There are no words to describe what Jesus did for me today. He loved me so much that he took ALL my sins on his shoulders and died for me so I may be washed clean.

Thank you for your love, mercy, and grace, Jesus. Without You, life wouldn't be worth living.

This is a little vid I did some years ago as I was reflecting on Holy Week. Carry My Cross is such a powerful song and the Passion of the Christ was such a powerful movie that it only seemed natural to fit them together. I hope this video touches you somehow. God loves you. He always has. He always will. Nothing you can do will ever stop that. And remember, even if you feel alone in this world, He is MUCH closer than you think!!

I used to love Casting Crowns then I felt disconnected from their songs. I think a big part was played by Christian Radio for playing them over and over and over. I'm glad that they do; it's reaching someone out there. But there is other really great music out there that doesn't get enough acknowledgment.

But I was listening to the radio a few days ago  and came across this song that was so simple, broke my heart and uplifted me in more ways that I had been in a long time.

I was glad that the DJ said who was the artist. It was Casting Crowns. I was floored. I hadn't been moved by a CC song since Prodigal on Lifesong. Shows how long it's been since I listened to it.

How fitting it seems to me that I came upon this song in a time in my life when I was starting to feel Satan laying his hands on my heart. I thought that I was strong enough. I was reading my Bible every day and yesterday I was almost ready to give up reading it every day. I was so far behind on my Read-the-Bible-in-a-year outline that I just wanted to skip over a couple of the books and just pick up on today's readings.

How fitting that it comes at Lent too. To walk with Jesus on his journey. To see him be humiliated, beaten, spit on, denied. To see him die on a cross. To see him RISE AGAIN, beat sin's curse and save me. 

I couldn't get these lyrics out of my head. I just started weeping. WHY? WHY?! Why would he do that for me.....I have done nothing but deny him, abuse his name, forget him, and ignore him. I am still getting choked up as I am writing this. I am grateful for being moved by the Spirit.

I am not real great with words and how to express what I am feeling. But I can tell you that I feel broken; broken, but my heart is healing. Jesus loved me so much that he walked a cruel road to be scorned and beaten JUST FOR ME AND YOU. I don't know if I would ever have had the strength to even step foot on the path and continue on. Public humiliation is not my cup of tea.

But I am free. Thank you Jesus. Blessed Redeemer, you are my light and salvation. There are not enough words to express how much I love you.


Up Calvary’s mountain one dreadful morn
Walked Christ my Savior, weary and worn
Facing for sinners death on the cross
That He might save them from endless loss

Blessed Redeemer, precious Redeemer
Seems now I see Him on Calvary’s tree
Wounded and bleeding, for sinners pleading
Blind and unheeding, dying for me

“Father, forgive them,” my Savior prayed
Even while His lifeblood flowed fast away
Praying for sinners while in such woe
No one but Jesus ever loved so

Dying for me

Oh how I love Him, Savior and friend
How can my praises ever find end
Through years unnumbered on Heaven’s shore
My songs shall praise Him forevermore

 \

The Problem with the world is me.  Yes, I admit it. I saw the little lady walking across the street and didn't help her though I felt led. Yes, I saw that kid being bullied and instead of walking over to defend him, I turned away and pretended like I didn't notice. Yes, I joined in the conversation of gossip and instead of stepping out of the conversation, I added my two cents.

Am I really being the hands and feet of Christ? Am I reflecting Him as I ought? No. I am trying to serve two masters. Well, my dear friend, it's not going to work. You see, you can't serve two masters. It's you or God. And since I am all about pleasing myself, making sure I have all the cool gadgets and all the top songs from the top artists, it's the almighty God being put on the shelf to dust.

Yes, the problem with the world is me.

Someday I will think of others before me. Someday I will serve God will a willing heart and cast all my earthly cares to the wind. Someday will carry my cross and truly follow Jesus not letting other influence my opinion on my beliefs.

That someday is today.



**video and lyrics is of my favorite band downhere. Check them out at www.downhere.com**


There's got to be some reason for all this misery
A secret evil corporation somewhere overseas
They're pulling strings, arranging things
It's a conspiracy

Or what about the ones who shape the course of history
What if we petitioned for one grand apology?
I'll write to my prime minister
You, write your president

Everybody's wondering how the world could get this way
If God is good, and how it could be filled with so much pain
It's not the age-old mystery we made it out to be
Yeah, there's a problem with the world
And the problem with the world is me

Some will say the devil and his legions
They put us in a headlock of submission
But they lost all power over me
A long, long time ago

And since I was a kid you know I've caused a lot of hurt
And no one ever taught me how to put myself first
It came so very naturally
But I'm not a prodigy

So I will look no further than a mirror
That's where the offender hides
So great is my need for a redeemer
That I cannot trust myself
No, I cannot trust my self
I dare not trust myself
So I trust in someone else

The sooner you can sing along
The sooner you can sing this song
The happier we'll be
The problem with the world is me


Martel/Germain

Welcome to my newest blog! I love blogging. I love hearing what people are doing and what they have to say on things going on around them and in the world.

I have always had the idea of doing a “song blog”. I know other people are probably doing it or something similar to it. But, I decided to start one myself and why not a good time like the start of a new year?

Songs are amazing. They tell such great stories. They can inspire. They can make you laugh, cry, get angry. They speak to you sometimes in a way that you would love to express how you are feeling and can’t form it into words, but yet when you hear the melodic phrasing, you automatically think, “That’s what I was trying to convey!”

I think I read somewhere that songwriters need to read the Bible even more than ministers do. Songs are a mini sermon and people retain them and the message presented in them.

So, thank you for joining me on this journey of exploration through song. I hope we can grow and learn from each other in the process. Songs are a very powerful tool of communication.







This week I think I am going to start with the song “Meteor Shower” from the artist Owl City. I had originally heard about Owl City through a friend who recommended it. I didn’t think much of it until at a downhere concert back in November of 2009. They were playing a slideshow of advertisements and random music videos and information for the church. The song “Fireflies” came on. I remember my friend saying something about the band Owl City and I told her that someone told me about them awhile back. I listened to the song and immediately fell in love with it.

Fast forward about a month and a half later. I was playing on iTunes and decided to check out Owl City. I once again fell in love with the whole album. Now, I’m not much of a electricona kind of person, but I couldn’t stop bouncing my head or tapping my foot.

I remember listening to “Meteor Shower” and closing my eyes. I am not sure who or what this song was made for, but the lyrics touched my heart:

I can finally see,
You're right there beside me.
I am not my own,
For I have been made new.
Please don’t let me go,
I desperately need you.

That’s it. Such a simple lyric, but powerful at the same time. It’s amazing how God can come through in a song. I am learning more and more as I grow in my walk about trusting God and letting him take control of my life. It’s so hard with everything battling against me. But the more I listen to His still small voice, the more I find a peace in my soul.

I can desperately try to make it on my own in this world, but I will fall flat on my face if I do. People think that depending on someone makes them weak. It’s like a man holding a purse. I know most men can’t stand going shopping with their wives, let along carry her purse for her. It shows either a sign of weakness, that he doesn’t have the “upper hand” or he prefers to “swing the other way”.

Or apologizing. That’s another way people think that they will show surrender or defeat. But the better man apologizes-I personally don’t think that it’s a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of strength.

And it still amazes me that even though we apologize and keep resurrendering our lives over to God, how often are those apologies empty. Do we do them in sincerity or do we do them just so we can get on with our day and put the issue aside? I hope that in most of our lives, apologies are sincere. God forgives us on a daily basis for all the mistakes we make. We are constantly being made new and we desperately need Him in our lives.

I have made “Meteor Shower” my prayer as of late. I have been trying to say it as I wake in the morning. It helps keep the reminder of who I am in Christ. I am not my own. I am His and ever will be and what I do in my daily routine needs to glorify Christ.