In Proverbs, Solomon (son of King David) writes to his own son, urging him to be raised by the wisdom that Proverbs goes on to mention. How does one appear when raised in this way of wisdom?

I could go on to list all of the practical actions and heart postures of one who is wise as Solomon does in Proverbs 22-29, but I’d like to invite us to open our hearts to look at Proverbs through a new perspective. Can we examine Proverbs through a gospel-oriented perspective today, one that finds Jesus in each chapter? Pastor David Murrary claims, “God has never manifested himself to men in any other way than through the Son, that is, His sole wisdom, light, and truth” (Murrary, Jesus on Every Page).

If you’re a bit confused about where Jesus falls into the book of Proverbs, that’s okay. After all, His name is not mentioned once, and He wasn’t born until about 400 years later. Despite his physical absence, though, Christ still appears significantly in the pages of Proverbs through Solomon’s desperation for his son to be raised in wisdom. For example, let’s look at the verse we discussed last month.

Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” Last month, we discussed the fear of the LORD. Now, I want to discuss the remainder of that verse. “Knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” Solomon is suggesting in the second half of the verse that knowing the Holy One is knowing wisdom. Jesus Christ is fulfilled wisdom.

“And because of Him, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’” (1 Corinthians 1:30-31) Sinners are incapable of achieving perfect wisdom, hence the need for our Savior’s perfection. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, fulfilled wisdom when we couldn’t; therefore, our “wise” acts are nothing but foolish if done without Him. What is wise in our own eyes is failed wisdom, but what is wise through the righteousness of Christ dwelling amongst us produces great fruit.

With this in mind, let’s dissect the two invitations Solomon provides in Proverbs 9. Both invitations appear similar, but the consequences of accepting the wrong one make the biggest difference. The first invitation is to the way of wisdom; the second is to the way of folly. The way of folly lacks the most crucial thing that the way of wisdom begins with: a relationship with the Holy One. I urge you as Solomon does, do not be deceived by foolishness in the same way that his father, David, was. As David reflects in Proverbs 30, he admits, “I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.” (Proverbs 30:3) Upon his realization of failure, he points us to the Holy One we should look to who meets Wisdom’s expectations and more. Jesus Christ fulfills the LORD’s perfect wisdom. “And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of council and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.” (Isaiah 11:2) To be raised in wisdom is to walk with it. Who is wisdom? Jesus Christ.

Reflection
I have a mentor who I consider one of the wisest ladies I know, not only because of her advice but because of who she points me to in times I need advice. Friends, is Jesus at the forefront of your heart, mind, and soul? What has been motivating your good works recently? My prayer for us is that in continuing Proverbs, we lean closer and closer into the One who gives Wisdom a name.

“And how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:15)

Lizzy Laymon

Prov. 1:7- “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Prov. 3:7- “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.”
Prov. 9:10- “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”
Prov. 10:27- “The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.”
Prov. 14:26- “In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.”
Prov. 14:27- “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, that one may turn from the snares of death.”
Prov. 15:16- “Better is a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble with it.”
Prov. 16:6- “By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.”
Prov. 28:14- “Blessed is the one who fears the LORD always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity.”

When we dissect the verses with the command “fear the LORD” included in them, we find this: fear comes with knowledge, goodness, wisdom, life, confidence, refuge, contentment, and blessing. These blessings are ones I am sure we each desire! However, maybe you have also read the phrase in Scripture before that says, “Do not fear!” or “Fear not!” I don’t know about you but these two versions of fear sound counterintuitive. But, let us look at the definitions of these two different “fears.”
Looking at the original Hebrew translation of the word, “fear” from Proverbs 1:7, the word is yir’ah. Yir’ah means to have deep reverence, respect, and submission to God’s holiness and power. On the contrary, looking at the original Hebrew translation of the word, “fear” from Isaiah 41:10 that states, “Do not fear,” the word is yare’. Yare’ means to be afraid or to be in terror. Interestingly enough, the fear repeated constantly in Proverbs (yir’ah) is also written as a noun, whereas the fear in verses such as Isaiah 41:10 (yare’) is written as a verb.

Reflection:
With urgent reminders throughout Proverbs, Solomon tells us to fear the LORD, as this is the beginning of wisdom. Our fear of the LORD is a noun. It is something we possess, rather than something we do. And, it is only through the LORD that we can receive a posture of reverential awe for Him. In this posture, wisdom is granted. Let me ask you, what makes the LORD worthy of your reverential posture? If you were standing before the LORD today, would your knees buckle from His holiness?

But what is this fear of the LORD? It is that affectionate reverence, by which the child of God bends himself humbly

and carefully to his Father’s law.
~Charles Bridges

Hello! I am Lizzy Laymon, a GCU Professional Writing student who has a big heart for Jesus. I love crafting, thrifting, reading, and traveling, all with coffee involved of course. My passions lie in the activities where Jesus is most evident to me. This includes anything outdoors, in a room with children, or nestled deep in scripture.
The book of Proverbs convicts me in more ways than not, and Cherie Wagner’s bible study graciously convicted me too this last semester. Now, I am excited to share aspects of Proverbs with you that continue to challenge, encourage, and shape me. So, please join me in praying that Proverbs enlightens each of us this summer as we delve deeper.

But that Thy blood was shed for me


And that Thou bid’st me come to Thee


O Lamb of God, I come! I come

Just as I am, and waiting not


to rid my soul of one dark blot


to thee whose blood can cleanse each spot


O Lamb of God, I come, I come

Just as I am, though tossed about


With many a conflict, many a doubt


Fighting and fears within without


O Lamb of God, I come, I come

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive


Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve


Because Thy promise I believe


O Lamb of God, I come, I come

We’ve spanned history from 1050 to 1779 so far in our hymn studies. Now, we move into the 1800s with a beloved hymn titled, Just As I Am.

Written in 1835 by a British woman named Charlotte Elliott, this hymn’s cyclical lyrics in each stanza reflect a very personal part of her story.

As a young adult, in her 30s, Elliott began to suffer from the effects of a disease that left her body disabled. Even though her body was weak, she is said to have possessed a strong, intellectual mind—well cultured and full of creativity. But understandably, Elliott’s disease and physical ailments caused her to wrestle with feelings of worthlessness more often than not.

Unfortunately, these feelings led to regular bitterness and anger. As I read about her story, I stopped and thought of my own life. I am currently in my early 30s. What would I do if I experienced what Charlotte experienced? How easy would it be to let bitterness take root?

The beautiful turning point in this story comes from the wisdom and care of a minister who visited Elliott in the midst of her frustration and diseased condition. He pointed to some difficult truth Elliott needed to hear—that she was clinging to the wrong things. Experiencing the emptiness this world has to offer, he said she clung to her anger instead of to Jesus, the One who could actually offer her freedom and joy.

This minister’s message was rooted in the truth that Charlotte could give her life to Jesus, she could come to Him just the way she was, and He would offer her true life in abundance. No longer did she need to wrestle with doubts of her worth. No longer did she need to cling to the bitterness that only spiraled her into deeper pain and discouragement. She understood the Gospel in this moment.

And her words in this hymn have echoed in unified melodies and harmonies for over 187 years now (not to mention the 149 other hymns she penned). I find it so beautiful and encouraging that God would use a life that the world might label “worthless” or “weak” and He would flip that narrative around in a way that, first and foremost, brings Him glory, while turning countless lives to Him through these lyrics.

Is this not just the most beautiful message for us today? Maybe you resonate with a physical ailment that stirs up similar untruths about your worth. Maybe you can relate on an emotional level as you doubt your identity in Christ and wrestle with lies from the enemy. As we learn from Charlotte’s story and her beautiful song, each of us can turn to Jesus—just as we are—and He’s ready to welcome us.

Be encouraged by this truth today, friends.

Emily Heaton

That saved a wretch like me


I once was lost, but now am found


Was blind but now I see

‘Twas Grace that taught my heart to fear


And Grace, my fears relieved


How precious did that Grace appear


The hour I first believed

Through many dangers, toils and snares


I have already come


T’was grace that brought me safe thus far


And grace will lead me home

The Lord has promised good to me
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, Who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun

Many of you may know the story of John Newton. His famous hymn, Amazing Grace, is a treasured one that is likely one of the most well-known hymns among believers and non-believers alike! Its slow, simple, and steady melody rings out often as a go-to spiritual song.

And his story is dramatic and captivating! Newton quickly became entangled in a lifestyle of slave-trade on the sea back in the 1700s. So, when he writes of amazing grace, he’s certainly experienced radical grace from God. It was clear to him the new life Jesus gave and the transformation of his heart. (And the life transformation came while a storm arose when he was on the very ship that would transport slaves. He became afraid for his life and read a book called The Imitation of Christ. God used that book to lead him to salvation.)

These kinds of stories are impactful! They are the kind of stories movies are made of—literally! There is a movie about John Newton! And God uses Newton’s testimony, even after hundreds of years, to inspire, encourage, and point to the good news of Jesus.

I used to get caught up in the fact that I don’t have a “John Newton” story. There’s not some dramatic and captivating twist or turning point that I’m ready to sell to a screenwriter anytime soon. (Maybe you can relate?) I want to encourage each of you reading—whether you can relate to Newton or you can’t—that God’s grace is still amazing for you. Whether you’ve been in the depths of the pit and seen the light of Christ in the most dramatic way, or you’ve been steadily on a walk with Jesus since you were five, God’s grace is still amazing for you. Don’t ever undervalue or discount the saving grace God has for you, because it’s equally priceless and equally necessary for your life as it was for John Newton’s.

As I was thinking about this today, I kept re-reading verse three of this hymn which says, “Through many dangers, toils, and snares I have already come…”

What kind of dangers, toils, and snares do you experience? It might not be blatant and on display for everyone to see, but the Enemy will attempt to use snares on each of us nonetheless. His desire is to see us fall prey to these dangers. And when we assume we don’t have some dramatic fault, we can tend to think we’re off the hook—nothing ensnaring us. Watch out! That’s where we might begin drifting away from God’s amazing grace.

Today, you need God’s grace.
I need God’s grace.
And He offers it freely to all.
Amazing.

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness

and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age…”
Titus 2:11-12

Emily Heaton

Come, thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing thy grace;

Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise.

Teach me some melodious sonnet, Sung by flaming tongues above.

Praise the mount I’m fixed upon it, Mount of God’s redeeming love.


Here I find my greatest treasure;
 hither by thy help I’ve come;


and I hope, by thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home.


Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God;


he, to rescue me from danger, bought me with his precious blood.


Oh, to grace how great a debtor
 daily I’m constrained to be!


Let thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee:


prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
 prone to leave the God I love;


here’s my heart, O take and seal it; 
seal it for thy courts above.

What a beautiful hymn! These poetic stanzas are some of my favorites of all the hymns. Even just now, reading through the first verse by Robert Robinson, I am flooded with reminders of the Psalms:

For You, O LORD, are good and forgiving,
abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon You.
Psalm 86:5

But I have trusted in Your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
I will sing to the LORD,
because He has dealt bountifully with me.
Psalm 13:5-6

Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD, O my soul!
I will praise the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Psalm 146:1-2

With such rich and meaningful ties to Scripture in hymns like Come, Thou Fount, I find myself raising up these songwriters and heroes of the faith on unintentional pedestals in my mind. Do you ever find yourself doing that? Maybe not with hymn writers…but fill in the blank with someone you look up to as inspiring, godly, motivational, etc.

While God certainly uses faithful men and women all throughout history to reflect His power, His glory, and His love, it’s interesting when we get context into some of the less-glamorous details of our heroes’ lives. Suddenly…the pedestal doesn’t seem as fitting for these humans, and they begin to resemble you and me a bit more. But before you feel defeated by me bursting the bubbles of your heroes, let’s find out why this can and should be an encouragement to us! Stay with me.

It’s only fitting that we dive into the life of hymn-writer Robert Robinson as our example in this. As the lyricist to this beloved hymn, it’s difficult to imagine anything less than glowing light surrounding Robinson as he sits, Bible in hand, penning beautiful anthems of the faith. Cue the angelic music. But wait!

Did you know as a teenager, Robert actually grew up running with the wrong crowd? You could find him participating in gang activities, labeled a “hoodlum” around town. One day he attended a Methodist gathering, led by George Whitefield—and you might be thinking, “Aw, how sweet!” But, in fact, his intention was actually to spend his time there mocking the people and the message. That was the plan, until God showed up. It was at this very gathering that God transformed Robert’s life. He was saved then and there.

How crazy to think of the trajectory change in his life in a moment! How encouraging that God pursued him, drew him close, and mercifully invited him to new life. Here Robert was, with full intention of disrespecting the Name of God and the message of this gathering, and in turn, God met him with love and mercy.

With that context, reread this part of verse two in the song:

Jesus sought me when a stranger,
 wandering from the fold of God;


He, to rescue me from danger,
 bought me with His precious blood

Am I the only one with chills?! The reason I share this, and the reason I’m so encouraged by this, is because Jesus seeks us out. Jesus is seeking you out today. He has rescued you from danger, and His blood has paid the price for the sin that causes separation from a Holy God. Instead of raising up people on pedestals and thinking we could never reach that level of spirituality or we could never be used by God like they are…think of the people God chooses to use in such powerful ways.

You may be familiar with some of the most loved biblical heroes. Check out the less-glamorous details of their lives and see if you can relate to any:

Abraham -Was old.
Elijah – Was suicidal.
Joseph – Was abused.
Job – Went bankrupt.
Moses – Had a speech problem.
Gideon – Was afraid.
Samson – Was a womanizer.
Rahab – Was a prostitute.
Samaritan Woman – Divorced.
Noah – Was a Drunk.
Jeremiah – Was young.
Jacob – Was a cheater.
David – Was a murderer.
Jonah – Ran from God.
Naomi – Was a widow.
Peter – Denied Christ three times
Martha – Worried about everything.
Zacchaeus – Was small and money hungry.
The Disciples – Fell asleep while praying.
Paul – Was a Pharisee who persecuted Christians before becoming one.

Do you see yourself on that list? I see myself! And I’m encouraged that God doesn’t limit His pursuit of people to only those who have it all together. (Because, spoiler alert…that wouldn’t leave anyone left.) Not only does God pursue with abundant life in store, but He also uses ordinary people, flaws and all, in mighty ways to be inspirational in pointing others to this abundant life we’ve received. Let’s steward this well, friends.

Emily Heaton

Our first Worship Spotlight for 2022 is the old hymn The Love of God. Whether you are familiar with this hymn or not, I guarantee that her writing and worship leading will bless you. So, grab a cup of coffee and curl up for a few minutes with us as we take a look at the background and profound message of this age-old anthem of our faith.

The Love of God
The love of God is greater far
 than tongue or pen can ever tell;


it goes beyond the highest star, and reaches to the lowest hell.


The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;


His erring child He reconciled 
And pardoned from his sin.



O love of God, how rich and pure!
 How measureless and strong!


It shall forevermore endure—
the saints’ and angels’ song.
When ancient time shall pass away,
 and earthly thrones and kingdoms fall;


when men who here refuse to pray 
on rocks and hills and mountains call;


God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
 all measureless and strong;


Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
the saints’ and angels’ song.
Could we with ink the ocean fill,
 and were the skies of parchment made;


Were ev’ry stalk on earth a quill, 
and ev’ry man a scribe by trade;

To write the love of God above
 would drain the ocean dry;


Nor could the scroll contain the whole, 
though stretched from sky to sky.

Sometimes, I love to simply read through the lyrics of worship songs, letting the truth of their words soak in. It’s especially good for me to practice this because there are times when I become familiar with songs and let autopilot take over during some powerful proclamations! I don’t want to miss out on the truth I’m singing, and I never want to “autopilot” my times of worship. Even beyond reading the lyrics, another helpful way to rekindle worship is to dig into the origin stories of the lyrics being sung.

Many hymn writers have amazing stories surrounding the well-known stanzas we have sung for hundreds of years. This year, we’re going to share some of these stories with you! In our monthly worship focus, we’ll dig into the stories of 12 hymn writers of the faith, detailing the context behind the songs they wrote. We’re beginning with The Love of God. Whether this song is new or old to you, I know you’ll be just as fascinated with the story as I am. The lyrics have traveled through hundreds of years in history to become what they are today. Let me tell you what I learned when researching this hymn of our faith.

Rewind all the way back to the 11th century. We’re in Germany, in the city of Worms, and we find a Jewish church leader and cantor (someone who chants portions of worship) named Meir Ben Isaac Nehorai. He was also a poet and is credited for penning the words of the final stanza sung in the hymn, The Love of God. In one article, I read he wrote the words only months before Crusaders attacked and killed many Jews in this region. The written words of this stanza speak of the great heights and depths of the love of God, which is unable to be measured.

I’m reminded of Psalm 103:11 which says, “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His faithful love toward those who fear Him.”

But the story isn’t over! Fast forward 800 years later…within the confines of an asylum, one man scratched these very words onto his wall. It wasn’t until this man had died that the words were discovered on the walls. How beautiful to know that, regardless of what this man was struggling through, no matter the pains and sorrows he faced, he had moments of worship in his asylum room—writing reminders on the wall of God’s great love.

Years later, it was this inspiring work on the asylum walls that prompted Frederick Lehman in 1917 to finish a hymn he had been writing, The Love of God. He needed a third verse because in that day, it was very important to represent the Trinity within a three-verse framework of the song. Thanks to this centuries-old poem from Meir Ben Isaac Nehorai, describing the love of God, and the written work on the walls of the asylum, we get to sing the same words today. Let the lyrics be a reminder each time you hear them of the immense love God has for Meir Ben Isaac Nehorai, for the inmate at the asylum, for Frederick Lehman, and for you.

The end of April means it’s time for our next Worship Spotlight. I hope you’ve been enjoying these so far, as Neue Thing takes one worship song each month and expands on it, allowing us to really soak in the lyrics and sing from a place of understanding and intentional worship.

I personally love taking a song and studying its lyrics. So often, we can zone into autopilot when a familiar tune hits, and a fresh reminder of the words we are singing will deepen your worship experience. Let’s get to today’s tune!

We’re taking a look at Hillsong Worship’s song called, O Praise the Name (Anástasis). Take a moment to read through the lyrics as we begin:

I cast my mind to Calvary


Where Jesus bled and died for me


I see His wounds, His hands, His feet


My Savior on that cursed tree

His body bound and drenched in tears


They laid Him down in Joseph’s tomb


The entrance sealed by heavy stone


Messiah still and all alone

O praise the Name of the Lord our God


O praise His Name forevermore


For endless days we will sing Your praise


Oh Lord, oh Lord our God

Then on the third at break of dawn


The Son of heaven rose again


O trampled death where is your sting?


The angels roar for Christ the King

He shall return in robes of white


The blazing sun shall pierce the night


And I will rise among the saints


My gaze transfixed on Jesus’ face

First thing’s first—Don’t let the title of the song intimidate you. “Anástasis” is a Greek word that refers to the resurrection of Jesus. It can be translated as “a raising up” or “a rising from the dead.” The entirety of this song is wrapped around the foundational Gospel message of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, and you’ll find that storyline throughout the verses.

I always enjoy looking into the writer’s intent for a song, and in this particular worship tune, Hillsong desired to pay respect to the hymns of old. There is a timelessness and a power in old hymns like Amazing Grace, Be Thou My Vision, How Great Thou Art, and so many others. You can hear reflections of this hymn-like-feel throughout the song.

What I love as I consider these lyrics is, I hear the entire Gospel message. I sing about the intensity of what Jesus went through, the amazing sacrifice, the tragic pain, and then the hopeful morning of His resurrection, and I think to myself—how in the world am I supposed to respond to such a priceless gift? What words could I offer Him? How would I even begin to say thank you? And the chorus is a simple answer to these questions—I sing His praises forever.

The simplicity of the chorus is my favorite part of the song for that very reason. Our response to God’s goodness, our response to His sacrifice, and our response to the hope He gives us eternally is to bow in worship forever.

What a beautiful place to be. I want to live my life in a constant response to God that consists of worship and praises to His Name.

We can do that, friends! We can choose each day to position ourselves in gratitude and praise for the LORD our God, who has handed us the most precious, eternal, life-giving gift we could have ever dreamed of.

For endless days we will sing Your praise
 Oh Lord, oh Lord our God!

—Emily Teterud

Hey friends!

It’s time for our March Worship Spotlight, and I am so thrilled to introduce you to this new song that has been on repeat in my car since the day it released. You may have already heard it, and perhaps like me, you might love it. Here’s the link to listen and download. Take a few minutes to listen to the powerful lyrics of this song, and then join me for a few more as I share with you some profound things that the LORD has taught my heart through this new worship song.

“Every Victory”

We will lift our eyes
We won’t fear the fight
There is one who’s stronger
Hard pressed on each side
We will not lose sight
Of the one who’s greater

One name, one name holds every victory
One voice that silences the enemy
One king who reigns for all eternity
Jesus, Jesus

On the battlefield
Your power is revealed
Giants fall defeated
We are taking ground
Walls are falling down
In the mighty Name of Jesus

One name, one name holds every victory
One voice that silences the enemy
One king who reigns for all eternity
Jesus, Jesus
Jesus, Jesus

Cause every victory is Yours
Every victory is Yours
You rose, You reign
Death is buried in the grave
Hell could not defy your name
You rose, You reign

Every victory is Yours
Every victory is Yours
You rose, You reign
Death is buried in the grave
Hell could not defy your name
You rose, You reign

One name, one name holds every victory
One voice that silences the enemy
One king who reigns for all eternity
Jesus, Jesus

One name, one name holds every victory
One voice that silences the enemy
One king who reigns for all eternity
Jesus, Jesus
Jesus, Jesus

Every victory is Yours
Every victory is Yours
You rose, You reign
Death is buried in the grave
Hell could not defy your name
You rose, You reign

Oh, the battle is the Lord’s
Oh, the victory is Yours

Oh, the battle is the Lord’s
Oh, the victory is Yours

Oh, the battle is the Lord’s
Oh, the victory is Yours

If there were only one thing I could submit to you today from this song, it’s this:

There is power in the name of Jesus. Unparalleled, unmatched power in His name.

Do we speak His name? Do we call upon His name? Do we proclaim His name…over our lives, over our circumstances, over this world? We live in an increasingly hostile culture, one that rejects the name, authority, and power of Jesus, and with this increasing hostility, there has also been increased fear in God’s people—fear of being bold and speaking truth, fear of offending, fear of rejection.

Friends, the time has passed for us to walk in and live by fear. We must carry the name of Jesus into every space that we occupy. We must declare His name over the present darkness that is swirling around us. His name effectively causes our enemy to flee. His name breaks chains of bondage. His name brings victory! So sing it louder, declare these truths with boldness and confidence. The battle is the LORD’s, and we walk in His victory as we walk with Him.

Don’t forget to tune in to Facebook Live tonight as our friend Emily Heaton leads us in worship as we sing together “Every Victory.”

That said, it should come as no surprise to you that this month’s worship spotlight is one such anthem, “Softly and Tenderly.” I’ve been listening to this hymn on repeat all day, and I seem to love it more each time it plays through. If you’ve never heard it, there are many versions you can download on Apple Music, but the one I’ve been listening to today is sung by Carrie Underwood off of her new album “My Savior.” All I can say is that the girl can sing, and she so beautifully sings the words of this hymn. If you’ve never heard it before or are unfamiliar with the words, take a minute to read through the lyrics now:

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
Calling for you and for me;
See, on the portals He’s waiting and watching,
Watching for you and for me.

Chorus:
Come home, come home,
You who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!

Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading,
Pleading for you and for me?
Why should we linger and heed not His mercies,
Mercies for you and for me?

Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing,
Passing from you and from me;
Shadows are gathering, deathbeds are coming,
Coming for you and for me.

Oh, for the wonderful love He has promised,
Promised for you and for me!
Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon,
Pardon for you and for me.

As I read these words, I imagine Jesus standing at the door of my heart, knocking, just as we read about in Revelation 3:20:

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,

I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

And as He knocks, He calls out to you and to me, inviting us to return to Him. The beauty of His invitation is that He invites us to come as we are—a sinner, dirty and stained—and to find pardon and mercy in His embrace. If we would just open the door and let Him in!

I pray that this month’s worship spotlight compels you to do just that, to let the LORD Jesus in to heal and restore your heart. And if you love worship, then make sure to tune in to Facebook Live tomorrow night at 7:15 pm MST for a sweet time of worship as Emily Heaton leads us in “Softly and Tenderly.” Hope to “see” you then!

It’s been quite awhile since the blog has seen the light of day, and we are going to change that in 2021. For the past 2+ years, we have intentionally focused our efforts on memorizing Scripture through the #neuethingchallenge each year. What a gift that has been for us as a community and as individuals! This year’s Scripture memory challenge has taken us into the book of Proverbs as we chase after the wisdom of God.

As many of you know, I love worship. It’s an enormous part of my life and my walk with the LORD. When the world shut down last year and the internet exploded with virtual ways to gather together, Neue Thing jumped right in with our first ever ” Quarantine Worship Nights.” These nights were sweet and intimate, and we had an incredible online turnout each time. This ignited something in my heart. What if we continued to foster this area of growth in our lives? What if Neue Thing put out one blog each month highlighting a worship song and giving some devotional content to go along with it? What if we continued to worship together in this way?

Well, say hello to our first Worship Spotlight from our very own, Emily Heaton. If you don’t know Emily yet, she is my dear friend, ministry partner, and the anointed worship leader who led each and every one of our Quarantine Worship Nights last year. She is a gift to this ministry and a blessing to the body of Christ. Below is a song she wrote, and she shares the inspiration behind the lyrics as well. Also, make sure you stay tuned to our Facebook page, because Emily is going to Go Live this week to perform this song and lead us all in worship!

Where I Am
By Emily Heaton

Sometimes life doesn’t go the way we planned
Upsetting, heartbreaking
Where do I go from here?
It can make you feel lost,
Afraid to move
But, Lord, I look up to You
You’ve given me life, You’ve given Your Son, You’ve given me freedom

So I’ll praise you where I am today
I’ll praise You where I’m standing today
Through the rain, through the storm
Even when I feel alone
You are God, You are God
And I’ll praise You where I am today.

Meaningless
Sometimes it all seems meaningless under the sun
And I’m chasing after wind
When summer’s gone and winter seems here to stay
Lord, help my faith remain
Seasons will come; seasons will go
Lord. You hold control.

When weakness feels like it’s winning
When sorrow is all that I know
I lift my eyes to the hills
I know where my help comes from.

Behind the song:

The first line of this song very simply captures the disappointment in life we all feel at times. Life just has a way of surprising us and throwing us off of the plans or expectations we have. I actually wrote this song in the middle of a very heavy time for my family, when a dear friend of ours was battling cancer. I was feeling hopeless, like my prayers were not being heard. And to be honest, I still feel that way sometimes. Yet I refused to believe God wasn’t there. I refused to let my disappointment overwhelm my trust. And I found hope in knowing God’s presence was there, even when I couldn’t sense it.

The inspiration for the second verse came directly from the book of Ecclesiastes, where the author honestly and emotionally pours out frustration and confusion about life. What a welcoming and gracious gift for God to make space for our grief and processing. I find comfort in knowing He can handle my doubts when they come. He isn’t intimidated by my frustration or anger. In fact, He already knows my thoughts before I have them. He’s the ultimate safe place for the things I wrestle with.

I purposefully didn’t add resolution to the song in the way of my personal experience getting better. You’ll notice in each verse, there is an element of “things are still going poorly.” But I chose to end each verse acknowledging what I know to be true of God. He has given me eternal life, His Son, and freedom. He holds control. Even when our friend battling cancer took his last breath and was called home, He holds control. Even when I didn’t understand or agree with the outcome, He holds control.

These words are a reminder to me when I find myself in seasons of grief, loss, and unmet expectations that I will choose to praise God in every season. I will choose to praise him when I am content. I will choose to praise Him when I am not. I find comfort knowing He is worthy of all worship regardless of where I find myself. And in the seasons when I feel alone, I choose to trust He is there.

I pray you’ll find encouragement from this too. And wherever you find yourself standing today, know that you too can choose to praise God in the midst of any season.