Pray a new song

Erinnicole's Prayer: Matt Maher's "Remembrance"

2010-07-30T17:44:00.002-05:00

And remembrance leads us to worship

I pray that this may always be my attitude. That each time I think of the wondrous and glorious things that God has done for me, I am in a constant state of worship. That is how it should be; prayer and thanksgiving as attitudes and ways of life, instead of as actions or words. I pray that I may live this out!

Erinnicole's Prayer: Jars of Clay's "Worlds Apart"

2010-07-29T21:36:00.003-05:00

Did you really have to die for me? No. No, You didn't. But you did. I so often struggle with why. I am so frustratingly overwhelmed with your Love, which doesn't even make sense. I do not and will not ever understand why I deserve it. But I have it, Lord, and I am so, so grateful for it. I love you and please hear my prayer to love as you love without condition.

Erinnicole's Prayer: Jars of Clay's "Amazing Grace"

2010-07-27T20:56:00.002-05:00

And you know I ain't got no money

Usually, I try to keep it general. But today, I can't help but be specific. If I don't find a campus job by semester, I lose half of my scholarships, and pickings are not only slim, but most jobs I am not eligible for. I am really at a loss and this song really helped me to stop freaking out so much. God knows everything, even the little stuff, like the fact that the job slipped my mind in an insane summer. My only prayers today are that I get a job, but more than that, to see this for what it is: an opportunity to trust that God will provide. I have been struggling with what school I am truly called to be enrolled in and maybe this will help make a choice easier. God help me to see you in all things, as you are ever working in my life, and the lives of all of your children. I trust you, Dad.

Erinnicole's Prayer: Andy Cloninger's "In His Santuary"

2010-07-26T22:24:00.003-05:00

Splendor Majesty Strength and Glory

I love these because it seems to cover so many things. God is Love is so perfect because He truly is; but He is also all things! As these amazing lyrics point out. It is so simple to throw the word "love" around. I did it in the first sentence! But these words are so unique, especially to God. I have never heard anything else be described by the word "splendor" except for the King. Majesty, strength, and glory are never thrown around. Their meanings are delicate, and when people use them, you can be sure they are as they say. It is so awesome to know that our God is all of these wondrous things and above all, he is ou

Erinnicole's Prayer: DCTalk's "Mind's Eye"

2010-07-22T22:06:00.003-05:00

I love this image of the mind's eye. Of being able to disconnect yourself to plug into what is truly there, I guess. I can't really explain it very well, but to me it is very poetic. Although I would probably call it my heart's eye. My mind's eye doesn't have very good vision, but my heart's eye is 20 20 for sure. Being called to see things that from a regular eye's perspective may not make sense (much like this prayer) but make sense in the way that God created things. My prayer is to see things as God intended through whatever eyes He graces me with.

Erinnicole's Prayer: Big Daddy Weave's "Words of Life"

2010-07-19T22:50:00.000-05:00

This song is so perfect in lieu of just returning from two Steubenville conferences. I went with an open heart, hoping that God would speak to me because His Word is truly life and what I heard was incredible. Not only did I just get words, either. They were grouped with love, peace, and guidance. I am definitely inspired to continue drawing closer to God in the hopes that I will not only hear words of life but be able to speak them, too.

Erinnicole's Prayer: Matt Maher's "You Know Who I Am"

2010-07-07T20:09:00.002-05:00

falling in love with your family

This is my prayer for this weekend. I am going to be a prayer minister at the Steubenville Mid-America conference and I am really nervous!! I have to remember though that all that is necessary is love and openness. God really does know who I am, even if I'm still learning, and He knows exactly where and when He needs me. I pray that I can just take this weekend to learn and fall in love with the big family around me that I have yet to meet.

Erinnicole's Prayer: God's Property's "Stomp"

2010-07-05T16:05:00.002-05:00

I think the most interesting thing about this song is that they say that Jesus's love is so great it makes them want to stomp. Good things make me want to jump and angering things make me want to stomp. Anger can seem to be so much more overwhelming than happiness sometimes. No one turns another color when they are happy or anything like that. this song makes me want to challenge myself to love God with intensity.

Erinnicole's Prayer: Kutless' "Run"

2010-06-11T10:15:00.003-05:00

Find a place of solitude, and i'll speak to you

I talked a few days ago about how I have been waiting for a conversation with God to ensue because I only seem to search for answers, not just things that God may have to say in a general sense. I really like this song and this line specifically because it is directions. I take directions really well because I like knowing exactly what people want and need; that guarantees that I'll be able to make them happy. I have been thinking that I need a set place to pray and my friend Rachel told me I needed one and this is God telling me, "Yes! that's it! You've got it!" Step One: Find a place to pray. Step Two: Listen. I pray for the patience and focus to get to step two. I am also comforted knowing that no matter how long it takes me, He is waiting. I love you, Lord. Amen.

Erinnicole's Prayer: Kirk Franklin's "Go Tell It On the Mountain"

2010-06-10T21:02:00.002-05:00

Now, I know that there is a logical way this can be taken; which would be shouting it from the mountain tops in the hopes that the whole world hears. However, today, that is not how I heard it. I heard it as maybe one person lives in the mountains and other such desolate places where we are supposed to "tell it". But even that ONE person is important enough to God that He wants all of us to get ourselves in gear and go up to share it. Every single person is important to the body of Christ and we aren't called to witness, by words or actions, to people that we think are kind or fun or worthy, we are called to call everyone.

Erinnicole's Prayer: Mark Schultz's "You Are A Child of Mine"

2010-06-09T14:53:00.004-05:00

I am so used to singing about how I am calling out to God, or how the earth is calling out to God. In this song, though, it is God calling out to us. Even though it is really common to hear about God calling us to do things, I almost never hear it worded as "calling out". That makes such a difference because crying out is something that we do for things that we truly want and it is so wonderful to know that God truly wants us. He wants us so badly that He'll keep on calling for us until we finally come.

Erinnicole's Prayer: Aaron Shust's "My Savoir, My God"

2010-06-08T16:24:00.002-05:00

My Savior’s always there for me

I love this song! It is one song that I totally belt without holding back whenever I get a chance. It is such a proclamation of pride. It is the best of bragging and thanksgiving! It is so true that my Savior is always there for me. This morning my friend Rachel and I went to breakfast after our first summer mass together. She is recently converted to Catholicism from Judaism and spent the past month with her Jewish father and his Jewish community. She wasn't sure how to approach witnessing without being too forward and also didn't want to (more-or-less) contradict the name of Catholicism by saying "look how good it is, even though I am a sinner," when truly, that's the point. She said, "I want to tell them, Jesus is my number One, but let's be real; He isn't. I want Him to be, though." That really affected me because it is so true to this line of the song. I know that a lot of my faith family, myself included, shares this feeling. We want Him to be our Everything, but it's really hard to actually get there. This reminder that we are HIS number one helps it along for me. My prayer is for me to always be there for Jesus, ready to do God's Will.

Erinnicole's Prayer: Clay Cross' "I Will Follow Christ"

2010-06-07T21:52:00.002-05:00

There were times of awesome inspiration
There were times you didn't understand

This is definitely something that I can identify with. For a while now, i've been on this path of totally awesome inspiration! But lately, I have just not understood things. I'm in a really good place with where I am; I am happy. But I am lacking in a relationship with God. I am where He needs me to be, and somehow, knowing that has made me talk to Him less. I suppose I think that if I am where He needs me, then He doesn't have anything else to say. That would be something that I don't understand, because He is always trying to tell us at least one thing: "I love you."

Erinnicole's Prayer: Steven Curtis Chapman's "The Sake of the Call"

2010-06-03T20:23:00.002-05:00

The line that really touched me in this song was "we will abandon it all..." I think it is such an amazing thing that we are not called to just give up some things, but we are truly called to abandon everything. All of it. Because without God, it means nothing. Also, it is ALL of us that are called to, not some of us, and not those of us that seem "able". God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called. I pray today that I will graciously be able to give up even things that God may have given me in order to do His Will.

Erinnicole's Prayer: Steven Curtis Chapman's "The Mountain"

2010-06-02T21:02:00.001-05:00

I would love to live up on this mountain
And keep the pain of living life so far away
But I know I can't stay
Up on the mountain

This is exactly how I feel in Adoration. I could spend the rest of my life just being in the Presence and I wish it could be that way sometimes. But I know that our calling is to take that Love and share it; tell the rest of the world that it exists while we are here so when we get to Heaven, we can spend an eternity with that love. It is so hard to do, though, sometimes, when you are trying to share something with people who don't want it and it's so much easier to stay in the chapel, where it is safe and loving. I pray for the strength to keep sharing God's love.

Erinnicole's Prayer: Matt Redman's "You Never Let Go"

2010-06-01T16:16:00.003-05:00

I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You

This is just such an excellent way to lead our lives. Total acceptance, confidence, faith, and patience. It is admittedly hard to possess all, or even any sometimes, of these values. It makes me think of this C.S. Lewis quote: "When we are wholly His we will be more ourselves than ever." These things are hard but when we are able to surrender to them and to His Plan, things will be better than we can ever imagine.

Erinnicole's Prayer: Matt Maher's "As It Is In Heaven"

2010-05-31T20:30:00.003-05:00

I adore this song. The whole thing is such a marvelous plea and promise. Every line, especially as Matt Maher sings it, is a giant proclamation of our desire to please God and have Him here! This song fills me with hope for a generation of people who love God and know what's up. We know what we can have, and all we have to do is ask with open, willing, and sincere hearts.

Erinnicole's Prayer: Shane & Shane's "You Said"

2010-05-28T13:59:00.002-05:00

Ask and you will receive

This is what the readings were for today, too. Something really cool that I thought of on my way to mass the other day, is how awesome it is that we have a God that answers prayers. I realized that it tends to be easier to get answers to your prayers when you're actually praying. Even, and especially, when it's hard. All it has to be is a prayer as simple as, "God make your will the desire of my heart." That's what my prayer is today.

Erinnicole's Prayer: Donnie McClurkin's "We Fall Down"

2010-05-27T16:21:00.002-05:00

we couldn't stay there

The title of this song is really matter-of-fact. It happens; we fall. A lot, too. But this particular line "we couldn't stay there" is equally just as factual. When we fall, we cannot stay. And we haven't any reason to because even when we think we can fall no further, we are totally and completely brought back by God's love.

Erinnicole's Prayer: Steven Curtis Chapman's "King of the Jungle"

2010-05-26T18:46:00.002-05:00

He's always in control

A beautiful mantra, again. I feel like all of my prayers are about control. Who has it, and what to do with it. My prayer today is really simple though, I just want to work with God. I don't have trouble letting God control my life but I have a problem letting Him control the lives of my friends. I feel like if He takes care of me, I'll take care of the rest, but we can all rest safe in His Hands and help each other that way, right?

Erinnicole's Prayer: Matt Maher's "Christ is Risen"

2010-05-25T19:26:00.003-05:00

freely you bled for us

"Freely". This reminds me of the question of what held Jesus on the cross; not nails, but love. I think that freely is a weird word in this sense. It was freedom of choice that made Christ stay up on the cross for us, but it was not free in that, it cost his life. This just really makes me want to meditate on value. This word makes it sound like it was easy for God to make this choice, and I've never really thought of it that way. When I have to make even a simple choice to do something that I don't want to, just for someone else's benefit, it really is easy. Maybe, despite how physically hard it was, it was easy for Christ to look at us and say, "Of course I'll stay here, you are all more than worth it." There is a beautiful CS Lewis composition about the passion and the last line goes something like, "The question is...were you worth it? & yes, you were." I pray that maybe we could see that incredible value in not only ourselves but in each other, especially.

Erinnicole's Prayer: Rich Mullin's "Sometimes by Step"

2010-05-24T09:06:00.004-05:00

I think what stands out to me in this song the most is the repetition of the word "sometimes" and it's placement in the song. The things that are uncertain are all circumstances that come and go; good and bad. Sometimes the night was beautiful, but sometimes it wasn't. The constant in the song is actually really contradictory to the title. Always, all of my days, I will follow in God's steps. Not sometimes by step, but always. Lately, I have been having such a hard time focusing on prayer. I am so busy that when I get time to sit down and spend quiet time, I am just reviewing the days: did I get everything finished today? Do I have everything I need to be successful tomorrow? & I cannot bring myself to just shut up and listen. The reason that the word "sometimes" sticks out to me is because it comforts me that sometimes, I may falter in my steps...organized prayer in this case, but even when I fall in prayer, I can still seek God. This is definitely something I need to remember. To keep walking, keep growing, and moving forward, but sometimes, things change and that isn't a fault and it isn't a reason to give up, it's just incentive to try harder.

Erinnicole's Prayer: Matt Maher's "I Love You Lord"

2010-05-21T10:59:00.003-05:00

I will stay close to You, my friend

This song is amazing. It says everything I long to say but can't find the words for - but they so are simple! It can be summed up in this line, I think. No matter what happens, God will be always my friend and I will always stay close to Him. I pray for the strength to make choices that will keep me one with God and for people who have made choices that take them away...that they may find Him again.

Erinnicole's Prayer: Steven Curtis Chapman's "Land of Opportunity"

2010-05-20T14:52:00.003-05:00

But a heart pure and simple
Is a heart that stays free

We do a skit on REAP about true freedom, and this is the absolute point of the skit. It is so simple to lose freedom to things like drugs, alcohol, and other things of the like. We see it happen way too often. But there are a lot of other things I forget to take into account, too. We can lose our freedom to too much time online, spending time we could be doing something productive just sitting around, and things like that. I love purity and simplicity; it reminds me of St. Terese's little way. That no matter how old we get, we are all just Daddy's kids, and He will always be taking care of us. Under Him, we will always be free.

Erinnicole's Prayer: Jason Upton's "One Reason"

2010-05-19T14:49:00.002-05:00

Asking for signs to believe in

This is so familiar, it's like I wrote it. I am constantly asking for signs from God. Am I doing the right thing? Will this work out? What now, what next, why, yes, no? Et cetera all over the place. I am really happy this song hit on this because it makes me feel less foolish for looking for signs and not even looking, but asking. I remember words of wisdom that people who are looking for things find them, and of course if you aren't looking, you can't! Sometimes I wonder if I'm looking too hard. I also love how this song casts us into the roll of Jesus' persecutors. It's so difficult sometimes to remember to ask for answers and follow through and listen to them. This song is so right. Even when I don't have everything laid out and all signs interpreted or found, even, God has still never let me down and I pray that I don't doubt Him ever.