ, unafraid of what would happen to them.
They quit hiding because they knew the truth. They finally understood that Jesus is
God incarnate, who saves people from sin.
The Resurrection Proof #4: Changed Lives of James and
Others
Changed lives are yet another proof of the resurrection. James, the brother of Jesus,
was openly skeptical that Jesus was the Messiah. After the death and resurrection
of Jesus, James became a courageous leader of the church at Jerusalem, even being
stoned to death for his faith. Why? The Bible says the risen Christ appeared to him.
What a shock to see your own brother, alive again, after you knew he was dead.
James and the apostles became effective missionaries because people could tell these
men had touched and seen the risen Christ. With such zealous eyewitnesses, the early
church exploded in growth, spreading west from Jerusalem to Rome and beyond.
For 2,000 years, encounters with the resurrected Jesus have changed lives.
The Resurrection Proof #5: Large Crowd of Eyewitnesses
A large crowd of more than 500 eyewitnesses saw the risen Jesus Christ at the same
time. The Apostle Paul records this event in 1 Corinthians 15:6. He states that most
of these men and women were still alive when he wrote this letter, about 55 A.D.
Undoubtedly they told others about this miracle. Today, psychologists say it would
be impossible for a large crowd of people to have had the same hallucination at once.
Smaller groups also saw the risen Christ, such as the apostles, and Cleopas and his
companion. They all saw the same thing, and in the case of the apostles, they touched
Jesus and watched him eat food. The hallucination theory is further debunked because
after the ascension of Jesus into heaven, sightings of him stopped.
The Resurrection Proof #6: Conversion of Paul
The account of the conversion of Paul records the most drastically changed life in the
Bible. As Saul of Tarsus, he was an aggressive persecutor of the early church. When
the risen Christ appeared to Paul on the Damascus Road, Paul became Christianity’s
most determined missionary. He endured 5 floggings, 3 beatings, 3 shipwrecks, a
stoning, poverty, and years of ridicule. Finally the Roman emperor Nero had Paul
beheaded because the apostle refused to deny his faith in Jesus. What could make a
person willingly accept—even welcome—such hardships? Christians believe that the
conversion of Paul came about because he encountered Jesus Christ who had risen
from the dead.
The Resurrection Proof #7: They Died for Jesus
Countless people have died as martyrs for their faith in Jesus, absolutely certain that
the resurrection of Christ is an historical fact. Tradition says 10 of the original apostles
died as martyrs for Christ, as did the Apostle Paul. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of early Christians died in the Roman arena and in prisons for their faith. Down through
the centuries, thousands more have died for Jesus because they believed that the
resurrection is true. Even today, people suffer persecution because they have faith that
Christ rose from the dead. An isolated group may give up their lives for a cult leader,
but Christian martyrs have died in many lands, for nearly 2,000 years, believing Jesus
conquered death to give them eternal life.
Thank you for spending your valuable time reading the contents of this page. We hope
that it has been helpful to you. If you or someone that you know is looking for answers
about life, we hope that you will visit our page called “Do You Know Jesus?”. The links
provided on this page will help to answer life’s deepest questions. Here is the link to
“Do You Know Jesus?”: http://www.worshipsounds.wordpress.com/do-you-know-jesus/
Please feel free to share this URL with anyone who is looking for answers about life and
eternity and salvation found in Jesus Christ.
Below you will find 5 songs with messages about the cross. The music players take a moment to load. If you wait a moment to click “play” until the music players are completely loaded, they will work.
“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”
Ephesians 1:7
“This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
I John 4:9 – 10
“He himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed.”
I Peter 2:24
“For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.”
I Peter 3:18
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”
John 3:16 – 17
* INFORMATION ABOUT THE MUSIC *
Song 1: “Jesus, My Redeemer” was written by Travis L. Boyd and published as an SATB Choral Anthem by Shawnee Press / Hal Leonard.
(more complete information, including purchasing links, can be found at this link: https://soundcloud.com/#travis-l-boyd/jesus-my-redeemer )
Song 2: “More Than a Cross” was written by Travis L. Boyd and published by Lifeway.
(more complete information, including purchasing info, can be found at this link: https://soundcloud.com/#travis-l-boyd/more-than-a-cross )
Song 3: “He Took Up A Cross” was written by Travis L. Boyd and recorded by The Singing Churchwomen of Oklahoma, then under the direction of Dr. Bill Green, on their CD entitled, “The Lord is My Light”. (The SATB Choral Anthem for “He Took Up a Cross” is available on the Adult Choir page of our Worship Sounds Music website at http://www.worshipsounds.com )
Song 4: “For the Sins of All” was written by Travis L. Boyd and is available as a Vocal Solo and as an SATB Choral Anthem on our Worship Sounds Music website at http://www.worshipsounds.com )
Song 5: “Amazing Grace! Eternal Life!” was written by Travis L. Boyd and published as an SATB Choral Anthem with Full Orchestration available by the Lorenz Corporation.
(More information, including purchasing links, is available at this link: https://soundcloud.com/#travis-l-boyd/amazing-grace-eternal-life )
The decision to ask Jesus to come into your heart and life as your Lord and Savior is the best decision you could ever make! The one true God is ready to give you forgiveness and eternal life as soon as you understand your need for Him and believe on the name of His only Son, Jesus, for your salvation. Here’s a blog page link to help you find the answers to your questions about Jesus. http://www.worshipsounds.wordpress.com/do-you-know-jesus/
At some point in our lives, all of us will deal with significant or ongoing illness for ourselves and/or in the lives of those we love. Many individuals have the blessing of general good health for most of their lives. Sometimes we take that for granted. For others, dealing with injury or with a medical condition of some kind is a life-long challenge. There is a refining of the soul that seems to happen sometimes when one faces constant physical illness or challenges. I have known many such individuals who had at some point made the choice to live lives of extraordinary grace and strength, with God’s help. Choosing to see the blessings of life and even the blessings of illness or of injury or other medical and physical issues is not easy. Our natural instinct seems to be a very keen awareness of our own suffering and a desire for that suffering to be removed. After all, who doesn’t love to feel wonderful? And yet, we must remember that we have only one life, and the “sick days” or even the on-going health issues are a part of it.
How, then, can we deal with illness? How can we cope with our own suffering or the suffering of someone that we love? How can we make the most of life when illness or injury or a medical condition seems to limit our time, our energy, and our enjoyment of life? In a way, I feel unqualified to answer this question. After all, I have enjoyed general good health for much of my life. And yet, I have had experience with both illness and injury, and I’ve definitely known the heartache of experiencing sorrow and pain with loved ones who were suffering. There are many wonderful books about the theology of suffering or the spiritual, emotional, and practical considerations of dealing with physical challenges. There are many stories of amazing people who have refused to let physical challenges or illness define them. I’ve read many such books, which cover these issues much more comprehensively than I will attempt to do here. All that I can offer is a simple observation, born out of my own recent experience.
I have been dealing with a health situation for some time that has greatly affected my ability to function as a wife and mother and to plan ahead. I never know when I am going to have a bad day. I have recently been very frustrated by the frequency and duration of my health problems and how they affect my family. Last week, I was up very late one night. I didn’t want to try to sleep because I felt so nauseous. This was on a Wednesday night (actually early Thursday morning). Because I was feeling so sick and could not sleep, I had a lot of time to think about how my illness was impacting those I loved. I had missed church due to my illness the previous Sunday, and then I’d been forced to miss church again on that Wednesday night. I had felt okay for most of the morning but started having symptoms around before lunchtime. Often, when that happens, symptoms progress so quickly that I am not able to meet the bus carrying our little boy who has special needs when it comes at 3:00 p.m.; so I have sometimes been forced to call my husband and have him come home from work to meet Logan’s bus. (His bus must be met by an adult). On that Wednesday, symptoms were progressing a little more slowly, so I was able to meet Logan’s bus myself and be downstairs when 3 of Logan’s brothers arrived 30 minutes later.
On that day, I thought that if my symptoms would hold off for a couple of hours, I could get our 5 school-age boys to church for the Wednesday night meal so that they would not miss Children’s Choir or Missions, but I knew that I was in no shape to stay. In addition to feeling awful and knowing it was going to get worse, I didn’t want to be around food since I hadn’t had anything since breakfast and the thought of eating made me sick. So, I made sure the boys got their homework done and then took them to church at around 5 p.m., with my husband, Travis, planning to meet us in the parking lot. I pulled our Suburban around to the back of the building, near the fellowship hall where the meal is served, and then I pulled to the right beside a row of cars in the parking lot to let my boys get out and meet their Dad.
I didn’t expect any difficulty with safely dropping off the boys since I’d called my husband as soon as we arrived. He was on this way out of the building to meet us. In addition, due to homework and needing to wait for our Middle School age son, who arrives home from school much later than his younger brothers, we were almost 30 minutes later arriving for the meal than most people who eat at church on Wednesday night. I thought everyone else would already be in the building. However, as it turned out, I almost got one or more of my boys run over that day, just because of being sick. I had gotten out of the Suburban myself and was supervising the boys as they were getting out of the car on both sides when a sweet lady who had come up behind our car decided she would drive around us. I had five boys ages 7 & 7 (twins), 8 (special needs), 10, & 12 around the car on both sides, was pulled over to the right obviously unloading, and was out of the car trying to get all of the boys safely across the parking lot to the sidewalk, and yet I could not see where all of my boys were right at that moment. If she had waited for one more minute, I would have had all of the boys safely on the sidewalk and Travis would have been there to get them inside, but she must have felt she couldn’t wait. I had pulled really far to the right, but she came around us on the right, with hardly any room between vehicles. Even though I was out of the car trying to make sure all of the boys got safely to Travis and trying to watch the boys on both sides, I was unable to keep my boys safe. If one or more of the boys had come running around the front of our vehicle right into her path, they would have been toast. From the moment that the woman began to pull around my car until the moment when she could have hit one or more of my boys if they had happened to run around the Suburban was just a couple of seconds. It had happened so quickly that I could not get in front of her and was powerless to stop this upsetting and potentially lethal incident, and it was all because of me being sick. The thought of what could have happened completely undid me.
Later that same night, after Travis got home with the boys and they had all gone to bed, at one point my hubby wanted to talk about Spring Break and what our plans would be. He wanted to do a short trip, and I had to tell him that I am not in any shape to do it. After all of these incidents had taken place in just a few days, I was feeling very frustrated. My illness has not just affected me. It affects my family in many ways. It’s even more frustrating since I have already had lots of tests and scans but still don’t have a firm diagnosis. In fact, my Doctor referred to me at last week’s appointment as “a mystery”. So, I had gotten pretty down and had no problem at all thinking about all of the things I dislike about being sick. I had quite a mental list going. I might not have been outwardly griping around my family, but I certainly was feeling frustrated and upset inside.
In this state of mind, a thought occured to me. I should make a list of all of the good things about being sick. I honestly did not expect to get very far. I thought that I would be doing well to come up with 3 or 4 things and that even those reasons might be a bit of a stretch of the imagination. I decided to call this exercise my “Top Ten List of Good Things About Being Sick,” and I began to think things through. My original thinking was that after I’d named 3 or 4 lame reasons that being sick can be good, then I would put down the same phrase for all of the other slots to round out my top ten list, “Sorry. That’s all I’ve got.” At least I was thinking about the subject with a little bit of humor, but I certainly can’t say that I was optimistic. Perhaps what I was really looking for was an excuse to stay in my frustrated mindset and proof that there really was nothing good about being sick. However, a strange thing happened. When I began to think about things that I could be thankful for about being sick (even though my effort was half-hearted at best), suddenly all sorts of reasons began to occur to me. Before I knew it, I had a list of 8 things that can be good about being sick. (Although, honestly, I’ll take wellness any day). I thought for a little while more and could not come up with any additional good things, so I did end my list the way I had planned, with “Sorry. That’s all I’ve got.” I put my list on my facebook status, with my little attempt at humor as my closing statement. Just a few minutes after I posted my list of 8 good things, two more reasons really did come to me. I added them to my status as a comment, surprised that I really had come up with a list of 10 good things about being sick.
For me, the whole exercise was a lesson. Here’s what I learned:
1. It’s okay to acknowledge feelings of frustration and spend a little time analyzing yourself and figuring out what was most upsetting to you and why. (For me, the root of the greatest frustration was definitely not feeling that progress was being made toward getting better and, primarily, the negative impact on my family.)
2. After taking some time to think about what you are feeling, there is one thing that seems to begin to turn things around and change an attitude of frustration, fear, or doubt (that there could be anything good in the situation). The simple cure is very effective. It is thankfulness. Even though I didn’t feel thankful yet when I began making my list of good things, I soon began to see my own illness and even sickness in general through a new lens.
3. When I began to make even the slightest effort to see things differently, it was as though God met me right where I was and opened a window so that I could briefly see the (sometimes) hidden value of things that are hard to experience in the here and now.
4. I surprised myself, but it really was God surprising me all along. He promises to work everything for good in the lives of those who love Him. (Romans 8:28) Could that possibly mean even nasty germs or cancer cells? Could it include tragic injuries or even lifelong medical conditions?
Yes.
The answer is … yes.
It’s not that those things are good in themselves. After all, when we reach Heaven, illness, injury, pain, and physical limitations will not be there. The truth that we hold on to is He will take even these things and cause them to work together for good. What a promise that is!
Am I a completely reformed grouch? Well, perhaps I am semi-reformed. I can’t say that I will never wish something hard or painful or yucky would just go away. I know that many times in my life, the removal of a trial will be my fervent prayer. But what I do hope to remember is that if I look for reasons to be thankful, I will find them. If I look for the good, it will be revealed. I still won’t understand everything, because God’s ways are higher than my ways. Now, I know I see through a glass darkly; but someday, I will have full understanding. Right now, one of my main questions might be, “Isn’t there some other way I could learn this?’ Then, in Heaven, when I suddenly know even as I am known, I believe that all of my questions will be answered before I can even ask them.
So, here is my list of the top ten good things about being sick. (What was written on that sleepless night is in italics below.) This really is so much more than just a list. For me, it was really an exercise… in thankfulness and trust.
Cindy’s List of the Top Ten Good Things About Being Sick
1. Being sick makes you really thankful for the times when you are feeling good so that you don’t take health for granted.
2. It is really something to be thankful for that most illnesses don’t last very long. (With all of the germs around us, how miraculous it is that we are so often well!)
3. Being sick helps one to appreciate the amazing complexity of the human body and the capacity for healing.
4. Beling sick can slow one down long enough to re-focus priorities.
5. I’ve heard people say that they would not choose to have missed what they have learned and experienced through an illness or injury. (not sure I’m there at this point, but I’m thinking about it)
6. When you are sick, the people who love you are always there with a prayer or some other kind of caring. You love and appreciate them already, but the experience of ministering to one another bonds hearts like nothing else.
7. When you are sick, you realize again how amazing it is to never be alone and to have God’s presence with you through everything. It is a comfort to know the hope of healing, the hope of Heaven, and the hope of tomorrow (and to have peace when nothing makes sense because you know that your life is held in loving Hands).
8. When you are sick and you look in the mirror, you realize that your normal look is not so bad after all (compared to the bleary-eyed stranger staring back at you).
9. ?….? I’ve got nothing.
(Note: this is the way I originally wrote the list. I had nothing here, but God was not finished teaching me yet.)
10. Hey, I was doing well to come up with 8 good things, don’t ya think?
Just a little humor. Gotta keep smiling, right?
At this point, I thought that my list was finished. I certainly did not think that I could not come up with anthing else to add. I was ready to give myself and “E” for Effort. However, it wasn’t even five minutes before I had added the following:
Okay, I thought of 2 more, so here are my amendments to the list:
9. Going through any kind of struggle (including being sick) can make one more compassionate.
10. Going through trials helps me grow as a Christian. “…the trying of your faith worketh patience…” The bad part is that now everyone knows for sure that my patience needs work (as if anyone was fooled in the 1st place). The funny thing is that when I started typing the list I had only thought of 3 or 4 good things, so it was going to be more of a joke to only go that far and then say, “I’ve got nothing” for the rest. But, when I started out with thankfulness, the other good things just kept coming to me. This thankfulness thing really works!
It may seem simple, and some people may label me a Pollyanna; but I have discovered again and again that being thankful is the way to go. What’s the alternative? Being miserable. Sometimes I may spend a little time in misery land, but I don’t want to stay there. If I’m going to be dealing with something difficult, at least I can recognize that there is still beauty in life, there is still good in life, and that I am never alone through any of it. Choosing to see the good and to be thankful is not rocket science. We all know that keeping a good attitude and staying optimistic is important. Sometimes, illness just squeezes the life out of our optimism, and we need a reminder to take back our mental, emotional, and spiritual power over frustration and despair by choosing to look for the good and be grateful. So, when illness gets you down, take a step of faith by choosing thankfulness (even if you don’t feel like it), and then wait on the Lord. He will lift you up!
“Blessed be the Lord! for He has heard the voice of my supplications. The Lord is my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusts; so I am helped and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to Him.”
- Psalm 28:6 & 7
“Do not be over-anxious about anything, but by prayer and earnest pleading, together with thanksgiving, let your request be unreservedly made known in the presence of God.” Phil. 4:6
Thank you for spending your valuable time reading the contents of this page. We hope that it has been helpful to you. If you or someone that you know is looking for answers about life, we hope that you will visit our page called “Do You Know Jesus?”. The links provided on this page will help to answer life’s deepest questions. Here is the link to “Do You Know Jesus?”: http://www.worshipsounds.wordpress.com/do-you-know-jesus/
Please feel free to share this URL with anyone who is looking for answers about life and eternity.
A revelation of grace, grief, joy, love, blessings, and challenges
We’re in this together.
There are certain facts that are true for every loving parent and child.
* Every child is different, and their needs vary significantly throughout the constant changes of growth and development.
* Every parent seeks to meet the needs of their child or children, no matter how challenging those needs may be.
* Every loving parent tries to stay in tune with the heart of their child, to know and even anticipate their needs.
* No matter what a parent experiences in caring for and loving a child, the love and the joy over-ride everything else.
* The two most important goals of most parents are to help their child go through all of the developmental stages in their emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and physical growth and to help their child learn how to become an independent and contributing adult with the skills, knowledge, wisdom, character, and faith they will need to live a life of meaning and purpose.
For parents of children who have special needs, these basic facts and primary goals are the same. However, the methods of achieving these objectives can be vastly different, often with much different expectations and a highly individual timetable for development that is discovered only through continued effort and the constant need to adapt to the individual child’s own pace in learning and in reaching developmental milestones. For some children, a developmental timetable can be relatively predictable. However, many children with special needs seem to have their own internal pace. Developmental experts can make predictions. Teachers and therapists and parents can set goals, but the true timetable for learning and developmental progress cannot be set externally. It is revealed by time. Sometimes, the developmental milestones are met more quickly than anyone expected, and sometimes progress can seem to take place, only to be followed by regression. Sometimes, progress happens but takes a long time. Parents of special needs children come to know the unpredictability of progress all too well. Special needs parents also learn to re-evaluate the very concept of progress. If, for a special and wonderfully made child, the “norms” are not the norm, hope for progress in every area possible must still be kept alive. For some, progress can mean the absence of regression. Even if hopes from progress and positive change must be adapted somewhat for the individual situation, those sparks of hope are fanned by the deep love of parents for precious little hearts and souls.
I certainly cannot speak or write for every special needs parent or for every kind of situation. Special needs can be physical, emotional, mental, developmental, academic, sensory, social, behavioral, functional, or medical. (I am not a special needs professional, so I may be leaving something out.) The term “special needs” can also apply to any kind of combination of various types of needs. However, it’s not the needs that special needs parents want others to see. It’s the child. Certainly, an awareness of special needs can be crucial, but recognizing the child within is even moreso. It’s as though a parent of a special needs child has begun a journey with an uncertain destination, incomplete road maps, and a set of broken tools. The compass has no needle, so direction is unsure. The spyglass has a broken lens, so you can’t see what’s ahead. The GPS keeps chanting “Recalculating, recalculating…” inside your mind as you deal with an unfamiliar landscape. Your watch has stopped working, so there is no accurate timetable or way to measure progress made against whatever progress might be possible. Your cell phone has a low battery, so it’s difficult to communicate with your family and friends. They are still there for you, and they also love and know your child; but it’s hard for them to invest enough time to truly know and understand what you are experiencing along the way. Your pain comes through in spite of the dropped calls, but sometimes they don’t know what to do or say. The rest of your immediate family is travelling with you and your special needs child, and hopefully your spouse is with you in every way as you face the journey together.
Your other children each have their own journey, with their own issues and needs along the way. They need you to travel with them as well, so you are simultaneously experiencing very real life journeys that are vastly different, depending upon the needs and special needs of each of your children. In addition to all of the common struggles of growing up, your other children also face unseen hurdles and even their own griefs as they love and try to protect their special needs sibling. There are a lot of things about having a special needs sibling that can be very difficult, but you try to teach your other children along the way that love and thankfulness are the keys to enjoying life moment by moment with their special needs sibling, while also grieving for them at times. So, as parents, you are not only dealing with your own feelings and griefs and questions and challenges (in relation to the challenges faced by your special needs child), but you are also dealing with helping your other children to understand, cope, grieve with hope, love without condition, and handle their own feelings regarding everything related to their special needs brother or sister.
For parents, it’s incredibly hard to balance the unknown aspects of the journey with your special needs child (and each of your family members’ own struggle with the family’s journey on that road) while also experiencing the milestones and life changes of growing up with your other children. These milestones and life changes have been revealed to the very core of your heart as something that cannot be taken for granted. On the one hand, they are incredibly sweet since you recognize what a miracle each of them is for the child as you witness the wonders of growth and change. On the other, you grieve inside for the fact that these same milestones and life changes are not all going to happen or are not going to happen in the same way for your special needs child. The balancing act becomes one of grieving while rejoicing, often without revealing your heart in the moment (so that the internal struggle does not diminish the joys of very real accomplishments and life changes for the child who is moving forward). When the waves of grief wash over you, you eventually learn to immediately focus your thoughts on all of the blessings of life with your special needs child and all of the victories, from the most minute to the biggest of the big, that have happened in the life of your special needs child and in your heart as you have loved and cared for him or her. Thankfulness is the only antidote to grieving that I know. It is the lifeline that will pull you out of the crashing waves of grief and into the presence of Christ.
One of the many blessings that is a part of life with the incredible gift of your special needs child is the fact that there is a sharpened and very keen level of awareness of the need to bemore fully aware in all of life. If I am more aware of the pain and challenge and difficulty and loneliness in my life, I must also become more aware of the joys and blessings and victories and wonderful moments and graces within the tough moments. Here are some examples of the ways that this awareness of the need to become more aware manifests itself in my life as a special needs parent.
> In my moments of the most acute need, when I am dealing with some aspect of now or of tomorrow, I can become so aware of the fact that the challenge is mine to face that I could miss the sweetness of possessing this need. Here is part of the fuller awareness that I need to find and to remember:
* I have this need because of an infinitely incredible gift. * I have this need because of life and because of love. * I have this need because somehow God saw something within me that could be made beautiful with the help of a precious little soul who has become my teacher.
> In moments when hopelessness begins to creep into my heart, I can become so aware of feeling overwhelmed that I miss the lessons of holding on to hope. I can even miss the truth that hope is at its most powerful when the answer or solution or resolution or realization of that hope seems the most remote.
* I have this hope, and I hold on to this hope, because I will never give up seeking to make life better and more full and loving for my child. * I have this hope because I know that there are people who have never given up on me, and I have seen how powerful this force of hope can be in my own experience. * I have this hope because all things are possible through Christ. * I have this hope because when desperation has caused me to lose my hold on hope, I fall into the hands of my Father, who surrounds me with His love and with the knowledge that all hope is found in Him. * I have this hope because life has infinite value and because I have been blessed.
> In moments when a victory happens, I sometimes become acutely aware that there is almost no one that can really grasp the significance of this victory because so few see the entirety of the struggle. I can become so aware of the loneliness of incomplete knowledge that I miss all of the blessings that should be my focus.
* This victory has happened because of the will and the spirit of a little trooper who keeps on trying and is often so blissfully unaware of the fact that this moment was long in coming that nothing dims his joy. * I can rejoice in this victory because it means that all of the investment of time and love and care and therapy and intervention (which was valuable in itself, even without and before tangible results) has produced a positive change that has made life better in some way for my much-loved child… which, in turn, gives hope and motivation to keep going! * I can rejoice in this victory because it is a reminder that even though I may feel alone sometimes and even though there is no one (other than Travis and I) who has seen all of the parts of the story of our Logan from the beginning until now, I meditate on the fact that we have not been alone. We (my husband, my family, and I) have had each other, and we have had the presence of God with us every step of the way, even in the hardest moments that no one else has ever seen. I can also recall and rejoice in the fact that there are so many wonderful people who have loved our Logan (and still do) and who have been a part of his journey and ours in very significant ways, helping both him and us to reach the vantage point from which we can look back and see all that has taken place. The feeling of loneliness and of recognition that few can fully grasp a victory is replaced with thankfulness for family and friends and teachers and therapists and specialists and doctors and volunteers in support organizations and respite volunteers and Sunday School teachers and workers, and child care givers, and special family friends who have cared for Logan, and Choir and Missions and Vacation Bible School teachers and helpers at church, and people who volunteer to serve as a “shadow” for Logan and focus on his needs, and every kind stranger who has ever spoken a word of encouragement.
It’s really difficult to explain this crazy roller coaster of parenting a special needs child. There are moments of sheer terror or panic and moments of thrills and laughter. There are many times when my heart and my life feels so full of love, and many times when the uncertainty, the questions, and the challenges threaten to attack my peace and steal my joy. There’s so much more involved in the experience than could possibly be contained in this article. While it can be exhausting to experience so many emotional highs and lows involved in the blessing of parenting all of our children and particularly our son who has special needs, there is also a strength that is born out the the knowledge that for every awareness of difficulty and acknowledgement of pain, there are blessings and joys that come to light with the re-focus.
It’s the secondary focus on the awareness of the flip side (to every difficulty) that reveals burdens shared and lifted, victories gained, spiritual lessons, simple joys, and love… always love.
And many, many times, that side (the blessing side, which we see by faith and also because it is very real) is what we’ve learned to see first. We choose to see the positives. There are a lot of blessings! There is a lot of joy!
Many things are the same for us and for other special needs parents as for any parent and child. Highs and lows are experienced in every family. Challenges and heartbreaks come. Victories and heart-warming moments come, too. There are moments of recognition and realization that are so significant and memorable that they become part of the story of every parent and child. Moments of realization with other children might be about discovering an ability or talent that can be nurtured. A moment of realization with Logan might be a flash of recognition that we have been praying the same prayer (that this would be the year, the month, the day when he would finally learn to chew and be able to eat real food) for six years now. A moment of victory with another child might be all A’s on the report card. With Logan, a recent moment of victory involved Logan finally doing something that most children do as a pre-schooler. Last year, there was a day when Logan took a paper out of his backpack when he got home from school and showed it to me. It was the first time he’d ever done that (at age 7 rather than at 2 or 3). A couple of weeks ago, Logan again brought me a paper; but this time, he spoke to me about it. It was the first time he’s ever brought me a paper and told me about it…at age 8 (almost 9). He brought me this paper (I scanned it so that you could see it here), and he said, “Look, Mama! It’s Logan’s beautiful heart!” I could not have said it better myself.
“Logan’s Beautiful Heart” It’s purple construction paper with a heart-shaped cut-out. A dyed coffee filter is glued to the back of the construction paper so that it shows through the heart shape.
We certainly cannot deny the fact that our Logan is a child who has special needs. More importantly, though, Logan a little boy. He loves to have fun and be silly. He loves to run and play. He may not be able to experience everything in the same way as his brothers, but he experiences everything with his whole heart. When he’s happy, he is whole-heartedly happy. He makes others happy, too! Logan does have a beautiful heart.
A beautiful life may be different from the lives of others, but it is still beautiful.
Every special needs parent, like us, learns to see beyond the needs, the challenges, the diagnosis, and the uncertainty of the the future to the precious and wonderful gift of their child. There will always be many questions about tomorrow. There are questions about how much progress Logan is going to be able to make. There are questions about how independent he is going to be able to become. There are questions about who will care for him when my husband and I no longer can. In addition to those concerns about the future, there are many needs right here and now. With our five other boys and all of their needs, it is hard to find enough time to do all that we need to do for Logan. He is getting special therapy for his eating issues twice a week, but he also needs a lot of one on one time (as do all of our boys). He needs us to read to and with him, to do math flash cards with him, to play board games with him, and to teach him to do household tasks. There is so much that can be done and so much that will need to be done in and for his future. However, we can’t let ourselves get so caught up in all of the tasks and all of the unknowns that we miss just simply loving and relating to Logan right now. We need to enjoy him, and there is much to enjoy. From his affectionate nature to his quirky sense of humor, to his fun personality and all of the things that he is learning, Logan is an awesome little boy. Developmental targets and statistics and academic goals and plans for the future are all very important, but Logan’s beautiful heart and soul are the mostimportant.
So, while we don’t want to sugarcoat a life that has major challenges and many heartaches that no one else sees, we choose to look for the blessings.
While it’s true that we are always aware of human emotion and human reactions to life’s challenges, we are on a journey toward having a sharpening of vision. Our spiritual eyesight is responding to the lessons of the heart and soul and learning to see blessings first. When we look at our Logan, we do see infinite blessings. We know that many, many others see the blessing of Logan, too, and that’s really what we want as parents.
We want to know that when you look at our child, you see a little heart and soul that is a blessing of uncalculable and infinite worth.
NOTE: Even though this post is fairly long, it still feels as though I have published it in an incomplete state. There is so much more to write and so much more to learn and experience. There is so much in my heart, and I haven’t been able to put it all into words yet. I can see the value in sharing the words that are already here, even though there is more to come and much more to understand. So, here are the thoughts that have made their way into this revelation of life. I hope they bring understanding and help someone. If this post touches your heart, please share it with others, using this link: http://familysong.wordpress.com/2013/03/07/the-secret-life-of-a-special-needs-parent/
Note: I love this little sign. The figure is not stopped by the obstacle, he jumps right over it. Parents of special needs children, this is you! You are an overcomer of obstacles, a stubborn warrior who will not give up, and a tidal wave of love that cannot be stopped. Sometimes, this is my sign, too. And, sometimes, I need a sign that is a little bit different. Sometimes I need the sign that shows the little figure being lifted over the obstacle or carried through the storm by the strong hand of Father God, and sometimes I need the sign that shows the little figure and his family camped out in front of the obstacle, working and hoping and praying for victory. If you pan back a little farther on my camp out sign, you will see that the ground on which our campsite stands is not really earth. It is the hands of God, where He is holding us as we wait and work and believe that this obstacle will be conquered. If you don’t have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, I can assure you that nothing else would help you more with all of the challenges of life, and nothing else will make you more aware of your blessings and give you more hope for eternity. If you have questions about life and eternity and God and purpose, please go to our page called, “Do You Know Jesus” at this link: http://www.worshipsounds.wordpress.com/do-you-know-jesus/
There, you will find links to many web pages that have been designed specifically to answer any question that you might have. Some of these pages even have the capability to be translated into multiple languages. Let us know if you find the anwers you are seeking. We are praying for you!
Click photo above to go to our WorshipSounds website
New Accompaniment Trax Available!!
We are in the process of producing high-quality accompaniment trax
for our Choral Anthems and Vocal Solos.
These trax are available as an MP3 download, and they are $10.00 each.
With the purchase of the Trax, you will also get a PDF Lead Sheet
with melody and lyrics to assist you in learning the song.
The first five Accompanimnet Trax that are available are:
For the Sins of All
(Trax works for the Medium Voice Solo & for the SATB Anthem)
This is a great song for Palm Sunday or Easter Sunday.
The Accompaniment Track features a Full Orchestration.
*******
Where You Want Me to Be
(Trax works for the Vocal Solo & the Anthem in either SATB or TTBB)
The Accompaniment Track features a Full Orchestration.
This song has been sung by both The Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma
and The Georgia Baptist Convention’s Sons of Jubal.
*******
Much More than a Song
(Trax works for the Medium Voice Solo and for the SATB Anthem)
The Accompaniment Track features Piano, Rhythm Section, and Strings.
Here’s our Video Demo of the Medium Voice Solo for “Much More Than a Song”
WATCH VIDEO DEMO IN FULLSCREEN MODE TO SEE LYRICS BEST!
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I Am Here
(Trax works for the Medium Voice Solo and for the SATB Anthem)
The Accompaniment Track features a Full Orchestration.
This song has been sung as an SSAA Anthem by The Singing Churchwomen of Oklahoma.
*******
A Mother’s Love
(Trax works for the Medium Voice Solo and for the SATB Anthem)
The track features piano and rhythm section accompaniment, plus the flute and cello obbligati.
We will keep you informed about future additions to this library of accompaniment
trax as they become available.
Here’s the Sound Cloud Set with the recordings of our Vocal Solo Demos with the Accompaniment Tracks (audio only)
Note: Most Trax on our Website still have the computer video demos that allow you to view the music while listening to a computer demo. However, these 3 new trax are now in place instead of the computer demos. We’re beginning with these 3 tracks for a Vocal Solo or Choral Anthem (track works with both the anthem and the medium voice version of the solo) that is appropriate for Easter or Palm Sunday (“For the Sins of All”) plus tracks for 2 of our best loved Solos/Anthems (Track works with the Anthem or Solo for “Where You Want Me to Be” and with the Medium Voice version of the Solo and the Anthem for “Much More than a Song”).
YOU WILL LOVE OUR NEW TRACKS!
Be sure to listen to them on our HOME PAGE in the left sidebar!
To hear our new tracks:
Choose the Medium Voice Solo Versions
for “Much More that a Song”
“I Am Here”
“A Mother’s Love”
and for “For the Sins of All”
*******
Choose the only Solo Version
for “Where You Want Me to Be”
You’ll be able to view the Vocal line for the Solo as you listen to the Solo Voice and the Track. Then, to hear the vocal parts for the Choral Versions, go to our Adult Choir Page and listen to the computer demo as you view the vocal parts. We do not yet have full demos of the Track along with all choral parts being sung, but we are working on adding that as time permits.
A new song, wherever you are!
Sing a new song to the LORD. Sing His praise from the ends of the earth, you people who sail on the seas and all the creatures that live in them, you coastlands and all who live on them.
- Isaiah 42:10
God has given us the gift of music so that we might creatively express thoughts and feelings with a depth of emotional and spiritual meaning that goes beyond what mere words can convey. He has given music as a tool whereby we might respond and communicate with each other and with Him. He has given us the ability to appreciate and enjoy music. And, He has given us the ability to create music.
A new song as a personal expression of worship I will sing a new song to You, O God; Upon a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You.
At its highest and noblest purpose, music can be a vehicle whereby we communicate the truths of God’s word or His character and lift that message up to God in worship, with the purpose of bringing glory to Him, encouraging the body of Christ, and sharing a message of testimony and truth that God’s Spirit can use to draw hearts to the Lord.
A new song as congregational praise Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song. Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful.
- Psalm 149:1
There are times when we need a new song. Perhaps the songs we already know don’t say exactly what we want to say. Perhaps God has given inspiration for both melody and words to say something new or to share a well-loved truth in a new way. Every song begins with an idea, whether that idea is a musical idea or a lyrical one. However, songs that are written to bring glory to God begin with something more profound: a revelation. God speaks to the heart of the songwriter or lyric writer through His Spirit, through the Word, through something that someone says, or a book or article, or even through His creation. A revelation of spiritual truth can also come through the lessons in a time of trial or even in a time of victory as we learn to trust God in all of life. All of these kinds of experiences can be used by God to inspire someone that He has gifted with songwriting abilities in the creation of a new song.
A new song as a hymn of praise and a powerful testimony that draws others to the Lord He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the LORD.
- Psalm 40:3
In our experience, the music that Travis has been inspired to write has been a chronicle of our spiritual journey and what the Lord has been doing in our hearts along the way. Many of these songs were born out of a moment of recognition or revelation when a spiritual lesson was beginning to become a clear guiding light of recognizable truth that God would use to move us further along down the road to becoming more like Jesus. Many of these spiritual life lessons are truths that we thought we already knew. However, God has allowed us to experience them in a deeper or more profound way that has changed our perspective, focused our efforts, and refined our character. For example, we had always heard and read and known intellectually that God is faithful. However, through some rocky experiences over a long period of time and the simple fact that we were able to hang in there and keep hoping until we saw the faithfulness of God manifested in various situations, God taught us again to trust His faithfulness. We learned once more that we could choose to trust Him even when we had no understanding of why things happened as they did and even when every fiber of our being was desperately crying out for resolution to pain and crisis NOW! We learned that we have the easy part (if you could call waiting in desperation easy) of just holding on, while God is not only working throughout the situation but also working in the hearts of we who are struggling to believe and knowing that we must believe even when belief seems contrary to every indicator of reality. How patient He is with us as we learn the same lessons over and over again, hopefully at a deeper level of spiritual understanding and growth. Out of such experiences came songs like Travis’ “God is Faithful,” “I Am Here,” (the assurance of God’s presence) and “Much More Than a Song” (the recognition of the fact that God is worthy of praise in any circumstance).
A new song as a Psalm of thanks for what God has done. Sing a new song to the LORD, for he has done wonderful deeds. His righthand has won a mighty victory; His holy arm has shown his saving power!
- Psalm 98:1
The fact that God continues to give “a new song” is an encouragement for individual Christians and for the people of God. It means that God is still at work in the hearts of His people. It means that God is still “with us” and is striving to complete His work in our lives, as He has promised. It means that God’s patience (long-suffering) is still delaying His judgement of this world because of His mercy and grace and His great love. Like a sermon or a book that someone has been inspired to write and to proclaim, a new song means that there are still lessons to learn and souls that need to be saved. As long as God continues to inspire new songs as messages of His love, His faithfulness, His mercy and grace, His plan for our lives and for all of creation, God’s people are reminded through another means that God is still working to accomplish His purposes. His Spirit is working in our hearts, His Word is instructing us in righteousness, and the messages that God inspires men to write or paint or sing or sculpt are testimonies of God’s faithfulness in all of these things.
A new song for everyone! Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth!
- Psalm 96:1
Some of the songs that individuals feel inspired to write may never be heard by many people. The purpose of a song may be as an individual expression of praise to God. This kind of new song is very personal to the writer as a part of their spiritual journey and may exist only to serve as a vehicle of praise for that person. Someone who has never thought of themselves as a song writer may even find themselves singing to the Lord in worship with lyrics that are uniquely their own. A song does not have to be sung by millions in order to be a valid expression of praise to God. He knows when your “new song” expresses the praises of your heart or speaks of a lesson learned or a truth that has been understood in a new way. In essence, every time we sing any song of praise to God, it can be a “new song” of praise to Him when it becomes the very real and sincere praise of the present moment, when our hearts cry out anew in thankfulness and awe.
A new song in Heaven And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain; and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.
- Revelation 5:9
Our God is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. But His creation continues to change even as He creates newness in hearts and lives. The heartbreak of pain and loss will not always be with us. All of the trials of this world are temporary. Someday, He will make all things new, just as He is now making our hearts new. The process of His work on our spiritual creation gives us some new songs to sing along the way. Is is a joy to know that someday we will sing of His victory in a place where there is no more to overcome. We will have overcome all things through the blood of the Lamb, through the giving of our lives to Him, through the Word of truth, and through the word of our testimony. Our songs of trusting God when we don’t understand will become obsolete. Finally, we will know Him even as we are known, and God will give us a new song of thanksgiving and praise for all of eternity.
A new song of joy Sing a new song of praise to him; play skillfully on the harp, and sing with joy.
- Psalm 33:3
For now, we will continue our songs, both old and new. We will sing of God’s salvation and power. We will sing of His faithfulness and love. We will sing of God’s mercy and His amazing grace. We will sing with joy, for we know that we are not the only ones who are singing. Our God rejoices over us as his dearly beloved children, and He sings over us as well. He is with us. He is mighty in power and yet tender and gentle in His patience, renewing us with His love until that day when we will dwell with Him and the former things will all pass away.
His song for you and me The LORD your God is with you. He is a hero who saves you. He happily rejoices over you, renews you with his love, and celebrates over you with shouts of joy.
- Zephaniah 3:17
My husband, singing his song, “Much More Than a Song” (available as a Vocal Solo or Choral Anthem on http//:www.worshipsounds.com )
Thank you for spending your valuable time reading the contents of this page. We hope that it has been helpful to you. If you or someone that you know is looking for answers about life, we hope that you will visit our page called “Do You Know Jesus?”. The links provided on this page will help to answer life’s deepest questions. Here is the link to “Do You Know Jesus?”: http://www.worshipsounds.wordpress.com/do-you-know-jesus/
Please feel free to share this URL with anyone who is looking for answers about life and eternity.
My Sound Cloud of Demos and Recordings
Publishers’ Studio Demos of my Choral Anthems and Orchestrations and recordings of my songs and anthems made by groups and individuals
Have you shared with your friends who are Worship Ministers or Choir Directors about Worship Sounds Music? We... fb.me/2ktfbiXMA* A little boydie told me * 7 hours ago
For the easiest way to view all of the Video Demos for the Choral Anthems on our website, check out this Youtube... fb.me/2DeYrMdQu* A little boydie told me * 7 hours ago
Travis formerly served as Minister of Music and Worship in Moore, Oklahoma, a community that now needs all of our... fb.me/LmAoSPiv* A little boydie told me * 7 hours ago
I formerly served as Minister of Worship in Moore, Oklahoma, a community that now needs all of our prayers. Our... fb.me/29Wt6epbs* A little boydie told me * 8 hours ago
If the FBC, Duluth church facebook page has been a blessing to you or has informed you, say so. Let's let others... fb.me/2DS012NLv* A little boydie told me * 2 days ago
Travis is working on Low Voice and High Voice solo versions of "Where You Want Me to Be". He has the... fb.me/1wkGaudPM* A little boydie told me * 2 days ago
Our FBC Adult Choir and Orchestra did a wonderful job sharing the message of "Early in the Morning" yesterday.... fb.me/IBfAanGH* A little boydie told me * 2 days ago
This coming Sunday will be a special one for Travis and Worship Sounds Music. More importantly, it will be a... fb.me/2SjXTySYx* A little boydie told me * 4 days ago
Here is a testimony of a specific circumstance in which God used the message of His faithfulness through “God is Faithful” (a choral anthem written by my husband, Travis L. Boyd, and publshed by Lorenz) to bless and encourage the hearts of His people. In 2003, over 300 people from Oklahoma went to Australia for an incredible mission trip. The main performing group was The Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma. The group gave concerts in serveral large and well-known venues, such as the Sydney Opera House, and then split into smaller groups to minister in local churches. Over 90 of the people on this trip were the wives of the Churchmen; and for the first time ever on a Churchmen mission trip, there were enough of us to form 2 women’s choirs, which ministered in Churches and even in a pineapple canning factory during our time in Sydney, Newcastle, and Brisbane and surrounding communities.
The women’s choir that I was in, directed by Singing Churchmen member Tyrone Smith, sang at Annerley Baptist Church, near Brisbane, on Sunday morning, May 11th, 2003, which was Australia’s Mother’s Day. Although the Singing Churchmen were no longer singing “God is Faithful”, the two womens’ choirs were singing an SSAA arrangement of the song. I had been asked to sing the solo on “God is Faithful,” and I had done so during the Worship Service that day.
Here is a Youtube video of singer Debra Eden’s solo version of “God is Faithful,” recorded on Debra’s CD entitled, “It Was Love.” The video was put together with the recording by Debra’s sister. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIdfLJOo3q8
praise4ever
Travis L. Boyd / WorshipSounds Music
