Music Monday: It is well with my soul

If ever more proof was needed that Audrey Assad sings like an angel…

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well, with my soul

It is well
With my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, o my soul

Music Monday: Wounded Healer

As Audrey Assad’s new album is set to drop, she’s released another new single, “Wounded Healer”. It’s a wonderful track, even aside from the fact that it’s also the title of a Henri Nouwen book. Man, does this woman have the ability to read my soul…

Image of the Invisible
In our wounds we feel you near
God of heaven in flesh and bone
By your wounds we shall be healed

Wounded healer, we give our hearts to you x2

Arms stretched out not to part the seas
but to open up the grave
Blood poured out not for war, but peace
And to show us God’s own face.

No fire; no fury
just death into life
Over and over
Til all things are right

Music Monday: Deliverer

Today I’d like to share the new single from Audrey Assad entitled “Deliverer”.

Rather than sharing the lyrics (which are in the video anyway), I’d like to share Audrey’s words explaining the origin of this song:

I grew up with some rather terrible and terrifying ideas about who God was. Mostly, I believed that God only loved me because Jesus stepped in between us and God couldn’t see me anymore—this contributed to many years of a tormented and broken-down relationship with God, based mostly in fear and shame.

Jesus is often called ‘Immanuel’, which means ‘God with us.’ Imagine the deep healing that took place when I came to recognize that Jesus came not to defend us from God, but to display in His life, death, and resurrection exactly who God has always been.

When I took a good honest look at the ruins in my heart, it is no surprise that I found Him there, ‘preaching His gospel to the poor’ (T. Merton) — He had been with me and within me all along, delivering me not from God, but from my own inner death.

I truly hope you are blessed and ministered to by this song. It was a healing experience to write it.

Who killed CCM?

If you’ve followed this blog for any length of time, you will know that I happen to rather like Contemporary Christian Music (CCM). I think that there’s an awful lot of dross out there which some Christians will lap up simply because it has the label of “Christian”, but I also think that there’s some great stuff out there (Matt Maher, Audrey Assad etc).

Having said that, a friend posted this on Facebook and I thought some of the comments were too hilarious not to share…

CCM

Music Monday: Learn to Let Go

“Learning to Let Go” by Levv, the collaboration group between Audrey Assad and Seth Jones:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JblrapsL7o

Living alone, living a lie, stealing what you need from me
Your heart in your chest, knife in your breast
Call it what you want, honey
When you battle like a soldier, dropping bombs on everything you see
Fighting a forsaken war, what for?
You create your enemies

Runaway, runaway I wish you would give it up and come home
The fear in your eyes, you’re seeing spies everywhere you turn, you know
But you battle like a soldier, dropping bombs on everything you see
Fighting a forsaken war, what for?
You create your enemies

But I am learning to let go of you.

Give me a rhyme or reason why I should turn my back and be gone
At times I confess, it seems the best and easiest way to go on
But I battle like a soldier, picking up the pieces of our love
Fighting a forsaken war: what for, when it’s time to give up?

So I am learning to let go of you.

Music Monday: Be Thou My Vision

Today’s post is a bit late, sorry, I’m still not really back on top of things yet. Anyway, here’s “Be thou my vision” from Audrey Assad’s recent Inheritance album:

Be Thou my vision, oh Lord of my heart
Nought be all else to me, save that Thy art
Thou my best thought in the day and the night
Waking or sleeping, Thou presence my light

Be Thou my wisdom, be Thou my true word
I ever with Thee and Thou with me Lord
Thou my great Father and I Thy true son
Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one

Riches I need not, nor man’s empty praise
Thou mine inheritance through all of my days
Thou and Thou only though first in my heart
High king of heaven my treasure Thou art

Oh high king of heaven, when battle is done
Grant heaven’s joy to me, bright heaven sun
Christ of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my vision, though ruler of all

Music Monday: Holy, Holy, Holy

Audrey Assad recently released Inheritance, her long-awaited album of hymns. Here’s one of my favourites, “Holy, holy, holy”

Holy, Holy Holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, Holy, Holy! Merciful and Mighty!
God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Holy, Holy, Holy! All the saints adore Thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
Which wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.

Holy, Holy, Holy! though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man, Thy glory may not see:
Only Thou art holy, there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in power in love,and purity.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise Thy name in earth, and sky, and sea;
holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty,
God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity!

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