Make A Joyful Noise

I listen to a couple Christian radio stations mostly when I'm driving in my car. I usually don't remember the title of a song or hardly even know the artist's name, and my kidds have forever complained that I shouldn't sing - partly because most of the time I don't remember alot of the words but I like to try to 'sing' along. I think I do so much better when no one else is in the car with me. Wouldn't you know it, then they aren't there to hear how well I'm doing!!! Anyways, I don't really care what my kidds say about my singing. Sometimes, the words are just what I need to hear!!



My dad used to always say about my mom's singing that she was making a joyful noise. I guess I get my singing ability from my mom! Oh well?!! It talks in many of the Psalms about singing with joy to the Lord. Psalm 100 says 'Make a joyful noise to the Lord all thee earth.' So I guess that's what my mom and I do. As my girls were growing up, they were always singing in church. I would listen for songs they could sing. Many times they would surprise me with a song that they knew was a favorite and believe it or not, it would make me cry. I can remember when Monica was getting ready to go to college. Her and Lex sang in church toward the end of the summer and Pastor Scott toward me not to worry that that would not be the last time they would sing in church. He was right. What a blessing it has been to myself and I hope, to many!

What I wanted to do was include words that really speak to me from some of the songs I enjoy listening to, some of which my girls might have sung.



* As the deer panteth for the water, So my soul longeth after thee,
You alone are my heart's desire and I long to worship you.
You alone are my strength and shield, to You alone may my spirit yield.

---As The Deer by Martin Nystrom



* Not because of who I am, but because of what You've done,
Not because of what I've done, but because of who You are.
And you've told me who I am, I am Your's...


--- Who Am I? by Casting Crowns





* In the silence of all that you face, God will give you His mercy and grace.
Jesus never said it was an easy road to travel,
He only said that you would never be alone,
So when your last thread of hope begins to come unraveled,
Don't give up, He walks beside you on this journey home,
And he knows, life is hard, the world is cold,
We're barely young and then we're old,
But every falling tear is always understood,
Life is hard but God is good. Yes, Life is hard but God is good!


---God Is Good by Pam Thum




* Jesus paid much too high a price for us to pick and choose who should come,
And we are the body of Christ...


---If We Are The Body by Casting Crowns




* There's no such thing as perfect people, there's no such thing as a perfect life,
So come as you are, broken and scared, lift up your heart and be amazed,
And be changed by a perfect God,
Suddenly it's like a weight is lifted when you hear the words that you are loved...


---Perfect People by Natalie Grant




* O He died, He died to rectify my hopeless situation
And His blood commands my guilt to leave
Now on Calvary I stand, empty pockets, open hands,
Child, you're forgiven and loved,
Child, you're forgiven and Child you're loved,
Child, you're forgiven and loved.


---Not Without Love by Jimmy Needham




* Surrounded by your glory, What will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you, Jesus, or in awe of you be still?
Will I stand in your presence, or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all? I can only imagine...


---I Can Only Imagine by Mercy Me




Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that these words would speak to the hearts of those reading them as they have spoken to me. I praise you that you come to us in so many different ways to touch our lives. Help us to be watching for you in the words of a song or the voice of a friend, in a sunset or a rain storm, in a child's eyes or the hand of a stranger. Help us to be the body of Christ that you would have us to be. All for your Glory!!! Amen.