Chances are as Christians, we’ve come across this verse at one time or another. And for me, being a musician and worship leader, it can be easy to see the word “worship” and automatically think music. I mean, in church “worship” time is the first 20 minutes when the band is on stage playing, and ends right along with the last chorus of Mighty to Save.

But Romans 12:1 doesn’t have anything to do with music; it has everything to do with service. It speaks to offering our bodies to God, so he can accomplish his will through us. Having this kingdom mindset where you know your body is not your own; that is the worship this verse is speaking to.

And that’s all well and good, but how can we keep that in our minds constantly? Because for me, I forget things very quickly. It’s like that moment in your car when you’re singing sweetly along to your favorite worship song, and someone cuts you off. It sounds something like “Light of the world, you came down into – jerk! Learns to drive! – open my eyes let me…wait.” Its moments like that that can show so clearly what’s really in our hearts.

The point is, this idea of spiritual worship is something we need to keep in mind on a daily basis. As we begin to strengthen our relationship and connection with God, we will be able to see this worship played out daily in our lives.

This song is pretty old school, but singing it last Sunday at church reminded me how true the words are.

Enjoy.

- Briana B.

I don’t say this to boast about the work that we’ve done, I say it to remind myself that the world is so much bigger than the small problems we face in our lives on a day to day basis. And our God is mighty and awesome, never letting anything happen without his permission.

Check out some of these photos of God providing, and celebrate with me the power of our God.

 - Briana B.

Josh Wilson holding his 2012 Harmony of Hearts music award.

On Friday of last week, one of our Cross International staffers flew up to Clearwater Florida to present Josh Wilson with the Harmony of Hearts award he won during our song competition.

We want to give another shout out to Josh for writing a song that so clearly reflects Jesus heart for the hurting and the poor! Stay tuned for next week’s post where we will dig into our interview with Josh and talk about what inspired him to write such a powerful song.

Congratulations Josh!

In today’s society it seems love seems to revolve around feelings. People fall in and out of love as quickly as the season change, touting ideas like “follow your heart” or “I just didn’t feel in love anymore.”

And sure, when you feel passionately in love with someone it’s fantastic. The butterflies, the smiles, the happiness. But is that something you can sustain forever? And when things get hard, how will you respond?

This fleeing feeling of love is not what the bible talks about when it talks about real love. I know we all recite this verse at weddings, but look at it again:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” – 1 Corinthians 13:4-8b.

If THIS was the kind of love that people had for one another, would divorce rates be so high? Would we have widows and single moms struggling for day-to-day survival? Would orphans be starving to death simply because they can’t find food?

No.

No, because this kind of love is selfless. It sacrifices. It cares.

 - Briana B.

This verse always strikes me when I read it, mostly because of the words “light” and “momentary”. How many people do you know would classify trials as being light or momentary? I know for me, if I call a hard time “light”, or if something is “momentarily” wrong, I don’t even really think of it as a trial, more just a bad afternoon.

But it doesn’t seem like Paul is talking about having a bad day. This is a man who endured shipwrecks, prison time, beatings and persecution, yet still had the faith and perseverance to call his trials “light” and “momentary” when comparing then with the eternal glory that is coming.

Then question this raised for me was, how can I have this perspective? And the more I pray about it and really spend time asking God, the more he reveals one answer.

Praise him.

When trials come, praise him. When we endure pain, praise him. When we can’t imagine even making it through an hour, let alone a day, praise him.

Two verses I keep coming back to are 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 which says “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus,” and the second half of Psalm 30:5 which says “Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”

So the song I’d like to share with you this week is “Your Great Name” by Natalie Grant. This song is literally all about praising God for who he is and giving glory to his name. I love the entire song, but my absolute favorite part is the end of verse one into the chorus which goes:

Every fear, has no place

At the sound of your great name

The enemy, he has to leave

At the sound of your great name

Jesus, worthy is the lamb

That was slain for us

Son of God and man

You are high and lifted up

And all the world will praise

Your great name.

So whether this finds you at a time when everything is going well, or right in the middle of a trial, take heart.  And praise him.

- Briana B

As we set those goals and prepare to really dig into the New Year, let’s keep in mind what we can do for our brothers and sisters struggling overseas. Maybe we can set a resolution to pray for them once a week or even once a day. Maybe there’s a onetime financial gift we can give, or if you’ve been blessed financially, maybe a monthly gift.

I thought it only fitting to end this post with the song “New Year” by Charlie Hall. This may not be a new song, but the message rings true. My favorite part is the chorus which goes:

This is a new year

This is a new day to rise, shine

Lift up your eyes

This is a new year

This is a new day to rise, shine

And point the way to God’s great life.

Happy New Year!

 - Briana B

I purposefully wanted to keep this post short, sweet and to the point. Lets cherish our families this year. Tell them you love them every chance you get. Because honestly, we’re not promised any certain amount of time on this earth and who knows if this could be the last Christmas we get to spend with someone we care about.

This year, care for the family you have around you and pray for those far away. Pray also for our brothers and sisters who don’t know where their Christmas meal is coming from, and pray for the parents who don’t know how to tell their kids there’s no money for gifts this year.

Finally, pray for the kids in need around the world. That this Christmas Jesus would hold them in his arms and provide for their needs.

We are so incredibly blessed just to be able to wake up in the morning. I pray you get to spend Christmas with the people you love.

Merry Christmas.

 - Briana B

Josh’s song “I Refuse” beat Brandon Heath’s song “The One” and Britt Nicole’s “Set the World on Fire” in a close competition.

Some of the lyrics in Josh’s song really capture the goal of Harmony of Hearts. The song goes:

Cause I don’t want to live like I don’t care
I don’t want to say another empty prayer
Oh, I refuse

To sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
Oh, I could choose
Not to move but I refuse

To stand and watch the weary and lost
Cry out for help
I refuse to turn my back
And try and act like all is well

I refuse to stay unchanged
To wait another day, to die to myself
I refuse to make one more excuse.

These lyrics really drive home the point that each of us as Christians has a responsibility to care for the poor, the “widows and the orphans” as Jesus put it. Especially now as Christmas is fast approaching and we prepare to celebrate Jesus’ birth, lets not forget to take care of our poorer brothers and sister who so desperately need our help.

Congratulations to Josh Wilson on winning the 2011 Song of the Year Award! You can check out the music video below.

 - Briana B

Don’t get me wrong, theology is paramount in understanding what it is we believe and keeping us on track spiritually, but is it possible we’ve moved a little too far from the child-like faith we were called to have?

Romans 10:9 tells us “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved,” (NIV). That’s it, pretty straightforward. Confess and believe.

The song “True Love” by Phil Wickham reminds me of that simplicity, that Jesus came to earth, died, was buried and rose again to save us. That’s the gift of salvation; it really is that simple.

The chorus says:

The earth was shaking in the dark

All creation felt the Father’s broken heart

Tears were filling Heaven’s eyes

The day that true love died, the day that true love died.

It’s a powerful reminder as we go throughout the day that Jesus loved us so much he chose to lay down his life for us. Plain and simple.

 - Briana B

This year, the three finalists up for Song of the Year are Britt Nicole and “Set the World on Fire”, Josh Wilson and “I Refuse” and last but not least, Brandon Heath and “The One”.

Harmony of Hearts chose these three songs because each of them reflects the heart of Christ in reaching out to the poor, and carries that message to the world.

Isaiah 61:1 says “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.”

This verse has really come alive for me this week as I’ve been spending time in the word. To know that Christ came to “bind up the brokenhearted” is so liberating. We don’t have to stay broken or afraid. He has come to proclaim freedom.

In 2009, the band Leeland won the Harmony of Hearts award for their song “Follow You”. Cross took this song and infused video and audio clips from our project in Africa, as you can see below.

To vote for this year’s Song of the Year, visit www.crossinternational.org/SOTY

 - Briana B