Tunesday Tuesday.

I believe in God our Father, I believe in Christ the Son, I believe in the Holy Spirit, our God is three in one!!

I have not been able to get this chorus out of my head. It's called This I Believe (The Creed) which the whole song is not bad to have stuck in your head all day, in my opinion. What do you think?

Tunesday Tuesday.

Oh, Adele. You've got that voice that is just smooth as butter.

I remember when this song came out in college and it was every girl's favorite jam. Thorwing it back to 2011 tonight:

Someone Like You from Adele's album 21.

Tunesday Tuesday.

It's time for another post from my favorite Ben. His new album, Brand New, drops THIS Friday, so be sure to get it!! He released this painfully adorable music video last week of a song off his upcoming album. It's called "Paris" and the melody is just so Ben. Hope you enjoy!

Tunesday Tuesday.

I am a Child of God. No other title matters.

Tunesday Tuesday.

Embracing Accusation by Shane and Shane. We'll call this a celebratory post since the guys are working on a new album, Psalms 2!!! :)

Tunesday Tuesday.

This song is actually on a Christmas EP by Meridith Andrews, but the message is so simple as the title says, "The Gospel Changes Everything." I've been listening to it daily, reminding myself how simple the gospel message is. How good it is.

Tunesday Tuesday.

Helloooo folks. I know it's been awhile, but as we had teams here it wasn't exactly my first thought. But I'm back with a great one I heard a few weeks ago on JOY FM app for my phone which I LOVE because it allows me to listen to Christian radio from St. Louis, here in Buenos Aires! Then I hear what the current singles are and can keep up with the trends ;)

This is called How Can it Be by Lauren Daigle. Her voice is solid and she is only 23. She sounds a little young, so I thought I'd look online, but I didn't expect it to be so young for how mature it is either.

I'm not going to say more because the song does enough for itself. I hope you like it :)

Tunesday Tuesday.

I really like Christ August's music. What I like about it even more is that he and Ben (see last week's post) are friends and write together from time to time. :) Tonight this song came up on my shuffle and I was excited because a) it was Tuesday and b) I needed to hear it.

"Center of It" is its name and the line "When it feels like the doors are closin', Gotta trust that you're doin' somethin'" played, I had to start the song over. I've had to constantly remind myself lately that nothing I do here is for my glory and I can do nothing on my own, without the help of the Holy Spirit. So, this line was really encouraging to be reminded that even if in fact doors are closing in my face, I can trust that the Lord is intending it for good and that years later, something will come of it even if I don't see it now.

This song really is about God's faithfulness. Which is pretty much my favorite thing about Him ever.

I'm going to bed with a happy heart, a thankful heart, and a super encouraged heart from all the prayers that I know people have specifically been praying for me in these last few weeks. They mean the world to me. Without them, I'd be a wreck.

Xo,

B

Tunesday Tuesday.

Tonight, it's a favorite artist track. In honor of the Compadres Tour about to start, that I could literally cry on cue for, I'm playing this appropriate Ben (Rector) song, Sailboat.

I could write you an essay about why ben is the best and how much I love ben, but I'll spare you those details. If you're in the States, do yourself, and ME, a favor and PLEASE GO SUPPORT BEN and NEEDTOBREATHE ON THEIR TOUR. If you think that caps lock means people are yelling at you then good, take it as yelling.

Sorry about the blonde in the video, it's the best one I could find out there on it.

"Night after night there's an empty horizon
My God, do I feel so alone
Sometimes life, most times I, feel just like a sailboat"

Tunesday Tuesday.

Third Day just knows how to put out a classic don't they? How good is the Father's love for us!

Tunesday Tuesday.

This song today is an old one. Came up on my iTunes shuffle, and so many of the good ones do, and when I saw the video on YouTube, I knew I just had to share it. Big Daddy Weave came to my church a few years ago, and though my family had heard about WorldVision many many times, it was the testimonies of these guys that actually got my family to adopt a child through them. Mike Weaver, and all of the band are such great, genuine, sincere guys.

Now, Big Daddy Weave, admittedly, isn't my favorite group, but they make good music. (did you see the emphasis on good?) Their rhythms and lyrics so move me to a place of worship that it's hard not to like them. Personally, I just prefer a one man band (or two man, Shane and Shane.) I few days ago a posted another one of BDW's songs at the bottom of my page when talking about Redemption. They just hit on everything! Magnificent God and Jesus Move are two others that I really like.

Anyway, this song is called Overwhelmed. I think my favorite part says:

All that You’ve done is so overwhelming
I delight myself in You
In the Glory of Your Presence
I’m overwhelmed, I’m overwhelmed by You

Often overwhelmed is a bad thing, no? Beth Moore often talks about how she'd like to just sit and be whelmed. But if there's anything I want to be overwhelmed in, please let it be JESUS.

Okay, enough of me talking now, please listen to and WATCH this beautiful video!! :)

All Things Redeemed.

Christ the Redeemer. Redemption. We are redeemed. He is redeeming all things. These are all thoughts that have been on my mind lately and I love when God puts His word with a physical picture to remind us of it! Don't you? His word is living and active and ever present in our lives.

The first definition in the dictionary says:

redeem

/rɪˈdiːm/

1.

 Compensate for the faults or bad aspects of; to do something that compensates for poor past performance or behavior, to atone or make amends for (sin, error, or evil), to save (someone) from sin, error, or evil. 

 

Synonyms: vindicate, save/free from blame, remove guilt from, compensating, qualifying, save, compensate for the defects of, rescue, justify, vindicate.

Now that we've clarified what being redeemed what what redemption is, I can go on. Last week I was able to read the story of Ruth again and I just love the way the writer writes it like a play. He sets it up so perfectly as a drama, setting the way for the kinsman redeemer to come and save Ruth. Just as Christ has been brought into humanity's life story to be our Redeemer. To atone, make amend for our evil, our sin.

This week I've been thinking about how God redeems so much, not just at the start of our walk with Him and he's done, but all throughout our lives, he takes things and makes them new.

For example.

I have these two floral plants on my balcony that I bought when my mom was here and I was so excited to have color and something to look at. If you know me, or have ever worked with me, you know I have a black thumb. I kill plants! I don't know a thing about watering or how much sunlight, or watering (!!) they need. So a week after my parents left, I did too for a trip and I left my plants outside because that's were plants go, right? In the sun? Well, much to my dismay, when it's 90* and sunny and you're not home to water them, you're SUPPOSED to bring them inside, I'm told. So imagine my surprise when I get home and they are all but brown. I ran to the kitchen and dump buckets of water on those plants and watch the next day for blooms.

And were there blooms the next day? No.

But this week, 3 weeks later, with slow watering and a careful eye, both plants have had blooms and I am happy to say my balcony has color again.  God has redeemed, or compensated for poor past performance or behavior, the life of my plants, when I should have brought them in but left them out to almost die in the sun. My poor behavior and knowledge on flowers led to their bad, but God has redeemed it for their good! You guys I was so excited when I realized this connection. 

Did you see my post on Monday about my quick prayer, "Lord redeem this 10x over"? He always has a plan to bring about good, don't you know Romans 8:28! And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

*not my photo, not my blooms. I wish.

 {P.S. There's a really great song by Big Daddy Weave that is called Redeemed that you should check out! Here's the link for it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzGAYNKDyIU }

Tunesday Tuesday.

Bethel Music did it again. They came out with a song that I just can't get out of my head. And this time it's contagious. My roommate has started singing it as well. It's called, You Are My One Thing.

Enjoy!

Tunesday Tuesday.

I first heard this song a couple of months ago while at the gym, I think, and instantly fell in love with it. Coupled with the fact that Bryan & Katie Torwalt sing it, I think you'll like it too! I sang it live at a retreat this past week and you know that feeling when a song you love comes on the radio? Well that's how I feel when my favorite worship songs are part of a service. Especially since all my services are in Spanish now :)

Tunesday Tuesday & a little something extra.

We starting singing Christmas songs at church a few Sundays ago and while a most of them are familiar to me, there are some new ones as well. I'm sharing with you one that I instantly fell in love with, called Ven a Mi Corazón O Christo. The chorus sings: 

ven a mi corazon oh Cristo (come to my heart oh Christ)
pues en el hay lugar para ti (for in it there is room for you)

 This song reminds me that regardless of the setting we find Christ in, He is available to anyone's heart at anytime if we open ourselves up to Him. 

Setting is especially important for me to remember this Christmas season as I find myself away from home on Christmas for the first time in my life and it doesn't really 'feel like Christmas'. I say that as a phrase because what does it mean to feel like Christmas anyway?? Christmas is a date on the calendar that we set aside to celebrate the arrival, the birth of our SAVIOR. The Messiah who was has come to take the sins of the world, once and for all. This is a HUGE deal. 

So why then, does this not feel like Christmas? Yes, I see Christmas trees in Apartment lobbies, and lights in window shops. Store windows have for weeks now been advertising Felices Fiestas, or Happy Holidays,  but to me this all just says commercialism. I'm looking for the meaning of Christmas here. And don't get me wrong, I have seen signs posted around the city that say JESUS ES NAVIDAD, or JESUS IS CHRISTMAS. I have seen life size nativity sets even. Is that what defines Christmas?

Personally, growing up in the midwest, I'm missing the cold temps accompanied by snow. Missing the Starbucks Christmas cups when necessary (sorry, BA, but I'm not going to get a hot drink when it's 85 outside. Try again in July with the Christmas cups please?). Missing the long drives to work because of ice covered highways. Ha, just kidding there ;) Missing a big Christmas tree with all the presents under it and all the house decorations.

But, when I realized I was missing that last one, I scared myself.

America has so trained us and wrapped our minds to associating Christmas with the Birth of Jesus AND decorations, songs, festive things. But what happens when we strip that all away and focus solely on Jesus. Afterall, without Him, this holiday would just be another day on the calendar.

the largest nativity scene I've ever seen in the heart of downtown

snowglobes without the snow? in BA they are!

shopping malls are ready for Christmas!

 

Tunesday Tuesday.

Remember in Gossip Girl when Dan and Serena get married and Serena comes down the stairs looking like a goddess while Florence & The Machine is playing this song?? I do, and it's one of my favorite TV moments ever.

 

Enjoy.

{P.S. did you also know that Florence and Blake Lively (Serena) are besties? True fact.}

Tunesday Tuesday.

I bought a bunch of songs from Bethel Music last week, but this is the one that I can't get out of my head....

Tunesday Tuesday.

I heard this song last week at Saddleback Buenos Aires on my way out and was lovin' it.  Enjoy!

Tunesday Tuesday.

 Today, Lecrae's album comes out and he works with a lot of good artists on it! My favorite, Kari Jobe, does a song with him, but today I'm sharing a song that has a really cool melody. It's called "Messengers" and I hope you like it!

Out of Hiding.

I just have to share this song regardless of the fact that it's not a Tuesday. For anyone that's discouraged, in a rough spot, whatever it is.... please listen to this song. I love songs that are written/sung from the perspective of Jesus. And this is just one of those beautiful love songs. I heard it today on the treadmill at the gym and luckily I was pretty much done because I just had to slow down so I could close my eyes to keep from bawling right on the spot.

Breathe in, breathe out. And listen.

Come out of hiding
You're safe here with Me
There's no need to cover
What I've already seen

You've got your reasons
But I hold your peace
You've been on lockdown
But I hold the key

Cause I loved you before you knew it was love
And I saw it all, still I chose the cross
You were the one that I was thinking of
When I rose from the grave
Now rid of the shackles, My victory's yours
I tore the veil for you to come close
There's no reason to stand at a distance anymore
You're not far from home

I'll be your lighthouse
When you're lost at sea
And I will illuminate
Everything

No need to be frightened
By intimacy
Just throw off your fear
And come running to Me

Cause I loved you before you knew it was love
And I saw it all, still I chose the cross
You were the one that I was thinking of
When I rose from the grave
Now rid of the shackles, My victory's yours
I tore the veil for you to come close
There's no reason to stand at a distance anymore
You're not far from home

Oh as you run
What hindered love
Will only become
Part of the story

Baby, you're almost home now
Please don't quit now
You're almost home to Me