Awhile back, I got together for a writing session with my friends Lisa Hentrich and Patricia Conroy. We wrote a song that day called "God and My Girlfriends". It's one of my favorite songs and we've gotten SOOOO close to having it cut by a major artist, but no luck so far. HOWEVER, it did just get cut by a great new artist, Mandy Thomas Sumerall. You can listen to her beautiful version here. It's the title cut of her new CD!
Also, my co-writer, Lisa Hentrich just performed the song on "Words and Music" which is a show on NewsChannel5+. Here is a video of that show.... "God and My Girlfriends" is about 16:00 into the video. I love this song and I'm really excited that it's starting to get heard! Hope you enjoy it too!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Saturday Morning Scriptures and stuff... Aug. 27th, 2011
Hurricanes....
Obviously hurricanes have been a topic of conversation this week. Hurricane Irene has been all over the news and weather channels constantly. I'm watching her try to barrel her way up the East Coast as I type this, and I'm praying that everyone is in a safe place to wait out the storm. One of my favorite praise and worship songs is "How He Loves Us".. part of the lyric is below:
He is jealous for me
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory
And I realize just how beautiful you are
And how great your affections are for me...
Oh -- how He loves us so
Oh -- how He loves us
How He loves us so
As we watch the power of the hurricane bearing down on us, I can't help but think how that's just a fraction of the power of God's love for us. And I am reminded that He is with us through all our trials, problems and insecurities... right there beside us with all that power, so how can we be afraid? How can we not feel confident that He will always take care of us and guide us through whatever we are struggling with.
My favorite morning devotional this week was one from "God Calling":
Accept Trials
Trials and troubles may seem to overwhelm you. They cannot do more than work My Will, and that Will you have said is your Will.
Do you not see that you cannot be destroyed? From now a new Life is opening out before you. Yours to enter into the Kingdom I have prepared for you.
The sunlight of My Presence is on your paths. Trust and go forward unafraid. My Grace is sufficient for all your needs.
In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. Psalm 56:11
I hope that whatever you may be struggling with right now, you will feel His Presence on your path today. If there is something you'd like to share that I could pray with you about, please let me know... and take a moment this morning to close your eyes and listen to this song... and I think you'll feel Him right beside you this morning. I sure do.
Obviously hurricanes have been a topic of conversation this week. Hurricane Irene has been all over the news and weather channels constantly. I'm watching her try to barrel her way up the East Coast as I type this, and I'm praying that everyone is in a safe place to wait out the storm. One of my favorite praise and worship songs is "How He Loves Us".. part of the lyric is below:
He is jealous for me
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory
And I realize just how beautiful you are
And how great your affections are for me...
Oh -- how He loves us so
Oh -- how He loves us
How He loves us so
As we watch the power of the hurricane bearing down on us, I can't help but think how that's just a fraction of the power of God's love for us. And I am reminded that He is with us through all our trials, problems and insecurities... right there beside us with all that power, so how can we be afraid? How can we not feel confident that He will always take care of us and guide us through whatever we are struggling with.
My favorite morning devotional this week was one from "God Calling":
Accept Trials
Trials and troubles may seem to overwhelm you. They cannot do more than work My Will, and that Will you have said is your Will.
Do you not see that you cannot be destroyed? From now a new Life is opening out before you. Yours to enter into the Kingdom I have prepared for you.
The sunlight of My Presence is on your paths. Trust and go forward unafraid. My Grace is sufficient for all your needs.
In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. Psalm 56:11
I hope that whatever you may be struggling with right now, you will feel His Presence on your path today. If there is something you'd like to share that I could pray with you about, please let me know... and take a moment this morning to close your eyes and listen to this song... and I think you'll feel Him right beside you this morning. I sure do.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Saturday Morning Scriptures and stuff... Aug. 20th, 2011
Hi friends....
I don't know about you guys, but Saturday mornings are just about my favorite time of the week. I don't usually have anywhere I have to be so I can lounge around out in my sunroom, drink my coffee, do my bible study/prayer time and maybe even sneak in a little reading too before I have to get dressed and start my day. Some time ago, I started posting a bible verse each morning on my twitter/facebook pages as my first status of the day. It's been amazing to me how many people have told me that they love going to my page each day to see what verse I posted. I've had many friends ask me "How do you come up with all those scriptures to post? Are you going to some website every morning to find them?" -- Nope. I just post something that came up in my morning study/devotional time that touched me that day, hoping it will touch someone else too, and apparently it's working... yay!
Anyway, I feel I'm being called to go a step further with this... so I'm going to start posting a blog each Saturday morning which will include my favorite verse and or quote of that week and go into a little more explanation about why that particular verse/quote touched me, what it means exactly, or where it came from. I hope you all will post your thoughts on here as well.
This past Wednesday night, I was asked to come share my music in a mid-week "Serenity Prayer Service" at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church here in Nashville. It was a beautiful and sweet service and I'm so thankful I was there. Doug Himes gave a great sermon that night and one of the things he said that stood out to me was "We need each other. We can't do life alone." So true!! I hope that we can start a little "Saturday morning" community, sharing verses, quotes, thoughts or anything that touched you this past week.
Ok.. let's get this thing rollin'! -- My first quote/verse of the week is: (drum roll please!):
"Every life is a profession of faith, and exercises an inevitable and silent influence."
This quote was found in a book that my birth mother accidentally left at my house last time she came to visit. (Of course, there ARE no accidents, right?--lol) The book is called "In God's Care". The book goes on to explain:
What we do or don't believe shows. And the intensity of our beliefs is bound to have either a positive or negative impact on people around us. If we are consistently cheerful, it shows other people we believe things are going to turn out all right. If we are consistently down, glum, and grouchy, we show others that we expect the worst.
Our attitude is up to us. We can control our state of mind. In fact, our ability to change our mind -- and our mood-- is the greatest power for good or evil we have.
Sometimes we forget this. It's not so hard to remember, though, if we have a daily, hourly, even moment-by-moment relationship with our Higher Power. then, whether purposely or not, our attitude is cheerful and our faith becomes contagious.
Today I will make sure my faith in God shows.
That one hit me pretty hard. DOES my faith show? I mean, I KNOW it shows sometimes, but I'm afraid it's not consistent.
I know my faith shows when I'm singing at church, but does it show when I'm standing in line at the bank, getting impatient with the elderly man that's counting out quarters at the teller and holding up the whole line?
I know my faith shows when I'm posting bible verses on facebook/twitter, but does it show when I'm driving and someone speeds past me then cuts me off?
I know my faith shows when I'm alone, reading my bible, but what about when I'm just living my life, out in the world, without my bible right in front of me.... do people still see my beliefs?
It's something I'm working on for sure. Thankfully God's grace and mercy is true and abundant. And HIS love/faith/belief in ME--IS consistent!!
I hope everyone has a good week.... and I hope you'll come visit me here each Saturday morning for "Saturday Morning Scriptures and Stuff"....
I don't know about you guys, but Saturday mornings are just about my favorite time of the week. I don't usually have anywhere I have to be so I can lounge around out in my sunroom, drink my coffee, do my bible study/prayer time and maybe even sneak in a little reading too before I have to get dressed and start my day. Some time ago, I started posting a bible verse each morning on my twitter/facebook pages as my first status of the day. It's been amazing to me how many people have told me that they love going to my page each day to see what verse I posted. I've had many friends ask me "How do you come up with all those scriptures to post? Are you going to some website every morning to find them?" -- Nope. I just post something that came up in my morning study/devotional time that touched me that day, hoping it will touch someone else too, and apparently it's working... yay!
Anyway, I feel I'm being called to go a step further with this... so I'm going to start posting a blog each Saturday morning which will include my favorite verse and or quote of that week and go into a little more explanation about why that particular verse/quote touched me, what it means exactly, or where it came from. I hope you all will post your thoughts on here as well.
This past Wednesday night, I was asked to come share my music in a mid-week "Serenity Prayer Service" at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church here in Nashville. It was a beautiful and sweet service and I'm so thankful I was there. Doug Himes gave a great sermon that night and one of the things he said that stood out to me was "We need each other. We can't do life alone." So true!! I hope that we can start a little "Saturday morning" community, sharing verses, quotes, thoughts or anything that touched you this past week.
Ok.. let's get this thing rollin'! -- My first quote/verse of the week is: (drum roll please!):
"Every life is a profession of faith, and exercises an inevitable and silent influence."
This quote was found in a book that my birth mother accidentally left at my house last time she came to visit. (Of course, there ARE no accidents, right?--lol) The book is called "In God's Care". The book goes on to explain:
What we do or don't believe shows. And the intensity of our beliefs is bound to have either a positive or negative impact on people around us. If we are consistently cheerful, it shows other people we believe things are going to turn out all right. If we are consistently down, glum, and grouchy, we show others that we expect the worst.
Our attitude is up to us. We can control our state of mind. In fact, our ability to change our mind -- and our mood-- is the greatest power for good or evil we have.
Sometimes we forget this. It's not so hard to remember, though, if we have a daily, hourly, even moment-by-moment relationship with our Higher Power. then, whether purposely or not, our attitude is cheerful and our faith becomes contagious.
Today I will make sure my faith in God shows.
That one hit me pretty hard. DOES my faith show? I mean, I KNOW it shows sometimes, but I'm afraid it's not consistent.
I know my faith shows when I'm singing at church, but does it show when I'm standing in line at the bank, getting impatient with the elderly man that's counting out quarters at the teller and holding up the whole line?
I know my faith shows when I'm posting bible verses on facebook/twitter, but does it show when I'm driving and someone speeds past me then cuts me off?
I know my faith shows when I'm alone, reading my bible, but what about when I'm just living my life, out in the world, without my bible right in front of me.... do people still see my beliefs?
It's something I'm working on for sure. Thankfully God's grace and mercy is true and abundant. And HIS love/faith/belief in ME--IS consistent!!
I hope everyone has a good week.... and I hope you'll come visit me here each Saturday morning for "Saturday Morning Scriptures and Stuff"....
Thursday, August 18, 2011
MIKESCHAIR....
I wanted to share this awesome video to the new song by MIKESCHAIR. Mike Grayson, lead singer for MIKESCHAIR is one of the worship leaders at our church - Crosspoint Community Church. Several of the "actors" in the video are from our church congregation and the video was beautifully directed and created by Matt Singleton, who is the Creative Director at Crosspoint... When I first saw this on Tammy Hodge's blog, I was so moved that I was brought to tears. I had to watch it several times to get the full effect of the lyrics and video and what was actually happening in the pictures at the end. Ya'll check it out! I think it's beautiful and brilliant....
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Summer evening walks...
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Typical night at our house....
Friday, August 5, 2011
Prayer.....
Read a wonderful morning devotion about prayer this morning and wanted to share:
"Prayer, even more than sheer thought, is the firmest anchor."
To pray is to surrender. We let go, finally, of our fruitless attempts to control. We humbly ask our God to take over, and trust that He can and will guide our steps through all turmoil simply by our asking.
We waste so much energy and valuable time trying to think our way out of our dilemmas: Should I comfort him?.....Maybe I need to quit this job.....Perhaps I should move..... Is it time to end this relationship?......Like a spinning top, our mind swirls in thought, getting us nowhere. Pausing and turning our thoughts over to God in prayer will ground us in the moment, so we can step forward, our footing secure.
Our prayers won't go unheeded. Our answers will come at the right moment. Our part is not to fill our head with incessant thought, but to remain still, and offer an open, quiet mind for God's response.
TODAY....through prayer I will see my way clearly.
--------------------------------------------------------------
I desperately needed that this morning. I felt immediate comfort, knowing that my God is just a prayer away, waiting to take over all my concerns and worries if I only just ask Him. So I bowed my head and started to pray. Unfortunately, at that same moment, a stray dog entered our yard. That triggered an immediate response from MY dogs to go NUTS, barking and running around wildly. In my haste to jump up and calm them down, I spilled my coffee everywhere. That, of course, led to me moving furniture around in the sunroom so I could clean up the mess. Which in turn, led to me realizing that I should really just REARRANGE the entire sunroom while I was at it. By then the rest of the family was up and around and all the busyness of the day had taken over. My quiet prayer time was gone. I found myself frustrated and irritated and it was only 9:00am. Not a good start to my day. ---HOW do I let that happen? WHY do I let the devil use daily distractions to take me away from time with my Lord? Seriously, I'm constantly battling that.
So here's my question for you guys: When is the best time in your day for quiet, prayer time? And what steps do you take to make sure it doesn't get interrupted?
Love you alllllll..... M
"Prayer, even more than sheer thought, is the firmest anchor."
To pray is to surrender. We let go, finally, of our fruitless attempts to control. We humbly ask our God to take over, and trust that He can and will guide our steps through all turmoil simply by our asking.
We waste so much energy and valuable time trying to think our way out of our dilemmas: Should I comfort him?.....Maybe I need to quit this job.....Perhaps I should move..... Is it time to end this relationship?......Like a spinning top, our mind swirls in thought, getting us nowhere. Pausing and turning our thoughts over to God in prayer will ground us in the moment, so we can step forward, our footing secure.
Our prayers won't go unheeded. Our answers will come at the right moment. Our part is not to fill our head with incessant thought, but to remain still, and offer an open, quiet mind for God's response.
TODAY....through prayer I will see my way clearly.
--------------------------------------------------------------
I desperately needed that this morning. I felt immediate comfort, knowing that my God is just a prayer away, waiting to take over all my concerns and worries if I only just ask Him. So I bowed my head and started to pray. Unfortunately, at that same moment, a stray dog entered our yard. That triggered an immediate response from MY dogs to go NUTS, barking and running around wildly. In my haste to jump up and calm them down, I spilled my coffee everywhere. That, of course, led to me moving furniture around in the sunroom so I could clean up the mess. Which in turn, led to me realizing that I should really just REARRANGE the entire sunroom while I was at it. By then the rest of the family was up and around and all the busyness of the day had taken over. My quiet prayer time was gone. I found myself frustrated and irritated and it was only 9:00am. Not a good start to my day. ---HOW do I let that happen? WHY do I let the devil use daily distractions to take me away from time with my Lord? Seriously, I'm constantly battling that.
So here's my question for you guys: When is the best time in your day for quiet, prayer time? And what steps do you take to make sure it doesn't get interrupted?
Love you alllllll..... M
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Two shows coming up!
Hey kids... I've got two shows to tell you about!!
I'm playing a 30 minute acoustic set at the Grand Opening of "Incredible Dave's" at the Rivergate Mall Thursday night, Aug. 4th. I start promptly at 6:00pm with several other great singer/songwriters playing after me until 9:00pm. Ya'll come out and see the new fun place. There's Cosmic Bowling, Games, Food and fun for all ages! For more info go to: www.incredibledaves.com
Also, on Friday night, Aug. 5th, I get to sing with "Live From Ventura Boulevard". We'll be playing all your favorite songs from the 70's and 80's, so come out to 3rd & Lindsley and groove to Pablo Cruise, Toto, Christopher Cross, Nicolette Larson, Bee Gees, Little River Band, Boz Scaggs, Gino Vannelli, and MORE! Show starts at 7:00pm. After our show, the amazing "Soul Cages" will be playing a set, which features songs from Sting and The Police. You'll love those guys! I saw them recently and they blew me away!!
Hope you are all staying cool and HYDRATED in this awful heat! I'm ready for FALL and FOOTBALL! How 'bout you?
I'm playing a 30 minute acoustic set at the Grand Opening of "Incredible Dave's" at the Rivergate Mall Thursday night, Aug. 4th. I start promptly at 6:00pm with several other great singer/songwriters playing after me until 9:00pm. Ya'll come out and see the new fun place. There's Cosmic Bowling, Games, Food and fun for all ages! For more info go to: www.incredibledaves.com
Also, on Friday night, Aug. 5th, I get to sing with "Live From Ventura Boulevard". We'll be playing all your favorite songs from the 70's and 80's, so come out to 3rd & Lindsley and groove to Pablo Cruise, Toto, Christopher Cross, Nicolette Larson, Bee Gees, Little River Band, Boz Scaggs, Gino Vannelli, and MORE! Show starts at 7:00pm. After our show, the amazing "Soul Cages" will be playing a set, which features songs from Sting and The Police. You'll love those guys! I saw them recently and they blew me away!!
Hope you are all staying cool and HYDRATED in this awful heat! I'm ready for FALL and FOOTBALL! How 'bout you?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)