Ulysses-Love and War and the Sea In Between

Hello Loved Ones.
Recently I have been listening to Josh Garrel's latest album Love and War and the Sea In Between. I highly recommend listening to his album from start to finish, as it is beautifully written, and assembled with thoughtfulness and consideration for the story it strives to tell.

One song, Ulysses, stands out to me in particular. Although there are clearly multiple layers of meaning in the lyrics, I would like to mention just one:

Do not lose hope in love.

Hope in love whether you have ever loved before, whether you've had your heart broken, or whether you've never experienced it. It is so easy to lose hope that someday love will bring you home when these things make the journey seem like an eternity.

I love talking about God and how He has revealed Himself to me. I love spending time in His presence and I love sharing this with other people. It has not always been so. There was a season in my life where I was very far from home. A broken heart was what kept me from sailing there. Spiritually, God has carried me home, filled my heart with joy and contentment, and restored what was broken... but there is something less metaphorical in this song that I think many, myself included, can relate to.

I am not talking about sappy romance... I am talking about a longing for the intimacy that comes from knowing someone in and out, loving them, and knowing that they see you the same way. This is something that I hear captured in this song. It is a beautiful description of the voyage of opening one's heart and in making the conscious choice to believe that love does exist... that it is beautiful, and that it is worth the difficulties.

For those of us who have had our hearts broken, this song is a prayer that those bonds of brokenness will not keep us from finding love again. I love how the music crescendos into a striking release of any bitterness, anger, or sadness. It is a stunning demonstration of what needs to happen in order for broken hearts to be carried home. I fully believe that this determination... this outpouring... this releasing... it is in these moments that broken hearts are carried home.

Oh... and I would also like to mention... having had a broken heart at some point in time doesn't make you less lovable or less capable of loving... in fact it is quite the opposite. The heart is truly unique.

This song has quickly become a favorite... one that I can listen to over and over again.

Flight Of The Conchords - Jenny

Telephone - Lady Gaga feat. Beyonce - Classical Cover by Aston

Ummm... YES please!

Faithful One

Hello Loved Ones.

This last month seems like a blur of absolute insanity.

I’m coming to understand the harsh realities that lie in the frailty of my own existence.

I suppose at first glance that may seem like a truly depressing statement, but in actuality the events of the past month have forced me to look to the One who is the Beginning and End. I have been learning a side of my Lord’s character that I did not fully grasp before, and in turn have had a greater sense of joy, peace, and hope than I have ever before.

He is the Faithful One.

My grandmother passed away this last month. This has been a truly difficult and unexpected struggle. After spending the last few days that my grandmother was alive taking care of her in the hospital, I can say for certain that I have come to a new understanding of death. It’s horrid. It’s gruesome, disfiguring, and unforgiving.

And then God’s faithfulness…

He is faithful in the little things. He is faithful in the big things. He has always been faithful and always will be. This solid truth has brought about a subtle transformation in my heart. It allows me to lament, to grieve, but does not leave me in that place. It is the only thing that allows me to face the realities and the frailness of my existence and still know God’s love and grace. This is the hope that I am coming to know…. The faithfulness of God lived out, day to day. Joy overwhelms me in seeing His work on this intimate level.

I wish I could find this song without video… but this is as close as it gets…