Good for the Soul

The great thing about Christmas is that, despite the chaos the holiday brings, you get to spend time with friends and family that you may not get to see very often.

This year's Christmas has been different than the usual... we didn't have any celebrations on Christmas Day, and instead I spent most of my day working on planning the worship service for the upcoming Sunday. That evening we traveled out to Ohio for Christmas on the 26th with my mom's side of the family. It was good, and I got a few gifts I actually asked for (which almost never happens haha). I couldn't help but laugh when my grandma got literally every girl in the family the same sweater (aunts, cousins, grandchildren, etc.) and all of the guys in the family the same sweater..... I only wish we had been able to get a group picture of us ALL matching. :)

I was back at home Saturday evening and immediately went to the church to finish up planning the worship. Sunday morning came and worship went well, and the message Jonathan (our youth pastor) preached was really good. He talked about the geneology of Christ (Matthew 1:1-17) and how it included every kind of person... kings, sinners, ordinary people, and people we know nothing about... and it was a challenge to us to realize that no matter what our status in life, God wants to use us for the greater purpose of his plan. It reminded me that wherever I end up using my music (small town church or packed out stadium), God will use me. It also challenged me to make sure I am making myself available to God for Him to use me... which can be really hard to do!

Church was followed by an awesome time having lunch at Applebee's with the other young adults from church, then a "Christmas" party with my closest friends from high school where we got to catch up with each other and hear how God is working in all of our lives. After I left the party, I went to my grandma's house to celebrate Christmas on my dad's side.... however, it was cut short when I suddenly got a really bad migraine and had to go home and lie in the dark for 3 hours! It was so disappointing missing out on the entire evening with family, but I am finally starting to feel a little better after a night of sleep and taking it easy. I might even go to work this afternoon!

In case you are wondering, the scripture passages I shared with my friends that have been playing a big part in my life right now are:

1 Peter 4:10
Psalm 37:5-6
Ecclesiastes 3:11-14

Until next time...

Take Two

I'm somewhat disappointed... discouraged, even.

Only two people have responded to "A Study On Worship". Maybe I picked bad timing, with it being the holidays and all. I at least hope people read it and thought about it a little bit. However, I am glad that those two people responded. It gave me a place to start, and I enjoyed hearing what they had to say.

I strongly encourage you to think about responding to those questions I brought up about worship. You don't have to post them on here... feel free to send me an e-mail (MeganSauder@gmail.com) or to send me a message on Facebook, if that is your preferred method of communication.

Again, this may or may not turn into something more than just a study. For now, I am leaving it at that... A Study of Worship.

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas. While you are spending time with friends and family, caught up in the merriment of the season, take time to step back and worship our King, who was born for the salvation of our sins. It's a beautiful story... one that I hope you will not forget this holiday season.

With love...

A Study on Worship.

Everytime I hear Phil Wickham's song "Divine Romance", something in me is stirred.

For You I sing, I dance
Rejoice in this divine romance
Lift my heart and my hands
To show my love, to show my love

I love the instruments... acoustic guitar, bass, accordion, and brushes on the drums. And Phil Wickham's voice... it's like there's an angel singing in the room. But it touches something beyond.

So today I was listening to that song, as I do almost every day... and a thought came to me. How do people view worship? Is it an act or a lifestyle? Can it be both? Must it be both?

worship

(noun)
1. The activity of worshipping
2. A feeling of profound love and admiration

(verb)

1. Love unquestioningly and uncritically
2. Show religious devotion to, as of a deity
3. Attend religious services

It got me to thinking... why don't I just ask people? Maybe I would learn something about worship if I took a closer look at how people worship... what people worship... where people worship.

So that's my vision... and I'm asking you. Yes, you... the one reading this. Tell me what worship is to you... do you do it or do you live it? How do you worship? What do you worship (be honest)? Where can you worship? Is there a feeling associated with worship, or is it a state of being? What have you learned about worship? What has Scripture taught you? What have loved ones taught you? Is it a discipline?

I'm not sure what I will do with the responses I get. My brother owns his own video editing business (http://www.pinnacleproductions.us/)... so I thought about turning my research into a video to show at church. Of course, I would ask Phil Wickham's permission to use his song as the music. After all, that is what inspired this whole thing.

I like to call it a study on worship.

The Last 100 (cont.)

I now have the results of today's "Last 100" experiment. Below I have listed the last 100 songs I listened to today. While listening to my music, I was reminded that half of my music is actually on my work computer, and while I can still access those folders, my media player on my laptop ignores them... so therefore I only had about 1/3 of my music to listen to today! But, I think the outcome does a good job of summing up my musical tastes.

Before you see the list, I should give credit to Brandon Adam Bible... who I've never met... but whose blog (http://brandonbible.blogspot.com/) inspired me to take on the task of completing this "Last 100" list. As mentioned in my earlier post today, I was seeking inspiration from other worship leaders who blog. Unfortunately I was distracted by this fun project.... but I will continue on my quest for inspiration. Take a look at who made the cut:

THE LAST 100

1. Iron and Wine – "Boy With A Coin"

2. Ian McIntosh – "Open Up The Heavens"

3. Hillsong United – "Devotion"

4. James Morrison – "The Only Night"

5. Joshua Radin – "Sky"

6. Mates of State – "My Only Offer"

7. Wilco – "You Never Know"

8. The Civil Wars – "Poison & Wine"

9. Planetshakers – "Cry Holy"

10. Sufjan Stevens – "Sister Winter"

11. Jason DeRulo – "Whatcha Say"

12. Coldplay – "Strawberry Swing"

13. Colbie Caillat – "Fallin' For You"

14. Norah Jones – "Waiting"

15. Phil Wickham – "Divine Romance"

16. Peter Bradley Adams – "For You"

17. Chris Tomlin – "Jesus Paid It All (Everything Glorious)"

18. Regina Spektor – "Eet"

19. Dave Barnes – "Greyhound"

20. Griffin House – "When The Time Is Right"

21. Iron and Wine – "House By The Sea"

22. Greg Laswell – "It's Been A Year"

23. The Gabe Dixon Band – "Further the Sky"

24. Jack's Mannequin – "Rescued"

25. Jack Johnson – "Middle Man"

26. Hillsong – "Mighty to Save"

27. Hot Hot Heat – "In Cairo"

28. Imogen Heap – "Bad Body Double"

29. Griffin House – "Lay Down In Your Fields"

30. Candy Claws – "Don't Turn Around"

31. Jars of Clay – "These Ordinary Days"

32. Matt Wertz – "Red Meet's Blue"

33. Shawn McDonald – "Beautiful"

34. Black Eyed Peas – "Imma Be"

35. After Edmund – "It's Alright"

36. Anathallo – "Hanasakajijii (Three: The Man Who Made Dead Trees Bloom)"

37. Ryan Myddleton – "On Your Own"

38. Moby – "Beautiful"

39. Amos Lee – "Black River"

40. Josh Garrels – "Mercy Triumph"

41. After Edmund – "Come and Rain Down"

42. Kyte – "Nothings Cruel"

43. Fiona Apple – "Window"

44. Eric Hutchinson – "You Don't Have To Believe Me"

45. Phillips, Craig, and Dean – "Hallelujuah (Your Love Is Amazing)"

46. Imogen Heap – "Swoon (Instrumental)"

47. Moulin Rouge – "Come What May"

48. Ellery – "Long Coat On"

49. My Morning Jacket – "Touch Me, I'm Going To Scream"

50. Patty Griffin – "One Big Love"

51. Erin McCarley – "It's Not That Easy"

52. John Legend – "Green Light"

53. Brandy – "Right Here (Departed)"

54. Eric Hutchinson – "Oh!"

55. Jars of Clay – "Revolution"

56. Jeremy Camp – "Beyond Measure"

57. Jazz Rolle – "Hiding Place"

58. TAB the Band – "Skip Your Class"

59. A.A. Bondy – "Witness Blues"

60. Ólafur Arnalds – "Raein"

61. Justin Currie – "What Is Love For?"

62. Shawn McDonald – "Lovely"

63. John Mayer – "Stop This Train"

64. AM Drive & Cliff Ritchey – "Don't Fear"

65. The Weepies – "Can't Go Back Now"

66. The Fray – "We Build Then We Break"

67. Kyte – "Boundaries"

68. Ratatat – "Five"

69. OneTwoThreeFour – "Leave Me Sleep"

70. Toby Lightman – "My Sweet Song"

71. Michael Bublé – "Sway"

72. Ben Folds Five – "Best Imitation of Myself"

73. Fall Out Boy – "Tell That Mick He Just Made My List Of Things To Do Today"

74. Anathallo – "All The First Pages"

75. Nickel Creek – "Can't Complain"

76. Lili Haydn – "Strawberry Street"

77. Mat Kearney – "Undeniable"

78. Neo-Classical Piano Music – "Gray Sky Tone Dance"

79. U2 – "Breathe"

80. Snow Patrol – "Open Your Eyes"

81. Scott Tyler – "Storyville"

82. OneRepublic – "Someone to Save You"

83. Andrew Bird – "The Happy Birthday Song"

84. Will Gray – "I Can't"

85. Sigur Rós – "Inní mér syngur vitleysingur"

86. Augustana – "Rest, Shame, Love"

87. Dave Barnes – "Jackson"

88. Joshua Radin – "I'd Rather Be With You"

89. John Legend – "Everybody Knows"

90. Will Gray – "Where You At"

91. Matt Wertz – "Everything's Right"

92. Sigur Rós – Milano

93. Rihanna – "Wait Your Turn"

94. Iron and Wine – "Innocent Bones"

95. The Gabe Dixon Band – "And The World Turned"

96. Ted Nash – "Cheryl's Theme"

97. Phil Wickham – "Heaven Song"

98. Sigur Rós – "Gódan daginn"

99. The New Pornographers – "The End of Medicine"

100. Jack's Mannequin – "The Resolution"

The Last 100

So I've been wanting to learn more about being a worship leader. I'm only 22 years old (23 in only 14 days!), have had pretty much no training in worship leading, and feel like I've been thrown into this position with only the gifts God had given me.... along with a lot of His grace & mercy cushioning the fall. I decided that I would search for other blogs that other worship leaders write, to see if I can gain any insight from what they write. Needless to say, my noble pursuit came to a halting stop when I came across a blog where the guy's last entry was the last 100 songs he listened to. I read through the list. We have very similar tastes. In fact, I would say about 75 out of the 100 songs were songs I know and love. It got me thinking about what I listen to, and so I've made it my goal today to listen to 100 songs while I work, and to keep track of what they are. Should make for an interesting finished product I think. Stay tuned (no pun intended).

Christmas Card

I mailed out my Christmas cards last Friday. Unfortunately I couldn't send them to everyone I wanted to... so I decided to give you all a glimpse of the card and what I wrote in my mini "Christmas letter" to everyone!

(Front)

(Inside)

Another year gone by...

In the last year, I have experienced a lot of new and exciting things. I was able to travel out of the country for the first time to perform music in the Bahamas. I released an album ("Seasons") and performed my own music live for the first time in front of an audience of 700 or more. I walked across a stage without an instrument in my hand, and instead received a diploma for a degree in Music Business Management from Taylor University. After moving home, I purchased my first professional guitar, a Martin whose name is Isabella. While working part-time for the family business where I have kept busy doing marketing, administrative, and legal projects, I also pursued other jobs and opportunities in music around the world. God had other plans. In October, I was hired at Crossview Church as the new worship leader. God has been doing incredible things in my life, and showing me that all the plans and dreams I have can't even come close to where He is leading me. I may not know what the future holds, but I have so much to be thankful for: a job, friends, family, and a God that always provides. If you are reading this, you are one of those friends. And so, I am sending out my first Christmas card to you, wishing you a very Merry Christmas!

- Megan -

My Perception

So I wrote a new song... a while ago... but since leaving college my regular audience is no longer easily accessible, and therefore hardly anyone has heard it. I thought I might share it with you today. You can listen to a demo version of it at: www.reverbnation.com/MeganSauder. I encourage you to listen to all of my songs - I love feedback! This song, however, is titled "My Perception"... I think it's always best to read the lyrics and listen at the same time. By no means is the recording on the website a finished version... in fact, it's quite the opposite. It's my very first demo recording of it for me to work off of... so you can judge me, but just don't judge me quite as harshly as you would if it were the final studio cut. The male vocals that come in on the last chorus with me are done by my talented friend, Kirk Hacker (www.myspace.com/kirkhacker), who so generously has been letting me use his studio for free! Talk about amazing.

Enjoy!


My Perception
(c) 2009 Megan Sauder

Verse:
Turn on the spotlight
To my insecurities
Afraid to face the spotlight
Down on my knees

I know that there's beauty
In the things I do
But why can't I see it
When I'm compared to You?

Pre-Chorus:
There's beauty in everything
All I see and I hear
But I just keep missing it
It would lead me to You
Please lead me to You

Chorus:
Cloud my perception of this world
I want to love like You love them
Heal this broken world
And I know that I've failed You
Time after time
Can You see through me
And see what's on the inside?