Place in This World

Philippians 1:3-6
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Teach children they have a purpose.

My friend, Bev, and I pulled into the parking lot at Truist Arena on the Northern Kentucky University campus. We looked forward to watching For King and Country perform their songs. As we filed in, and found our seats, I looked around at all the people. Folks united, not just to hear the music, but to worship God.

We were not disappointed. Joel and Luke Smallbone and their band poured all of their energy into leading us in a time of rejoicing. In between the songs, they told their story. Their family had traveled from Australia to America, but when they arrived in Nashville, their father’s job fell through. The children were young. They’d moved to a new country from a beautiful home, and now they had nothing to speak of. No furniture, no car, no job. The beautiful thing about their story is that their parents gathered those youngsters together and asked them to pray. They gave them specific items to pray for, and the kids witnessed answered prayers. They involved them in the work they needed to do to make ends meet. They gave them responsibility.

The Smallbone children grew into adults with purpose. Doors opened for them as they trusted God with their lives. No, we won’t all be in the limelight, but whatever we do for God is important. Know you have purpose in whatever you do. Seek God’s guidance and let the Holy Spirit lead.

Share God with children. Teach them God gives purpose to every person, teach them to pray and trust the Father, then lead by example.

All My Hope

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

What do you get when you add three friends, a beautiful day, an outdoor venue, and the Christian musician/singer Crowder?

An amazing night of worship and renewal. 

My friends, Bev and Krista, and I traveled to the Fraze Pavilion in Kettering, Ohio. White clouds billowed in the blue skies, the temperature hovered around eighty and the place was filled with people ready to worship Jesus.

If you aren’t familiar with David Crowder and his music, he’s a multitalented musician who is one of the most humble and down-to-earth performers I’ve seen. He offers a variety of music that touches the heart. From a few rock/rap songs to gospel to the music I sang with my grammy, no matter what music came from the stage, it all pointed to Jesus.

To be able to sing along and see the open sky filled me with joy and reminded me of the many times I attended church camp and sang outside under the stars. As the words of the songs echoed and we offered a joyful noise, my imagination pictured Jesus returning on the clouds to receive God’s children. What a glorious day that will be.

One song that especially touched my heart, All My Hope, encouraged me. In this broken world, we still have hope.  When nothing else makes sense,  hang on to hope in God and his plan to call his children back to him through Jesus. Even as sin and despair try to separate God’s children from him, Jesus provides the path of grace back to his Father.

Don’t give up. In Jesus, we have hope.

I hope you'll give the song a listen:

Rejoice With Singing

Zephania 3:17

“The Lord your God is with you,
    the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
    but will rejoice over you with singing.”

Music is a piece of art that goes in the ears, straight to the heart. – The Minds Journal

Music played, in the home I grew up in, most of the time. My mom listened to what is now classic country, Elvis, and gospel along with music from the forties. I heard rock and roll and fifties classics on my siblings record players. Of course, I had my own stack of pop—John Denver, James Taylor, Carole King, and Carley Simon. My forty-fives (remember those?) lived in a black and white checked case. I’m not sure what happened to them, but I remember sitting on the floor and sorting them into favorites, which changed every week. I can’t forget the cassette player and recording songs from the radio. We seventies teens had our own way of making a playlist.

I mostly listen to contemporary Christian music now and enjoy the occasional foray back to the seventies. But the best music in my life doesn’t come from a radio, or Amazon music. I love to hear my children and grandchildren sing, and I adore the worship service at church when we all raise our voices together to praise God, as we sing to Him in one voice.

When I read Zephania 3:17, I paused and considered the last part. God will rejoice over me in singing. What? I thought singing came from believers to God. What a joy to know God sings over us. As I consider what that means, my heart rejoices. When I walk outside and hear the wind, the birds, the rustle of the trees I’m reminded God sings over me—because He loves me. He cares about my comings and goings. He delights in me as I delight in Him.

When you feel down, stop and listen to God sing over you. He’s there.

One in Heart & Mind

Acts 4:32-35
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

“A snowflake is one of God’s most fragile of creation, but look what they can do when they stick together.” -Unknown

I had the privilege of attending the OMEA Middle School band concert. Our grandson, Zeke, was selected to play his baritone with students from all over the tri-state. His band director, Mr. Glader, has done a great job encouraging his students to learn their instruments and try out for this wonderful experience. The students had two days to learn four to five songs and then perform them for an audience.

They met at a local school and worked, for the first time, to bring harmony from what could have been chaos. On Sunday afternoon, I sat with my daughter and several hundred other folks and listened to the seventh graders perform and then the eighth. The music brought joy to my heart as the kids hit all the right notes.

I love the verse in Acts 4 that says, “All the believers were one in heart and mind.” He’s talking about the church, the group of people who love and follow Jesus. Yes, as an individual, I can serve and love Jesus and tell others about him, but as a group of people with the same beliefs and goals, we can encourage one another and stand together.

Like those students who came together and didn’t know each other, but had the same goal, we can work in harmony and share God’s love and His message of grace.

Seek folks who love Jesus and lift up one another.

Sweet Harmony

Romans 12:16-18
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (NIV)

When music sings in harmony it is sweet to the ears.

May is a busy month for end-of-year school activities. This week two of our grandsons participated in the Middle School’s band concert. Sixth, seventh, and eighth graders, along with high school jazz and concert bands performed instrumental renditions of a variety of songs. These kids are blessed with excellent teachers who create an atmosphere where the students want to learn.

I love this photo of our grands with their friends!

With Eli on the trumpet and Zeke on the baritone the notes of It’s Raining Tacos danced across the gym. The sixth-grade band played a song they wrote themselves. Their band teacher, Mr. Glader, explained that one student played a riff, a short, repeated phrase in music and jazz, then another student on a different instrument played their version until the entire band played a part. Their song was inspiring.

Listening to all the different instruments come together in harmony and create excellent music reminded me of the church. Not the building we meet in, but the people. The believers who meet together and then go into the week with Jesus on our hearts. God wants us to be in harmony with Him and with one another, which often means we aren’t harmonizing with the world. Instead, we’re humbly serving others and attempting to live at peace.

As a believer and an instrument of God, I want to be in tune with God’s word and His people. I love singing together with folks in church, we raise our voices as the musicians on stage play their instruments. I try to carry the joy I find in sharing music into my week.

It’s hard enough to live in this world without being in discord with fellow believers. Instead of discord, let’s encourage and spread God’s hope and love.

Be in harmony, serve others, and live in peace.

 

And God Gave us Music

Psalm 92:1-3

It is good to praise the Lord
    and make music to your name, O Most High,
proclaiming your love in the morning
    and your faithfulness at night,
to the music of the ten-stringed lyre
    and the melody of the harp.

Praise is the rehearsal for our eternal song. -Charles Spurgeon

Our grandson, Zeke, tried out for the OMEA seventh grade band performance. I’m delighted to share he was chosen as first chair baritone. The students from various districts came together to perform a wonderful concert after learning the music in only three days. Kudos to Maggie (his momma) for driving him to Cincinnati every one of those days.

On Sunday, as the band assembled, I sat in the audience with family and soaked in each song. Each of the four songs inspired their own beauty. They started with a song that might have been the soundtrack to an action flick. Then they played a lovely song that invoked an inward peace. The third song reminded of something you might hear in a palace, and the last song they played was based on an African spiritual with a contagious rhythm.

As I think back on the music, the first song played reminds me of Joshua marching around the walls of Jerico. The peaceful song left me thinking of Mary holding baby Jesus. The palace song brought Queen Esther to mind, and the African beat reminded me of David dancing and praising.

God gave us the gift of music, and we can use instruments and voices to raise praises to God. Music also soothes the soul and offers a respite from the cacophony of a noisy world. I’m thankful there are different styles of music, and a variety of musicians so we can all find the tunes that draw us closer to God. Contemporary Christian music, traditional hymns, pop, and folk are among my favorites, and I’ll listen to almost any instrumental tunes. As I am with nature, I’m amazed at God’s creation of tones and melodies. He’s given us so many gifts, and just think how beautiful the music of heaven will be.

Find music that draws you closer to God.

Cozy Mystery Review: Murder Goes Solo by Malissa Chapin Book Description:

What's the Story?
Piper Haydn is on the case when murder comes to peaceful Cranberry Harbor, Wisconsin. With her piano recital hours away, Piper's last need is a piano problem—or a murder problem! When her new piano arrives with the body of her ex-fiancé inside, suspicion rests on Piper. To avoid a murder charge, she must shift her attention from music to murder. With a killer at large, Piper calls off the recital and closes the academy. Believing that she and her friends can solve the murder, Piper tries to clear her name and tries to discover what happened to her secretary Lisa. As the investigation crescendos, Piper leans on the support and creativity of her best friend Roosevelt and fellow music teacher Trefor to help solve the crime. Can Piper and friends solve the mystery before the killer solos in on another victim?

My Thoughts:
Murder Goes Solo is a well-written and fun mystery. Poor Piper is faced with a terrible situation. The new and very expensive piano she ordered arrives with a dead body. Not just any body—her lifeless ex-boyfriend. Piper and her best friend Rosie work to figure out who killed him. In the meantime, they have to avoid the press and work with the “Hunky” police officer. Piper’s family tries to protect her, but she’s determined to bring the killer to justice. Chapin does a beautiful job weaving in Piper’s love of music and sets up a great cozy story. If you enjoy cozy mysteries, you’ll love Murder Goes Solo. I hope there are more books about Piper, her bestie, and maybe even the “Hunky officer.” I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Romance Fiction Review: Make You Feel My Love by Robin Lee Hatcher

Book Description:
One broken woman. One lost man. And the long-buried secrets tying them together.

After escaping an abusive relationship, Chelsea Spencer flees to Chickadee Creek—the town where her great aunt Rosemary owns a quaint little antique shop. There, Chelsea plans to help with the shop as her aunt heals from an accident—and perhaps find some healing of her own.

Liam Chandler was one film away from a leading role when his brother Jacob was stricken with cancer. After spending the last months of Jacob’s life with him in Boise, Liam heads to the vacation home he built outside of Chickadee Creek to get his life and his faith back on track.

While working to clean out a storage room in the antique shop, Chelsea finds an old violin. Aunt Rosemary says she may have the instrument, but they soon learn it is very valuable and once belonged to Cora Chandler, Liam’s great-great-grandmother.

Drawn together by the old violin and stories from the past, Chelsea and Liam begin to find answers for their present and the future God has in store for them.

My Thoughts:
Robin Lee Hatcher, a talented story teller, has written a beautiful story of hope. Chelsea left behind an abusive boyfriend. Liam is healing from family wounds. Both characters prefer to hide instead of opening themselves up to more hurt. A violin connects them to the past and a woman named Cora, who longed for a new beginning. I loved reading Cora’s story as she set out on her own in the 1800s. Hatcher sprinkles Chelsea and Liam’s heart wrenching stories with encouragement and weaves in Bible verses filled with wisdom. I hope this story is read by anyone who feels lost or overwhelmed by a difficult situation, because the reader can gain confidence and know God offers peace and joy. If you enjoy stories set in small towns, with good characters or stories that point to a better way, read Make You Feel My Love. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rejoice! Sing Loud!

I love Christmas music. 

From Hark the Herald Angels Sing to The Christmas Song (chestnuts roasting) 

the sounds of the season adds cheer to my day.

Can you imagine the song the angels sang to the shepherds, 

when Jesus was born?

What an incredible night. 

I would think the angels voices blended in perfect harmony.

But from us humans, God only asks for a joyful noise.

What's your favorite Christmas song?

 

Thanks for Music!

Psalm 95:1-2

Come, let us sing joy to the Lord;
            let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving and
            extol him with music and song.

Raise a hallelujah!

In the fall of 1975, I joined several other 18 and 19 year-olds on the campus of Kentucky Christian College. Fresh out of high school, we prepared to join the ranks of freshmen in higher education. I knew a few of my fellow classmates and met a slew of new friends. We gathered at least twice a week for campus worship, where we heard preaching and raised our voices together in praise. One song touched our class more than any other, It is Well With my Soul. To this day it's my all-time favorite hymn.

Fast forward 40 years—several from our class gathered for a reunion. What a joy to meet with these longtime friends. We ate and chatted, then had a time of worship. And guess which song we all wanted to sing. It is Well, because even after all these years, we know whatever life brings, our souls rest in the Lord.

The words of the hymn may seem old fashioned, but they translate into peace, hope, and joy for our troubled souls today. With all the grief, frustration, discontent, doubt, and temptation, God is still watching out for us. Jesus still offers grace and salvation. The Holy Spirit still lives and breathes in the souls of Jesus' followers.

When I feel down, I plug into music that praises the Lord, and then I sing like nobody's listening. I'm thankful for the music written to praise the Lord, whether a psalm, a hymn, or a contemporary piece. Thank you, Lord for musicians.

Come before him with thanksgiving and song!

Nonfiction Book Review: Losing My Voice to Find It: How a Rockstar Discovered His Greatest Purpose by Mark Stuart, Tim Tebow (Foreword), Roger W. Thompson (Contributor)

Book Description:

The incredible story of a lead singer's rise to fame and his crushing fall when he lost his singing voice, his career, and his marriage--and then found a new calling more in tune with God than he ever thought possible. 

Mark Stuart was the front man of popular Christian rock band, Audio Adrenaline, at a time when the Christian music scene exploded. Advancing from garage band to global success, the group sold out stadiums all over the world, won Grammy Awards, and even celebrated an album going certified Gold. But after almost twenty years, Mark's voice began to give out. When doctors diagnosed him with a debilitating disease, the career with the band he'd founded and dedicated his life to building was gone. Then to his shock, his wife ended their marriage, and Mark believed he'd lost everything.

Unsure of his future, Mark traveled to Haiti to help with the band's ministry, the Hands and Feet Project. When the devastating 2010 earthquake hit, media learned he was present and sought him out for interviews. Ironically, Mark became the scratchy voice for the struggling Haitians, drawing the world's attention to their dire circumstances. In the process, Mark found a greater purpose than he'd ever known before. In this gripping, compelling new book, Mark Stuart overlays his story with passages from the gospel of John, urging his readers to listen for God's voice and to embrace his big love that calls us into a big life.

My Review:
Mark Stuart's story is heart-wrenching and beautiful. If you listened to Audio Adrenaline or not, this book is worth the read. Mark is honest and open about the heartaches of his life and the way God worked. I love stories that show the truth and grace of God, and Mark's does. I enjoyed reading about the influence the band's music had on so many. As Mark ends the book and talks about his ministry in Haiti, I am once again reminded that God has purpose for us. This is an excellent book, written from the heart. I chose to review Mark's book because my daughters and I listened to their music, Kentucky Christian College/University is my alma mater and I grew up with band member, Bob Herdman. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Love this Crowder Song

God's Ditch Garden

Music sings~

God's ditch garden stages shows
blue-orange-white.

Chicory's sax runs up and down.
Jazzed scales fill the air
with melodies.

Orange tiger lily trumpets
sharps and flats.

Queen Anne
takes center stage
to bang out~
the piano's notes.

Nodding her head
tapping toes.

An audience?

Orange and black
flutter between green leaves.

Butterfly wings and stems sway.

Tiny finch
golden like day~
black as night
twitters in tune.

Remembering yesterday's
concert in the ditch.

Looking forward to
tomorrow's.

Penny Frost McGinnis~2006

Fiction Book Review: Song of Silence by Cynthia Ruchti

Book Description:

Lucy and Charlie Tuttle agree on one thing: they’re committed to each other for life. Trouble is, neither of them expected life to look like this. While Charlie retired early, Lucy is devoted to a long-term career . . . until the day she has no choice.

Forced to retire from her position as music educator in a small Midwestern K-8 school, Lucy can only watch helplessly as the program her father started years ago disintegrates before her eyes. As the music fades and a chasm separates her from the passion of her heart, Lucy wonders if her faith’s song has gone silent, too. The musical score of her life seems to be missing all the notes.

When a simple misstep threatens to silence Lucy forever, a young boy and his soundless mother change the way she sees—and hears—everything.

My Review:
I've read several of Cynthia Ruchti's books and enjoyed them so much. Song of Silence has a good story line, but it just didn't resonate with me. I had a hard time feeling sorry for Lucy because she whines so much. Charlie, bless his heart, tries to help but just seems to get in the way. He's a bit distracted, although he's a very kind and loving man. Their children are a little too perfect, although it was good to see children who care for their parents. The kids seemed to save the day more than once. I liked what Cynthia was trying to do with the story, but felt there were too many coincidences. However I was happy to see the characters rely on God throughout the story. If you love music, or you're a musician, you'll probably relate to Lucy better than I. Although I enjoy listening to music I don't have the heart of a musician. Cynthia does paint pictures with her writing which, for me, made the book more palatable. I received this book in exchange for a fair review.

Click to enter a $150 prize package Music-Themed Giveaway with Cynthia Ruchti

Listen

Penny Frost McGinnis