I love Anita Renfroe. I saw her in at Trinity Lutheran Church in Joppa, MD back in September of ‘08. My friend had front row seats and invited me to sit with her! I was so pleased… until Anita decided to make me the butt of all her jokes that night. You know how comedians always pick on *someone* in the audience and it’s always hilarious, right? Well, that night, I was the *someone*.

Here are two of my favorite clips from her show… Enjoy!

I’ve written about other songs that have been particularly inspiring for me at various points in my life. I recently downloaded Casting Crowns’s “The Altar and The Door” CD off iTunes. (Don’t even ask how much money Apple has gotten out of me because of that site over the years…) A few of the songs have made it to my local radio station, but there were plenty left for me to discover. The one that has been the most powerful this past week is a song called “Prayer for a Friend.”(Listen to it here.)

Apparently it was written more than 15 years ago, at a time when Mark Hall was heartbroken before God for a friend who wouldn’t listen. Mark says God showed him that nothing is impossible with God. It was inspired by the following verses: Ephesians 3:14-21, Philippians 1:3-11, 1 John 3:16, Proverbs 17:17, Proverbs 18:24, Job 6:14, Philippians 2:2-4, 1 Timothy 2:1, 1 Peter 3:8, Romans 14:19, Luke 18:1-8, Proverbs 12:26, and 1 Corinthians 15:33.

Prayer For A Friend
Written by Mark Hall

Lord, I lift my friend to You, I’ve done all that I know to do
I lift my friend to You
Complicated circumstances have clouded his view
Lord, I lift my friend up to You

I fear that I won’t have the words that he needs to hear
I pray for Your wisdom, oh God, and a heart that’s sincere
Lord, I lift my friend up to You

Lord, I lift my friend to You
My best friend in the world, I know he means much more to You
I want so much to help him, but this is something he has to do
And Lord, I lift my friend up to You

‘Cause there’s a way that seems so right to him
But You know where that leads
He’s becoming a puppet of the world, too blind to see the strings
Lord, I lift my friend up to You
My friend up to You

Lord, I lift my friend to You, I’ve done all that I know to do
I lift my friend to You

As it turns out, I downloaded this song the same day I found out about struggles some friends are experiencing. I spent much of that day in prayer for them, and this song was a beautiful extension of my prayers. I am posting it here in hopes you might also find it helpful when faced with friends and family who are hurting. Thank you to Mark Hall for putting these words to music.

So last Saturday my sister and I had a “girls-night” while attending the Casting Crowns Christmas tour in Reading, PA. We each left our husbands and two children home from about 3 – 11pm that night. As a mom, I always wonder about those special daddy-daughter/son times… did daddy remember to give the girls a bath? What did they eat for dinner? Did he brush their hair before leaving the house? What did they do for fun? You know, basic mom questions.

But usually the desire for some me time is enough to keep those questions at bay. In any case, on Sunday morning, we got some answers. Since the answers to one in particular (the dinner question) were the source of laughter and smiles all around our houses, I thought I’d share them with you.

Drum roll please… my daughter gleefully told me she had cereal for dinner because daddy tried to make rice but it was too sticky. Well, at least he tried! My niece and nephew, however, had 4-day old (reheated) pancakes and… wait for it… Doritos! Now that’s a well-balanced meal if I ever heard of one.

My sister and I had a great time on our trip to PA. We laughed a lot, enjoyed some great music, and (best of all) got to come home to kids (and husbands) who couldn’t wait for us to make dinner. Isn’t it wonderful to be needed?!

Rarely do I so fall in love with someone’s music that I write about it. In fact, this is the first time! (Now, that doesn’t mean I don’t fall in love with certain musicians… I do… sometimes too much during my last year in college I actually went to three Jars of Clay shows, and even once came home with a drum stick that the drummer threw into the crowd *blush*)

Earlier this year, I was introduced to the music of Laura Story, through her January 2008 release entitled “Great God Who Saves”. While you may not have heard of Laura Story, if you follow Christian music, you’ve undoubtedly heard a little song she wrote that was recorded by Chris Tomlin that goes like this… “Indescribeable. Uncontainable. You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.”

That song, as well as nine others, make up the album that has been in played daily in my home for weeks. Laura has an amazing ability to put into words what I so often feel when considering my Creator. In fact, while I listen to these songs, I often feel as if the words are not her’s, but God’s. (Makes sense, since she describes most of her music as scripture-based.)

“Might to Save” is an obvious favorite, especially since we also sing it in church. But there are a few other standouts as well, including “Perfect Peace” and “Grace”. It was the later song that actually caused me to write this post. Here are the lyrics:

My heart is so proud. My mind is so unfocused.
I see the things You do through me as great things I have done. And now You gently break me, then lovingly You take me and hold me as my father and mold me as my maker.

Chorus:
I ask you: “How many times will you pick me up, when I keep on letting you down?
And each time I will fall short of Your glory, how far will forgiveness abound?”
And you answer: ” My child, I love you.
And as long as you’re seeking My face, You’ll walk in the pow’r of My daily sufficient grace.”

At times I may grow weak and feel a bit discouraged, knowing that someone, somewhere could do a better job. For who am I to serve You? I know I don’t deserve You. And that’s the part that burns in my heart and keeps me hanging on.

Chorus
You are so patient with me, Lord.

As I walk with You, I’m learning what Your grace really means. The price that I could never pay was paid at Calvary. So, instead of trying to repay You, I’m learning to simply obey You
by giving up my life to you For all that You’ve given to me.

Chorus

The part that always gets me is the chorus. It reminds me of one of my favorite Third Day songs – Take My Life – which also talks about the seemingly endless need for forgiveness. I find both of these songs to be hugely encouraging, particularly when I listen to them right after I’ve just screwed up again! And as I was comforted, I decided to share this with whoever might read my blog, in the hope that you might also find comfort in Christ’s daily sufficient grace.