Rain Down On Me

Showers of sadness flood my soul

In the dryness of my pain
I watch for the rainbow
When my heart turns gray
As I long for yesterday
I know that I need you
In the time that I stray
So I'll follow like night after day

I need you to rain down on me please pour down your light
For this is my life-line
I need you to rain down on me
The weather is fine when you rain on me
The weather is fine when you rain on me

The power of gladness takes control
When it's streaming from Your face
You vanish my sorrow
You wash it away
Like the sunlight in the rain
I know that I need You
In the time that I stray
So I'll follow like night after day

I need you to rain down on me please pour down your light
For this is my life-line
I need you to rain down on me
The weather is fine when you rain on me
The weather is fine when you rain on me

Holy water falls as I lift my eyes
From my own fate
Then heaven flows straight through my
heart as it carries your embrace

I need you to rain down on me please pour down your light
For this is my life-line
I need you to rain down on me
The weather is fine when you rain on me
The weather is fine when you rain on me

The weather is fine when you rain on me

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Michelle L. Tumes / Tony Miracle

Rain Down on Me lyrics © Capitol Christian Music Group, Capitol CMG Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group

I Understood What She Said

When I was in high school in my Junior year,
I visited a church where a specific teenager gave her testimony.

It was a Sunday evening and I went with a girl named Ruthie,

Who was a year older than me; I don't remember why she invited me.

I wish I knew the (then) girl's name, but she had long, layered dark hair and I think blue eyes.

I remember this girl had gone through addiction, though she was still in high school - 

If I remember correctly, it was both drug and alcohol addition - 

And I remember how though she regretted it, she said she wouldn't change it for the world.

At the time, I immediately connected with what she said.

It was paradoxical at best, and contradictory to most,

And I couldn't adequately explain it to my mother, 

Who looked at me like she didn't understand.

I wish I remembered her name - but she was correct.

You don't have to wish what happened to yourself to have happened,

But you can still be thankful to where it led. 

For her it led to the podium that night, speaking about how God had redeemed her.

He Lost His Chance

I went to my parents' church today, 
For the first time since December 2019.

I was excited, and actually liked this pastor.

(And I don't like many pastors.)

My sister and brother-in-law are in town,

And one of my mom's friends came

Who brought her eleven-year-old granddaughter

And a friend of hers.

It started out alright,

Remembering those lost,

But then it took a weird turn.

And - which I did not expect from him - it turned political.

The topic was murder,

And he spent the second half of the time

Talking against abortion. 

He even brought in a political activist.

The basic message was, 

"If you have an abortion, you are a murderer."

He gave no evidence, no proof,

Nor adequately addressed any other sides of the issue.

My mother's friend took the two tweens and walked out of the service.

Afterwards, my mom even said that if she had known the topic,

She would not have invited her this Sunday,

Which, to me, says something about a church.

He lost her. He lost his chance to show Christ to her.

After the service, my brother-in-law - 

Who is much more conservative than I am - 

Said there were multiple lines crossed,

And discussed them on the way home.

He cited several straw man arguments,

And what this kind of teaching can lead to - 

Such as insurrections for a certain political party.

He laid out things in ways most people cannot. 

They do not live here, but they were still turned off.

They go to church every Sunday, and 

In many ways are fairly conservative.

Yet my sister even commented how he missed the mark.

He left out medical issues, any exceptions.

He contained a religious rhetoric,

And did not explore the complete picture.

He only reached those who completely agree with him.

He lost them. He lost the chance to invigorate them.

I had promised God I would go - 

And He released me from going.

I probably should have listened,

But I would have heard anyways.

In some ways, it was better that I was there. 

To see, hear, and experience it first hand,

And not just get second hand information that made me mad.

This is a very passionate subject for me.

I almost walked out, but I did not drive myself.

And I wanted to finish - even if by sheer will. 

At the end I stood there with a hand on my hip, 

Shaking my head with how out of touch these people are.

He lost me. 

My brother - the real smartest person I will ever know - 

Heard all of this first from our conservative brother-in-law,

And then in conjunction with our sister, 

Before he ever got to anything I thought.

He lost his chance of ever getting him to grace his presence at that church.

Our father is conflicted,

And though our mother is not so much,

Her friend is turned off,

And both were not expecting what happened.

So what happened?

That I really do not know but am sorely disappointed.

Perspective

Tonight I went out with my brother and a friend,
And she gave me a bag of birthday gifts.

Which I forgot. At the bar.

At least I got the bracelet, because I put it on.

I am so mad at myself. 

I called them I think 7 times. 

No one picked up.

I left a voicemail. 

It wasn't busy when we left;

I can only pray it was found by staff,

Who will hold it for the person to whom it belongs.

I don't trust people. But I know God will use any outcome.

It was raining, a dreary day.

It started off rough, where I accidentally

Texted in a group text about tonight.

Only one of the friends was invited.

I do not feel bad about seeing the other friend without her,

But I did feel bad about the text. 

She figured it out, I'm sure.

But I am not responsible for her happiness.

My mom reminded me to put it in perspective -

(I may have wanted to drive back there to see if I could get it.)

In the end, it is only material things - 

(But it is special because of who gave it to me!)

But they are material things that can be replaced.

Even though it will be embarrassing

Since I don't know the brands of any of it,

So I would have to ask her for it and pay.

And I don't want her to feel disappointed in me

(That will be inevitable, but still, plenty of time for that!)

In the end, people are more important than things.

I was focused on them, not the gifts, as I left.

In the end, presence means more to me than material things.

A Castle On The Hill

She has a castle on the hill,
A place all her own, in a good part of town.

A spacious bedroom, with all new furniture.

A whole house she decorated on her own.

But she has no one to sleep with her,

No one to spend her life with,

Day in and day out.

No one to vent to every night.

She has very pretty stuff,

Which she very much likes.

A nice guest bedroom,

And an extra for her passion.

But she is missing community.

Community brought on by thinking of others,

Rather than just of oneself.

Community that involves living together.

She has everything many have dreamed of,

But not what she truly craves.

Her friends cannot be a replacement.

No matter how hard she tries.

Is He Worthy?

Do you feel the world is broken?
(We do)
Do you feel the shadows deepen?
(We do)
But do you know that all the dark won't
Stop the light from getting through?
(We do)
Do you wish that you could see it all made new?
(We do)

Is all creation groaning?
(It is)
Is a new creation coming?
(It is)
Is the glory of the Lord to be the light within our midst?
(It is)
Is it good that we remind ourselves of this?
(It is)

Is anyone worthy? Is anyone whole?
Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave
He was David's root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave

Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Of all blessing and honor and glory
Is He worthy of this?
He is

Does the Father truly love us?
(He does)
Does the Spirit move among us?
(He does)
And does Jesus, our Messiah hold forever those He loves?
(He does)
Does our God intend to dwell again with us?
(He does)

Is anyone worthy?
Is anyone whole?
Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave
He is David's root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave
From every people and tribe
Every nation and tongue
He has made us a kingdom and priests to God
To reign with the Son

Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Of all blessing and honor and glory
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Is He worthy of this?

He is!
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
He is!
He is!

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Andrew Peterson / Ben Shive

Is He Worthy? lyrics © Junkbox Music, Capitol Cmg Genesis, Vamos Publishing

I'll Always Remember You (But I Will Also Let You Go)

To My Smartest Friend,

Who became My Least Loyal Friend.

I will always love you. 

But I also let you go.

------------------------------------------------------------------

I always knew this day would come
We'd be standing one by one
With our future in our hands
So many dreams, so many plans

I always knew after all these years
There'd be laughter, there'd be tears
But never thought I'd walk away
With so much joy, but so much pain
And it's so hard to say "goodbye"

But yesterday's gone
We gotta keep moving on
I'm so thankful for the moments
So glad I got to know you

The times that we had
I'll keep like a photograph
And hold you in my heart forever
I'll always remember you

Another chapter in the book
Can't go back, but you can look
And there we are on every page
Memories I'll always save

Up ahead on the open doors
Who knows what we're heading towards?
I wish you love, I wish you luck
For you, the world just opens up
But it's so hard to say "goodbye"

Yesterday's gone
We gotta keep moving on
I'm so thankful for the moments
So glad I got to know you

The times that we had
I'll keep like a photograph
And hold you in my heart forever
I'll always remember you

Everyday that we had
All the good, all the bad
I'll keep 'em here inside

All the times that we shared
Every place, everywhere
You touched my life

Yeah, one day, we'll look back
We'll smile and we'll laugh
But right now we just cry
'Cause it's so hard to say "goodbye"

Yesterday's gone
We gotta keep moving on
I'm so thankful for the moments
So glad I got to know you

The times that we had
I'll keep like a photograph
And hold you in my heart forever
I'll always remember you

I'll always remember you
Yeah, hey, yeah, yeah
I'll always remember you

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Alexander Jessi Leigh / Scherr Mitchell Allan

I'll Always Remember You lyrics © Walt Disney Music Company, Happy Tears Music