worship wednesday - noel

Christmas. 
is. 
8. 
weeks. 
and. 
2. 
days. 
away. 

I am so ready. Recap of our Christmas holidays since we've been married. 
2010 - Newlywed bliss. I lie. Newlywed- not sure if being newly married to me resulted in bliss for Chris. 
2011 - Pregnant. 
2012 - Brand new city. Boxes everywhere. Not how I envisioned Hutton's 1st Christmas. 
2013 - Miscarriage. Yep, I'm a downer. 
2014 - New job for Chris. Baby at home. Not how I envisioned Mills' 1st Christmas.

Goals for this year:
Be done shopping the week of
Try to enjoy every moment
Do fun crafts with the boys
Watch lots of Christmas movies 
Throw away the expectations and realize that some of the above things may not happen. What's most important:

Enjoy my family and help them to make room for Jesus in their lives this Christmas. 

Now - to the point. 

This song. Yall. Just enjoy the magnitude of how awesome it is. Come. Listen. Be prepared this Christmas to truly come and see and soak in what God has done. His son. Here. For. Us. O come let us adore Him. 

Thank you Lauren Daigle and Chris Tomlin for making this song my 2016 Christmas anthem. And for people like my friend Hannah who are just as obsessed and don't think I'm crazy when I've listened to the song 10,000 times. 

Love incarnate, love divine
Star and angels gave the sign
Bow to babe on bended knee
The Savior of humanity
Unto us a Child is born
He shall reign forevermore

Noel, Noel
Come and see what God has done
Noel, Noel
The story of amazing love!
The light of the world, given for us
Noel

Son of God and Son of man
There before the world began
Born to suffer, born to save
Born to raise us from the grave
Christ the everlasting Lord 
He shall reign forevermore

Noel, Noel
Come and see what God has done
Noel, Noel
The story of amazing love!
The light of the world, given for us
Noel

 

worship wednesday - shepherd

What do you think of the new look and the new name? Lot's more to come with this and I'm excited to be taking different pieces of our lives and laying them out for you here. Tomorrow I'm planning on explaining the name change. There are about three people in this world who know where it comes from. (Ahem... Rachel) Thank you for indulging me reading my blog - that's why we're friends. My favorite part of this little or minute corner of the internet to me has always been sharing worship songs with you on Wednesdays. So I thought the best way to debut the new look was with worship. 

Right now I'm living through Amanda Cook's new Brave New World album. It's tempting to list every song on here but I'm going to stick with this beautiful song Shepherd. I just can't get over that line - so walking on water is just the beginning. It's no secret that Chris and I lead very busy lives. We always talk about how to make our lives less busy and we just stare at each other realizing that there isn't anything that we can or want to let go. But, God is with us through all of that busyness and he arranges our steps. With him, ALL is possible and walking on water is just the beginning. 

Or how about - "you're making melodies over me." Yall, I can't even. God- singing melodies over me. Tears. Worship. Rest. See y'all tomorrow! 

In the process, in the waiting 
You’re making melodies over me 
And Your presence is the promise
For I am a pilgrim on a journey

You will lift my head above the mighty waves 
You are able to keep me from stumbling
And in my weakness
You are the strength that comes from within
Good Shepherd of my soul 
Take my hand and lead me on

You make my footsteps and my path secure
So walking on water is just the beginning
Cause my faith to arise, stand at attention
For You are calling me to greater things

Oh how I love You, how I love You
You have not forsaken me 
Oh how I love You, how I love You 
With You is where I want to be

Worship Wednesday

It's Wednesday which means it's the day I post songs - that is when I'm blogging. You never know what you might get from me! Anyway, last night were the Dove Awards which I've always wanted to go to. The Dove awards recognize Christian music and last night the Best New Artist was a huge favorite of mine - Ellie Holcomb! Congratulations to Ellie!

Ellie Holcomb is a solo artist but has in the past written music and toured with her husband, Drew Holcomb, and his band, Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors. Without obviously knowing it, their music has intertwined some huge events in Chris and my lives.

- Funny story about her husband Drew is that YEARS ago, Chris played the same Open Mic night as him at a place called Eddie's Attic in Atlanta. Drew won the open mic night that evening and continued to pursue music after that.

- Then Chris and I went to see them do a show literally right after we got engaged. It was a special time and they played their song "Fire and Dynamite" which has always been one of our "songs" you could say. Give it a listen- love it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RnGqjSWNEk

- Also, last year Ellie was the guest artist for Andrew Peterson's Behold the Lamb tour. First- know that Behold the Lamb is an incredible experience at Christmas and you need to make plans to go. They will be in Valleydale this year on December 14th. Chris knows that my dream is to go see it at the Ryman in Nashville and I hope to one day! But, we went to Montgomery for Behold the Lamb last year to announce to our parents that we were pregnant, only to have our miscarriage the next morning. One of the songs that played in my head over the next weeks was her song, "The Valley." Give it a listen- it's worth it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqhVjJ_YFRE

All in all- you should be listening to both Drew and Ellie's music as they're both incredible lyricists, musicians, storytellers, etc. On a side note- she has the best Nashville style! She did a Kick starter campaign to help fund her solo album last year and it is incredible. I thought today I would share with you one of the songs from her album, "As Sure as the Sun." This song is My Portion and My Strength... enjoy!

My Portion and My Strength

Your voice calmed the wind and the sea

Can you calm these storms inside of me?

Help me to stand

on the promise that You are holding my right hand

Help me to know

that even when I lose my grip You won't let go

Help me believe

that You will be my portion and my strength

Your voice gave the blind the gift of sight

Can you take my darkness and turn it into light?

Help me to stand

on the promise that You are holding my right hand

Help me to know

that even when I lose my grip You won't let go

Help me believe

that You will be my portion and my strength

Your voice called the man out of the grave

Can You breathe new life into this mess I've made?

Help me believe

that You will be my portion and my strength

Help me believe

that You will be my portion and my strength

You'll be my portion and my strength

Worship Wednesday - This I Believe

Chris and I have always been huge fans of the worship music coming from Hillsong in Australia. Each summer they release new music and we look forward to that release each year. This year the morning it came out I immediately purchased it and played Chris the song "This I Believe (The Creed)."

The song is so powerful and puts the Apostles Creed into a contemporary song. You can hear from Ben Fielding of Hillsong here about how this song came to be. I love how he notes that in contemporary churches these songs are becoming the confessions of the modern church and this song is able to take a historical unifying piece of liturgy and allow it to be used today.

 

But enjoy this song today!

 

 

Our Father Everlasting

The all creating one

God Almighty

 

Through your Holy Spirit

conceiving Christ the Son

Jesus our Savior

 

I believe in God our Father

I believe in Christ the Son

I believe in the Holy Spirit

Our God is three in one

 

I believe in the resurrection

that we will rise again

For I believe in the name of Jesus

 

Our Judge and our defender

suffered and crucified

forgiveness is in You

 

Descended into darkness

You rose in glorious light

You're ever seated high

 

I believe in God our Father

I believe in Christ the Son

I believe in the Holy Spirit

Our God is three in one

 

I believe in the resurrection

that we will rise again

For I believe in the name of Jesus

 

Cause I believe in You

I believe You rose again

I believe that Jesus Christ is Lord

 

And I believe in You

I believe You rose again

I believe that Jesus Christ is Lord

 

I believe in God our Father

I believe in Christ the Son

I believe in the Holy Spirit

Our God is three in one

 

I believe in the resurrection

that we will rise again

For I believe in the name of Jesus

 

I believe in life eternal

I believe in the virgin birth

I believe in the Saint's Communion

and in your Holy Church

 

I believe in the resurrection

when Jesus comes again

For I believe in the name of Jesus