Spiritual Journeys Today

This song came from a discovery that I made last week that what I felt was my most wasted day on my mission trip to Guatemala was actually likely my most productive day as it spawned a ‘new for our group’ ministry of taking prescription glasses with us. I obviously need to let God be in control, when I do that, good things happen!

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

‘Gotta Give Up Control’

Gotta give up control
Tryin’ to do it all is taking its toll
I believe that You are real
Gotta let You take the wheel
Give it all in prayer to You
Trust that You will guide me to
The tasks that You want most for me to do

A year ago I went on, mission just for You
Construction work in Guatemala, as You called me to
A day dispensing reading glasses seemed a waste of time
Was three pairs in four whole hours, really what You had in mind?

Gotta give up control
Tryin’ to do it all is taking its toll
I believe that You are real
Gotta let You take the wheel
Give it all in prayer to You
Trust that You will guide me to
The tasks that You want most for me to do

Returned to Guatemala, You called me once again
We brought prescription glasses with us, an idea You gave back when
I was wishing that I could do more, I just couldn’t see
That the time I spent observing, was Your way of teaching me

Gotta give up control
Tryin’ to do it all is taking its toll
I believe that You are real
Gotta let You take the wheel
Give it all in prayer to You
Trust that You Will guide me to
The tasks that You want most for me to do

Now 250 souls, can see to read, to weave
What I considered wasted time was, Your perfect opportunity
I was listening Lord, this time at least, You got through finally
I pray that I will hear each time, You decide to call on me

Gotta give up control
Tryin’ to do it all is taking its toll
I believe that You are real
Gotta let You take the wheel
Give it all in prayer to You
Trust that You will guide me to
The tasks that You want most for me to do

Lord, know I’ll try to follow
Please lead me where You may
From the paths that You have set for me
Let me never stray
Your words, my only beacon
Your call is my command
Lord, help me to follow
Even when I can’t see
The route that You have planned

Gotta give up control
Tryin’ to do it all is taking its toll
I believe that You are real
Gotta let You take the wheel
Give it all in prayer to You
Trust that You Will guide me to
The tasks that You want most for me to do

Copyright January 25, 2012 John Lage, Jr. All rights reserved.

As amazing as it might seem, I write relatively few songs to my wife. This is one of the exceptions, written when I was in Florida by myself for a few days. My wife is simply amazing, showing support for me through all of life’s trials. I don’t feel I am an easy person to be around but she deals with me wonderfully. Thank you, my angel!

JOHN

‘My Angel’

God sent you, my angel, to rescue me
From the pain, hurt, and alcohol, to set me free
To give me a reason to change my whole life
You are that reason, my love and my wife

You’re my angel, my soulmate, my friend
I will love you, my whole life and I know, when it ends
We’ll spend eternity, living God’s holy plan
Together, forever, in the palm of God’s hand

God sent you, my angel, miraculously
Living proof of his wonderful grace that saved me
Your love, His gift given to transform my life
You are that gift, dear, my love and my wife

You’re my angel, my soulmate, my friend
I will love you, my whole life and I know, when it ends
We’ll spend eternity, living God’s holy plan
Together, forever, in the palm of God’s hand

God sent you, my angel, to walk with me
Through the joy, toils and trials that our life will be
My true love and partner sharing all of my life
You are that woman, my love and my wife

You’re my angel, my soulmate, my friend
I will love you, my whole life and I know, when it ends
We’ll spend eternity, living God’s holy plan
Together, forever, in the palm of God’s hand

Copyright 2011 John Lage, Jr. All rights reserved.

Some days the awesomeness of God just overwhelms me. This was written on one of those days.

May you feel and recognize God touching your soul today and always!
JOHN

‘Beyond My Imagination’

Awestruck and speechless I contemplate God
Faced with a world fascinating and odd
All evidence points to a wonderful plan
For billions of years through his hourglass flows sand

Beyond my imagination
His power and his glory extend
Far past my comprehension
His creation continues in a world without end
Surpassing my understanding
Wondrous beyond my belief
Yet in spite of it all, god still finds the time, to spend every minute with me

I ponder the wonders I find in each place
The intricate beauty of each person’s face
The natural majesty He gave it all
Exquisite in winter, spring, summer and fall

Beyond my imagination
His power and his glory extend
Far past my comprehension
His creation continues in a world without end
Surpassing my understanding
Wondrous beyond my belief
Yet in spite of it all, god still finds the time, to spend every minute with me

Astounding, amazing, awesome, glorious
Great words every one yet incredibly
They cannot describe and do not come close
To conveying the gifts God has given to me

Beyond my imagination
His power and his glory extend
Far past my comprehension
His creation continues in a world without end
Surpassing my understanding
Wondrous beyond my belief
Yet in spite of it all, god still finds the time, to spend every minute with me

Copyright 2011 John Lage, Jr. All rights reserved.

While riding the bus to work one day, I looked at all the people on the bus. Most were paying attention only to some electronic device, a phone, an iPod or a kindle, for instance. It occurred to me that many of us get so into those devices that we almost entirely block out the rest of the world during our discretionary time. So, I pulled out my phone and wrote down this song…lost in MY own device!

May you feel and recognize God moving in your life, today and always!!!
JOHN

‘Lost In Our Own Devices’

So many of us walk around these days
Never looking at another human face
Earphones on and ipods in our hands
It seems to me that something has been lost
Are we ever gonna really know the cost
Of years not noticing our fellow man?

We’re lost in our own devices
Focused only on ourselves
Oh God, please help us all to understand
We’re missing something living in our shells
Lost in our own devices

Cell phones in our hand, talking all the time
It’s obvious it seems, yet so sublime
Do we really have that much to talk about?
Or have we become slaves to our own toys
Needing constant contact, ceaseless noise?
I believe beyond the shadow of a doubt

We’re lost in our own devices
Focused only on ourselves
Oh God, please help us all to understand
We’re missing something living in our shells
Lost in our own devices

Stop and look around, look me in the eye
It’s easy once you start, simple when you try
You might be amazed at who you see
Look and you might find, a friend for life
You could find a husband, meet a wife
You might find the person God wants you to be

We’re lost in our own devices
Focused only on ourselves
Oh God, please help us all to understand
We’re missing something living in our shells
Lost in our own devices

You might find the person God wants you to be
Take a look around you, it might really set you free
Of your own devices

Copyright November 21, 2011 John Lage, Jr. All rights reserved.

‘Lead Me’

You walked and taught two thousand years ago
Along so many paths that I may never know
And yet I follow where You lead
You lived by rules that seem so strange to me
But as I look at your life, I can clearly see
That I must follow where You lead

Lead me on, oh Lord, to places I wouldn’t go
Without your guidance, Lord, I know you want me to grow
Into a shining light for all the world to see
So lead on, oh Lord, and I will follow, please lead me

When I walked on my own, I was so out of control
Until You rescued me, fed and nourished my soul
And so I follow where You lead
And now you walk with me, as my teacher and friend
And this relationship, we have will never end
I always follow where you lead

Lead me on, oh Lord, to places I wouldn’t go
Without your guidance, Lord, I know you want me to grow
Into a shining light for all the world to see
So lead on, oh Lord, and I will follow, please lead me

Help me to become, what you want me to be
The face of God here on earth, serving you faithfully
I want to follow where You lead
Use me as you will, shape, mold and make me now
Help me to live up, to this unchanging vow
I will follow where you lead

Lead me on, oh Lord, to places I wouldn’t go
Without your guidance, Lord, I know you want me to grow
Into a shining light for all the world to see
So lead on, oh Lord, and I will follow, please lead me

Copyright 2011 John Lage, Jr. All rights reserved.

‘Jubilant’

Jubilant, now there’s a word
That we don’t use too much
It describes my feelings perfectly
When I feel God’s fingers touch
My soul,
Makes my life whole
I love You so
My Lord, my God

It’s easy to go through life each day
Feeling so down about the way
I think life’s going
I need to stop and realize
You’re working here
I can’ deny
It, look how much I’ve changed

Jubilant, now there’s a word
That we don’t use too much
It describes my feelings perfectly
When I feel God’s fingers touch
My soul,
Makes my life whole
I love You so
My Lord, my God

I spend so much time feeling sorry
About my job, so foolishly
Always ignoring
That others would give anything
To have this job
And my whole life
Here, I should be so ashamed

Jubilant, now there’s a word
That we don’t use too much
It describes my feelings perfectly
When I feel God’s fingers touch
My soul,
Makes my life whole
I love You so
My Lord, my God

(Bridge)
Joyful and jubilant
I celebrate God
All the while working, through weekdays I plod
Writing songs on my lunch hour
Jotting trigger words down
All my joy and my happiness comes In the time spent with You,
Jubilant in your love

I want to work for God full time
It’s hard to keep my wand’ring mind
On what I’m paid for
These songs keep running through my head
Must write them down
Before they’re gone
God, you give the words I write,

Jubilant, now there’s a word
That we don’t use too much
It describes my feelings perfectly
When I feel God’s fingers touch
My soul,
Makes my life whole
I love You so
My Lord, my God

Copyright 2011 John Lage, Jr. All rights reserved.

‘Imagine’

Maybe grace is the filter that God sees us through
What if we could see others from the same point of view
Not judging the way that they live
Never seeing their faults so no need to forgive
Imagine the world this could be
If we’d all just accept everyone that we meet

Imagine no fear, imagine no hate
Imagine no reason to discriminate
Imagine no anger, pride, or jealousy
Imagine this world peaceful as it could be

Maybe grace is the filter that God sees us through
What if we could see others from the same point of view
Not judging the way that they live
Never seeing their faults so no need to forgive
Imagine the world this could be
If we’d all just accept everyone that we meet

Imagine no slav’ry, imagine no castes
Imagine the previous war is the last
Imagine no hunger, murder, poverty
Imagine a world where each person is free

Maybe grace is the filter that God sees us through
What if we could see others from the same point of view
Not judging the way that they live
Never seeing their faults so no need to forgive
Imagine the world this could be
If we’d all just accept everyone that we meet

Imagine no crime, imagine no doubt
Imagine that God is what life’s all about
Imagine love for all was reality
Imagine us living as God could conceive

Maybe grace is the filter that God sees us through
What if we could see others from the same point of view
Not judging the way that they live
Never seeing their faults so no need to forgive
Imagine the world this could be
If we’d all just accept everyone that we meet

Imagine this future, imagine it now
Imagine God doing this through us somehow
Imagine it all as possibility
Imagine we all could believe

Maybe grace is the filter that God sees us through
What if we could see others from the same point of view
Not judging the way that they live
Never seeing their faults so no need to forgive
Imagine the world this could be
If we’d all just accept everyone that we meet

Copyright November 21, 2011 John Lage, Jr. All rights reserved.

‘Ignite My Spirit, Lord’

What do people see
When they look at me?
Would they recognize that God rules in my life?
Is Your light obscured
by my ego, Lord?
Do my wants and needs make me seem black as night?

Ignite my spirit, Lord
With the flames of truth and justice
Help me to live a life that blazes like the sun
Fuel me with peace and hope
Love, faith, charity, compassion
Then launch me through this world as a shining signal flare
Shouting out what You have done… for me

Help me bear good news
To those people who
Have yet to hear the story of Your love
Give me words to speak
As I roam the streets
To describe the wondrous gifts you give to us

Ignite my spirit, Lord
With the flames of truth and justice
Help me to live a life that blazes like the sun
Fuel me with peace and hope
Love, faith, charity, compassion
Then launch me through this world as a shining signal flare
Shouting out what You have done… for me

Use my hands to do
The work that You choose
To make this world a better place to live for all
Let me always treat
Each person that I meet
As a special part of You, worthy of awe

Ignite my spirit, Lord
With the flames of truth and justice
Help me to live a life that blazes like the sun
Fuel me with peace and hope
Love, faith, charity, compassion
Then launch me through this world as a shining signal flare
Shouting out what You have done… for me

All those you’ve set free
Broken just like me
Must be the ones who tell Your stories, Lord
I must use my voice
A plain and simple choice
I will spread your word all my life, I am Yours!

Ignite my spirit, Lord
With the flames of truth and justice
Help me to live a life that blazes like the sun
Fuel me with peace and hope
Love, faith, charity, compassion
Then launch me through this world as a shining signal flare
Shouting out what You have done… for me

Copyright November 16, 2011 John Lage, Jr. All rights reserved.

‘If You Want To Follow Me’

If you want to follow Me, don’t look away
There are things that you must see and feel
As you walk through life each day
Just look at the people around you
What are they going through?
What I offer you will astound you
Trust in Me and you’ll find that it’s true

I never promised you riches,
I never promised you fame
If you want to get the most out of life,
Simply go forth in My name
Live your life as I did,
Make it all about others, not you
Love and forgive, teaching others to live,
As God’s children, just do what I’d do

If you want to follow Me, don’t turn away
When you see the lost and hurting ones,
All around you every day
They don’t know of My grace or My love
No one has told them about Me
You can be the one who informs them
Imagine how joyful they’ll be

I never promised you riches,
I never promised you fame
If you want to get the most out of life,
Simply go forth in My name
Live your life as I did,
Make it all about others, not you
Love and forgive, teaching others to live,
As God’s children, just do what I’d do

Jesus, we all call You
We know we need You here
We know You have the answers
To our worries, our hate and our fear

If you want to follow Me, remember to pray
For the lonely, the sick, the dying,
For those who have gone astray
Your prayer doesn’t have to be formal
A quick whispered line will do fine
Just ask for help, I will answer
Because all who you see are still Mine

I never promised you riches,
I never promised you fame
If you want to get the most out of life,
Simply go forth in My name
Live your life as I did,
Make it all about others, not you
Love and forgive, teaching others to live,
As God’s children, just do what I’d do

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