When Joy Fills Rooms

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Psalm 70:4 — But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, “God is great!”

The room is loud before the first note even lands.

Lights rise, hands follow, voices spill forward like they’ve been waiting all week for this. From the stage, Darren Mulligan, the lead singer of We Are Messengers, saw what most people couldn’t.

A girl near the front is singing, but her mascara is running. Off to the side, a man stands still as stone. His eyes are shut tight, like if he opens them everything might fall apart.

And still… they’re singing.

There was a time Darren would’ve called the feeling in a room like this “happiness.” Everyone’s singing. This is it.

But life has a way of telling the truth after the music fades. Because happiness is loud. It rises fast. It disappears just as quickly.

Joy, though… joy is stubborn.

These aren’t people who showed up because they were happy. They came because they were looking for Jesus.

And in that stubborn reaching toward God, something was happening. You could almost feel it rising in the room. Like a current running underneath every voice. A gladness that doesn’t wait for life to make sense. It wasn’t shallow or forced. Together, the crowd was declaring, “God is still good. He’s still worth it. He’s still here.”

There on the stage, Darren was struck by this thought.

“Those who go looking for Him somehow find gladness. Real joy meets people in their hunger and desperation for Jesus. And the ones who’ve tasted even a little of His rescue can’t help but say it over and over again: ‘To God be the glory.’”

Maybe that’s what these songs are for. Not to help you escape—but to help you find God. To trade the fragile kind of happiness for something stronger. And over time, almost without noticing, your own song will start to rise…one that sounds like this.

To God be the glory.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What is the difference between happiness and joy in your own life?
  • When have you experienced joy even in the middle of difficulty or pain?
  • What does it look like for you to genuinely “search for God” right now?
  • How has worship helped strengthen your faith during hard seasons?
  • What are some ways God has shown His goodness and faithfulness to you recently?

L Y R I C S

When the ground beneath my feet
Is shaking like a leaf
God, You’re still good to me
When my hope is all but gone
And I’m barely hanging on
God, You’re still good to me

When my heart can’t find the beat
When it’s dark and I can’t see
I will put my hope in You

I’ll trade ashes for beauty
I’ll trade joy for my mourning
I’ll trade, to God be the glory
To God be the glory
I’ll trade strength for my weakness
I’ll trade pain for my healing
I’ll trade, let this be my story
To God be thе glory, oh

You love mе at my best
You love me in my mess
God, You’re so good to me
There’s one thing I am sure
Your promises endure
You make a way for me

When my heart can’t find the beat
When it’s dark, and I can’t see
I will put my hope in You

I’ll trade ashes for beauty
I’ll trade joy for my mourning
I’ll trade, to God be the glory
To God be the glory
I’ll trade strength for my weakness
I’ll trade pain for my healing
I’ll trade, let this be my story

To God be the glory
to God be the glory
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)

And whatever comes my way
I will always praise Your name
I will put my hope in You
When I run into Your courts
I will fall into Your arms
I will sing a song of praise
I’ll trade ashes for beauty
I’ll trade joy for my mourning
I’ll trade, to God be the glory (forever and ever)

To God be the glory
I’ll trade strength for my weakness
I’ll trade pain for my healing
I’ll trade, let this be my story (forever and ever)

To God be the glory
I’ll trade ashes for beauty
I’ll trade (I’ll trade), joy for my mourning
I’ll trade, to God be the glory

To God be the glory
I’ll trade strength for my weakness
I’ll trade pain for my healing
I’ll trade, let this be my story
To God be the glory

Songwriters: Ran Jackson / Darren Mulligan / Taylor Hill / Andrew Lee Bergthold

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Paddleboards and Praise

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Revelation 15:3-4 — Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations. Who will not fear you, Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed.

It wasn’t a stage. It wasn’t a writing room.

It was water.

During the chaos and uncertainty of 2020, Chris Tomlin found himself in Montana, sitting alone on a paddleboard in the middle of a still lake at sunset. No noise. No crowd. Just water and silence.

And on that lake, something unsettled him—in a good way.

He became deeply aware of how small he was… and how vast God is.

Not in a crushing way. In a clarifying way.

He had spent years writing songs of deliverance—songs people cling to when they need rescue, grace, and mercy. And those songs matter. Deeply.

But out there on the water, something else was rising.

A different kind of worship song. It was not one that sounded like “God, come through for me,” but “God, you are holy.”

The kind that echoes what’s already been sung long before any of us arrived:

There in that awe-inspiring setting, Chris was reminded of the book of Revelation, where believers from every nation worship before God’s throne crying out, “Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God Almighty… for you alone are holy.” He also thought about the angels surrounding God’s throne declaring, “Holy, holy, holy.”

That’s where Holy Forever was born—out of stillness, not striving.

It holds both sides of worship we often separate: the God who rescues us, and the God who stands far above us. Because we need both the God who meets us in our mess, and the same God who reminds us He was never overwhelmed by it at all.

And maybe that’s what your soul needs today—not just rescue, but reverence.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • When was the last time you truly stopped and felt awe at God’s greatness?
  • Do your prayers lean more toward asking God for help or worshiping Him for who He is?
  • How does remembering God’s holiness change your perspective on your problems?
  • What helps you slow down enough to notice God’s presence?
  • Why is it important to remember both God’s nearness and His majesty?

Lyrics:

A thousand generations falling down in worship
To sing the song of ages to the Lamb
And all who’ve gone before us and all who will believe
Will sing the song of ages to the Lamb

Your name is the highest
Your name is the greatest
Your name stands above them all
All thrones and dominions
All powers and positions
Your name stands above them all

And the angels cry, Holy
All creation cries, Holy
You are lifted high, Holy
Holy forever

If you’ve been forgiven and if you’ve been redeemed
Sing the song forever to the Lamb
If you walk in freedom and if you bear His name
Sing the song forever to the Lamb
We’ll sing the song forever and amen

Hear your people sing, Holy
To the King of Kings, Holy
You will always be, Holy
Holy forever

You will always be, Holy
Holy forever

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When Silence Finds a Song

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Isaiah 65:24 — I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!

No singing in the house—that was the rule.

Jamie MacDonald’s parents had already split up when she was young, and somewhere in the aftermath, her voice became something to hide. She was a kid who loved to sing, but she learned to swallow it—the music, the feelings, all of it.

But at age twelve, at youth camp, something broke through anyway. She felt the nearness of God in a way she couldn’t explain. He wasn’t distant or cold. No, He was close and personal.

But she went home, and real life got loud again. That closeness faded into the background.

By sixteen, she had dropped out of high school. Life became unstable—partying, drugs, just trying to survive. The people around her were unraveling too. Some overdosed. Some ended up in jail. Some didn’t make it out at all.

“I’m tired of that life,” she finally said in the weight of it all. “I remember what You spoke to me, God… and I want to live for You.”

That’s where things began to change.

Not all at once. Not perfectly. She quietly started showing up. She read her Bible, slipped quietly into church, and let God begin rebuilding what had been worn down. Over time, doors opened. She led worship. Served on mission trips. She even helped with prison ministry, where she saw something she’d never forget. She saw women clinging to truth in the prisons like it was oxygen.

Five years later, after spending time caring for her father through Parkinson’s and dementia, she returned to Nashville carrying carrying profound heartbreak and a deep need for healing.

And that’s where the song “Desperate” was born.

Not as a performance, but a real prayer.

“I’m not asking… I’m begging.”

Because somewhere along the way, she realized something she didn’t know before. Life was no longer about staying quiet or praying perfect prayers. It was about being real.

Even as a girl forced into silence, God had been leaning in the whole time. Listening before she could finish the sentence. Moving toward her before she found the right words. He’s the kind of God who answers before we call, who hears even the prayers we can barely get out.

And maybe that’s where this meets you. Not in having the right words. Not in having it all together.

But in letting yourself be honest right where you are, trusting that even your most desperate prayers are already being heard…

And right now, in your desperation, you are already being held.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Have you ever felt like you needed to hide parts of yourself from God or others?
  • What does this devotional teach us about God’s response to desperate prayers?
  • Why do you think honesty before God matters more than having “perfect” prayers?
  • Have you experienced a season where God was working in your life before you fully recognized it?
  • What would it look like for you to bring your real struggles honestly before God today?

L Y R I C S:

I’m at the end of myself and I’m
Tired I’ve tried all that I know to do
Right now it’s just by a thread but I’m
Hangin’ onto You

I’m running outta hope
I need a miracle
And if I ever needed You it’s right now

Oh God I’m desperate
Down on my knees
Send help from Heaven
Cuz that’s what I need
Redeem this wreckage
Restore my peace
I’m not asking I’m begging
Lord come through for me

I need Heaven and I’m
Desperate
Desperate
Oh, I need Heaven
Need Heaven and

I’ve prayed all the prayers I can pray but I
I won’t stop knocking til You open the door
You can move a mountain, You can calm a storm
I know You can cause I’ve seen it before

Oh God I’m desperate
Down on my knees
Send help from Heaven
Cuz that’s what I need
Redeem this wreckage
Restore my peace
I’m not asking I’m begging
Lord come through for me

I need Heaven and I’m
Desperate
Desperate
Oh, I need Heaven
Need Heaven and
I’m
Desperate
Desperate
Oh, I need Heaven
Need Heaven and I

Oh
And You’re my only hope
I need a miracle
If I ever needed You it’s right now
Oh God I’m desperate
Down on my knees
Send help from Heaven
Cuz that’s what I need
Redeem this wreckage
Restore my peace
I’m not asking I’m begging
Lord come through for me

I need Heaven and I’m
Desperate
Desperate
Oh, I need Heaven
Need Heaven and I’m
Desperate
Desperate
Oh, I need Heaven
Need Heaven and I

More About Jamie MacDonald in her interview with Rita Springer on her podcast, Worship is My Weapon

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The Blood-Bought Glow Up

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Ephesians 2:13 — But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.

It started with a question: “What has God done for you?”

Charity Gayle and others were sitting in a loose circle at a songwriting retreat. Around the room you could see faces of all ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds all carrying their own story to tell.

One by one, they began to share what God had done for them.

A man talked about who he was before grace found him—how far he ran from God for years. A woman followed, sharing her past regrets and breakthroughs. Then another shared. And another.

And without anyone planning it, a pattern began to form.

Every story started in the same place: far from God.

And every story ended the same way: Jesus met them there and gave them new life.

Lost, then found.

Charity sat still, listening, feeling something stir. She thought about the songs she used to sing in church as a child. You can almost hear it—threads of Amazing Grace weaving through the air, carrying the steady truth of Nothing but the Blood of Jesus.

It was the reality that people who were once distant didn’t stay that way. They were brought near by the blood of Christ.

That moment would become the heartbeat behind her song, “Thank You Jesus for the Blood.”

But the story didn’t stay in that room.

Because it’s your story too. And mine.

Maybe yours doesn’t feel dramatic. Maybe it’s simple or you grew up in church or it’s hard to put into words. But it still holds the same miracle—a before and after and a life that didn’t stay the same.

And somewhere, someone is sitting across from you, needing to hear it. You’re living proof that Jesus is alive and that His blood was enough. There’s power in your testimony.

And I hope you will tell it too.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

Your Story:
When you think about your own life, where do you see the “far” and “brought near” moments in your story?

Recognizing Grace:
Is there a part of your past you’ve minimized or overlooked that actually shows God’s grace at work?

Sharing Your Testimony:
Who in your life might need to hear what God has done for you—and what’s holding you back from sharing it?

Personal Connection to the Gospel:
Does your relationship with Jesus feel personal right now, or more distant? What would it look like to lean back into that closeness?

Gratitude and Worship:
How can you intentionally thank Jesus today for bringing you near—through your words, actions, or time with Him?

 

 

L Y R I C S

I was a wretch, I remember who I was
I was lost, I was blind, I was running out of time
Sin separated, the breach was far too wide
But from the far side of the chasmYou held me in Your sight

So You made a way, across the great divide
Left behind, Heaven’s throne, to build it here inside
And there at the cross You paid the debt I owe
Broke my chains, freed my soul, for the first time I had hope

Thank You Jesus, for the blood applied
Thank You Jesus, it has washed me white
Thank You Jesus, You have saved my life
Brought me from the darkness into glorious light

You took my place, laid inside my tomb of sin
You were buried for three days but then You walked right out again
And now death has no sting and life has no end
For I have been transformed by the blood of the Lamb

Thank You Jesus, for the blood applied (thank You, Jesus)
Thank You Jesus, it has washed me white
Thank You Jesus, You have saved my life
Brought me from the darkness into glorious light

There is nothing stronger
Than the wonder working power of the blood, the blood
That calls us sons and daughters
We are ransomed by our Father through the blood, the blood
There is nothing stronger
Oh, the wonder working power of the blood, the blood (it calls us)
That calls us sons and daughters
We are ransomed by our Father through the blood, the blood

Thank You Jesus, for the blood applied
Thank You Jesus, it has washed me white
Thank You Jesus, You have saved my life
Brought me from the darkness into glorious light

Glory to His name
Glory to His name
There to my heart was the blood applied
Glory to His name

Songwriters: Bryan McCleery / Charity Gayle / David Gentiles / Ryan Kennedy / Steven Musso
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Peace is Still Preaching

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Colossians 3:15 — And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

Some stories don’t begin with peace. They begin with the storm.

That was true for Hope Darst when she walked into the songwriting room. Anxiety swirled around like a storm she couldn’t outrun. And her friend and co-writer, Mia Fieldes, was carrying her own struggles she couldn’t shake on her own. Things like disappointment, fear, uncertainty.

“We need to write a song about peace.” Mia said, breaking the silence.

It was not because either of them felt it, obviously. But it was because they didn’t.

So, they began writing. Not for a performance. Not for applause. But as a declaration over their own hearts. You may have heard the chorus:

“Peace be still. Say the word and I will set my feet upon the sea ‘till I’m dancing in the deep. Peace be still. You are here so it is well. Even when my eyes can’t see, I will trust the voice that speaks. Peace. Peace over me.”

Hope had to sing those words over herself long before anyone else ever heard them. there’s power in moments like that—when we let the peace that comes from Christ rule in our hearts, not just visit when life feels calm, but take authority even in the middle of the storm.”

When we come in agreement with the storm-calmer. The peace that comes from Heaven is greater than our emotions, and it speaks a better word.

Maybe today, you’re carrying something heavy—fear of what’s next, anxiety that won’t quit, disappointment that lingers. What if peace didn’t wait for circumstances to change? What if you let it settle in your heart and rule your thoughts and choices even when the waves are still crashing around you?

It can. So just declare it today.

Peace.

Peace over me.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Where in your life right now do you need God’s peace to take the lead instead of your emotions?
  • What would it look like today to let peace “rule” your thoughts, not just visit them?
  • Is there something you need to declare truth over—like Hope did—even if you don’t feel it yet?
  • How can you intentionally invite God’s peace into one stressful moment today?

 

 

Lyrics

I don’t want to be afraid
Every time I face the waves
I don’t want to be afraid
I don’t want to be afraid

I don’t want to fear the storm
Just because I hear it roar
I don’t want to fear the storm
I don’t want to fear the storm

Peace be still
Say the word and I will
Set my feet upon the sea
Till I’m dancing in the deep
Peace be still
You are here so it is well
Even when my eyes can’t see
I will trust the voice that speaks

I’m not gonna be afraid
‘Cause these waves are only waves
I’m not gonna be afraid
No I’m not gonna be afraid

And I’m not gonna fear the storm
You are greater than its roar
Oh I’m not gonna fear the storm
No I’m not gonna fear at all

Peace be still
Say the word and I will
Set my feet upon the sea
Till I’m dancing in the deep
Peace be still
You are here so it is well
Even when my eyes can’t see
I will trust the voice that speaks
Peace, peace over me

You speak peace

Let faith rise up
O heart believe
Let faith rise up in me

Let faith rise up
O heart believe
Let faith rise up in me

Let faith rise up
O heart believe
Let faith rise up in me

Oh let faith rise up
O heart believe
Let faith rise up in me

Peace be still
Say the word and I will
Set my feet upon the sea
Till I’m dancing in the deep oh
Peace be still
You are here so it is well
Even when my eyes can’t see
I will trust the voice that speaks
Peace, peace over me

I hear You speaking
Peace, peace over me

Oh peace
Over me

You speak peace
You speak peace
Over me

You speak peace
You speak peace
You speak peace

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Hope in His Name

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Psalm 135:3 — Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; celebrate his lovely name with music.

Our apartment in Houston was barely 800 square feet. Texas heat pressed against the windows, and I was sweeping crumbs across our tiny kitchen floor with worship music playing in the background.

I wasn’t trying to have a moment. Not really. But then “I Speak Jesus” came on—the Here Be Lions and Darlene Zschech version. The melody drew me in, and by the time the chorus rose, the room felt different. Holy in the most ordinary place.

My husband Ryan looked up to me, and we both knew.

At the time, I was finishing my album Endless Praise. I hadn’t written this song. It wasn’t mine to claim. But standing there with a broom in my hand, I felt it—this song carried something people needed.

“This is it,” I said. “This has to be on the album.”

It wasn’t strategy. It wasn’t about building the perfect track list. I just wanted people to know the beautiful name of Jesus.

Because when you realize how good He is, praise isn’t something you plan—it’s something that rises.

I knew that when His name is spoken, things change. Fear loosens. Peace settles. Because there’s a goodness in His name. When you know it, you know. His name is pleasant to the soul in a way nothing else is.

After the album released, the song started traveling. Into churches. Into homes.

Stories came in waves. A mother singing it over her daughter every night before bed. Friends blasting it in hospital parking lots during the pandemic when they couldn’t go inside. People speaking the name of Jesus over addiction, fear, and depression.

Every testimony reminded me: the power isn’t in my voice. It’s in His lovely name that is worthy of praise.

Now when I think about that day, I don’t picture a stage. I picture that tiny kitchen. The broom in my hand. A regular afternoon that turned holy. I know without a shadow of a doubt, His name still does what it has always done. It steadies shaking hearts. It pushes back darkness.

So maybe that’s the most important thing you could focus on today. Speaking His name right where you are—in kitchens, in car rides, in hospital hallways.

Because when you speak the name of Jesus, you are not just singing—you are releasing hope, healing, and freedom into places that desperately need it.

— Charity Gayle

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • When was the last time you experienced God’s presence in an ordinary moment?
  • Do you tend to treat worship as something reserved for church, or something woven into everyday life?
  • What does it personally mean to you that the Lord is good?
  • How have you seen the name of Jesus bring peace, hope, or change in your life?
  • Is there a space in your daily routine (car, kitchen, work) where you could intentionally turn your attention to praise?
  • What would it look like for you to “celebrate His name with music” this week—not out of habit, but from the heart?

L Y R I C S

I just wanna speak the name of Jesus
Over every heart and every mind
‘Cause I know there is peace within Your presence
I speak Jesus

I just wanna speak the name of Jesus
‘Til every dark addiction starts to break
Declaring there is hope and there is freedom
I speak Jesus

‘Cause Your name is power
Your name is healing
Your name is life
Break every stronghold
Shine through the shadows
Burn like a fire

I just wanna speak the name of Jesus
Over fear and all anxiety
To every soul held captive by depression
I speak Jesus

‘Cause Your name is power
Your name is healing
Your name is life
Break every stronghold
Shine through the shadows
Burn like a fire

Shout Jesus from the mountains
Jesus in the streets
Jesus in the darkness, over every enemy
Jesus for my family
I speak the holy name
Jesus, oh (oh)

Shout Jesus from the mountains
And Jesus in the streets (oh)
Jesus in the darkness, over every enemy
Jesus for my family
I speak the holy name
Jesus (Jesus)

‘Cause Your name is power
Your name is healing
Your name is life
Break every stronghold
Shine through the shadows
Burn like a fire

Your name is power (Your name is power)
Your name is healing (Your name is healing)
Your name is life (You are my life)
Break every stronghold (break every stronghold)
Shine through the shadows
Burn like a fire

I just wanna speak the name of Jesus
Over every heart and every mind
‘Cause I know there is peace within Your presence
I speak Jesus

Songwriters: Jesse Reeves / Dustin Smith / Abby Benton / Kristen Dutton / Carlene Prince / Raina Pratt

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When Forgiveness Writes the Ending

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Colossians 3:13 — Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

The fall happens so fast.

One minute Forrest Frank is skateboarding with his son—laughing, being a dad—and the next he’s on the ground, staring at the sky, realizing something is really wrong.

His L3 and L4 vertebrae are fractured. It’s the kind of injury that stops everything.

Back home, laid up in bed, his body is broken—but his mind won’t slow down. So he does what he’s always done. He sings. There he wrote songs about what he knew to be true. Songs about how “God’s got my back” and about Jesus turning his problems into lemonade.

He shares his journey on Instagram. Within days, Forrest’s back is miraculously healed. Around the same time, he posts another song to encourage David Crowder, who is recovering from a broken leg.

But the internet does what the internet does.

Parody videos start popping up—some playful, some careless. One comes from Cory Asbury. Though meant to be funny, it hits hard. Forrest and his wife remember the fear and pain of that day, and suddenly it feels like one of his worst moments is being reduced to a punchline.

Then Forrest does the bravest thing he knows to do. He posts online honestly. He admits the humor hurts. He knows no harm was meant—but it still hurt.

He doesn’t stop there. Instead of clapping back, he extends the olive branch by writing Cory a song. He posts it and invites Cory to help him finish it.

Cory sees it and takes the parody down immediately. He reaches out to Forrest and apologizes over the phone. He admits he didn’t stop to put himself in Forrest’s shoes, and what happens next is amazing.

What could’ve stayed awkward turns creative. Out of that conversation, the two artist collaborate to finish the song shaped out of forgiveness.

Forrest chose to forgive Cory fully, and there’s something so powerful about that. To admit your grievances and to do the hard work of forgiveness just like Jesus. It isn’t the way of the world. It isn’t trendy. But it is Kingdom. It is what breaks down barriers and turns enemies into friends.

So let’s choose the Jesus-way of forgiveness. Even when it’s hard, bear with one another and forgive as freely as you have been forgiven—letting grace guide your steps. Refusing to let a grievance define the relationship.

Because unforgiveness doesn’t get to tell your story. So refuse to let it write the ending.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Is there someone in your life who has hurt you—even unintentionally—that you’re struggling to forgive?
  • What makes it difficult for you to “make allowance” for others’ faults instead of holding onto the offense?
  • How does remembering the way God has forgiven you change your perspective on forgiving someone else?
  • Have you ever seen a relationship restored after honesty and forgiveness? What did that teach you?
  • What would it look like for you to take one step toward forgiveness this week—whether that’s releasing it in your heart or reaching out?

L Y R I C S  for  M I S U N D E R S T O O D

One, two, three

Sometimes words
Hit you in the chest
Sting you like a bee
And rob you of your rest
And Heaven knows sometimes
People try to mean well
But trauma from their past
Got ’em stuck inside of Hell

Well, it’s okay if you feel misunderstood
There’s a Man who did as well when they nailed Him to wood
And even through all the pain
Still, He forgave them, mm
So I can forgive somebody too (Mm)

Sometimes words (Sometimes words)
Can cut so deep (Cut so deep)
It’s hard to be kind
When anger’s all you’ve seen
The shadow of home can
Stretch long through the years
It covers up the sunshine
Even when the sky is clear

‘Cause it’s okay if you feel misunderstood
There’s a Man who did as well when they nailed Him to wood
And even through all the pain
Still, He forgave them
So I can forgive somebody too (Yeah)
I can forgive somebody too (Come on)

Well, sometimes two friends are just one call away
Years full of hurt could be gone in a day
We’re all part of one family
So, who am I to cut down the tree?

‘Cause it’s okay if you feel misunderstood
There’s a Man who did as well when they nailed Him to wood
And even through all the pain
Still, He forgave them
So I can forgive somebody too
I can forgive somebody too (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
I can forgive somebody too

‘Cause the good Lord first forgave me and you
Ooh

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When Worship Found Its Heart

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Romans 12:1-2 — And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. 

The band didn’t play that morning.

It was the late 1990s and the church was full. Matt Redman stood off to the side of the stage without his guitar. The lights were on, but the sound system was silent.

His pastor, Mike Pilavachi, had made the call.

The church had become increasingly focused on excellence—production, sound, atmosphere. None of those things were wrong. But something underneath it all had started to thin out.

So he stripped it away.

No instruments.
No band.
Just voices.

He told the congregation they needed to remove everything and check where their hearts really were.

So they did.

Week after week, the room stayed bare. There were no crescendos. No polished sound. Just human voices—thin, imperfect, and honest.

And in that quiet space, the words of Scripture felt closer than ever: offer your bodies as a living sacrifice to God. That is your true act of worship.

Not the set list.
The heart.

Not the atmosphere.
The offering.

Without the music, the question became unavoidable: What is worship when all the extras disappear?

Only a life offered to God.

During that season, Matt Redman picked up his guitar at home and wrote words that would circle the world:

“When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come…
I’m coming back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You, it’s all about You, Jesus.”

It wasn’t written for charts. It was written from conviction.

Because worship was never meant to be just a moment on Sunday. It’s a life—offered daily to the One who gave it.

That’s what Romans invites us to do: not just sing songs to God, but offer ourselves to Him.

So today, lay down whatever has become performance. Let go of what only looks spiritual. Bring God what’s real.

Because when the music fades, what matters most is not the song that filled the room…

…but the life that found the altar.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • When do you find it easiest to focus on the “experience” of worship instead of the heart behind it?
  • What does it mean to you to offer your life as a “living sacrifice” to God?
  • How might your daily choices reflect worship beyond a Sunday service?
  • Is there anything in your life that has become more about appearance than surrender?
  • What is one practical way you can offer yourself to God today?

Lyrics:

When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come

Longin’ just to bring
Something that’s of worth
That will bless your heart

I’ll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required

You search much deeper within
Through the ways things appear
You’re looking into my heart

I’m comin’ back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

The King of endless worth
No one could express
How much You deserve? Lord

Though I’m weak and poor
All I have is Yours
Every single breath

I’ll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required

You search much deeper
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You’re looking into my heart

I’m comin’ back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

I’m comin’ back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus, yeah
It’s all about You

Every song we sing
Every breath we breathe, Jesus
It’s all about You
It’s all about You, Lord

I’m comin’ back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You
Since it’s all about You, Jesus

I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

Sing to say, it’s all about You
Every melody every heartbeat
Every breath we breathe
It’s all about You

There’s no one
It’s all about You
It’s all about You
It’s all about You
Yeah we know that

You will not share Your glory with another
Oh, You shall not share Your glory with another
Jesus, You will not share Your glory with another
Oh, You shall not share Your glory with another

You will not share Your glory with another, Jesus
Oh, You shall not share Your glory with another
There’s no other

You will not share Your glory with another
Oh, You shall not share Your glory with another
There’s no other

There’s no like you in the Heavens and the Earth

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Words Hurt, Truth Heals

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Proverbs 12:18 — Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing.

Mean girls don’t remember what they said

But it’s funny because, well, I can’t seem to forget.

Most of my childhood was spent either singing or riding horses—sometimes both at the same time—so this felt pretty on brand. When I was thirteen, I broke my hand because the ground gave way underneath my big horse, Crispy. One trip to the doctor, a hot pink cast, and a few weeks later my hand was good as new. Eventually, I forgot all about the pain.

That’s the thing about broken bones. They heal, and life moves on.

I wish words worked the same way.

I wish the things people said when they were careless or cruel could be wrapped up, and forgotten after a little time. But words don’t heal like bones do. They stay. They replay and stick around long after the moment has passed.

If you and I were sitting across from each other over coffee, I’m guessing you wouldn’t have to think long to tell me what words hurt you most. You could probably tell me exactly who said them, where you were standing, and how small they made you feel. Because even if it’s been years, the sting is still familiar.

I’ve had my own run-ins with mean girls. People who spoke without thinking…or worse, people who spoke knowing exactly what they were doing. Either way, their words left bruises you couldn’t see but felt every time you doubted yourself or your worth. Every time, their voices shouted louder than the truth.

Scripture doesn’t sugarcoat this. Proverbs 12:18 says, “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

Some words cut deep. And some words heal deep. There’s no pretending otherwise.

For a long time, I let reckless words name me. I let them cling to my heart like they were permanent. But here’s what I’ve learned: just because words stick doesn’t mean they’re true, and just because something hurts doesn’t mean it gets the final say.

God is the One who names us. He is the One who heals us. He is the One who tells us who we really are. The voices that wounded you don’t get to write your story. They don’t get to define your future, either

Words can pierce like swords—but God’s truth binds wounds. They are what last.

So, here’s the invitation today: stop rehearsing what hurt you and start repeating what heals you. Let God’s words be the loudest ones in your life. Let them replace every label that never belonged to you in the first place.

You are not what they said. You are who God says you are.

Chosen.
Known.
Loved.

And His words are strong enough to heal what theirs never should have touched.

— LeAnna Crawford

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • What words from your past still replay in your mind?
  • Who spoke them — and have you allowed those voices to define you?
  • What names or labels has God given you in His Word?
  • Where do you need to replace a painful memory with a healing truth?
  • What kind of words are you speaking over others — cutting or healing?

 

Lyrics:

I try to pray but the words aren’t coming out the way they used to
Did I lose my faith God do I still trust You (mmm)
I try to worship but when I lift my hands it all just feels so empty
Is it the heavy of the world or is it just me (mmm)
Though I’ve sung a thousand times
You’re perfect and You’ll never leave leave my side

Can I be honest
I just wanna know that You still got this
When all I’m holding onto is a promise
God You promised
That You’ll never leave me
When I’m scared of the dark You’re right there with me
Your kindness never fails, it’s always reaching after me
But right now, God all I need
Is to be honest

Oh I’ve heard stories of you showing up when it was least expected
Every time you prove your timing always perfect – and the wait was worth it
Again and again and again – see your power coming through
You bring life to what is dead – no there’s nothing You can’t do
I believe you did it then – so won’t You do it now

Can I be honest
I just wanna know that You still got this
When all I’m holding onto is a promise
God You promised
That You’ll never leave me
When I’m scared of the dark You’re right there with me
Your kindness never fails, it’s always reaching after me
But right now, God all I need
Is to be honest

Is Your breath when I can’t breathe
Your eyes when I can’t see
An anchor as the waves crash all around
Be my heart when I can’t feel
And show me something real
Just one taste of heaven here and now

Can I be honest
Can I be honest
I just wanna know that You still got this
When all I’m holding onto is a promise
God you promised
That you’ll never leave me
When I’m scared of the dark You’re right there with me
Your kindness never fails, it’s always reaching after me
But right now, God all I need
But right now, God all I need

/by

The Shepherd and the Black Sheep

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Matthew 18:12 — If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost?

Ben Fuller is standing in a church aisle in Nashville. From the outside, he looks fine. But inside, he’s still that little kid from Virginia waiting to hear his father say, I’m proud of you.

He always claimed he didn’t need help. But that wasn’t true. He was just learning how to numb the pain.

A knee injury opened the door to pain pills. Pills became escape. Escape turned into addiction.

Ben learned to hide it well—just enough work, charm, and money to keep things afloat. He convinced himself—and everyone else—that he was fine.

But eventually, “fine” fell apart.

Bills slipped. Relationships crumbled. Rehab didn’t stick. Not even losing his best friend to fentanyl stopped the spiral. By the time he moved to Nashville in 2018 to chase music, the deeper battle wasn’t just addiction.

It was the belief that he was too far gone.

Then God showed up.

At a dinner table.

A family from Vermont, already living in Nashville, invited Ben over. No agenda. Just food and kindness. They invited him to church, and he said yes—mostly out of courtesy. Raised on a dairy farm, he figured when someone does something kind, you return it.

That’s how he ended up in that church aisle.

By Easter Sunday, he was exhausted. Tired of drinking. Tired of broken relationships. Tired of pretending he could fix himself.

At the altar, he stopped running.

“I can’t do this anymore.”

What met him there wasn’t condemnation.

It was relief.

Jesus once told a story:

“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away… won’t he leave the ninety-nine… and go out to search for the one that is lost?” — Matthew 18:12

Ben realized something life-changing that day: he had never been invisible. His wandering had been noticed. The Shepherd hadn’t given up on him. God didn’t wait for him to clean himself up or find his way back.

God came after him.

His song “Black Sheep” was born from that rescue—a reminder for anyone who feels out of place or beyond saving. Now, five years sober, Ben sings it in prisons and broken places as living proof that there is no saint without a past and no sinner without a future.

Because God doesn’t run away from runaways.

The Shepherd still searches. Still calls names. Still leaves the ninety-nine for the one.

And maybe today, that one is you.

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Have you ever believed you were too far gone for God to reach? What fueled that belief?
  • How does Matthew 18:12 change the way you see God’s pursuit of you?
  • Who in your life might feel like the “one” right now—and how can you reflect the Shepherd’s heart toward them?
  • What would it look like for you to stop running and receive God’s grace today?

 

Lyrics:

Oooooh
Oooooh
Oooooh

You broke through a thousand fences
Been rescued from a thousand ditches
You still swear you don’t fit in
So you kick and scream and you’re gone again
Wandering off into the devil’s wind

But how’s it going out there
Acting like you ain’t scared
How’s that heart of stone
Ain’t so hard when you’re alone
Crying tears you hope nobody sees
Guess the Good News is He’ll never leave you be
Jesus loves you black sheep

You hate everything about you
You think we’re better off without you
You wear your pain out on your sleeve
And you paint it on in rebel ink
But the alcohol and pills ain’t fixed a thing

How’s it going out there
Acting like you ain’t scared
How’s that heart of stone
It ain’t so hard when you’re alone
Crying tears you hope nobody sees
Guess the Good News is He’ll never leave you be
Jesus loves you black sheep

Oooooh
Oooooh
Oooooh

Jesus loves you black sheep

Oooooh
Oooooh
Oooooh

Can’t tell you when, I ain’t no prophet
But there’ll come a point in time when you can’t stop it
The Good Shepherd’s love smells like smoke
There ain’t no hell so low
Where He won’t let the hounds of Heaven go
Sic ‘em, let the hounds of Heaven go

So how’s it going out there
Acting like you ain’t scared
How’s that heart of stone
Ain’t so hard when you’re alone
Crying tears you hope nobody sees
Guess the Good News is He’ll never leave you be

And amazing grace is a pesky pesky thing
But the Good News is He’ll never leave you be
Jesus loves you black sheep

Oooooh
Oooooh
Oooooh

Jesus loves you black sheep

Oooooh
Oooooh
Oooooh

Oooooh
Oooooh
Oooooh
Oooooh

Writers: Ben Fuller, Tony Wood, and Michael Farren

/by