[quick note]

Hey peeps! I thought it would be a good idea to go through the old songs and replace the broken-linked songs (only the ones we can't watch anymore) with ones that we can actually listen to and watch. If anyone doesn't want a particular video replaced, then just let me know. I'm gonna keep the old embedding, in the very unlikely case that WMG will let them play again or that they'll magically be revived :] (haha, I'm so weird). Alrightys? Feel free to help me out in the process; there's a lot of songs. Thanks!

(I still can't believe this blog has been up for sOO long! Yay for cool post-ers & Jesus who we post about :].)

Only Love Remains...

So recently, I've been having a few issues. I've been feeling like I don't feel the way I should feel in my times of distress. I have the urge to feel broken, because too often, I think as though I deserve better. I feel like I need to find that point where I know I'm worthless, where I feel dirty, unwanted. Pride has clouded my mindset, and I need to get rid of it.
So (if you've seen my post > abicaiyou.xanga.com xP) this kind of realization came up one day when we were driving home from school, and I was listening to Oh My Dear by Tenth Avenue North. That's also a great song, so you should listen to it when you get the chance.
Anyways... yesterday, I was on facebook, and on the side, I saw those adds for other fan pages, like "fans of this also like Chris Tomlin and ..." or something. I came across an artist named Audrey Assad. I liked her music too, but when I went on youtube to find some more songs by her, I stumbled across this artist, JJ Heller. So I dont know if you will enjoy this type of music, or anything like that. But this song in particular spoke to me, saying that I can't rid myself of my own stupid thoughts on my own. I need to ask God for His help even in that. Even in wanting to need God, I need God. I need God to fix my mindset, because this world is so broken, that I feel like that's the bar to be set at.

Please kill the liar
Kill the thief in me
You know that I am tired of their cruelty
Breathe into my spirit
Breathe into my veins
Until only love remains

As I've been studying psychology, I've realized that I've used coping mechanisms, I've gone through many emotions. Yet, I've also realized that this whole population has, too. The main thing that stood out to me: Catharsis. Catharsis is when you try to take out your all your anger in order to get rid of it (pretty much proven to not really work). And the title of this song, the end of the chorus: only love remains. I want that for my heart. I want to be able to love with no inhibitions. And I know that I'm incapable of doing these things on my own. But God's here to provide ways that I can't even dream of.

I know that Im a shadow
But Im dancing in your light...

P.S. Sorry this post is kind of all over the place... I'm kind of out of it... haha =P

- Abi

God of Wrath

"God of Wrath"
~David Crowder Band

I was having lunch with a friend recently, and talking about a recent Bible Study he attended, he said that what hit him the most was that nowadays, we're seriously missing the fact that God is not someone we can mess with. He said that we often times form God out of our own image, depicting Him in the manner that pleases us. He mentioned how God is a God of Justice, and also of Judgement as well.

My friend really made me think about how great God really is and how holy He is. This morning, I continued my devo-time in reading through Leviticus. By coincidence (...?), part of the chapter included a passage where a man was commanded to be stoned because he had "blasphemed the Name with a curse" (Lev 24:11). I thought about why the Lord commanded that the man to be stoned, and about the holiness of God. We toss around the idea of God so freely sometimes. The author here, on the other hand, couldn't even straight-up say His name; the author put it as "the Name", recognizing God's greatness and authority. God, in His holiness and everything He is, cannot be mocked..

Just last night, I read that one of my friends was having a really crummy day. In his anger, he cursed God, all his friends, and sarcastically thanked Jesus for his troubles. I didn't really know how to react. And after reading today's passage in Leviticus, a surge of concern for my friend hit me. Though I know that he is still loved by God and saved through Jesus, the situation really scared me, after just reading how serious God takes His Name and how people treat it. All of that made me realize how small we make God, and how much personal-belittling He must endure by us EVERY day. (I'm so sorry, God, on behalf of all of us..)

About this song by David Crowder, though I've seen its title before, I never bothered to look it up, though I really was curious. I believe that we both unconsciously AND consciously avoid the subject of God's sovereignty and wrath.. Needless to say, after all those exposures to the topic, I finally looked up the song. The lyrics really put into perspective the grandness of God. The God of everything! And our response to Him. "My love for You / My heart for You / My life for You / All I am for You!" I think this is a very accurate depiction of what God was really asking of the Israelite people in Leviticus, and what He seeks from us..

I honestly don't think I have a solid grasp of how holy, BIG, and grand God is, demanding my utmost love, respect, and devotion; much more than just my "friendship". But I think for sure, He's developing what it means to love Him, not just for what He did for me (which is reason enough to give my entire life for Him), but also simply for who He is.

~ tim

P.S. I totally recommend going through Leviticus, especially after understanding the context of how God commands His beloved people whom He saved from Egypt to be Holy as He is Holy. =]

Savior, please

I introduced this song to the fellowship because at the time it was basically my prayer to God. He literally saves me from all the bleh in my life. I still need this song to help me go through my low moments. The low moments seem to never stop coming. God is really testing my patience. It really is scary sometimes. I wonder how much more I can handle. How much more do I have to endure? This song reminds me that God is on my side. He will never stop saving me.

I hope you enjoy this song :)

'Til I see You face to face...Come, Lord Jesus, Come

I don't have too too much to say. Maybe I'll edit this post later. But I just wanted to post up a couple worship songs that have really been encouraging me the past couple of weeks/days =]. I'll put down my favorite lines. If they touch you too, praise God! & if you feel like commenting, please do so we can rejoice with you =]. Take care, peoples!

"With All I Am" ~Hillsong




The greatest love that anyone could ever know
it over came the cross and grave to find my soul..
and 'til i see You face to face, and grace amazing take me home,
I'll trust in You

I will live, a child in awe of You


"All Who Are Thirsty" ~Kutless



Nothing but Your will for me,
I am only free when You--
Come, Lord Jesus, Come


"Came To My Rescue" ~Hillsong




I called, You answered
and You came to my rescue, and I
wanna be where You are

In my life, be lifted high!
In my world, be lifted high!
In our love, be lifted high!

okay, there's actually something I realize I probably didn't share with some of you who view this blog. This song, "Came To My Rescue", has a special significance for me. There was a time in February where I was feeling spiritually dry. On retreat with my church from SD, there was an extended time of worship, and I was asking God to really touch me. I actually felt like God telling me that I should go outside to listen for Him, but I was a little resistant, kind of hoping that I could be ministered to through the songs instead. But eventually, I prayed, "okay..I don't really know what you're doing God, but I'll go outside and try to listen to you there." I go outside and look at the stars; and not 5 minutes later, I met the leader of the guest worship band (not on stage at the time). We both actually shared with each other that we were having some difficult spiritual dry-spots of our own. And for him, he was having a hard time loving his teammates. I asked if I could pray for him, and he said, "you know, I had actually just asked God to send somebody to pray for me..". Like wow, right? And while we were actually talking, I could hear the song "Came to my Rescue" play from inside, and I couldn't help but side-focus on the lines, "I called, You answered.. and You came to my rescue and I wanna be where You are." I'm convinced that outside, praying with that person, was exactly where God was intending to show up in both of our lives.

It doesn't even end there x]. When the person was praying for me, he felt convicted to pray for my mom and her spiritual walk. I didn't talk to him at all about my mom before we started praying. He told me he had no clue what it meant; if it doesn't mean anything, then it'll just pass, but it's what he felt led to pray about. I talked to my family on the phone after the retreat, and it turns out that it was on that same night, my mom was sharing with the High School Fellowship during candlelight sharing at their retreat that she wanted to take her walk with God more seriously. like WOW.


Our God is AMAZING. =]. Thanks for reading this far!

I dare you to move.

"Dare You To Move" ~Switchfoot

I think its safe to say that all of us have heard this song like a kabajillion times (well, okay, at least I listened to it that many times xD). This is one of those songs that you can kind of listen to SO often that you can sing the words, and have fun singing it, but have no real thought about what it really means. But it's really cool when you go back to a song and you get some kind of new (or old, but reminded) insight about it :]. And (ta-da!) this happened for me and this song XD.

What really struck me recently was actually from the second verse, when the song goes, "...welcome to Resistance..". I started thinking as if we're trying to get somewhere, but there's resistance; a force pushing you back. This image really solidifies me as if I'm trying to go in one direction, but I feel a physical shove to my chest (kinda like a bully-push). It's then when the brain actually has to make a decision: (1) to back off because there's now something trying to stop you from moving in your desired direction, or (2) to move; forward, struggling forward. From this standpoint, the motivation of "i dare you to move" really means so much more now.

What does this mean for me? I think of so often the ways that I want to move in a certain direction, but refuse to for various reasons. One instance is in trying to talk to my friends about God and being open about Jesus: I have the desire to, but I feel the shove in my chest of "what if they don't listen?" or "is it even worth it?". Resistance.

As I was walking from class and thinking about this song (yes, even more x]), I noticed something kinda cool about the structure of the song. The entire song goes through a complete progression. The first verse is the first stage: Existence. Welcome! Now that you're here, what are you gonna do? Everyone's watching. "I dare you to move." Alright! Second stage: Resistance. Welcome... now that you've been pushed; now that you know its not just a straight path with no obstacles, what are you gonna do? The tension is here.. maybe you feel like you've fallen.. and there's no way you can move on, because of either yourself or something else.. but the third stage: Redemption. Forgiveness. Salvation. Beauty for Ashes! In your weakness, in the midst of Resistance and falling, God redeems you. What a weight lifted! But now what..? What are you gonna do now? Stand there? Stay where you are? "I dare you to move."

By now, you've probably seen the video & heard the song =]. This version is actually a new video made by Switchfoot, & came out just recently. I found it as I was looking for a good vid to post here x] and I really love it. I think the imagery in here is really awesome, especially with the emergence of the wave of people moving against him; the Resistance. But he pushes his way through, and eventually, made it all the way through the mob of people. There's kind of a sense of liberation as he exits the fog and the mob, because it's over & he's made it through. I just thought it was really awesome. The original music video is actually really good as well, if you wanna watch it, here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOTcr9wKC-o&a=0l0T6_mJ2JA&playnext_from=ML

(wow this feels long, haha.) Yeahs, I dunno, this song is really cool for me :]. Thank God for cool music =D! I'm really hoping this song will remind me that 1st of all, life wasn't meant to have no obstacles; its ridiculous to think that there will be no resistance. But He dares me to move, not to let the doubt, fear, (etc) hold me back. And also to remember the beautiful stage of Redemption! Great stories to tell, when we're picked up off the floor, and move =].

Thanks for reading this far! Hope you were blessed!

[Please] Reign in Us

Hey peeps!! I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted any songs.. but here we go again, and I really hope ya'll will be blessed =]. This song is another worship song, written and performed by Starfield, titled "Reign in Us"



To be very honest, I don't really know what to type up.. but I know a few things.

The chorus really echos what I really desire in my heart. "Oh, Great and Mighty One, with one desire we come: That You would reign, that you would reign in us!" I love singing this, because in my own life, I realize all these areas where I don't let God reign. When I think of the word "reign", I think of rule; I think of sovereignty (haha, even bigger/vaguer words xD). Basically, I think of God being in complete control. So I ask myself, "God, could you please reign in me?" I am a very forgetful/sway-ey person, prone to wander in mind and heart and emotion. With all the times that I forget that I'm living for God and not myself, I feel the need to plead with my soul and cry to God that He would reign in my life. All of my selfish thoughts, wondering about how MY name will be glorified and not His.. I'm in such desperately need of His touch.

The last part really stuck out to me when I first sung it. Reminding me that this purification, this commitment to God, is not just for myself. God intends for us to be a light into this world and show how awesome He is! It's all about the glory of God. So I'm still praying to God this prayer for myself and for us:

So reign, please reign in us..
come purify our lives, we need Your touch
come cleanse us like a flood, and send us out
so the world may know You reign,
You reign in us..


=].