Christmas is just around the corner. Literally 45 days and counting….

(Where exactly does time go?)

And now is the time to be downloading Christmas music so that you can start feeling all festive.

I need to know. What Christmas album and/or song do you consider required listening?

Here are mine, don’t judge.

Album: Kenny and Dolly’s “Once Upon Christmas”

Song: Wham’s “Last Christmas”

I told you not to judge. But if you couldn’t help yourself, please know that I love the ones that actually talk about the arrival of Christ too but there is something about these that take me back. Way back.

Oh, and if you are looking for something new to add to your music library, you should check out “The Essential Christmas Collection” with songs from Tenth Avenue North, Third Day, Matt Maher, Jars of Clay and many others. It is fantastic. Fantastic.

Sometimes my singleness feels like a curse, a crazy-never-ending-not-sure-what-is-wrong-with-me-but-surely-it-is-something-obvious-why-won’t-anyone-tell-me curse.

But lately instead of pouting, struggling, fighting through this season of singleness, I have been dwelling on the opportunities this season provides. I have been shifting from a posture of doubt, frustration, and impatience to a posture of trust, privilege, and hope. I have been focusing on the possibility instead of the potentially shattered dreams. Because in all reality…

My season of singleness gives me freedom, time, and resources that I can invest however I choose.

My season of  singleness creates an aching hunger for intimacy with Christ.

My season of singleness is my constant reminder that He is in control, that He has a plan, and that He makes everything beautiful in its time.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11 (New International Version)

What season are you battling now? What does it make possible?

Logically I KNOW that I have enough.

But my feelings never seem to be logical. (Oh, how I wish they were.)

So…I find myself haphazardly fluctuating between wanting more and feeling…just plain overwhelmed.

In my relationships, at work, with my piles of stuff, it’s never enough until…it feels like too much.

Oh, how I want to live life with a spirit of contentment, a spirit of joy, a spirit of peace, a spirit of hope.

Instead of…this endless restlessness.

Restless (Audrey Assad and Matt Maher)

You dwell in the songs that we are singing
Rising to the heavens
Rising to Your heart, Your heart;
Our praises filling up the spaces
In between our frailty
And everything You are;
You are the keeper of my heart.
And I’m restless, I’m restless till I rest in You, till I rest in You
I am restless; I’m restless till I rest in You, till I rest in You, oh God.
Speak now, for my soul is listening;
Say that You have saved me;
Whisper in the dark, the dark.
I know You’re more than my salvation;
Without You I am hopeless;
Tell me who You are;
You are the keeper of my heart
You are the keeper of my heart.
Still my heart; hold me close; let me hear a still small voice.
Let it grow; let it rise into a shout, into a cry.

Do you know this restlessness?

If you’ve been around here for awhile, you know I am a big fan of John Mark McMillan and his song, “How He Loves.” Big fan.

Such a big fan that I had 9 of my blogging friends share their thoughts on the song.

Such a big fan that I begged my friend Stephen Brewster to give me whatever John Mark McMillan tracks he had so I could feed the frenzy. And to stop me from pestering him, he relented and gave me a copy of The Medicine. And I’ve loved it. Loved it.

John Mark, is really talented. His music is different, in a great way. It is creative. It is risky. And it is ripe with emotions.

Here’s a link so you can check out The Medicine on iTunes.

But today, to celebrate the official release of The Medicine, I get to give away 10 copies.

So…would you like to win a copy?

If so, leave a comment below sharing a few words about a  song that you has moved you lately. I will randomly choose 10 commenters on Friday and will notify them via email that they will be getting a copy of  “The Medicine.”

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Update: Winners Selected and Notified on July 9th. Thanks everyone for your comments. Have a lot of new music I need to check out!

Over the last two weeks, I’ve asked some friends to share their impressions about John Mark McMillan’s How He Loves. These posts have been so good for me. They’ve been food for my soul. I have loved each and every one. Their beauty lies in their uniqueness.

Yesterday, inspired by the series Bill Cahusac shared his thoughts on the song in a post called Loves Like a Hurricane. I read it. It is wonderful and inspiring. In fact, it inspired me to create a place where you all could share your reflections on the song.

Here are the song’s lyrics:

He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.

We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
So Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…

He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.

God loves us so incomprehensibly, so uniquely, so powerfully, so messily. Most of us have a story about how He has loved us or how we have been overwhelmed by His love. Share your stories of restoration, redemption, grace, and mercy. Share your stories of His love.

I just love that Stephen Brewster is wrapping up the How He Loves series. A few months ago as the Senior Director of Marketing for Integrity Music, Stephen introduced me to John Mark McMillan and the song that inspired this series.

Even more, I love that Stephen, his lovely wife, and beautiful kids just moved to Nashville last week to be a part of Cross Point. God is good. And the world is small.

Find his blog here.

And his twitter here.

How He Loves is  is a declaration. It defines our relationship with God in a way that few songs dare to attempt. The concept of love is not foreign, but the realization that we are required to accept love is another thing entirely.

He Loves Us…but have we accepted and embraced that love?
His grace is an ocean…but are we willing to get wet?
He loves like a hurricane…but are we looking for the evacuation route to a comfortable place away from the storms?

Love is a 2 way street. You can be love and the love not be returned. The real relationship takes place when the love is accepted, embraced, and reciprocated.

He loves you.
He loves you today.
He loves you because of your imperfections.
He loves you without pretense, prejudice, performance, or boundary.
He loves YOU. The real you. The sometimes hidden you. The you that can be, and will be, even if you have not yet been…that person…He loves you.

God is an artist. He creates amazing art every day. He deposits great art in people to be time released creatively over his people. Gods brush of choice is to use people. How He Loves may not be fundamentally “congregational”, but creatively it challenges the very core of every person with breath in their lungs…it challenges us to confront our desire to be accepted and respond by embracing the one love that will never fail, Oh, How He Loves…

Today’s “How He Loves” post is from Grant Jenkins, aka An Idol Heart. Grant is a fellow Cross Pointer who I met via twitter and blogging several months before our paths crossed “in real life.” I admire how Grant publicly wrestles with finding peace, purpose, and self-worth in Christ. Alone.

Find his blog here.

And his twitter here.

jealous |ˈjeləs|adjective.
fiercely protective or vigilant of one’s rights or possessions

He is jealous for me
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight and wind of his mercy

I remember it like it was yesterday.

It was the week of January 11, 2010 when God, in His great mercy, allowed me to see the condition of my heart. The jig was up.

Finally, after 8 months of becoming increasingly aware that I had allowed my career to become an idol in my heart … after 8 months of trying to act like I could still make it work… after 8 months of trying to hold band-aids on an open wound… I broke.

I broke hard.

My chest was tight.

My breath was shallow.

My mind and emotions were in a tailspin.

What words I did speak were spoken through tears

The thought of taking one more step in the direction I had been headed was overwhelming.

What had I become? (more…)

Today’s “How He Loves” post is from Alece Ronzino, aka Grit and Glory. As I have said before, Alece is seems well ordinary. She is as easy be around, smart, authentic, and sassy. She is a kindred soul. But at the same time Alece is extra-ordinary. She ventured to Africa right out of high school to be a missionary. She created a successful ministry in South Africa. And through her beautifully written blog, she manages to make sharing her trials and open wounds with practical strangers seem natural.

Find her blog here.

And her twitter here.

I keep thinking about the adulterous woman who was dragged before Jesus. Mainly because I can’t help but see myself in her.

The crowd was ready to stone her for her sin, for her failure. And then Jesus spoke. He looked the mob straight in the eye and actually challenged them to go through with it. Underone condition.

He called for the one without sin to throw the first stone. (more…)

Today’s “How He Loves” post is from Trisha Davis. As I said on Wednesday, Justin and Trish(a) are two incredible people. They know all about brokenness, restoration, and redemption. Through their ministry at Cross Point Bellevue and Refine Us, they teach others (like me) the power of authenticity, truth, and grace. I am honored to call them friends.

Read about 8 things that destroyed their marriage here.

Read about 8 things that restored their marriage here.

Find their blog here.

And Trisha’s Twitter here.

The older I get the more I realize that everyone has a story. Just writing those words I’m sure you are already thinking of yours. John Mark McMillan’s story of how he came to write “How He Loves” is a reminder of the power of one’s story. The problem with my “story” is that there are too many. If I were to sit down with you over coffee and share my life story I’m certain you would walk away thinking I was viably insane.

The sad reality is that most of my life’s stories really aren’t mine to own. Most of what I have been through has come through other people’s choices or unexplainable tragedy. I have stood on the sidelines witnessing others poor choices and in return deciding to make poor choices of my own. (more…)

Thank you all for reading along and contributing your thoughts as we explore just how He loves us. I LOVE being able to share some other important voices on here. And just wanted to let you know that we are not done yet…

Next week we will have 4 more stories. So stay tuned!

Thanks again.

Lindsey