Jen's prayer: Cheer Up Charlie's "Favor"

Where you gonna be??? In eternity???

I know that usually my prayers are for myself, but this time I really want to pray for all those who are truly at a loss because of the death of Michael Jackson. Watching his memorial (not by choice, it was on at work) and hearing so many people say how Michael Jackson is "up there" or "looking down on us" or in heaven...whatever they said, it made me wonder. Many people mentioned God or Jesus' love, but do they really know God's love? Are they true believers that will make it to heaven? I'd love for it to be true, but I'm not so sure. So I'm praying that this death - which has become unbelievably blown out of proportion - will do some good and really make people stretch out to God, wondering where they're going in eternity.

Jen's prayer: Matt Maher's "Sophia"

I think this song is precious.

She's so, you know, makes me want to be like Jesus // I am / Your
hands / tell me what Your plan for this is.

I want to make a man want to be like Jesus. I want a man who specifically asks God how to handle a relationship with me because that man understands how he is God's hands.

I guess tonight's prayer is for my future husband - whoever he is, wherever he is, I'm praying that he seeks God's plan in our relationship, instead of his own selfish desires.

Jen's prayer: Oliver James' "Long Time Comin'"

then you look in my eyes
and i have it all
once again

I like how this song is all about searching for love. I feel like at this age, if you're single, you're constantly searching for someone to fill that gap...to find someone to hold and to love. The thing is, because I have this relationship with Jesus Chris, I can "have it all." Even though I'm single, I have a love far superior than anything I can find on earth. The hard part is remembering that sometimes.

Jen's prayer: Big Daddy Weave's "His Name is Jesus"

So many choices
So much confusion
No sense of direction
Don't know which way to turn

I get the sense this song is more for unbelievers. You know, like it begins by talking about all the people in a world full of darkness constantly searching for truth. But the thing is, when I read those lyrics that are above, I know that even Christians experience that. I know I am right now. Along with several other strong believers. We know Jesus and we know He gave His life for us. We know He has set a plan for our lives. And that can be the most frustrating...knowing that God has a plan, but not being able to see it. And I'm just praying that the more I cry out to Jesus, the clearer the plan will get.

Jen's prayer: Chris Tomlin's "We Fall Down"

My first thought when I saw I had to blog about this song was: that's such a good worship song, but what can I actually write about? The song speaks for itself, right? We cry holy, holy, holy. Singing those lyrics out are amazing. But after that, what is there to say? What can God teach through such a simple song?

Then I decided there was more to it than the chorus. I needed to go back and re-read the lyrics at the beginning.

We fall down, we lay our crowns
At the feet of Jesus

Hmmm. There's something there. What makes this a good worship, may indeed be the fact that first we acknowledge to God that we need to fall down and remove our crowns. Once we do this, we can truly worship and proclaim God holy.

Every morning this week I've been tuning into a Christian radio station to listen to this program called Back to the Bible. Today the discussion of pride was brought up and how that can hinder so much the life God has planned for us. I think the crown that we're removing in this song, for me at least, deals a lot with the crown of pride. I can get pretty puffed up on myself sometimes and it's good for me to realize I need to just step aside, fall down at Jesus' feet and remove my pride, remove myself and my desires and realize it's all about Him. He's holy. He's the true King who deserves a crown. Not me.

Jen's prayer: Cheer Up Charlie's "Let it ride"

So I was pretty confused about what "let it ride" meant till Katie enlightened me in her post. Then all of a sudden the light bulb over my head lit up and I was like, "Ooooh..." To me, this just reinforces what God has been telling me to do: wait. Just like Katie was saying in her post that there's so much stress and decisions and such to make...I've got a lot of things on my heart lately that I feel like needing acted upon instantly, but God feels differently. Every time I talk to God he tells me one word: wait. Or, as Cheer Up Charlie would say: let it ride.

Jen's prayer: Newsboys' "Love Liberty Disco"

Last night I felt this crazy sense of peace. I was alone in my room, just sitting there at my desk as the breeze flew through my open windows and I just felt...content. I felt loved. I felt like dancing. I was joyful. I knew it was of God. Every fear had turned around and I just knew it was okay. It was all in God's hands and I was thankful for everything that was happening in my life. It was crazy. I feel like that's the essence of this song. When we step into the light of our maker, our lover, all our fears are gone, we're no longer lonely, we're just happy with other believers, content and at peace.
I'm not sure why I don't feel like this more often, because as the song says, "so come on in, ... what are you waiting for?" I was asking for that joy and all I had to do was simply let go and come into God's presence.

Jen's prayer: Jars of Clay's "Revolution"

'cause you don't got to fight or make yourself belong
to be a revolution, yeah

I feel like lately God has been pressing on my heart the importance of loving and serving others. The focus needs to be off me and more on sharing Jesus with others. I am reading in Acts how Peter and John were part of a revolution of saving thousands of people after Jesus was resurrected. I think a lot of times people like myself think that was something that happened in the Bible and won't happen again. But that's wrong! We can be a revolution. We don't have to fight or make ourselves belong...we just have to love others to make a difference.

Jen's prayer: The Elms' "Speaking in Tongues"

I always think it's amazing when God ties together what I'm reading in the Bible to other stuff in my life. I'm currently reading the book of Acts and my Daily Bible Verse I get sent to me at work is focusing on Acts this week. Then I get this song, which talks of speaking in tongues, which is the focus of the first few chapters of Acts. Sweet deal. It all ties together. At first, I got caught up in Acts with deciding how people decide whether speaking in tongues is something only the Apostles were gifted with, or if everyone can receive the spirit in that way. But then I got to thinking instead of arguing that out in my head, maybe right now I'm supposed to be focusing on something else that Acts is showing in those chapters:

we gotta speak in love!

It's amazing how in the story in Acts 2, so many people were touched by others speaking in their language. They were "cut to the heart" by what Paul taught them and immediately became followers of Christ. Awesome! I want to show others God's love and mercy and to do it, I think God is telling me I have to speak in love.

Jen's prayer: Cheer Up Charlie's "Save Me"

Show me
Your grace and how to share it

A lot of times I get so caught up in trying to listen to God and follow God and pray to God that I forget something even more important: SHARE GOD. How can I truly be following God if I'm not thinking about sharing Him with unbelievers? Because the true heart of a follower of God is so ecstatic about what God is doing that they just want to shout it to the world. So God, I pray that you show me your grace and light me on fire to share it with others.

Jen's prayer: By the Tree's "Invade my soul"

Give Him your burdens, cast your cares
He died for you, He'll always be there

I'm realizing I have a lot of burdens and cares that are not of the Lord's. As I was talking to my mom tonight I realized I have these confidence issues that are definitely not from the Lord. I need to release this to God and let Him invade my soul and help me start fresh and anew. Praise the Lord He is always there for me.

Jen's prayer: Chris Tomlin's "Rejoice"

Only You can satisfy

So often I think "If only I could do this..." or "If only I had this..." and THEN I would be satisfied. But that isn't true. It's a downfall of humans to think we'll be satisfied when we get more money or when we get married or when we're done with school...the list goes on. The only time I feel satisfied, though, is when I'm close to the Lord and following Him. And I just pray that I can continue to realize that is how I will be satisfied and the only way.

Jen's prayer: Newsboys' "It is You"

When I was 16 I had the opportunity to be a "reporter" at a Christian music festival. I had been interning at a small Christian paper and when the owner heard I was going to be attending this festival, she gave me special media passes for certain shows, which included a Newsboys show one night. This song reminds me of that time. When the song goes, "will you meet us here?" the answer is YES. As I stood there, at first it was all about seeing the lead singer's bald head up close or the guitarist and his long dreads, but as I lifted up my hands and really sang my guts out, it was about Jesus. And when I reached out to Him, He met me there. And that is such a good feeling to know that Jesus IS real and He WILL meet us where we are when we truly try. Every day I want to remember this and fall more in love with Him.

Jen's prayer: Newsong's "All around the world"

I was gonna try to not copy the same line as Megan, but it's a good one. So too bad.

So let us not becoming entangled by the trappings of this world

The Bible tells us to always be ready for Jesus to return. You never know when you might die, or when Jesus will decide, "Hey, let's just take all my pals up to heaven now." (Apparently Jesus is talking to children or something.) But anyways, it is hard to always be ready, anxiously awaiting for Jesus' return if you're entangled with the world.

I think right now I'm trying to learn what that balance is between being IN the world and not OF the world. How do you connect with people and show them Christ's love without being so much like them...but you can't be such a nun that people don't want to be around you either, ya know? It's something I think I need to pray about more.

And that line is also a good reminder that this worldly stuff that bothers me is simply that: worldly. I should be more concerned about becoming more like Jesus.

Jen's prayer: Steve Angrisano's "Sweed Redeemer"

The word that stuck out to me in this song was "ALL."

I surrender all I am to you

How often do I give Jesus parts of my life and not ALL of them? Jesus, you can have my job and my family, but I'd like to choose which friends I have and the fun stuff. Don't get into that area, okay? But Jesus gave ALL of him for me, so why wouldn't I give up all to Him?

It's so simple to say. So hard to live.

Jen's prayer: Sean McConnell's "Madly in Love with You"

I know you wish you could see me
That’s the way it has to be
Someday you’ll understand,
Don’t you lose your faith in me

I know you wish you could hear me
Sometimes it’s so hard to do
But every morning sunrise it says
I’m madly in love with you

I love songs like this...where it's like I'm hearing what Jesus is saying down to us. I'm pretty sure Jesus has been saying similar things to me today as the verses above. He's telling me what to do and saying, "Jen, don't lose faith in me. I've got this. I know it's hard because you can't see Me, but I'm here and I'm showing you the signs that I love you." I just have to open up my heart to see it and believe. Tonight I pray that I would open my heart to feel the Lord's love.

Jen's prayer: Veggie Tales' "My Day"

You know, it makes a big difference in my day if I pray right when I wake up. While on vacation I woke up tired and cranky. I realized I was snapping off to my parents so after I got out of the shower I said to my mom, "I'm done being cranky." And she was like, "You must have been praying in the shower." And I had. I had been telling God my issues and realizing it wasn't a big deal.
It's true that you understand that God's love is with you all throughout the day, if you begin it with a friendly hello to our Father up above. That way, no matter what happens I know that God is there and he loves me. And the silly things, like singing out of tune, no longer matter.

Jen's prayer: Mercy Me's "Homesick"

Help me Lord cause I don't understand your ways

This is a sweet song about being homesick for heaven. I know I especially feel like this when things on this earth just don't make since. As believers, we are called to not be of this world. And when we try to follow God and not be like this world, that's when I get confused. Lately I've been praying that God gives me clarity on what HE wants for me, because I certainly am not understanding things on my own.

Jen's prayer: Jill Philips' "I am"

This morning I was having somewhat of an emotional breakdown. I wasn't quite sure what to do so I decided to see what today's song was. What a comfort to read those lyrics:

I am constant; I am near
I am peace that shatters all your secret fears
I am holy; I am wise
I'm the only one who knows your heart's desires
Your heart's desires

Oh weary, tired and worn,
Let out your sighs
And drop that heavy load you hold
Cause Mine is light

It is so good to know that Jesus is there for me. He knows my heart's desires. He isn't ignoring what I want...He just knows better than I do on what I truly need. I am learning a lot right now about patience and waiting. I have a lot of unknowns in my life and I'm learning how to walk by faith, not by sight. It's scary, but I am glad Jesus is the peace that shatters all my fears.

Jen's prayer: Jars of Clay's "I'm alright"

And I can't see the view from the eyes you look at me through

Which is unfortunate, because I'd really like to be able to see through God's eyes right now. I'm not alright. I need some clarity on what God is wanting in my life right now. And that is simply my prayer tonight:

Let me see through your eyes, Father. Give me clarity.