While in Nicholasville, Kentucky, visiting a friend, we had the opportunity to attend Gospel on the Green. This young woman on the keyboard and vocals singing “I’ll Fly Away” is an amazing musician. Marlana VanHoose (who is blind with cerebral palsy) sang during the inauguration activities of President Trump. She said she told President Trump that the only thing that will make America great again is belief in God and His word.
“The world in which we live continues to grow darker by the day. But against that backdrop of black is light. We are the light, and we shine even brighter against a midnight sky. We can make a difference. As we join together with other men and women who want to light the world, our influence for good will shift the planet.” (Marnie Pehrson Kuhns, Light The World: How Your Brilliance Can Shift The Planet)
This reminds me of the song sung by Jana Stanfield, “A Small Star.” The lyrics are below the video below.
Joyce Johnson Rouse
You don’t have to feel brave to be brave
And I don’t have to feel strong to be strong
We don’t have to feel inspiring to inspire
Remember when your road is rough and long
Chorus
Even a small star shines in the darkness
For someone somewhere to see
It lights the way for those in the distance
That’s what your courage means to me
Maybe there are times you feel lonely
Like no one sees the world the you do
Remember each of us is made uniquely,
And no one ever sees their own magnitude.
[Chorus]
So don’t be afraid to be a little brilliant
Don’t be afraid to shine in someone’s eyes
If we can trust the gifts that sometimes make us different
Then we can all learn to shine, shine shine!
[Chorus]
Step 1: Ask God each day, “What is one thing I can do to light the world and build the kingdom today?”
Step 2: ACT upon whatever He leads you to do. Go through the day EXPECTING for opportunities to arise.
Step 3: Document somewhere — in your private journal or on your favorite social media platform.
Step 4: Share! If you share publicly, please use our hash tags: #BuildTheKingdom and #LightTheWorldNow so I can cheer you on! If you’re going to be documenting privately, I recommend sharing your experience with a close friend or accountability partner. There is power in the sharing.
For ongoing support and a place to share, please join our Facebook group.
Featured Image Copyright: Sarah Nicholl / BigStockPhoto.com
I Know That My Redeemer Lives is one of my all-time favorite hymns. I asked for it to be sung at my baptism when I was 9 years old and have loved it ever since. My mother found this variation on the song, arranged by Paul Cardall, several years ago and bought me the sheet music. It’s a gorgeous piece and fun to play on the piano.
I just got a new Yamaha P125 a couple weeks ago and have been playing around with overlaying voices. This is a slow string with a grand piano combination. It gives Paul Cardall’s Redeemer a heavenly feel.
(Piano arrangement based on I Know That My Redeemer Lives) Lewis D Edwards, Arrangement by Paul Cardall)
Featured Image Copyright: paul shuang / BigStockPhoto.com
My parents made this recording of my Uncle Bob singing When It’s All Been Said and Done. I love this song. I think it says it all about what lighting the world is all about. I’m so grateful for my parents and people like my Uncle Bob who model what it means to live your life for truth. Thanks to my sister for putting this up on YouTube.
Don Moen Lyrics
When it’s all been said and done
There is just one thing that matters
Did I do my best to live for truth?
Did I live my life for you?
When it’s all been said and done
All my treasures will mean nothing
Only what I’ve done for love’s reward
Will stand the test of time
Lord, your mercy is so great
That you look beyond our weakness
And find purest gold in miry clay
Turning sinners into saints.
Hallelujah
And I will always sing your praise
Here on earth and ever after
For you’ve shown me heavens, my true home
When it’s all been said and done
You’re my life when life is gone…
Step 1: Ask God each day, “What is one thing I can do to light the world and build the kingdom today?”
Step 2: ACT upon whatever He leads you to do. Go through the day EXPECTING for opportunities to arise.
Step 3: Document somewhere — in your private journal or on your favorite social media platform.
Step 4: Share! If you share publicly, please use our hash tags: #BuildTheKingdom and #LightTheWorldNow so I can cheer you on! If you’re going to be documenting privately, I recommend sharing your experience with a close friend or accountability partner. There is power in the sharing.
For ongoing support and a place to share, please join our Facebook group.
Featured Image Copyright: sandramatic / BigStockPhoto.com
As lost as sometimes Americans feel or as at odds we may be with one another, America … the idea of the United States of America and the foundations principles for which it stands … are of Divine origin. Those ideas and principles stand as a beacon of light to all people who seek liberty.
“Where the Spirit is the Lord is, there is liberty.” And the converse is true… where there is liberty, the Spirit of the Lord is present. Let us actively seek to live close to that Divine Spirit and continue to be a beacon of light and liberty to all within our influence.
Today, I decided to play one of my favorite hymns, “I Know that My Redeemer Lives” on Yamaha with Guitar Setting. This is an extemporaneous arrangement of the popular hymn.
1. I know that my Redeemer lives.
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, he lives, who once was dead.
He lives, my ever-living Head.
He lives to bless me with his love.
He lives to plead for me above.
He lives my hungry soul to feed.
He lives to bless in time of need.
2. He lives to grant me rich supply.
He lives to guide me with his eye.
He lives to comfort me when faint.
He lives to hear my soul’s complaint.
He lives to silence all my fears.
He lives to wipe away my tears.
He lives to calm my troubled heart.
He lives all blessings to impart.
3. He lives, my kind, wise heav’nly Friend.
He lives and loves me to the end.
He lives, and while he lives, I’ll sing.
He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.
He lives and grants me daily breath.
He lives, and I shall conquer death.
He lives my mansion to prepare.
He lives to bring me safely there.
4. He lives! All glory to his name!
He lives, my Savior, still the same.
Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:
“I know that my Redeemer lives!”
He lives! All glory to his name!
He lives, my Savior, still the same.
Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:
“I know that my Redeemer lives!”
Text: Samuel Medley, 1738-1799.
Music: Lewis D. Edwards, 1858-1921
Featured Image: © 2015 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
When you’re losing hope, when your life is falling apart, please find ways to hang on and have hope that things will get better. One of the best ways I’ve found to do that is with music.
In this segment I share several songs that have helped me keep going when things looked bleak and like nothing would ever come together for me. Sometimes you just need to hold on until the light can come.
Remember, if things look like they’re falling apart, hang on for the Glorious Unfolding!
Here are a couple more songs I mentioned in today’s segment that will help you find hope when things feel hopeless:
Featured Image Copyright: Splendens / BigStockPhoto.com
They say music hath charms to soothe the savage beast. Sometimes my own thoughts and fears are the most threatening beast I face.
Tonight a sweet friend called and serenaded me. I felt my mind calm and my body relax and had this sweet assurance “it’s all going to be all right.”
I’m so blessed to have such wonderful friends who support me, pray and fast for me. Thank you for lighting my world!
Consider the lilies of the field,
How they grow, how they grow.
Consider the birds in the sky,
How they fly, how they fly.
He clothes the lilies of the field.
He feeds the birds in the sky.
And He will feed those who trust Him,
And guide them with His eye.
Consider the sheep of His fold,
How they follow where He leads.
Though the path may wind across the mountains,
He knows the meadows where they feed.
He clothes the lilies of the field.
He feeds the birds in the sky,
And He will feed those who trust Him,
And guide them with His eye.
Consider the sweet, tender children
Who must suffer on this earth.
The pains of all of them He carried
From the day of His birth.
He clothes the lilies of the field,
He feeds the lambs in His fold,
And He will heal those who trust Him,
And make their hearts as gold.
He clothes the lilies of the field,
He feeds the lambs in His fold,
And He will heal those who trust Him,
And make their hearts as gold.