Nightlights – Jimmy Needham

Be Thou exalted over my reputation

‘Cause applause is a poor form of soul medication

And I’ve tried it for years but my symptoms remain

Still fretting the day that they’ll misplace my name

Still selling my soul for American fame

Treating the promotion of Jesus like a well oiled machine

Advancing His kingdom just to snag some acclaim

Now, I’m both comforted and haunted that it isn’t just me though

I see a nation of people needing to feed their own egos

Parading status like steeples

Do we not know it’s evil to love ourselves more than both God and His people?

But see, here’s where you turn this poem on its head

‘Cause the greatest among us came as servant instead

And You humbled Yourself to the point of Your death

Apparently love for the Father’s glory runs red

So friends, will we point to the Son till our own flames grow dim?

Will our bright lights become merely nightlights near Him?

Words echo once, let them echo again

Be Thou exalted over my reputation

She Walked Away – BarlowGirl

She couldn't take one more day 
Home was more a prison now 
Independence called out 
She had to get it 
A fight was all she needed 
To give her a reason 
She slammed the door with no "goodbye" 
And knew that it was time 

And now she's drivin' too fast 
She didn't care to glance behind 
And through her tears she laughed, 
"It's time to kiss the past goodbye 
I'm finally on my own 
Don't try to tell me 'no' 
There's so much more for me 
Just watch what I will be..." 

Chorus: 
She walked away 
Couldn't say why she was leavin' 
She walked away 
She left all she had believed in 
She walked away 

Not a day goes by 
for the ones she's left behind 
They're always askin' "Why?" 
as thoughts of her consume their minds 
"God, please let her know 
the love we tried to show 
We'll promise anything 
if you'll just bring her home..." 

Chorus: 
She walked away 
Couldn't say why she was leavin' 
She walked away 
She left all she had believed in 
She walked away 

"Tell her 
We love her 
Tell her 
She's wanted 
One more 
thing, God 
Tell her 
please come home 
please come home..." 

Chorus: 
She walked away 
Couldn't say why she was leavin' 
She walked away 
She left all she had believed in 
She walked away 
Couldn't say why she was leavin' 
She walked away 
She left all she had believed in 
She walked away 

The choice is yours alone now 
Tell me how the story ends... 

While the son was still a long way off, 
his father saw him and felt compassion for him 
And ran and embraced him and kissed him. 
"Let us celebrate for this child of mine 
who was dead and has come back to life, 
he was lost, but now he is found" 
and they began to celebrate. 
Luke 15:20-24

Turn down the music

The music is loud. Words fill the car. Not just from the speakers. From my lips as I sing along. Loud and wild. Carefree and insane. Sometimes it sounds good. Sometimes it doesn’t. There are moments that reflect heartache as I’m singing along. Moments that make me go crazy and dance while I’m driving.
Then I think back. To before, when I wasn’t the one driving, but singing loud and wild to every song that came on. Or the same song over and over. I didn’t let my emotions show when I sang back then. The more something in a song hurt, the louder and more intense I sang but you never would have known something was wrong or something hurt. The music was too loud and eyes couldn’t be taken off the road.
And now, put someone else in the car with me, maybe I’ll sing along. I might get loud. I might be soft and timid. But the emotion, if it’s there, I try not to hold it back. Try not to cover it in the sound of my voice, the music from the speakers and your voice.
But sometimes, whether you’re alone in the car or with other people, you just need to turn down the music.

Prayer For a Friend – Casting Crowns

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.
And 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.
Lord I lift my friend up to You. 

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.
And Lord I lift 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.

When I hear this song, I typically tend to think of two people.  Who aren’t even really friends of mine anymore.  It doesn’t always sting, but when it does, it stings deep.  Because, at least for one of them, it makes me wonder if letting go was almost like giving up.  Whether it was or not, right then, I knew letting go is what I needed to do.  I’m not saying I’m looking to take it back or anything.  Just kinda makes me wonder sometimes.
I know I didn’t give up with the other one.  I just said “I can’t do this right now”.  And that was fine.  Maybe I’ll never go back to being friends with her and maybe I will.  But I can tell you right now it will never be like it was before.
And I know it said it typically makes me think of two people, but this time I thought of a third.  Who is still a friend.  Not naming names.  And I’m not going into specifics.  Just that I have to say there are things in this person’s life that have confused me to no end.  Made me go “what?” on numerous occasions.  I’ve had to bite my tongue a lot.  And man, I haven’t wanted to, at all.  In those moments I have often felt like “Wow, extending grace is hard!”  It really makes me wonder how God does it all the time.  For things far more serious than what I’m talking about.
So this is me…praying for a friend and 2 old friends.  In rhythm with the lyrics to a beautiful Casting Crowns composition.

O Child – Nevertheless

I want to come closer, but you are so distant.
Lately your thoughts are so far.
I want to show you all that you’re missing,
and I’ll meet you right where you are. 

O’ Love, I’ve always known you, and,
O’ Love, you’ve always been mine.
O’ Love, I’m only asking you for your life. 

Say that you need me. I know what you’re feeling.
You cannot do this alone. I gave you my Word,
and I gave you my life so that you’ll never be on your own. 

O’ Love, I’ve always known you, and,
O’ Love, you’ve always been mine.
O’ Love, I’m only asking you for your life. 

You’re waiting for this life to be what you want.
(Is this what you wanted?)
You’re waiting for this life to be what you need.
(Is this what you needed?)
You’re waiting for this life… 

O’ Love, I’ve always known you, and,
O’ Love, you’ve always been mine.
O’ Child, I’m only asking you for your life.