Callings and Miracles, A testimony of God’s faithfulness

The five year anniversary of Travis’ service at our current church is this month, on the 17th.  In light of this milestone, it seems appropriate to share how the Lord called and led Travis and our family to leave the church where Travis had served for almost 12 years and come to a new place of ministry.  We saw God’s hand in so many ways during the process.  It is not an easy thing to make a cross country move with a family of 8, and a lot of obstacles were in our way.  The Lord moved them or helped us overcome them, one at a time.  To write this story as a narrative would result in a book; so here is the story of our calling and move, told as a series of mountains moved.

1.  God worked in our hearts and in the hearts of others.

The first time that Travis got a call from the Chairperson of the Music and Worship Minister Search Committee from our current church, he told her that he was not interested.  Somehow, that was not the end of the story.  God worked in our hearts and in the hearts of the Committee, and He prompted them to try again.  In spite of the fact that we had 6 boys, then ages 2, 2 (twins), 4, 5, 8. and 15 and were in the middle of the process of adopting the younger 5 boys, a second phone call resulted in an ongoing dialogue that eventually led to recognizing God’s call to a new place of service.  I can’t speak to the committee thought processes except to say that calling a Minister of Worship who was in his 50s certainly wasn’t the trend.  Whatever other barriers to consideration may have been discussed, the age factor was certainly one that had to be overcome.

2.  God worked through DHS workers, lawyers, unbelieveable piles of paperwork, and the judicial process. 

At a time when meetings were being held, court dates were being met, and snags to progress were common in our journey to adopt our 5 younger boys, we were also dealing with the probability and then the certainty of a major cross-country move.  As we made two trips to Georgia that Fall, the adoption process was moving very slowly and sometimes seemed to be stalled.  There was nothing we could do to speed up the judical process other than handling everything we were asked to do (which was a lot!) in a timely manner and praying that God would intervene.  At one point, we encountered an obstacle that made a delay seem very likely.  A delay beyond our moving date would have meant that only my husband and our oldest son would have been able to make the move initially.  I would have had to stay behind in Oklahoma with the younger 5 boys, and Travis would have had to fly back in several times for court proceedings, or we would have had to just delay moving altogether.   Even as we interviewed movers and got quotes (which involved taking the representatives for the potential movers through our home, our garage, our storage building, and two rental storage units, as well as our backyard and allowing them to estimate the volume and tonnage of all of our stuff), we had no idea when the adoption process would be finalized.  We chose a moving company, had a garage sale, and gave a lot of things away, emptying the two rented storage units… and the adoption process still dragged on.  A date was set for the movers to come and begin packing, and yet the adoption was still not final.  Finally, we reached the end of the process, and the adoption was finalized… two days before the movers were to come and begin packing our belongings.

3.  God worked in the midst of the economic crash of 2008 and the housing values crash that followed.

As many readers will recall, the Fall of 2008 was a turbulent time.  it was an election year, and the economic crash loomed large as we were in the midst of the process of planning to move.  What that meant for us was that we were going to have to purchase or rent before the dust settled, at a time before the housing values were really affected very much.  Values were no longer at peak prices but were still close to that level.  It is not easy to find a house that is a good choice for a family of 8 with a broad age range even in the best of circumstances.  We had a specific school district in mind, based upon a recommendation, so that narrowed our search somewhat.  Our other main criteria were price, overall size (living space), and number of bedrooms and baths.  We felt that we needed at least a 4 bedroom home, preferably with at least 2 and a half baths.  However, we were really looking for a home that had the potential to meet our future needs as the boys grew; so we hoped to find a home with 5 bedrooms.  We also desired 2 living areas because the wide age range would result in a great variety of activities taking place at any one time.  We felt that everyone would need “a place to be”.  In addition, a safe location was very important, and we hoped to find a yard suitable for playing outside.  We also hoped to find a home with a small office or with a room large enough to accomodate an office area.

We had flown to Georgia in mid-October for several days with several purposes: going in view of a call to the church, having several meetings and get-togethers that week-end, and  finding a home (if Travis was indeed called as the new Minister of Music and Worship that Sunday).  With the combined efforts of our own internet searches and our realtor’s expertise, we had a total of 12 houses that met all of our criteria, so we looked at some on Friday and Saturday and again on Monday.  To anyone who knows this area, only 12 houses to view seems like a small number.  However, we were being very financially conservative in setting our price limit because we had no idea how long it was going to take to sell our Oklahoma home in view of the financial collapse.  The price factor ruled out a lot of the larger homes that would have provided the space our family needed.  Some of the homes were unsuitable because of factors like a cliff for a back yard.  Others simply had an unworkable lay-out or condition issues that would have made them a poor choice.

After seeing all of the homes, we had 3 that were possibilities.  One had a wonderful kitchen and good layout.  The drawbacks to that home were the fact that there was no office space and the fact that the home was on the main entrace street into the neighborhood, which would have made it less safe for our boys, especially considering the fact that one of our boys has special needs and doesn’t always understand safety issues.  The second home was large enough and had enough bedrooms and baths.  It had a great yard and great first floor lay-out.  However, the second floor lay-out was weird.  The area that would have become an upstairs family room (2nd living area or play room) was separated from the other bedrooms by the Master Bedroom, which meant that the children would have to go through the Master bedroom to get to it.  This room also had the washer/dryer hook-ups in a closet.  In other words, the only 2nd living space would also be the utility room, and the Master Bedroom would have functioned as a hallway.  Our third contender was head and shoulders above all of the other houses.  It had 3 bedrooms upstairs plus a loft space that had a half wall, open to the two story family room below.  It had another bedroom in the basement, which would work for our teen-aged son.  It had 3 living areas:  a small formal living room, a larger family room next to the kitchen, and a downstairs den in the basement.   It was located on a cul-de-sac and had front and back yards that were both fairly flat (a rare thing in this area) because the slope occurs on the sides of the house.  It also had a small room off the Master Bedroom that could be used as an office, and it had 3 and a half baths.  in addition, there was an unfinished room in the basement which was large enough to be a bedroom, playroom, or music studio.  When we were walking up the slope on one side of the house after viewing the back yard, I picked up a small pinecone and took it home as a tangible reminder of the place that I hoped would become our new home.   Home #3 seemed like the best choice.  With safe outdoor play areas and all of the rooms previously mentioned, the home had the most potential to eventually meet the needs for our family of 8.  We did not have the time to negotiate a contract before flying home, but at least we thought we had found our new home and had a couple of other possiblities if that one didn’t work out.

The house we hoped to buy in Georgia

We were not going to be able to buy a home right away since we still had to sell our home in Oklahoma, but we hoped to be able to do a lease/purchase agreement.  However, the day after arriving back in Oklahoma, our realtor told us that there was already another offer on the home, and it looked as though the sellers might take that one.  The economic crash worked in our favor in this situation.  The other buyers were offering less that selling price because property values were beginning to fall.  However. the other buyers would be buying the home outright.  Normally, a lease/purchase would not be as attractive an option as a sale; but we were able to get the home by signing a contract to purchase the home at full price after leasing for up to one year.

The economic crash did not work in our favor when we were trying to sell our home in Oklahoma.  We had to take almost $40.000 less for it than it would have been worth if we had sold it before the crash.  In addition, it actually took almost 14 months before we were able to close on the home.  We had to get a brief extension of our lease agreement.  The fact that we did not come out well on the home after living there for 12 years and making numerous improvements was very difficult.  It meant that our payments would be higher than optimum on our Georgia home and would make it difficult for us to make ends meet.  However, after a couple of years, the economic crash again worked in our favor. Since interest rates had continued to fall, we were able to refinance and get a much better rate as well as a 15 year mortgage.  The payments still make it difficult for us, but at least we are building equity faster.  That’s important because of our age and because of all of the equity we lost due to the crash.

Although we have had to do a LOT of work on this home, it comes closer to meeting our many needs (for the price that we were able to pay) than any other home.  God worked through the timing of so many things to make it possible for us to live here.  We have been able to finish the unfinished room, do a lot of land-scaping work, re-build the deck, turn an under-the-eaves space into an additional closet, put in a door to the backyard, extend our patio by 6 feet to the location of the new door, and add extra shelving and cabinets all over the house and in the garage to maximize our storage space.  So, in spite of the fact that our pantry is too small for a family this size and that we have to turn our table for 8 at a crazy angle to fit it in the room, we are grateful.  Even though our boys’ bedrooms are small and our 3 youngest share a room, they have had a safe place to learn to ride their bikes in our cul-de-sac.  And even though the circumstances of this move and other moves have meant that we don’t have as much equity in a home as we should by this time in our lives, we are thankful for mountains moved and obstacles overcome that have allowed us to have a home that comes close to meeting our needs and still has potential for improvements.

4.  God continues to work to meet the needs of our family.

With six boys of varying ages still at home, we are constantly surrounded by needs of various kinds.  Our 9 year old has special needs, and God has been at work through countless circumstances to meet the needs that he has.  We have had wonderful teachers and therapists, special helpers at church, and lots of people who love him and have been important in his life.  Our oldest son has graduated from high school and is moving into a new phase of life.  We can also see God’s hand at work for him.  Each of our boys have known people that have become very important in their lives, both in our previous church, schools, and community and now in our current church, schools, and communities in Georgia.  Our family has also been blessed as others have helped us in very tanglible ways, with everything from physical labor to child care to gifts of clothing outgrown by their children.  We see God’s hand at work constantly.  For every need that remains, there have been countless needs met and innumerable blessings along the way.

5.  God continues to work through the Worship Ministry at our church.

We have met and come to know so many wonderful people at our church in Georgia (and every place where Travis has served).  Since our curent church has worship ministry programs for every age group, we’ve known so many awesome and talented folks who have a great love for the Lord and a passion for Worship Ministry.  Some of them have since made moves of their own, but there remains a committed and faithful group of people who just love to praise the Lord and are willing to commit themselves to serve.  There is plenty of work to do to keep up with all that is going on in Worship Ministry here, and Travis stays more than busy.  As a couple and as individuals, we have learned and grown through evey circumstance that the Lord has used in our lives, all of the places of service, and all of the lives that have touched our own.  We have a greater passion for Worship Ministry than ever, and God has even opened some new doors that have allowed us to serve the body of Christ in new ways (such as this blog).

6.  God will continue to demonstrate His love throughout all of our lives… and beyond. 

We have seen the heart of God revealed through circumstances, through people, through the Word, and through our own relationship with Him.  God is so good.  He continues to give us a new song of praise.  It’s a blessing to look back and see all that He has done in our lives and in ministry in the past 5 years, and it is a blessing to know that His work in our lives continues, no matter what the future holds.  We are so blessed to know the One who holds our present, our future, and our eternity.

7.  God is at work in the hearts and lives of each of our children.

Our adult daughter, who still lives in Oklahoma, has been able to move forward with some very important life choices.  We also see God at work in lives of each of our boys, and we are so thankful for all of the people who have invested in their lives.  Thank you!

We are grateful.

Thank you, God, for your goodness to us in so many ways.  Thank you for loving us, for salvation in Christ, for your mercy, your strength, your provision, and for the blessings you have sent our way.  We love you, Lord.

We are thankful for you!

To all of you that we have had the privelege to know, we love you all.  Every church family is still very special to us, and every individual has a place in our hearts.  We pray for you all to be blessed and fruitful in your lives and ministries.  We also pray God’s blessing on our church family here.  Obviously, God wanted to us to join you in ministry for this time period.  Five years ago, He moved many mountains in order to make that possible.  So often, in over 30 years of Worship Ministry, we have seen God confirm His calling to a new place of service through miraculous events that He has caused to work for our good.  He is always at work in other ways as well… ways that we may not see or understand right now.  Through it all, we have learned (and are continuing to learn) that life can be challenging and even overwhelming, but God is good!  As the song says, “How can we keep from singing His praise?”

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This post was written by C. A. Boyd

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“God is Faithful” in Australia!

“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

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FROM LORENZ MUSIC: “God is Faithful”…SATB Choral Anthem with solo throughout

* A full orchestration is available for this piece, as heard in the studio demo.

* A performance/accompaniment CD is also available, and it features the orchestration as heard in the publisher’s studio demo.

Here is my Sound Cloud audio of the Lorenz Studio Demo Recording for “God is Faithful”.

* Lorenz product page for “God is Faithful” : http://www.lorenz.com/product.aspx?id=10_2978M

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.)

Note: See our blog post entitled “Blessings Through God’s Faithfulness” for more information about the story of this song  (&  info about recordings by both The Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma and The Sons of Jubal). https://worshipsounds.wordpress.com/2011/11/09/blessings-through-gods-faithfulness/

* 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.)

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– C. Boyd

Note: For more information on the story of this Australia mission trip testimony, check these links:
Annerley Baptist Church website: http://www.annerleybaptist.org.au/
Annerley Baptist Church facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Annerley-Baptist-Church/189082151110455#!/pages/Annerley-Baptist-Church/189082151110455
Information about the city of Annerley (near Brisbane, Australia: http://queenslandplaces.com.au/annerley

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

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Do you know someone who is looking for answers?

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.

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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

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WOULD YOU LIKE TO READ MORE POSTS LIKE THIS ONE?

Link to our “Song Stories” category to see all of the song story posts: https://worshipsounds.wordpress.com/category/song-stories/

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.

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Faith in the One True God

It is impossible to live without having faith. When we eat something, we have faith that what we are eating will nourish our bodies and alleviate our physical hunger. When we walk across a floor or sit down in a chair, we have faith in the strength of the structures that support us. When we trust any part of our hearts in relationships with others, we have faith that the individuals we are choosing to trust will not disappoint us. A quarterback must have faith in the other players on his football team in order to think clearly and pass or carry the ball.

Sometimes, things happen that shake our faith.

A structure collapses.
A friend betrays.
A relationship falters or dissolves.
What we had thought we could count upon is suddenly proven unreliable.

The world is constantly changing.
People change.
Your life will change.
Relationships change.
Economic reality changes.

However, there is one thing that you can count upon that will never change:

the character and person of God!

“I am the LORD, and I do not change.”   Malachi 3:6a

Change occurs with a new season or stage of life, with realization of the need for improvement, or with deterioration or calamity. But, God is eternal. God does not need improvement. His ways are perfect. He has no need to change. We can place our faith and trust in Him with the sure knowledge that the God we trusted in the past will be trustworthy today and throughout all eternity. The most critical decision a person can make is in whom or in what one places faith. Most assuredly, you and I can rely on God, no matter what happens in our lives. Everything around us may change, but He will not change. He is not given to act on a whim or impulse. His character, His essence, His being is the same…yesterday, today, and forever!

Here is what the Bible says about Who God is:

God is Love.

“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” I John 4:8

God is Good.

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.” Psalm 136:1

God is Patient.

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. II Peter 3:9

God is Perfect.

“As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.” Psalm 18:30

God is Holy.

“There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.” I Samuel 2:2

God is Faithful.

“He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He.” Deuteronomy 32:4

God always keeps His promises.

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.” II Corinthians 1:20

God works all things together for our good.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

We have a God who loves us, who cares about everything in our lives, who hears our prayers, who provided a Savior to meet our needs, and who has prepared a place in Heaven for us. Until we reach that home in Heaven, we live by faith in the One who is unchangeable and perfect in holiness. Here are some scriptures and quotes about faith to encourage and inspire you in your faith journey.

Verses about Faith

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2: 20 (NKJV)

“Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith brings out endurance and steadfastness and patience.” James 1: 3

“That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1: 7 (NKJV)

“Therefore we also pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power.” 2 Thessalonians 1: 11 (NKJV)

“For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.'” Romans 1: 17 (NKJV)

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10: 17 (NKJV)

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11: 1 (NKJV)

“For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith.” Galatians 3: 26

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2: 8 (NKJV)

“Fight the good fight of the faith; lay hold of the eternal life to which you were summoned and [for which] you confessed the good confession [of faith] before many witnesses.” 1 Timothy 6: 12

“For whatever is born of God is victorious over the world; and this is the victory that conquers the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5: 4

“Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12: 2

“Through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5: 2 (NKJV)

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5: 7 (NKJV)

“For [if we are] in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith activated and energized and expressed and working through love.” Galations 5: 6

(Note: the scripture verses above were copied from http://www.heavensinspirations.com/word-faith.html )

1 Thessalonians 1:3 We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Galatians 3:22-26 But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law. You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,

(Note: these scripture verses were copied from http://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/faith-bible-verses/ )

Philippians 3:9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from {the} Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which {comes} from God on the basis of faith,

Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.

(Note: these scripture verses were copied from http://hopefaithprayer.com/scriptures/faith-believe-doubt-unbelief-scriptures/ )

Philemon 1:6- (NIV) I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:6-7 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight.

Ephesians 6:16 (KJV) Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Acts 15:8-9 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.

Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

2 Corinthians 4:13-14 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.

Quotes about Faith

“Faith expects from God what is beyond all expectation.” ~ Andrew Murray

“Faith makes all things possible… love makes all things easy.” ~ D.L. Moody

“Faith, mighty faith, the promise sees, And looks to God alone; Laughs at impossibilities, And cries it shall be done.” ~ Charles Wesley

“To learn strong faith is to endure great trials. I have learned my faith by standing firm amid severe testings.” ~ George Mueller

Scriptures and quotes above are from: http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/bible-verses-about-faith-20-popular-scripture-quotes/#ixzz2J3wHOXJW

Larry Huggins – “Faith is confidence in the veracity of what God has said.”

Joni Erickson Tada – “Faith isn’t the ability to believe long and far into the misty future. It’s simply taking God at His Word and taking the next step.”

Rex Rouis – Faith comes alive when the Word read from the page becomes the Word heard in your heart.

Dwight L. Moody – “A little faith will bring your soul to heaven, but a lot of faith will bring heaven to your soul.”

Oswald Chambers – “Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time.”

Martin Luther (Preface to the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans) – “O, when it comes to faith, what a living, creative, active, powerful thing it is. It cannot do other than good at all times. It never waits to ask whether there is some good work to do…”

Saint Augustine – “Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.”

Scandinavian Saying – “Faith is like a bird that feels dawn breaking and sings while it is still dark.”

Carter Lindberg – “Faith enables persons to be persons because it lets God be God.”

Blaise Pascal – “Faith is different from proof; the latter is human, the former is a gift from God.”

Shoemaker, Samuel M. – “Eternal life does not begin with death; it begins with faith.”

Stott, John R. – “Faith is a reasoning trust, a trust which reckons thoughtfully and confidently upon the trustworthiness of God.”

Corrie Ten Boom – “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”

(Note: the quotes above can be found at http://hopefaithprayer.com/faith/faith-quotes/

Billy Graham’s answer to a question about struggling to hold on to faith while dealing with doubt:

“God wants us to trust Him completely and totally—and when we doubt, we aren’t trusting Him as we should. The Bible warns that the person who constantly doubts God and fails to trust Him “is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does” (James 1:8).

“Oh, glorious Victory, that overcomes the world!” (from the hymn, “Faith is the Victory,” with lyrics by John H. Yates and music by Ira D. Sankey)

At the same time, God understands our doubts, and the most important thing I can tell you is that He wants to take them away and increase our faith. Do you remember Thomas, who was one of Jesus’ closest disciples? When others told him that Jesus had been raised from the dead after His crucifixion, Thomas refused to believe it. He declared, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it” (John 20:25).

How did Jesus respond? He didn’t rebuke Thomas or tell him just to have more faith. Instead, Jesus came to him and showed him that He was alive. The response was immediate: “Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!'” (John 20:28). Tradition says Thomas became an evangelist and preached the Gospel as far as India.

When doubts come, don’t let them take root in your soul. Instead, turn them over to Christ. Most of all, saturate your heart and mind every day with the truths of God’s Word, the Bible. Satan will try to turn you away, but in Christ “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (Hebrews 6:19).”

The above response by Billy Graham can be found at http://www.billygraham.org/articlepage.asp?ArticleID=4409

Additional quote by Billy Graham on the importance of faith:

“The greatest legacy you can pass on to your children and grandchildren is not your money or the other material things you have accumulated in your life. The greatest legacy you can pass on to them is the legacy of your character and your faith.”

The source of the above quote is http://www.mariashriver.com/blog/2011/10/qa-billy-graham-his-new-book-nearing-home-life-faith-and-finishing-well
(from a recent interview, which is quoted in full at the link above)

C. S. Lewis: “I gave up, and admitted that God was God.”

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

(C. S. Lewis quotes above are from http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/c/c_s_lewis.html )

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The scriptures and quotes on this page were compiled by C. Boyd from the sources noted. Original thoughts at the beginning of this post were written by C. Boyd.

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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.

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Disappointment…and Grace

All of us experience disappointments in life.  These can be relatively minor circumstances (that sometimes come in bunches), disappointments that turn out to be merely a misunderstanding, devastating choices or circumstances that lead to major life upheavals, or even heart-breaking betrayals of trust.  I believe that every disappointment has the potential to change us in some way.  If we can learn to respond with grace to the disappointments that come our way, they can lead to growth and perhaps to eventual reconciliation where there is a need for that.  Many times, situations have consequences that reach far into the future, but that just makes it even more important to respond in a way that prevents bitterness from taking root and leaves an open door for God’s grace to bring good out of the pain of disappointment.

There are several types of disappointment that we need to consider.   First, there is what I’ll call a Circumstantial Disappointment.  Secondly, there are Relational Disappointments.  Third, we will deal with Regretful Disappointments.  Finally, we can sometimes feel disappointment with God when the answers to prayer are long in coming or seem not to be coming at all.  We’ll call that Spiritual Disappointment.  There are some general truths for dealing with all kinds of disappointment and some specific considerations for different types of disappointment.

Some people feel that the best way to avoid disappointment is by choosing not to expect too much.  I remember not long ago hearing some dialogue in which an individual took issue with the phrase, “Don’t get your hopes up.”   I don’t recall the source of the dialogue in question, but it may have been in a movie.  The response to being told, “Don’t get your hopes up!” went something like this:  “Why not?  Why wouldn’t I want my hopes to be up?  That’s a very good place for hopes to be.”   There’s a lot of truth in that.  It’s certainly much better to be hopeful  than hopeless.  Yes, we will sometimes be disappointed; but it’s still worthwhile to live hopefully.

Hope can bond the hearts of people and give individuals something to look forward to.  Hope can give us a reason to keep working and trying and overcoming.   Most importantly, hope can become a testimony of faith and trust, speaking to the world around us with a message that the life of Christ within brings us  “strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow…blessings all mine with ten thousand beside.”   (lyrics from the hymn “Great is Thy Faithfulness.”)

KEY #1:  The first key to dealing with disappointment is to hold on to hope.

Our hopefulness is an indication the we are holding to our trust in God.  Even as we are trying to hold on, this truth holds us securely:  God is good, and He loves us.  When we know in the very depths of our souls that God is good and has our best interests on His heart, we can trust that whatever circumstance comes our way, God will use it to bring about good in our lives and in His Kingdom.  So, the first and most important key to dealing with disappointment is a choice.  We must choose to live hopefully.  We must choose to reject the negative thoughts that enter our mind when we have been disappointed.   Thoughts like “No one really cares about me” and “nothing ever works out in my life” are counter productive and depressing.  To counter these kinds of thoughts, you may have to sit down and make some lists.  Make a list of everyone who has been kind to you and demonstrated caring.  Make a list of the blessings in your life.  Make a list of the times when things have worked out well for you, and include times when something that seemed negative at first eventually turned into a positive.   If you are dealing with a disappoinment that involves relationship, list the good qualities of the other person(s) or positive things about the relationship(s).  Seeing these truths written in black and white can do a lot to help you choose hope.

Precious promises for you!

KEY #2:  Secondly, it is essential for us as Christians to look to scripture for help when we are dealing with disappointment.

*  Study the ways that Biblical characters such as Joseph dealt with disappointment and even betrayal.

*  Read the Psalms.  Here, you will find a desperate longing for God, and sometimes the broken-hearted pleas for God’s deliverance from trials.  No matter what the circumstance, the writers of the Psalms turned to God as their source of help and hope.

*  Another helpful thing to do is to fill your mind with the promises of God.  If you don’t have a little book of God’s promises from scripture, buy one and keep it on your nightstand.

• Remember who God is!  He is mighty in power!  The very same God who re-wrote the story of our lives through the sacrificial life and death and the victorious resurrection of Jesus Christ is still changing lives, healing broken hearts, and mending fractured relationships today!  The circumstances of today are NOT the end of the story…. because He who created Heaven and Earth lives in you.

Or, go to websites such as these:

God’s promises arranged by topic:  http://www.smilegodlovesyou.org/promises.html
Daily scripture promise blog:  http://www.365promises.com/
God’s promises in every book of the Bible:  http://bible.org/article/selected-promises-god-each-book-bible
John Piper’s sermon on the promises of God:  http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/all-the-promises-of-god-are-yes-in-christ

New International Version (©1984)
“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through Him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.”
II Corinthians 1:20

Romans, Chapter 5, NIV
1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we^c also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

(Scripture references above are copied from the Online Parallel Bible)  http://bible.cc/

SPECIFIC TYPES OF DISAPPOINTMENT

Circumstantial disappointment

All of us face times in life when circumstances change in a way that we did not expect or that seems less desirable than what we had hoped.  These kind of circumstantial disappointments may involve something that didn’t happen as you had hoped.  Or, they may involve something that happened which seems contrary to everything you had hoped.  Sometimes these disappointments lead to eventually letting go of one dream for your life and grabbing hold of God’s promises and His new dream for you.  Circumstances will happen to disappoint us all, and each time we must choose to look at the positives in the situation.  The reactions we have to the disappointment of our hopes can range from mild irritation (having to re-arrange your schedule because a flight was cancelled, for example) to feeling absolutely devastated (the sale of your home fell through, or you were laid off, or you didn’t get admitted to the University of your choice).  No matter how strong our reaction may be, each disappointment results in the following choices:

1.  Choosing to continue to dwell on what has been lost even though nothing can be done about it  OR  eventually choosing to let it go and move on.

2.  Choosing to give up on a hope or dream  OR  seeking God’s direction about whether to allow Him to give you a new dream or to persevere in seeking this hope but perhaps through another avenue.

3.  Choosing to become bitter about what has been denied  OR  allowing God to use disappointment to refine our character.

4.  Choosing to become stuck in the past and our unfulfilled hope  OR  moving forward with trust and faith in God, knowing that He will work all things (even this disappointment) for our good.

5.  Feeling hopeless  OR  allowing God to restore our hope as time passes and the mental and spiritual adjustment is made not only to the reality that the disappointment has occurred, but to the possiblities of the future!

There is a grieving process with any disappointment, and it is necessary.  After all, it takes time to re-adjust your thinking to a new reality.  However, we must always be seeking God as the Source of our comfort, our transformation to the likeness of Christ, and ultimately, our hope.  God wants us to be honest with Him in prayer.  He knows we are devastated and disappointed, but He wants us to talk to Him about it.  His Spirit can only minister peace in a situation that has been turned over to Him.  A new dream can only be given when we choose to allow Him to turn our disappointment into possibilities that we’d never imagined.  Give yourself the grace of seeing each day as a new beginning, full of possibilities and promise as you release the disappointments of the past and surrender each moment to the Lord.  The reality of your disappointment can become a stepping stone to newness in your life and even to a reality more joyful or profound than anything you could have dreamed.  Hold on to your relationship with God through the grieving and adjustment period, and hold on to hope!

Relational Disappointment

Relational disappointment can be the most devastating type of disappointment.  Someone has let us down or even intentionally hurt us…often in a BIG way.  Broken hearts result from relational disappointment.  Here, we are not only dealing with our feelings about what has happened.  We are also dealing with the ongoing relationship.  When we have been badly hurt, anger is often our response.  However, the expression of anger can cause even more relational difficulty.  It’s good to keep in mind some considerations of the other person and the relationship you have to them.  As you work through the process of dealing with the disappointment and hurt that you feel, you can choose to show grace by valuing the person and the relationship more than your right to be angry and hurt.  Although the grieving and adjustment process for relational disappointment is the same as for any other type, the feelings and the potential relational consequences involved require careful consideration of a few additional factors.

First, remember that you, too, have at times disappointed someone.  None of us can perfectly meet the needs of another person.  We will all make mistakes, forget something important, or fail to handle a situation appropriately from time to time.  We all will have times when we need to apologize for disappointing someone else (as well as times when we need to forgive someone for disappointing us).

Secondly, we need to realize that what seems a big failure or disappointment may have been out of someone’s control or may have resulted from a miscommunication of some type.  Here, I will give an example of something that occurred at one of the churches where Travis had served.  There was a person who was a part-time employee in Music Ministry at the church, and this individual had been serving for a number of years.  Travis was new at the church and was still learning how things were done.  Procedures and policies very widely from church to church, and that fact would be brought home in this situation.  At the church Travis had left prior to coming to this new church, the Personnel Committee had always taken care of farewells and thank yous to those who were leaving a paid position in the church.  However, when this person was no longer employed by the church, nothing was done by that committee.  By the time that Travis realized that things were handled differently at the new church, the former employee was already very upset and feeling unappreciated.   Though he tried to correct the mistake he’d made by assuming procedures were similar, the attempts were rejected by the former employee.  Travis would have liked to have had the opportunity to show appreciation properly; but because of a misunderstanding and the resulting disappointment, that never happened as it should have.

Many times, relational disappointments do result from some sort of misunderstanding.   When there seems to have been a mess up or a large oversight that affects you, try not to automatically assume the worst and get all upset without knowing the facts.  There may be reasons why things happened as they did of which you are unaware.  Sometimes, knowing what happened can help and can even save a relationship.  Therefore, we all need to give each other the grace of refusing to jump to conclusions.  If you can talk to the person or persons who were involved in whatever led to your disappointment and tell them, “I really felt… (disappointed, betrayed, unappreciated…fill in the blank) because….”  (Keep it short and mention only one or two main factors, without detail.  Hopefully, this can come across without condemnation or anger.)  Then, ask for clarification, “I didn’t want to assume anything without giving you the opportunity to explain, so can you tell me what happened?”  Give the person some time to think and consider a response.  Just sit and wait without saying anything further.  It could be that there are real reasons for the way things happened that you never knew about.  The problem could even have resulted from something that you did or said that the other person did not know how to handle.  The truth could immediately make you feel better.  If so, you may have prevented permanent damage to a relationship by seeking understanding.  Or, the truthful answer could hurt at first.  It may be that the truth is a mirror, reflecting an area in your own life where some change needs to take place or just an outright failure or oversight by the other party.  Either way, these kinds of hurtful truths can be stepping stones to growth and to better understanding eventually if we keep the door of relationship open and work to have better understanding and resolve problems.   Regardless of the steps that need to be taken, forgiveness is always appropriate.  Even if something happened that was totally wrong, forgiveness will ultimately set you free from bitterness and from living in the past.  Ask God to give you an open heart to any changes that you need to make and grace for the other person, just as you have been shown grace and mercy.

When you think that you have someone figured out and that you are disappointed in who they are, remember that there may be many things that you do not know about this person or about their life.  Some of your asumptions may be totally wrong.  Give others the grace of forgiveness and a second chance.  You may be making yourself totally miserable by harboring negative feelings that are not even based upon fact.  Pray for this person, and allow God to work in them and in you.  You may be surprised at what He will do!

If a relationship proves to be totally unhealthy, seek counsel about what to do.  No one has to stay in an abusive situation.  You cannot change another person.  Change can only come when the other person desires to change, and a lot of changes require God’s help.

Regretful disappointment

Sometimes, our lives can become filled with regret if we dwell on past mistakes or on what we wish we had done in a situation.   These things are truly beyond our control.  They are in the past.  What matters is how we live NOW and what we do to make things better NOW.  Give yourself the grace of letting go.  Learn from past mistakes, fix what you can, and then remember Paul’s testimony and advice:

“It’s not that I have already reached this goal or have already become perfect. But I keep pursuing it, hoping somehow to embrace it just as I have been embraced by the Messiah Jesus.  Brothers, I do not consider myself to have embraced it yet. But this one thing I do: Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I keep pursuing the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly call in the Messiah Jesus.”   – Phillippians 3;12 – 14  (International Standard Version)

The Serenity Prayer can also be helpful.

Spiritual disappointment

Spiritual disappointment can be extremely difficult.  As Christians, we know that God is good and that He is able to do anything and to meet our needs.  We feel that we should be content to trust His wisdom about the when and the how.  We often don’t feel that we can even talk to other Christians about our disappointment.  This kind of scenario can lead to feeling totally alone, as though one is abandoned by God but can’t talk about it because to do so would only lead to rejection from other believers who may want to comfort you but who actually fear the pain and loss you have experienced and want you to repeat phrases like “God is so good!’ or “His timing is perfect” for your good and for their comfort.   The Book of Job is about just such a struggle.   It’s a battle for Job between what he knows he should feel and what other believers are telling him to feel versus how he actually does feel.  At the beginning of the time of trial for Job, God expresses confidence in the faith of Job.  And yet, even for a mature believer, there is a process of sorting through thoughts, grieving loss, and finding that your faith still holds true.   Job wants to know why.  He knows that he has done nothing wrong to provoke God’s judgement in the form of the calamity that has come upon his household, and yet He acknowledges that God is sovereign over all.  God Himself speaks with Job, and the truths that come out of this conversation are that God does not have to reveal His reasons to us and yet, He wants us to come to Him with our questions.  There is no way that we could fully understand the interactions of every human heart and every circumstance as God does.  We don’t have the infinite understanding to fathom God’s reasoning, but God gives us the mercy and grace to allow us to question Him, to ask why, and to express our pain, our deep grief, our disappointment, and even our anger.  After we have asked out questions and cried out our pain, peace comes only when we finally choose to trust.  It is a process, and that process is part of the healing and growth.  So, the ultimate message about spiritual disappointment is that it will come to everyone, that we must take it to Him, and that He will teach and comfort us through the pain.

KEY #3:  Turning to God in our disappointment and being honest with Him in prayer is the third key for dealing with disappointment. 

In earlier paragraphs, I had stated that the other two keys are choosing to live hopefully, based upon your knowledge of God’s goodness and your desire to have a positive outlook, and then turning to scripture for help in coping with disappointment.  So, my friends, choose hope!  Seek answers in God’s word, and turn to Him with all of your questions and hurts as you work through the process of moving forward in your life after you have been disappointed.  These three keys to coming through a disappointment and moving forward without bitterness are not a ‘quick fix’.  There is no easy answer and no quick solution.  Allow yourself the grace of processing all that has happened and thinking through what this means for the future.

God wants to bring possibility and promise out of this situation for you.  He wants to heal your heart and give you new hope.  He wants to communicate His love for you and renew your confidence in His goodness.  Blessings to you in the journey!

 

*  A  SONG  FOR  YOU  *  Here’s a link to a song that may be helpful to you:  http://soundcloud.com/travis-l-boyd/god-is-faithful-satb-choral

* HERE’S A BONUS *

Check out this excellent teaching about disappointment by TV host, author, and speaker Michelle McKinney Hammond on the 700 Club’s “Voices of Hope” series (segment #2) about facing life issues.  Here’s the link to the series.  (You will have to select and click on the Segment #2 link to see the video with the teaching about disappointment.):  http://www.cbn.com/700club/features/voiceofhope/

Interestingly, in the 700 club interview that allows her to explain her teaching on disappointment, Ms. Hammond also speaks of the need for demonstrating grace when facing disappointment, saying, “Don’t expect divinity from humanity.  Have grace for<em> people, </em>and place your expectations <em>on God</em>.”  Additionally, she also speaks of trusting God through the disappointment (as in our blog article), but she does state some of her teaching in some unique ways that will be helpful to anyone who is seeking additional insights to learn the lessons of disappointment while holding on to faith, preserving relationships, and dealing with pain.  Listen near the end of the interview for your assignment, when Ms. Hammond speaks of God’s plan in the disappointment and our corresponding job as the steward of the experience.

Here is a link to information about her book called How to Get Past Disappointment; (Note: I have not read the book, but I am recommending it based upon hearing the teaching in the above link, which is a portion of what is contained in the book.  – C. A. Boyd) Book info:  http://www.amazon.com/How-Get-Past-Disappointment-Finding/dp/0736937862

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This post was written by C. A. Boyd

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Do you know Jesus?

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/

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Song Story…”God is Faithful”

One of Travis’ best loved choral anthems is “God is Faithful.”   This song will always be very special to us as well.  “God is Faithful” has been recorded as the title song on CDs by both The Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma (then under the direction of Dr. Bill Green) and the Georgia Baptist Convention’s Sons of Jubal (Dr. Jon Duncan, Director).  It has also been recorded as a solo on individual CD projects and sung all over the world by church choirs, by the choral groups already mentioned, and also by The Singing Churchwomen of Oklahoma.  In addition, the women’s choirs who sang in Australia while their Singing Churchmen friends and spouses were there for a mission trip in 2003 sang “God is Faithful” in all the churches where they ministered in the Sydney, Newcastle, and Brisbane areas (see a story about “God is Faithful” in Australia near the end of this post).  Dozens of individuals have taken the time to express to Travis how much the message of “God is Faithful” has meant in their lives; but before the song was heard by anyone else or was published by Lorenz Music, it was a tender message from our loving God to encourage the hearts of Travis and Cindy Boyd.

Note:  Scroll down to the end of this post if you are looking for product information about the Song, Choral Anthem, Accompaniment/Performance Track, or Anthem Orchestration, which are available through the publisher, Lorenz, as well as other music distributors.  (Click the distributor links in our blog’s side bar to see what Travis L. Boyd products they offer.)

God’s promise

A lot of things were going on in our family and in our lives at the time that “God is Faithful” was written.  God had called us to a new place of service.  Our daughter was in high school, and our son was still in pre-school; and yet we left behind all 4 grandparents to move to the Church in Eastern Oklahoma which had just called Travis as their Minister of Worship.   We had moved from one side of the state of Oklahoma to the other and three and a half hours away from our parents.  It had been difficult to leave the only full-time church Travis had ever served where we were geographically very near our extended family, but that’s not the only reason the move was challenging.  We were concerned about how our daughter would adjust to the move, we were leaving behind many very close friends whom we still love and miss, and we were leaving a community that had always been very special to us.  It was the town where I grew up from third grade on, the town where I graduated from high school, the community where Travis and I had both gone to college, where we had met and married; and we’d both graduated from the University there.   Our roots were deep in the community, and we knew and loved so many people there.  We also loved our Church and our church family, and it was the church that Travis had longed to serve for many years before being called as their Minister of Music and Worship.  The Pastor of the Church we were leaving had not been there very long, and Travis had enjoyed serving with him and with all of the other staff members and support staff at the Church.

Of course, every time that God has called Travis to a new place of service, we have always felt a mixture of emotions.  Facing the task of leaving a Church and people that we loved, moving to a new place, and dealing with the unknown was always challenging, heart-breaking, exciting, both joyful for the new opportunity and sad to be moving on, and even a little scary.  Intellectually and spiritually, we’ve always known that God would be with us wherever we were.  Hovever, sometimes through the years, we’ve had to remind ourselves of this comforting truth.  Following the heart-felt welcomes and the initial settling in process in the new home, community and Church, real life adjustments still need to be made after any move.  As I’ve voiced to Travis in such times, it sometimes feels as though “we are so far away from everyone who really loves us”.   Again, we do know that God’s presence is with us; but as human beings we still long for the joy of familiarity and the comfort of being known.  Newness certainly doesn’t mean that we are loved any less, even by the ‘new’ church family.  It sometimes just feels that way because we are human.  [May God continually remind us what it feels like to long for home, to deal with uncertainty, and to step out on faith even when it’s heart-breaking or difficult to move on.  He longs for us to have compassion for the people all around us, people who struggle with change and difficulty and loneliness.   We can express His love and grace through a smile, a kind word, an act of compassion, and a warm welcome.]

In addition to the monumental changes that a major move brings, Travis and I were dealing with other issues that were of great concern around this time period.  The house we were leaving behind and trying to sell in western Oklahoma was the third house that Travis and I had owned in our 21 years of marriage.  Up to that point, it seemed that the timing had always been wrong for us to come out well on the sale of a home.  The first home that we bought was in Texas.  At the time when God called us to a new place of service a few years later, our Texas builder was adding an entirely new section of homes to our neighborhood.  The new streets had sidewalks.  There was a community playground in the new part of the neighborhood.  Furthermore, the new homes were selling for about the same price we had hoped to get for our home.  Of course, we had to come way down on our price in order to sell, and still the home languished on the market for months as the new homes were marketed and sold by developers.  By God’s grace, we did manage to hang on, but we did not come out well on the sale of the home.  When Travis was called to a new place of service the next time, we had to sell our second purchased home in central Oklahoma.  We hoped to come out better because we had added more livable square footage to the home by completing an unfinished bonus room over the garage.  However, just as we were preparing to make the move, the United States Government released their list of military bases that were in danger of being closed.  The nearby military base was on the list.  Eventually, the government revealed that the local base would not be closed.  It was removed from the base closings list and is still a functioning Air Force base today, but its future was in doubt during the entire time that our home was on the market.  As a result of the uncertainty and the possibility of losing the base, real estate values plummeted in our community and other nearby suburbs.  Again, we were forced to take less that we should have been able to get for our home.   A few months later, when the local base was removed from the list of potential closures, real estate values recovered; but the rebound was too late for us.

Now, during the time period surrounding the writing of “God is Faithful”, we needed to sell our third house, in western Oklahoma; and, once again, the circumstances were not great.  When we had moved into the community, we had rented a 3 bedroom duplex, where we planned to stay until we sold our central Oklahoma home and found a home we wanted to purchase.  A few months later, our landlady contacted us and told us that one of her family members had a life crisis and needed the duplex.  She was giving us a month’s notice and wanted us to move out.  We began looking at everything that was available.  Our central Oklahoma home had sold by then, but the lower price due to the uncertainty of the base closing list had drastically limited our options.  In addition, the Western Oklahoma community to which we’d just moved was experiencing a major housing shortage at that time.  It was a big enough deal to be featured in articles in the Daily Oklahoman (state newpaper) and even in video on Oklahoma City’s statewide broadcast of the evening news.  The Mayor of the community was featured in one report.  He had sold his home and could not find another to buy, so he was living in a local hotel.  The options were so limited that our family of four was very close to having to move into a hotel as well, with a 13 year old daughter and a 4 month old son.  We looked at everything that was available, which wasn’t much.

In the end, the only option we had (other than living in a hotel) was a 3 bedroom home where the single car garage had been turned into a small room (a very poorly done renovation).  The only things we liked about the house were that it was a roof over our heads and that our daughter and son each had their own bedroom.  Everything else was dismal.  We moved in just after Thanksgiving.  It was our first Christmas at the new, western Oklahoma Church, we had an event to go to every night from December 1st to December 22nd, and our lives were in total turmoil.  We had worked on cleaning the house for a week as we prepared to move in, while my parents took care of our children.  The whole house reeked of cat urine.  Walls and doors, and even cabinets (inside and out) were splattered with what looked like dried plum jam, but we never did figure out what the splatter really was.  We scrubbed and scrubbed.  I had to give up nursing our 4 month old son because we were cleaning on the house from morning until bedtime that whole week, and it was too filthy to bring the children into.  I scraped the bathroom floors with a razor blade to get all of the crud off, and every surface in the house was just that filthy.  We rented a machine and cleaned the carpets…twice.  They still reeked.  Travis was fixing things that were broken as well as cleaning.  It was a mess.  After we’d moved in, about 3 days went by before the sinks began to back up and toilets began to overflow.  We had plumbers out to the house 6 times the first month and a half that we lived there (all during the Christmas season!).   They even brought in “the big machine” to unclog our pipes, but the plumbing problems weren’t completely solved until we finally replaced the toilets in both the full bath and the half bath.  In all the 3 years that we lived in that house, we were constantly having to fix and replace things (exterior siding, the furnace and air conditioning units, storm doors, dishwasher, water heater, disposal, etc.).  The list went on and on.  We had to take a second mortgage to pay for all the needed fix ups; and later on, we had to take out a third loan for the new heat and air units.  So, by the time we made this move to Eastern Oklahoma, we had been through the wringer financially.  We’d even had to come up with an I.O.U. idea for Christmas for our daughter, which we called a “Santa coupon”, and that’s what she got 3 Christmases out of the 4 that we spent in that home (1993 – ’96).  We were now going to have to try to get enough out of that house to pay all 3 loans off; and after several months without a sale, even though the house was described by our realtor as “immaculate”, it was becoming apparent that we were going to take a big hit on this house as well.  Travis was really concerned.  God had worked a miracle to get us into a brand new home in Eastern Oklahoma, so we did have a wonderful break from the constant home fix ups for a while, but we didn’t know if we could keep handling the payments on the new home if we had to keep paying on loans from our western Oklahoma house even after it sold.  The months dragged on, and the house didn’t sell until October after we’d moved in January.  At one point, church members from our new Church helped by making part of the payment on the Western Oklahoma house for about 4 months; so we were very thankful that basic needs were met (but still barely surviving).  It was during this time period of adjustment, uncertainty, and financial hardship that God gave Travis the message of “God is Faithful”.

“God is Faithful” was one of those songs that just seemed to be born in a moment of inspiration.  Travis says that the whole song seemed to come to him at once and calls it “very much a God thing,”  meaning that God gave the song.  It was a message that we needed desperately at the time that God gave the song through Travis; and it was a message that we would need even more over the next few years, as we dealt with many events such as the loss of both of our fathers and of our own unborn child, some of our daughter’s struggles, and other things.  Some of the words would come to life even more vividly as we experienced different circumstances in our lives through the years.  In some ways, it has seemed to us that the message of “God is Faithful” has been to us both a message for a particular time and a message for all the times to come.   There were things ahead of us that we didn’t know about, but God knew.  He was re-assuring us with the message of His faithfulness, even before we knew how much greater our need for that encouragement would become at times.  But, even though the song has been very personal for us, it has touched many other lives.  Travis feels that he was just the vehicle that God used to share the message of His faithfulness with those who have been blessed by “God is Faithful.”

Dr. Bill Green, who was then the Director of both The Singing Churchmen and The Singing Churchwomen of Oklahoma, was one of the first people to hear “God is Faithful.”  Travis played it for him during a summer time meeting in Oklahoma City.  Brother Bill wanted to use the anthem with both choral groups, so Travis was asked to create an SSAA arrangement and a TTBB arrangement.  He also did an orchestration for the Churchmen’s instrumental ensemble.  “God is Faithful” was in the repertoire of both groups for several years.  During that time period, Brother Bill also sent the anthem to Mary McDonald at Lorenz Music.  Mary loved it, and it became Travis’ 4th choral anthem published by Lorenz (the first of his Lorenz anthems published by their Monarch Division, with others to follow).  The SATB anthem is still available through Lorenz  (See links below), as is the orchestration and the performance/accompaniment CD.  Although many churches probably still have and use the published octavos, there are other churches that use Travis’ self-copyrighted copies from before the anthem was published.  So many of the Ministers of Worship in the Churchmen wanted to use “God is Faithful” with their choirs that Travis did quite a bit of self-publishing before the song was accepted for publication.

Whatever methods God has used to expand the reach of “God is Faithful”, Travis and I are just thankful that the message of this song has meant as much to others as it has meant for us.  The most important truth to which  we can cling in difficult times is that God is faithful!  Circumstances don’t always work out as we had hoped, but God’s faithfulness is always there.  In fact, we did have to continue to pay on the heating and air conditioner loan for over 2 years after selling our western Oklahoma home.  Somehow, God provided.  The publication of “God is Faithful” and other songs even became part of that provision for our needs.

In 2012, we still have 6 boys at home, five of whom are currently in Elementary School.  As a result of circumstances in the past 4 years, we have started over again as far as acquiring equity in a home.  Our most recent home sale, after we’d moved to Georgia, took over a year and was completed in 2009 during the worst recession since the Great Depression.  The home in eastern Oklahoma, where we’d lived for 12 years, updating and adding a room addition, sold for far less than it would have before the recession began.  We could choose to dwell on the losses that we have sustained, but there is no point in that.  We know that in each situation, what appears to be bad timing was really God’s timing.  He has called Travis to each new place of service very clearly, and He has been faithful to meet our basic needs in spite of economic conditions and other external factors.  God’s faithfulness is not thwarted by the ups and downs of the stock market or housing values.  His faithfulness is not limited to the specific circumstances that surrounded the writing of this song or any song.  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, remember…

“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

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FROM  LORENZ  MUSIC:  “God is Faithful”…SATB Choral Anthem with solo throughout

*  A  full orchestration is available for this piece, as heard in the studio demo.

*  A  performance/accompaniment CD  is also available, and it features the orchestration as heard in the publisher’s studio demo.

Here is my Sound Cloud audio of the Lorenz Studio Demo Recording for “God is Faithful”.

*  Lorenz product page for “God is Faithful” :  http://www.lorenz.com/product.aspx?id=10_2978M

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

Note:  See our blog post entitled  “Blessings Through God’s Faithfulness”  for more information about the story of this song & recordings by both The Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma and The Sons of Jubal.  https://worshipsounds.wordpress.com/2011/11/09/blessings-through-gods-faithfulness/

*  Vimeo Performance Video link:  (TTBB arrangement, recorded at a Sons of Jubal concert in September, 2010)  http://vimeo.com/15390308

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Post written by Cynthia A. Boyd

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“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” to bless and encourage.  In 2003, over 300 people 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.

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.  Never forget that God is faithful!

– C. Boyd

Note:  For more information on this story, check these links:
Annerley Baptist Church website:  http://www.annerleybaptist.org.au/
Annerley Baptist Church facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Annerley-Baptist-Church/189082151110455#!/pages/Annerley-Baptist-Church/189082151110455
Information about the city of Annerley (near Brisbane, Australia:  http://queenslandplaces.com.au/annerley

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

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Do you know someone who is looking for answers?

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.

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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

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WOULD   YOU  LIKE  TO  READ  MORE  POSTS  LIKE  THIS  ONE?

Link to our  “Song Stories”  category to see all of the song story posts:  https://worshipsounds.wordpress.com/category/song-stories/

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Blessings through God’s Faithfulness

**THE  SINGING  CHURCHMEN  OF  OKLAHOMA**

The Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma will always be such a special group of brothers for me.   As a member of the Churchmen for over 18 years, I have very close friendships with so many of the fine Ministers of Music and Worship in this group.  We’ve travelled around the world together, sharing the good news of Christ though music, testimony, and every other way imaginable.  I’ve been to Russia, Estonia, Latvia, China, Hong Kong, and Australia with this group.  It has been a joy and a blessing to know these men, worship together with them during rehearsal times and concert performances, and then serve with them in other mission opportunities.  One of the things that is most special about this talented group is their love for the Lord and for each other.   These brothers pray for one another and are willing to help any of the group that may have a major need.  We’ve seen God answer so many prayers.  We’ve prayed for healing for each other, for those who were seeking a place of service, for family situations, and for God to use our efforts to glorify Himself.  We’ve also prayed for doors to open in the countries to which we’ve travelled.  There were often large stumbling blocks that could have been a real problem for our group and our ministry; but time after time, we saw God answer the prayers for open doors in really miraculous ways.  For example, our group made the trip to Russia, Estonia, and Latvia just after the fall of Communism, in Spring of 1993.  We were even able to minister and share the gospel in public schools, which was really amazing.

In our ministry as a group and in our individual lives, all of the Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma could testify to the faithfulness of our God.  I was inspired to write a song about God’s faithfulness in my life, and I shared it with Dr. Bill Green, who was then the Director of both The Singing Churchmen and The Singing Churchwomen of Oklahoma.  Brother Bill loved “God is Faithful” and made it part of our concert repertoire for several years.  The next time the Churchmen recorded a CD, “God is Faithful” became the title song.  The song was eventually published by the Monarch division of Lorenz music, and I have no idea at this point how many churches are still singing it.  I do hear from people regularly about how this song has touched their lives.   That’s the biggest blessing of all.  It’s a wonderful privelege to be able to share this message of God’s faithfulness with my brothers in Christ in both Oklahoma and Georgia.  The Sons of Jubal also have sung “God is Faithful,”  and it became the title song of one of their CD’s (recorded in a different year & with different repertoire from the Churchmen CD).  In addition, The Singing Churchwomen of Oklahoma have sung  “God is Faithful”  in many church concerts.  It was also sung in Australia during our Singing Churchmen mission trip, but not by the men.   The wives who went along on the mission trip to Australia in 2003 had their own choir, with over 80 of the women choosing to participate.  They divided into 2 choirs for some events and sang together for others.   These women gave concerts in churches all over the Sydney area (even in nearby seaside communities such as Cronulla) and then all over the Brisbane area, even singing at a pineapple canning factory.  They were the groups that were singing  “God is Faithful”  in Australia, though everyone who went on that trip could testify to God’s faithfulness in so many ways.

Many times, the message of  “God is Faithful”  has ministered to Cindy and I as we have faced trials.  She has said that in the messages God inspires me to write, He knows the message that we will need to hear at some point in our future.   If the song  “God is Faithful”  has been a blessing to you, remember that it is not the song itself that is the source of blessing.  It’s the TRUTH of the message of this song that makes it so meaningful to those of us who are walking with the Lord.   What a blessing it is to know that our God is faithful in all things, and that he is ever-present in our lives!

“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…when the valley is so low.  God is faithful…whereever He leads you to go!  Cast your cares on Him, and rest within His loving arms.  For the One who called you is faithful.  God IS faithful ! ”   (Lyrics to the chorus from “God is Faithful”)

Copyright Travis L. Boyd, Boydbrain Music

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Here is the audio from my Sound Cloud of the recording of “God is Faithful” made by The Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma as the title song of one of their CDs.

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HERE  IS  THE  LINK  for the original studio demo of   “God is Faithful.”
http://www.lorenz.com/Med/Sample/10_2978M.mp3
You can  VIEW   THE  MUSIC  AS  YOU  LISTEN  to the demo by going to the publisher’s product page for  “God is Faithful”  at the link below.
Click the listening icon, immediately minimize the media player, and click the Adobe sample page link to see and hear the music simultaneously.
http://www.lorenz.com/product.aspx?id=10_2978M

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Many more songs written by Travis L. Boyd can be found
on our WorshipSounds Music website.

Worshipful and affordable music for your Choirs, Orchestra, Ensembles, and Soloists
http://www.worshipsounds.com

Click photo above to go to our WorshipSounds website

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Do you know Jesus? 

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/

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