It's no secret, if you've read this blog for any amount of time, that music is a dear friend to me. So, what do marriage and Christmas music have in common? Everything when I'm involved! Of all the music I love, next to Christian music with amazing lyrics, I am a great fan of Christmas music. Christmas has always been my favorite time of year and the music was always played in my house growing up. I have been known, on occasion year round to listen to Christmas music often, even if "out of season." Yesterday I heard someone on the radio talking about Jason Gray's new Christmas album.
First of all, not only did I lose out on a lot of great Christian music during my seven years of wandering, I missed out on Christian CHRISTMAS music! I have SO much to catch up on this season!!! Anyway, this album was said to be a traveling through what happened at Christmas time all those years ago, with a certain little baby boy, named Jesus. I was immediately intrigued because it was new Christmas music.
Second, it's was Christmas music!
So what's a girl to do? The only option was to immediately download the album.
And let me just tell you, it is SO much better than I could have even imagined. Jason Gray works his way through the events leading up to Christ's birth and the album itself is brilliant. Beyond that, the lyrics in his songs are amazing, like any of his other non-Christmas songs. For instance, on one of his other albums, he had a song called "I Will Find A Way." I can't remember if I have included it on this blog or not, but if not, I was meaning to. It seemed very "Christmasy" (yes that's a word-I made it up just now). And it is on this new album as well. It talks about a girl whose heart is so closed off that even if Jesus spoke words of love to her, all she would hear was condemnation. Sound familiar to anyone? It struck home with me and became one of my favorites, so I was thrilled to find it on this album. There is another line in the song that I just love.
"No hiding place ever kept her safe
So she hides inside herself
Now to reach her heart the only way
Is to hide in there as well
I will hide in there as well."
Ponder that for a moment. If you have ever been like me, the wanderer, or if you are currently in your own dark place, keeping secrets you hope no one ever learns, reread those words. We can try to hide all we want. We can shut out the world and we can build walls up around our hearts. We can keep everyone out.
Everyone but Jesus.
We think that we are keeping him out too.
But I learned the truth of those words above. Jesus just stepped right over my walls and hid in my heart with me! He didn't have to shatter my walls. He would let God do that, when the time was right. He was able to, and chose to, come to that very broken place where I tried to hide. And He hid WITH me!! Isn't that awesome?? Looking back, I find comfort that in my darkest hour, in my time of deepest need, Jesus was right there with me. Even when I couldn't see, hear, or feel Him. He was there. I love that and thank God every day for that.
But the song I really want to tell you about, that I really want you to wrestle with and listen to, and come to love is a song called "Forgiveness Is a Miracle (A Song For Joseph)." They play bits and pieces of the song in this video, while Jason Gray explains the thought behind this song. And I just love his heart and his words. Such a completely new spin on something we often don't think about.
Beyond that, if you read the words to this song, or listen to it, in its entirety, you will see much of my own story reflected. And maybe it's your story too. I know that some of you reading this have stories similar to mine and have shared those with me. So, I know that you can relate. For others, maybe your story is similar, and you have just been too scared to share it. That's OK. I know how hard it was for me. It wasn't until my sin and life of deceit was exposed, and my heart healed by the only One who has the power to do it, that I was able to write my story as it played itself out.
It is still playing itself out. And I am forever grateful for what God has done in my heart and in my marriage. The only full version of this song I could find is one where Jason Gray sings in a coffee house, but it's still a great version and you can check it out here (lyrics are listed below for those who really want to ponder them...):
First of all, not only did I lose out on a lot of great Christian music during my seven years of wandering, I missed out on Christian CHRISTMAS music! I have SO much to catch up on this season!!! Anyway, this album was said to be a traveling through what happened at Christmas time all those years ago, with a certain little baby boy, named Jesus. I was immediately intrigued because it was new Christmas music.
Second, it's was Christmas music!
So what's a girl to do? The only option was to immediately download the album.
And let me just tell you, it is SO much better than I could have even imagined. Jason Gray works his way through the events leading up to Christ's birth and the album itself is brilliant. Beyond that, the lyrics in his songs are amazing, like any of his other non-Christmas songs. For instance, on one of his other albums, he had a song called "I Will Find A Way." I can't remember if I have included it on this blog or not, but if not, I was meaning to. It seemed very "Christmasy" (yes that's a word-I made it up just now). And it is on this new album as well. It talks about a girl whose heart is so closed off that even if Jesus spoke words of love to her, all she would hear was condemnation. Sound familiar to anyone? It struck home with me and became one of my favorites, so I was thrilled to find it on this album. There is another line in the song that I just love.
"No hiding place ever kept her safe
So she hides inside herself
Now to reach her heart the only way
Is to hide in there as well
I will hide in there as well."
Ponder that for a moment. If you have ever been like me, the wanderer, or if you are currently in your own dark place, keeping secrets you hope no one ever learns, reread those words. We can try to hide all we want. We can shut out the world and we can build walls up around our hearts. We can keep everyone out.
Everyone but Jesus.
We think that we are keeping him out too.
But I learned the truth of those words above. Jesus just stepped right over my walls and hid in my heart with me! He didn't have to shatter my walls. He would let God do that, when the time was right. He was able to, and chose to, come to that very broken place where I tried to hide. And He hid WITH me!! Isn't that awesome?? Looking back, I find comfort that in my darkest hour, in my time of deepest need, Jesus was right there with me. Even when I couldn't see, hear, or feel Him. He was there. I love that and thank God every day for that.
But the song I really want to tell you about, that I really want you to wrestle with and listen to, and come to love is a song called "Forgiveness Is a Miracle (A Song For Joseph)." They play bits and pieces of the song in this video, while Jason Gray explains the thought behind this song. And I just love his heart and his words. Such a completely new spin on something we often don't think about.
Beyond that, if you read the words to this song, or listen to it, in its entirety, you will see much of my own story reflected. And maybe it's your story too. I know that some of you reading this have stories similar to mine and have shared those with me. So, I know that you can relate. For others, maybe your story is similar, and you have just been too scared to share it. That's OK. I know how hard it was for me. It wasn't until my sin and life of deceit was exposed, and my heart healed by the only One who has the power to do it, that I was able to write my story as it played itself out.
It is still playing itself out. And I am forever grateful for what God has done in my heart and in my marriage. The only full version of this song I could find is one where Jason Gray sings in a coffee house, but it's still a great version and you can check it out here (lyrics are listed below for those who really want to ponder them...):
Forgiveness Is A Miracle
Love can make a soul come alive
Love can draw a dream out of the darkness
Blow every door open wide
Love can leave you brokenhearted
Did she dare to look you in the eye?
Did her betrayal leave you raging?
Did you let her see you cry?
When she said the child was not your baby
Pain can turn to anger, then to vengeance
It happens time and again
Even in the best of men
It takes a miracle to save us
When love is like an open wound
There is no way to stop the bleeding
Did you lose sleep over what to do?
Between what's just and what brings healing
Pain can be a road to find compassion
When we don't understand
Bring a better end
It takes a miracle to show us
Forgiveness is the miracle
A miracle
And a miracle will change your world
Forgiveness is a miracle
Forgiveness is a miracle
An angel in a dream broke into your darkest night
So you trusted in the Lord
And you took her as your wife
Cause you carried in your heart what she was holding in her womb
And the forgiveness that you gave would be given back to you
Love was in a crowded barn
There you were beside her, kneeling
You held it in your arms
As the miracle started breathing
Forgiveness is the miracle
The miracle
And a miracle will save the world
Forgiveness is a miracle
Forgiveness is a miracle
A miracle
And a miracle will save the world
Forgiveness is a miracle
Forgiveness is a miracle
Forgiveness is a miracle
Blessed Joseph
Your heart has proven
Through you the kingdom has come
For God delights in a man of mercy
And has found an earthly father for His son
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