I have done something that I have always said that I would not do, I have gone back to school.
Kind of.
I am a firm believer that we should always be learning and sharpening our skills, particularly the ones that we can use to advance the Kingdom, so I have hopped into a series of online courses on worship, songwriting, worship tech, etc. It has been wonderful and exciting to refresh a lot of what I already know, as well as to be challenged with new ideas and opinions. One new idea that I had never considered before was this: "The whole book of Acts is basically the human race trying to figure out what to do with God within us." -Melissa Helser
I like that a lot. We so often forget, or deemphasize the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and that one phrase challenged me. It is simple, yet complex, and everything within my doctrine tells me it is true, but it seems to wonderful to be reality. The truth is that we know God lives in us through the Holy Spirit, but sometimes it is easier to pretend otherwise. That is why I wrote the song "Within Us."
At first glance, it is more about the cross than it is about the Holy Spirit, but He is there. Without the cross, we have no access to God (Heb. 9:22). However, because Jesus defeated sin, death, and the grave, we can now have access. The Holy Spirit is more than that though. He is in us. He doesn't just load up his spiritual shopping cart with our praise and prayer and transport it to the Father, he does life with us. And when we listen to Him, he directs our attention to the Father, and causes us to praise. That is why I wrote these words:
"We give you glory, for you are worthy of all of the honor and our praise! To you, and you only, be power and glory! Your presence is with us in this place."
Presence. How beautiful is His presence? We praise Him. We affirm that He is glorious and powerful and HERE. I hope that God uses these songs to enrich your life and to direct your heart to Him.
Feel free to listen and download any of these songs to keep with you on your phone or whatever. I also recorded a newer and cleaner version of One Cry. Here is that audio as well.