Where I Go....

        No pictures tonight.  No funny stories or weekend recaps.  

You may want to come back another day.  : )

This post is probably super random.

But my heart sings a different song tonight.....   literally.

I grew up learning and singing songs about God.  I guess a lot of us do.

I attended a Catholic school, and my parents sacrificed much so that I could learn about God.  I often wonder how in the world they kept all three of us in a private school at the same time.  My mother did not work the majority of my childhood....  it was important to her and dad that she be home with us.  How they paid our tuition each month is beyond me.  But I guess you find a way when you want the best for your child.  And the best is what they hoped we would get from our private Catholic school. 

And it was the best for me in so many many ways.  I could make a list a mile long about all that I gained, and still maintain from those years.  

But really....   as far as building my relationship with the Lord... these were only the baby steps.

Like I said....  I grew up singing songs about God in school.  I could sing just about any song from the book of hymnals.  And of course.... I had my favorites...  that I still love to this day.

But I would say I was late into my teens before I began to sing to God...  about God...   and not just of God.

The story of this transformation .....of when I truly began to know the Lord in a deep and special way, is one that changed not only me.... but my family....  forever.

And ever.

It's a story that made me......  me.  

A time in our lives that would shape and mold us for the rest of time.

Around this time is when I learned of, and fell in love with Christian music....  Christian radio...  the music aisle in the Christian bookstore.....  or even in Target.

You mean they make music about Jesus other than the hymnals at church??  Good music.  New music.  Contagious music.  Music I can buy at Target?  I honestly had no idea.

It didn't take long for my family members to find their own favorites.  Whether is was a contemporary praise and worship cd...  or a Christian rock band....  we all found the ones we loved.  I also had a dear friend at the time who was very familiar with contemporary Christian music.  He shared so much with me and I will always be forever grateful for him.

It's these songs (and so many more that I've fallen in love with over the last 15 years!) that I go to when I'm..

well... I guess I just always go to them.

I go to them in the mornings on the way to work.  Me...  the Gene Snyder... and WJIE or KLOVE spend just about every morning together.

I go to them when I'm in the mood to crank it up loud and belt out one of my favorite cd's (Casting Crowns, Phillips Craig and Dean, Third Day, Mercy Me, etc.).  

I go to them when life couldn't be any better.

And I go to them when it's been a hard day.  Especially on a hard day.

In general....  so many people connect with music.  I know I always have....  all kinds of music. It does a soul good.  But when you connect with music....  where the lyrics are your very being...  your every thought, feeling and emotion.....it's extra special....  and enough to have me sobbing at a red light.  Think about a special song you share with your spouse.....  when you hear it, it's special and emotional.  For me...  it's the same when it's a song shared with the Lord.  Whether it's a song that praises Him...  or cries out to Him...   it's enough to make your day (oh how many times I feel a song was played just for me).....  break your day (I can't tell you how often I'm convicted during a song)....  or simply wake your day...  bring it purpose and life.

Don't get me wrong.....  I love lots of music....  and can sing all the new country hits with the best of them.  And occasionally, I'll even know something pop or rock.....though Troy will tell you I've probably picked it up from "Dancing With the Stars," or "American Idol."   : )

But my songs to the Lord is where I go.  When I'm stressed....   or the ones I love are stressed.....  whether it be my family or my close friends, I do what probably a lot of you do.  I pray.  But when my mind is tired....  when I can't find the words ....... I go to God in song.  Sometimes in the car alone....  sometimes at the computer...  sometimes with my Iphone while blowing my hair dry.  It's my prayer time.... my time with Him.

How often do we tell someone "oh, I will pray for you?"  We say it so much that it almost aggravates me.  How often do we ask for prayer like it's nothing?  It becomes so nonchalant, that it often loses it's reverence and meaning.  Let's be honest.....   how often do you lay down at night to pray, and before you make it past the second person on your list... you're fast asleep?  Half of those people you promised to pray for never make it onto your list.

And that's okay.

We're human.

We often have big hearts, but even bigger and busier lives.....  lives that make it nearly impossible to pray for everyone we'd like to.

So for me...   I pray with my music.  I will turn on a cd in the car and get lost in prayer for whoever is on my heart the most that day.  Most of the time it's the ones I love the very most....  but often it's someone I know very little of.

Third Day is a Christian band that my whole family loves.  My parents, siblings.... and even Troy can sing most of their songs.  Their song "I've Always Loved You" has been on my heart all day.  It's one of my favorites.  It's a song that the band wrote from God's perspective...... a song for His people. If you have a child..... have ever fallen in love.... or just care deeply for someone.... you can relate.  And to think that this is how God feels about us?  Unbelievable.

It's also a song that though I haven't heard him do it in years.....  my brother could pick up the guitar and play.  Hearing him play and sing this song is still enough to give me goosebumps.

It's been my song today.

How thankful I am for songs that feed my soul.

How thankful I am for parents that encouraged their teenagers (the age we were when I fell in love with Jesus) to go to church.... to give Him their life.  I can't imagine how different my life would be had they not shown and given me this gift.

How thankful I am for a God that fills me with His love.....  so much so...  that I've spent the last 30 minutes typing a blog post about music....  that you could probably careless about.

You may have stopped reading several paragraphs ago....   or you may think I'm a fruit cake ;-)....  but either way, I hope you have a song in your heart tonight....   and a prayer.

Try combining them some day..... your prayer and your song.....especially if you're praying for me....  because I know you'll fall asleep before getting to me tonight ;)

Have a wonderful evening.

Love,

Kristin

"I've Always Loved You"  -Third Day  (a song from God to His people)

(not my video)

I don't know how to explain it

But I know that words will hardly do
Miracles with signs and wonders
Aren't enough for me to prove to you

Don't you know I've always loved you
Even before there was time
Though you turn away
I'll tell you still
Don't you know I've always loved you
And I always will

Greater love has not a man
Than the one who gives his life to prove
That he would do anything
And that's what I'm going to do for you