Dream of Me

Written for Vince
September 2007

The first two verses and chorus of this song were written months before I ever met Vince.  At that time he was just a promise, just a hope in my heart.  But God knew his name, and knew that one day He would join our paths together.  This is the commentary I wrote at that time:

This song was written as a love song for my future husband.  

So many times I have wondered about him, in quiet anticipation...

the way that a mother dreams about her unborn child.  

For so long, that dream has felt like nothing more than a fantasy 

that will never truly come to pass.  But through the gift of this song, 

God has imprinted a promise upon my heart, assuring me that 

He indeed does have a future planned for me.  A future filled with 

amazing joy and true love.  A wonderful man who will love me like Christ, 

and will in return be blessed by the love that I have to give to him.  

He will cherish, honor, and love me in ways I have never before known.  

And he will think that I am beautiful.

And now I know the love of this man that was promised to me so long ago.  I knew after our first date that Vince was the man my song was written for.  God spoke to me the very next day in church...He told me "Let Me love you through this man.  This man knows Me, he loves Me, and has Me in his heart."  The original version of this song was the very first song that I ever sang and played for him.  Since then, our love grew into a deep, rich, forever love.  And we sang this to each other at our wedding!  I thank God every day for giving me the incredible gift of this man.  Vince is more than I ever hoped for, more than I ever dreamed of.  And he thinks I am beautiful.

Dream of Me

Here I am, and somewhere there you are

Are you thinking of me?

Somewhere down the road by the Father's hand

Love will be revealed.

Oh, promised love of Heaven's design

Waiting to be born

Oh, I hear the voice of angels

Singing our love song.

God's preparing me for you

And He's preparing you for me

And in my heart I know

A love beyond our wildest dreams

Can you imagine?

What do you see when you dream of me?

Will I see Jesus in your eyes,

Will you see Him in mine?

Will our love spark in an instant,

Or bloom over time?

Oh, promised love of Heaven's design

I'm waiting here for you.

Oh, to feel your arms around me

Will be like coming home.

God's preparing me for you

And He's preparing you for me

And in my heart I know

A love beyond our wildest dreams

Can you imagine?

What do you see when you dream of me?

So many nights, oh I prayed for you,

The love of my life I never knew.

Then God gave me this promise, and much to my surprise

I see my Savior in your eyes.

Now here I am, and there you are

You're here with me now.

Take me by the hand, my hero of a man

My promised love of Heaven's design,

I give my heart to you.

Oh, when I feel your arms around me

I know I've found my home.

God's preparing me for you

And He's preparing you for me

And in my heart I know

A love beyond our wildest dreams

Can you imagine?

What do you see when you dream of me?

My love, do you dream of me?

"My lover spoke and said to me, "Arise my darling, my beautiful one,

and come with me.  See!  The winter is past, the rains are over and gone.

Flowers appear on the earth, the season of singing has come."

Song of Songs 2:10-12

River of Hope

May 2007

This song was written during what I think may have been the most intensely lonely time of my life.  In Exodus 13-16, the Israelites had been freed from slavery and bondage and yet they were being led on a long journey through the desert to their promised land.  I felt like I was on that same journey, and had been crying out to God about why it is taking so long, why I had to go through this season of loneliness.  It had been very intense and exhausting, and I became very angry with God over it.

I had written the first two verses and went to church the next morning...angry and lost.  I shared it with my friend Becky Misar and we prayed together, and as the tears fell I began to feel God pulling the veil away and exposing me to the light of His peace again.  I was able to write the last half of the song, and as I did He reminded me that He will never leave me or forsake me.  He knows that we will feel alone, forsaken, and even abandoned by Him sometimes.  But He gives us this assurance that when loneliness comes, when we are in the sandstorm and the winds are blowing and our vision is blinded ~ we would remember that He is there.  He will never leave or forsake me if I abide in Him.  He reminded me to take one day at a time, not live for the future or regret the past.  Live each day staying focused on Jesus and connected to the Vine.

River of Hope

There is a mighty river

Flowing out of Your hand

To the dry and weary soul

Hope, like a river flows.

Oh, I've drank from this river

I thought would never end.

Now hope eludes me,

Loneliness ensues me

And calls me his friend.

Oh friend, I remember you.

River of hope, you've gone and left me dry

And I've not the will to try

To find my way again.

Lord of all, have You let go of my hand?

For I do not understand

Why I walk this path of life alone.

Have I not called You Savior?

Have You not called me Your friend?

What have You healed me for,

This open door that leads to emptiness?

Oh, I closed that door

So many years ago,

Still hope eludes me

Emptiness ensues me

And calls me his friend.

Oh friend, I remember you.

River of hope, you've gone and left me dry

And I've not the will to try 

To find my way again.

Lord of all, have You let go of my hand?

For I do not understand

Why I walk this path of life alone.

Oh, I've lost my way

Come and find me, Lord

I am desperate for You

I'm desperate for You, Jesus

There on the bank of this river

Comes my Savior again!

With His love, He moves me

In His arms, He soothes me

And calls me His friend

Oh, Friend...I remember You.

River of hope, flow into my soul

With my Savior, I know

I'll find my way again.

Lord of all, You're still holding my hand

One day I'll understand

Why I walked this path of life alone.

Jesus, I know I don't walk this path alone.

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God

through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Through Him we have also obtained access by faith

into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,

and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,

and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts

through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."

Romans 5:1-5

On Holy Ground

February 2007

This song was born out of a time of worship that I experienced alone in my living room one night.  I had been feeling so overwheled, like I was not able to give enough to any area of my life...my kids, my job, my house, myself, and even to God.  I just felt drained and fragmented.  I couldn't sleep, and as He often does, God took the opportunity to speak to my heart.  As I was praising Him in song with nothgin but a candle burning, he began speaking to me and I wrote down what he said.  Even in that raw state, it spoke deeply to my heart and brought so much healing.

A few weeks later, Chris came over and as we were sitting at my piano I got up and showed her my journal entry from that night.  She began to sob!  She told me that, at what turned out to be the exact same time that I was writing this, she was praying for me.  Praying for me to receive life, rest, and to stop trying so hard.  Wow.  About a month later God composed this into a song for me, and every line is derived from the words He spoke to me that night. 

On Holy Ground

I have not called you to be perfect

I've called you to be whole

I've come to give you life

Like you've never known.

So lift your eyes to Heaven

Take My hand and come with Me

Come see what awaits you...for eternity!

You stand on holy ground 

I purchased it for you

Long ago, with My love.

My tears fell,

They fell on holy ground.

Why do you try so hard?

It's already been done.

I'm here to give you rest

Like you've never known.

So lift your eyes to Heaven

Take My hand and come with Me

Come see what awaits you...for eternity!

And rest on holy ground

I purchased it for you

Long ago, with My love

Come find rest

On My holy ground.

And every time that you fall

I will lift you up

And deliver you

My mercies are new!

So dance on holy ground,

 I purchased it for you

Dance with Me, you are free

You are free...you are free

You're free to dance on My holy ground.

"Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this:

The faithful love of the Lord never ends!

His mercies never cease.  Great is His faithfulness;

His mercies begin afresh each morning."

Lamentations 3:21-23

Like Rain

December 2006

The Lord gave me this song as I was journaling...I have not changed a word of it.  He poured it into me, and as He did he told me that everything He is giving me is redeeming me from something.  He is the God of redemption, the only source of redemption and peace.  The only satisfaction for my soul.

Like Rain

You are amazing

And beautiful, Lord

and I love You

More than words can express.

I need You, Lord

More than I can confess.

And You love me

More than I know,

More than I realize.

Cover me with Your presence,

Flow over me like rain,

Awaken the spirit within me

I will never be the same.

"He will be like rain falling on a mown field,

like showers watering the earth."

Psalm 72:6

Holy Place

June 2006

Writing Holy Place changed my life.  Through this song, God revealed Himself to me in such an intimate way.  He revealed to me that I can come just as I am before Him.  I am acceptable to him, precious to Him, beautiful to Him, and very deeply loved.  He freely breathes His life into my soul ~ and His breath is the very source of my being.

Holy Place

I've not much to offer You, Lord

But what I have is Yours

This heart, so fragile and worn

Is all I have to give

Lord, breathe Your life into me now.

Usher me into Your sanctuary

Your Holy Place, in Your presence, Lord

Before Your throne of mercy and grace

Where I can see Your face

To this Holy Place, I come

In the hush of Your presence, Lord

Your voice is all I hear

"My beloved child,

You're beautiful to Me

Oh, breathe your life from Me now.

Welcome into My sanctuary

My Holy Place where you know My love

Before My throne of mercy and grace

Where I can see your face

to this Holy Place, come.

Oh, my precious one,

I long to draw you near

Oh, breathe your life from Me now.

Welcome into My sanctuary

My Holy Place where you know My love

Before My throne of mercy and grace

Where I can see your face

To this Holy Place,

My Holy Place,

My Holy Place, come.

"Hear my cry for mercy as I call to You for help,

as I lift up my hands toward Your Most Holy Place." 

Psalm 23:3

Crossroads

May 2006

This is my very first song.  God just blew me away with this song, this incredible gift.  Not only is it a dream come true to actually write music, but the song itself is a very personal gift to me from my Father.  It is about being redeemed from the choices we've made, that God will always make a new road for us no matter how badly we may have messed up our lives.  When I shared my song with our worship leader/pastor at my church, he said that the greatest ministry comes out of brokenness.  He said I am in a season of crushing, like a can being recycled.  Jesus said "whoever falls on Me will be broken, but not destroyed."  He's molding and reshaping me in order to rebuild me into something new, much stronger and iwth more joy than I've ever known.  Pastor Doug kept saying to me, "this season will end!  It will end for you, Lisa."  This song brings with it so much healing.

Some time after that, I played this song at a women's ministry event at church.  Becky and Natalie sang it with me.  Prior to singing, I shared this message.  Afterward several women came up to me in tears, sharing how much the song touched them.  Glory to God.  Here is the message I shared...

Have you ever come to a place in life where you had a decision to make, a choice to either follow the path that God has laid out for you, or to go your own way?  It's like being at a crossroad.  God is saying "this way", but you choose the other.  I've been there, many times.  We all have.  Sometimes it's the big decisions of life, or it's daily ~ the little things.  And when we choose not to listen to His voice and we go our own way, we invite so much grief and sometimes destruction into our lives.

But do you know that even when we choose the wroing path, even then Jesus continues to walk with us.  he doesn't leave us at the crossroad and let us go our own way alone.  He stays by our side.  And when we reach that place where we are broken, and we are lost enough to let Him lead us again...He reaches out His hand, lifts us up, and the healing begins.  That road of healing can be long, but do you know that you are never too lost, or too broken to receive healing?  never.  he will make a way from wherever you are.

This song is about redemption.  Exodus 15:13 says "In Your unfailing love You will lead the people You ahve redeemed.  In Your strength you will guide them to Your holy dwelling."  My prayer is that you will hear His voice today...calling you. 

Crossroads

If I only believed how much You loved me

Instead I chose to believe the lies

If I would've seen all that You had planned for me

Then these tears wouldn't be falling from my eyes

Oh, tears are falling from my eyes.

Jesus, standing at the crossroad

Calling me down the narrow way

I can't believe I didn't hear You calling me

Or see the tears falling from Your eyes.

Now here I am, Lord, oh so many years away

Finally walking hand in hand

Alone with You, my healing Savior

Leading me to my promised land

I'm headed to my promised land!

Jesus, standing at the crossroad

Leading me down this narrow way

I can't believe that You walk this road with me

And dry the tears falling from my eyes.

Jesus, the road is so long

And I'm so very weary, Lord

Take my hand, only You can make me strong
And lead me on to my home

Oh Jesus, lead me home!

Jesus, standing at the crossroad

Leading me down the only way

I can't believe how You have set this captive free

I finally see the love in Your eyes

I finally see the love in Your eyes.

"In Your unfailing love You will lead the people You have redeemed. 

In Your strength You will guide them to your holy dwelling." 

Exodus 15:13

Reckless Abandon

February 2006

This was inspired by an experience I had at a women's retreat ~ what an awesome, amazing weekend it was!  We had a worship service on Sunday morning in the cozy fireside room of the lodge.  All of our chairs were in a large circle around the room.  As I closed my eyes in worship, I began to see Jesus dancing among us.  He wore a long white robe with a rich, dark red banner down the front.  he was dancing with such joy and love, and He threw His arms above His head exclaiming "My daughers!  My brides!"  He was celebrating His love and adoration of us!  His robe flowed gracefully and powerfully around the room, and showed me that it is within reach of all of us ~ Jesus is right there within our grasp at any moment in our lives. 

Sometimes it seems so hard to touch Him, because our hands are so full of other things...loneliness, unforgiveness, worries of life...I thought of the woman in Mark 5, who wanted nothing more than to touch Jesus.  Nothing stood in her way.  She emptied her hands of everything else and ran to Him ~ how I pray for a heart like that.

Reckless Abandon

What desperate love has she

That throws caution to the wind

Shamelessly pursuing her Savior

With such reckless abandon.

As if her eyes coud see,

through the crowd and the lies,

Nothing but Your beauty

the depth of the love in Your eyes.

It so amazes even her

How effortless it seems

to touch the hem of your robe

And be healed ~ set free!

Give me a heart like hers, O Lord

So wild and so free

Longing only for Your touch

As You dance in love with me.

you are ever within my reach

I need only extend my hand

And receive the grace you freely give

My heart can't comprehend ~

How amazing is Your love for me

It's depth I dare to know

How beautiful you are to me

Sweet Lover of my soul.

"When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched his cloak,

because she thought, "If I just touch His clothes, I will be healed."

Mark 5:27

The Harvest

October 2005

Just days after writing "In Need of a Savior", I attended a Beth Moore simulcast.  The Holy Spirit spoke volumes to me through Psalm 126.  I have been consuming the seed of the Word of God, but in some areas of my life I have not been sowing it.  All my life I have let insecurity carry me away and distract me.  So many times in my life I have bowed to the idol of security.  The Lord is telling me to "step out!"  take that step of faith.  Believe Him!  And trust in God Almighty.  He is mighty to save.  Praise Your name, Elshadai.

The Harvest

Here I stand with my basket of seed

As the Sower comes

To plant them in my deepest need

And warm them with the Son.

As the Living Water flows

And saturates my soul

I feel the sprouts begin to rise

As new life starts to grow.

O God, I pray the Gardener finds

Soil rich and dark

Fertilized by countless tears

In the depths of my heart.

Now in the distance I can hear

The Harvester come for me ~

His laughter ringing in my ear

Declaring that I am free!

I labor not in vain, I know

For the Harvester's on His way,

As songs of joy burst from my soul

And he carries me away.

"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy."  

Psalm 126:5 

Oblivion

October 2005

The tormentor in this poem is hunger...suffering...loneliness...need.  There are so many evils plaguing humanity, and we all have the power to reach out.  But too often we don't.  We are too focused on ourseles, our comfort, our happiness, our "stuff" to see others as Jesus does.  God doesn't bless us with abundance so that we can keep those blessings for ourselves.  He calls us to reach out to those He puts in our paths and on our hearts.

Oblivion

In a little corner of the world

A child cries for mercy

From the pain of her tormentor,

She begs to be set free.

Does anybody hear her 

Crying in the rain?

Does anyone even care

About her pain?

This world is so oblivious

To those who are in need

There's always someone else to help,

Another mouth to feed.

So I'll just keep on marching on

To the beat of my own drum,

Never looking to my left or right

Oh there's too much to be done.

In my little corner of the world

Where I am consumed

With life and stuff and having more,

 I've not the time for you.

"Others will reach out", I say

"They'll be here very soon".

As I walk away, the problem is

They're much too busy, too.

"This is how we know what love is:  Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. 

And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.  If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can thelove of God be in him?  Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."

1 John 3:16-18



In Need of a Savior

October 2005

It's not about my strength, it's all about His.  The Lord continues to bring me to the place where I am lost enough to let myself be led.

In Need of a Savior

I have no strength to praise You,

I've lost the heart for hope.

Arms too heavy to raise,

Eyes falling closed.

Where are You now, my Savior?

I've lost sight of You somehow.

My spirit fades within me

Even now.

As I cradle this face in lifeless hands,

Empty tears fall to the ground.

Crying in the dark of night ~

Do You hear the sound

Of this wounded and broken heart?

It's deafening to me.

It seems my soul is falling apart,

Do You see?

So far away from my dreams,

My lifeblood running dry

I can't see how I can go on,

And don't know why.

What's the point in carrying on?

I'm not going anywhere.

And I'm beginning to wonder

If you even care.