Spiritual Journeys Today

I woke one morning not too long ago, with the image of God as a blacksmith at work on our souls. I’ll let the words below tell you about what happened next. They came to me when I thought of preparinga header for this post. God supplies our needs as we encounter them, in God’s own time but we are always better off when we let God be in control.

This song is now finished, it had a rebirth
It started, a torrent, a flood at the first
It slowed to a stop, for days nothing came at all
Though I tried to force closure, it awaited Your call
The learning continues, this talent You give
Seems to parallel, this life that I live
When I try to move forward, to progress without You
My struggles are great, Lord, my rewards very few
But when I seek Your love and Your guidance, it seems
That I start to do things, far past my wildest dreams
Seek refuge in God, please listen, my soul
For only in God, will you ever be whole!

May you feel and recognize God’s movements in your life today and always!
JOHN

‘The Blacksmith’

God, You stand at the forge, crafting my soul
Repairing what’s broken, making me whole
With hammer and tongs, with love and with care
You’ll pound and You’ll polish, and lay my soul bare
Upon life’s anvil, You’ll shape and You’ll mold
Me into something, far more precious than gold
Tempered and sculpted by Your own loving hand
Help me be Your face to my fellow man

I can’t see where I’m going, what’s round the next bend
I have no way of knowing, where my journey will end
But I know You’re the Master and that you have a plan
I will trust and obey you the best that I can

God, You stand at the forge, crafting my soul
Repairing what’s broken, making me whole
With hammer and tongs, with love and with care
You’ll pound and You’ll polish, and lay my soul bare
Upon life’s anvil, You’ll shape and You’ll mold
Me into something, far more precious than gold
Tempered and sculpted by Your own loving hand
Help me be Your face to my fellow man

My future is a myst’ry, I may never know
Just how you’ll want to use me, or how you’ll shape my soul
But I know You’re the Blacksmith and that I am the tool
Take the coal that I am, turn me into a jewel

God, You stand at the forge, crafting my soul
Repairing what’s broken, making me whole
With hammer and tongs, with love and with care
You’ll pound and You’ll polish, and lay my soul bare
Upon life’s anvil, You’ll shape and You’ll mold
Me into something, far more precious than gold
Tempered and sculpted by Your own loving hand
Help me be Your face to my fellow man

My life, the raw material, You add gifts and talents
Thrust me into the furnace, fiery and hot, of experience
Baptized by your spirit, polished by Jesus’ grace
I can be a reflection, of Your glorious face

God, You stand at the forge, crafting my soul
Repairing what’s broken, making me whole
With hammer and tongs, with love and with care
You’ll pound and You’ll polish, and lay my soul bare
Upon life’s anvil, You’ll shape and You’ll mold
Me into something, far more precious than gold
Tempered and sculpted by Your own loving hand
Help me be Your face to my fellow man

Copyright February 10, 2012 John Lage, Jr. All rights reserved.

A couple of things made me jot down the phrase ‘Hallelujah moments’. The person who provided the equipment for our optical mission to Guatemala, Holland Kendall, used that term to describe that moment when someone realizes they can see again and that God was responsible for the change. In addition, I read something the day I jotted it down that made me put it on the list of phrases I use a the foundational blocks for my songs. A few days later, I was looking over those lists and the words and music to the song below came into being, in my opinion, inspired by God.

May you feel and recognize God’s touch in your life today and always!
JOHN

‘Hallelujah Moments’

Hallelujah moments,
Keep happening to me
Now that I recognize the feeling
Of God’s fingers touching me
The wonder of each day
Spent walking with God next to me
The tingle of his presence fills my soul God’s spirit settles down on me

Hallelujah, god is here
Hallelujah, praise his holy name
Hallelujah, I feel his glory
And know I’m changed
Never be the same
Hallelujah, god with us
Hallelujah, know God’s grace
Hallelujah, join God’s chorus
And sing his praise

Hallelujah moments
There’s no warning when they come along
Hit you like a crashing wave of splendor
Then they’re gone
The memory of that emotion
As strong as anything could ever be
Eternal god I know that I must follow
The calling of your voice when you beckon me

Hallelujah, god is here
Hallelujah, praise his holy name
Hallelujah, I feel his glory
And know I’m changed
Never be the same
Hallelujah, god with us
Hallelujah, know God’s grace
Hallelujah, join God’s chorus
And sing his praise

Copyright 2012 John Lage, Jr. All rights reserved.

This song is very autobiographical. The first night really happened, pretty much as described. The night mentioned in the second verse happened literally hundreds of times in the next ten years and the last verse describes my life since breaking alcohol’s hold on me.

‘God Had Plans For Me’

The light was on as I made my way in
But I couldn’t believe he was here
Divorce was final, hurt me like hell
Hatred filled me along with the beer
Wanted to kill him, I could have I guess
What would it have mattered, my life was a mess
God help me!

God’s hand must have taken a hold of the phone
I was so filled with hatred, and I felt all alone
My dad answered quickly, broomstick broke in my hand
I asked him to keep talking before I killed a man
Made it through that night, God had plans for me

The light was on but I wouldn’t go home
I just turned back to the bar
I ordered one more, already drunk
Drank it then made my way to the car
I slipped almost fell, I stumbled a bit
It seemed really funny I guess I was lit
Turned the key

God’s hand must have taken a hold of the wheel
I was too drunk to notice, sure that drinking would heal
The hurting inside me, deep in my broken heart
The road it kept weaving, driving wasn’t too smart
Made it through that night, God had plans for me

The light is on and God’s spirit shines through
After all these years now I see
God has been guiding, me all along
His grace and love truly set me free
I tried to ignore, ran away from God
Now I’m back on the path that Jesus first trod
God is Great!!

God’s hand has now taken a hold of my life
Though I still have some troubles and my fair share of strife
I’m guided and grounded, by the love that God gives
Excited to know that, Christ Jesus still lives
Make it through each night, God has plans for me
God is Great!

Copyright 2012 John Lage, Jr. All rights reserved.

I wrote this song in December 2011 while thinking of all that God has given me. Growing up, I never considered myself to be especially creative, my skills and talents tended to be on the logical side of things. This gift of writing songs is deeply satisfying for a number of reasons. The inspiration, words, and music seem to be coming from God, an incredible, exciting development. They yield something real and tangible, something my ‘real’ job often doesn’t seem to do. Maybe most importantly, they help me to stay in touch with God, reminding me that with the recognition that God is alive and moving in our lives, we can do almost anything.

May you feel and recognize God’s hand in your life today and always!

John

‘This Gift’

This gift that You’ve given me
Comes from within
It’s nothing I’ve been trained to do
Learning to use it, Lord
Is teaching me
All that I have truly does come from You

You give the words, the melodies too
Yours is the voice that I hear
When the song writing mood
Just comes rushing down over me
You keep reminding me that next to You
Everything else is just treasure on earth
Except for the relationships
That we build with the others who are part of You
Every man, child and woman who will ever exist

This gift that You’ve given me
Comes from within
It’s nothing I’ve been trained to do
Learning to use it, Lord
Is teaching me
All that I have truly does come from You

You give the life that I live each hour
Supply ev’ry breathe that I take
Without you, I’m nothing
But Your holy power sets me
Free to do ev’rything you ask me to
Everything else is just treasure on earth
Except for the relationships
I know that you live within me always will
Every hour, minute, second that my soul will exist

This gift that You’ve given me
Comes from within
It’s nothing I’ve been trained to do
Learning to use it, Lord
Is teaching me
All that I have truly does come from You

Copyright December 6, 2011 John Lage, Jr. All rights reserved.

‘The Desperation Was All In My Mind’

Walking through the labyrinth of life
Lost in the pain and the hate and the strife
Searching for the only way out
Trying to find the exit when my soul’s filled with doubt
So alone so far from home
Not a friendly face in sight
Not a light not a glimmer of hope
I pretty sure I’m reaching the end of my rope

Then I turned around, instantly found
You were there all the time
The desperation was all in my mind, oh lord
The desperation was all in my mind

Wandering through it all as a drunk
Trying to kill the pain when my life really stunk
Throwing my whole being in the trash
Wondering if it all would end in a dui crash
So alone so far from home
Not a friendly face in sight
Not a light not a glimmer of hope
I pretty sure that I had reached the end of my rope

Then I turned around, instantly found
You were there all the time
The desperation was all in my mind, oh lord
The desperation was all in my mind

You brought me back from the brink when I couldn’t find my way
Pulled me out of the darkest depths into the light of day
You saved me with Your grace, forgave every disgrace
Help me to stay forever in your arms
My lord and friend

Then I turned around, instantly found
You were there all the time
The desperation was all in my mind, oh lord
The desperation was all in my mind

Copyright 2011 John Lage, Jr. All rights reserved.

‘Take And Hold Me, Shape And Mold Me’

I’m watching and waiting, anticipating
All the things that God wants me to see
Responding and changing
Transforming, arranging
Turning into the person your love can make me

Take me and hold me, shape me and mold me
Make me something I couldn’t become
On my own, lord, not alone, lord
Without your help and your grace and your love

I’m listening and praying, it goes without saying
For each word my creator will speak
Paying attention, craving comprehension
Striving to be the person you want me to be
Take me and hold me, shape me and mold me
Make me something I couldn’t become
On my own, lord, not alone, lord
Without your help and your grace and your love

You’re wondrous, amazing, someday I’ll be gazing
At your face when this world I depart
Until then, I’ll ponder, praise you as I wander
You have changed me forever, thanks for the fresh start

Take me and hold me, shape me and mold me
Make me something I couldn’t become
On my own, lord, not alone, lord
Without your help and your grace and your love

Copyright 2011 John Lage, Jr. All rights reserved.

‘Speak To Me’

Lord, thoughts from You, just crystalize
Precious, pure, and clear, emerge in my mind
I haven’t a doubt, Lord, that they come from You
I feel love, peace, and joy, there in Your holy truth

Speak to me, I am listening and will try to be still
Speak to me, shape and mold me, any way that You will
Help me find the treasure in each word You say
Lord, please speak to me

Lord, chance to show Your love, I realize
Are spread out before me, in front of my eyes
Help me see each person, the way that You do
Each a wondrous creation and all part of You

Speak to me, I am listening and will try to be still
Speak to me, shape and mold me, any way that You will
Help me find the treasure in each person today
Lord, please speak to me

Lord, I am Yours, help me use my life
In service to You, Lord, any way that You like
Help me to tell others, that You saved me, it’s true
Of the love that You offer, of the joy found in You

Speak to me, I am listening and will try to be still
Speak to me, shape and mold me, any way that You will
Help me find the treasure in myself every day
Lord, please speak to me

Speak to me, I am listening and will try to be still
Speak to me, shape and mold me, any way that You will
Help me find the treasure in each word You say
Lord, please speak to me

Speak to me, Speak to me
Lord, please speak to me
Speak to me, Speak to me
Lord, please speak to me!

Copyright 2011 John Lage, Jr. All rights reserved.

‘Soul’s Image’

God created all
Brother, we are one
No matter whom you are
No matter where you’re from
As diff’rent as can be
In many ways it seems
Inside we’re all the same
Our needs, our prayers, and our dreams

Our souls
Made in
God’s image
Born free
Of hate
Hurt and pride
Help us
O Lord
To live our lives
As you did
Please Lord
Be our Guide
We can do anything
Change this world
With You here by our side

God created all
Our skin, diversified
So many shapes and sizes
Of noses, hair and eyes
As diff’rent as can be
In many ways it seems
Inside we’re all the same
Our needs, our prayers, and our dreams

Our souls
Made in
God’s image
Born free
Of hate
Hurt and pride
Help us
O Lord
To live our lives
As you did
Please Lord
Be our Guide
We can do anything
Change this world
With You here by our side

God created all
Talents so varied
Thoughts and lifestyles, none the same
Every faith, belief and creed
As diff’rent as can be
In many ways it seems
Inside we’re all the same
Our needs, our prayers, and our dreams

Our souls
Made in
God’s image
Born free
Of hate
Hurt and pride
Help us
O Lord
To live our lives
As you did
Please Lord
Be our Guide
We can do anything
Change this world
With You here by our side

Copyright 2011 John Lage, Jr. All rights reserved.

‘Out of Sight’

Out of sight, but never gone
When I forget You, Lord, I still belong
Ev’ry minute, ev’ry hour of ev’ry day
You are walking here beside me ev’ry step of the way

Help me to remember, I could never get away, O Lord, from You
Help me never forget, you sent your son to rescue me, it’s true
Never in a million years, would you leave me alone,
Never in a billion years, could I make it on my own
Your love, your grace, they nourish me, deep within my soul
Without you, Lord, I’m missing something, make me whole

When I’m alone, you are still there
No matter where I go, you’re everywhere
Closer than the constant beat of my own heart
You are always here, and nothing could keep us apart

Help me to remember, I could never get away, O Lord, from You
Help me never forget, you sent your son to rescue me, it’s true
Never in a million years, would you leave me alone,
Never in a billion years, could I make it on my own
Your love, your grace, they nourish me, deep within my soul
Without you, Lord, I’m missing something, make me whole

This life will end, you’ll be with me
To guide my way throughout, eternity
There’s no power in this world could separate
Your love for me is endless, forever awaits

Help me to remember, I could never get away, O Lord, from You
Help me never forget, you sent your son to rescue me, it’s true
Never in a million years, would you leave me alone,
Never in a billion years, could I make it on my own
Your love, your grace, they nourish me, deep within my soul
Without you, Lord, I’m missing something, make me whole

Copyright November 22, 2011 John Lage, Jr. All rights reserved.