-- a song in the desert -- day 2

The man pictured above is my mentor, father figure, & friend. 

He has been my inspiration for all things Embrace. 

When I think about planning an event & worshipping God with complete freedom, I think about what Joe would do. Joe has taught me that worshipping Christ doesn't only look one way. We can praise God in whatever capacity we are able.

Joe is super sick.

I visited him in the hospital a few weeks ago & it was hard for me to see him so ill.

We sat together for quite a while watching television. Suddenly, a commercial came on with a song we both knew. Joe's fingers began to move, a smile formed on his face, & his hands tapped his hospital bed to the beat. The music moved him. 

It is my desire to see music move people this Saturday. 

Despite all that may be going on in the lives of our guests, I pray that they would be moved to action. I pray that they would be moved to worship Christ in a way that may seem uncomfortable. Joe was in the  hospital too sick to speak. The music moved him & allowed us to communicate in a different way. 

Let Psalm 96:1-6 become your anthem today. We will face many challenges but He is worthy. As you meditate on these verses, say a prayer for everyone who will be attending embrace. Pray that they would be moved to praise His name not only in our sanctuary, but out in the world. Sing a new song to Him today & let it move you. 

Psalm 96

1 Sing a new song to the Lord!
    Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!
2 Sing to the Lord; praise his name.
    Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.
3 Publish his glorious deeds among the nations.
    Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.
4 Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
    He is to be feared above all gods.
5 The gods of other nations are mere idols,
    but the Lord made the heavens!
6 Honor and majesty surround him;
    strength and beauty fill his sanctuary.

xo, Lynn Raye

-- a song in the desert -- day 1

Lately I’ve been feeling like I am stuck in a desert. I’m far away from family, a worship community that I love, & all of the comforts of living near a city. Out here in the valley, I have become quite thirsty. My heart feels faint when I think about all of the directions Crossroads is going in without me. The lump in my throat grows knowing that I wasn’t home to mourn the anniversary of Brian’s death with my family. As the bills pile up & things get tough, I long to hug my mom and have her tell me exactly what to do.  My wants and worries keep me up at night. I ask God to give me back all that has been taken. I beseech him to lead me to what’s familiar.

David wrote Psalm 63:1 while stuck in the wilderness, fleeing from his enemies. All that David knew was stripped away from him yet he trusted God in the midst of his agony.  You see, even though David was physically in the desert… his heart was not dry. His physical thirst and longing were nothing compared to his thirst for God.


We need to be like David.
We need to rely on God to satisfy us more than all of our earthly wants.
What would our lives be like if we instead of worrying throughout the night, we spent our time mediating on His word?

Read Psalm 63 out loud today as a prayer to God. Let these words be the cry of our hearts.

O God, you are my God;
    I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
    my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
    where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in your sanctuary
    and gazed upon your power and glory.
3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
    how I praise you!
4 I will praise you as long as I live,
    lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
    I will praise you with songs of joy.

6 I lie awake thinking of you,
    meditating on you through the night.
7 Because you are my helper,
    I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
8 I cling to you;
    your strong right hand holds me securely.

9 But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin.
    They will go down into the depths of the earth.
10 They will die by the sword
    and become the food of jackals.
11 But the king will rejoice in God.
    All who swear to tell the truth will praise him,
    while liars will be silenced.

xo, Lynn Raye