Joyce and I have occasionally had restless nights during this pandemic, and we know others are having the same issue. A former student of mine sent me a link to some recorded prayers over music, and I was moved... and inspired! We have friends who are musicians!

So we recorded these prayers and put them over a bed of music created by our friend Paula Kasica and her musical colleague, David Hadden. The piece is entitled, "Rest." We hope it blesses you at eventide. I asked Joyce if I should mention that it put me to sleep twice while we were editing it, but she said I should share full disclosure: Falling asleep is one of my spiritual gifts! Well, hopefully I've imparted something of that gift through these prayers:

Hit the arrow to play, or if you're getting this in an email you can hear them and future prayers we're hoping to post at www.RichDrama.com/Prayers.

https://archive.org/embed/prayersforredeptionandrest

Paula and David's album, "Breath of God," is available on iTunes, Amazon and Spotify.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.


See the rest of Olympic champion Eric Liddell's Chariots of Fire story in Beyond the Chariots. Watch it online and book a live performance.

This morning Joyce and I joined New York Media Initiative for breakfast with Keith and Kristyn Getty. What a joy to hear their passion for the Lord and for honoring the many biblical mandates to sing unto the Lord. Keith said it doesn't matter how well you sing, just so long as you honor the Lord's commands to sing praises to His name. During the Q/A someone asked them where they get their inspiration for writing songs. He said it's a lot of hard work. Hymnals used to only select songs the publishers thought would still be sung 25 years into the future, and that's what they strive to do. She added that Keith is a collaborator, and is quick to draw others into the process of taking their hymns to the next level.

My question during Q/A was what they've picked for next year's global hymn sing. Last year I put together a short film of Olympic champion, Eric Liddell, reflecting on how he led the crowd at Waverly Station in singing "Jesus Shall Reign" before he left fame and fortune behind to serve China as a track coach, science teacher and missionary. I tell the rest of his Chariots of Fire story in my one-man play about Liddell, Beyond the Chariots. I was glad that, after their talk, I got to tell Keith and Kristyn about the short film and give them the link ( www.RichDrama.com/EricLiddellHymnSing). Keith is a huge Eric Liddell fan, and that may be why he chose "Jesus Shall Reign," since he immediately acknowledged that he knew about Eric leading the crowd in that great hymn.

The Gettys are performing at Carnegie Hall tomorrow night (12/13), and they'll be celebrating the 200th anniversary of the writing of "Silent Night" by having Phil Keaggy (who you can see in my Compassion video) play it on guitar. It was the first hymn ever played on a guitar, because the church's pipe organ broke down. They'll be inviting the audience to sing along, which is how you can perform at Carnegie Hall. Hope you can join us!


See the rest of Olympic champion Eric Liddell's Chariots of Fire story in Beyond the Chariots. Watch it online and book a live performance.

About a decade ago I taught at the Gospel Music Association's annual gathering in Nashville. While I was there Casting Crowns, who had just made a grand entrance to the recording industry with LifeSong, were featured in a concert of upcoming bands. They shared how they were still working with the youth of their church. As I've watched them grow in prominence over the years to become the top-selling Christian group since 2007 I assumed they'd left their church jobs behind.

On Saturday Joyce and I were given a surprise gift: tickets to Casting Crown's concert at Carnegie Hall. Early in the evening lead singer, Mark Hall, shared that they continue to keep their church jobs! That level of servanthood permeated the whole evening.

Whenever the five packed tiers went crazy for their work they always pointed to the source of their inspiration.

Hall is a master of choosing evocative imagery to move hearts and minds, and that extends beyond their lyrics. While introducing "Thrive" (the one song that's not yet on Grooveshark and is therefore missing from the lineup below) Hall told how they took their 60-person youth group to New Orleans to help clean up after Hurricane Katrina. The youth were climbing into a giant tree, and the youth workers were concerned until a gentleman told them the 300-year-old tree had a root system that matched the branches. He said it wouldn't be coming down any time soon, despite the devastation all around it. Soon all 60 youth were playing in its branches. Hall used the imagery to tell how we need a deep root system in the Word and in our prayer and devotional life, or we will be toppled by the storms of life. He also pointed out how some grow deep but never branch out into the world to bring Life to the dying world around them. He said a healthy Christian is like that tree: equally deep and tall. We shouldn't just survive, we should thrive.

In the Grooveshark lineup there's another song I couldn't find, at least recorded by Casting Crowns: "Beulah Land." I chose Mississippi John Hurt's version. Since Mark Hall grew up one state over, in Alabama, it seemed appropriate. Mark sang the song solo and a'cappella, and afterward he explained that he sang it with his family as he was growing up, and it was one of the songs that awakened him to his calling. Then he asked his parents to stand. They were sitting with the 200+ chorus behind them. It was an extraordinary moment as he honored his parents.

The chorus was made up of people from 44 states, Mexico and Canada. Between them and the band was an orchestra. At the top of the second act they honored the orchestra. They stepped back and let them have their Carnegie Hall moment.

The orchestra and choir made the venue resound in a way that we'll never forget. Carnegie Hall has hosted the best musicians in the world for generations. To hear the Gospel and the praise of our Lord resounding with some of the most perfect acoustics on the planet was so encouraging and profound.

At the intermission I heard an encouraging comment from one of the ushers. She'd never seen so many in the line to the men's room! That tells me there's a growing number of men investing in their growth in Christ. That's very exciting!

We called them back twice for encores. When they came back the first time they sang the last two songs in the lineup below. When they came back again Hall told us how the world rates us on the level of stage upon which we perform, but the Lord doesn't see it that way. He gave glory to God for the opportunity to perform in such a venue, but he quickly turned it to the audience. He said your greatest stage is the person sitting beside you. God has placed each of us where he expects us to do our very best to share the love of Christ with those he brings into our path.


 Grooveshark is a third party source. If you listen on their website you will encounter advertisements, none of which are vetted or endorsed by Westchester Chapel. We encourage you to click Settings, then Preferences, then check the box for "Only show me family-friendly themes." If there are still ads that you find offensive we encourage you to click the "Report Ad" link below the ad.

Now taking applications for the Rocky Mountain Christian Filmmakers Camp and sign-ups for Engage Rio.

 

Our friend and MasterWorks Festival roomie, Paula Kasica has a fabulous album out: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/breath-of-god/id545038495

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Watch Joyce and I play the parents of nine...

This enacted prayer is for all that are suffering with illness right now.



The song, "The Lord that Heals", is posted with permission by the songwriter/performer and is available for download here.

This video is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

Here are some things I've found inspirational over the years:

I included my own sermons here since I certainly got inspired while preparing them!

Hope you get inspired, too!