What a whirlwind weekend it has been. The Miller crew had company come late Thursday. Revival services started Sunday. But before they could start, the devil was wrecking havoc. Got a call Saturday morning during brunch that the music minister had some health issues going on and he was going to stay the night at the hospital. The preacher had to find someone to cover his spot and asked me to find an upbeat song to sing in place of the choir special. I don't have a lot of upbeat songs in my repertoire. So Tate and I scour all my current soundtracks for about an hour. Feeling frustrated and stressed, we quit and head to Natchitoches to catch up with the rest of our crew. Enjoyed walking Front Street and doing some window shopping. Ate at TrailBoss for supper. (Funny how when you are a broke college student, TrailBoss seemed like a real treat. Oh and the stories it could tell on all my college gals!) The trip down memory lane relaxed me a bit but I knew I had to stop by Lifeway in search of a song to sing the next morning...so off we went. After spending an hour in Lifeway, I walk out with two songs.
Within minutes of walking out the door, my phone rings. On the other end is my mother talking frantically about rushing Matt to the ER because he was having chest pains. My mind goes into overload. Tate calls the preacher to update him on my status. I wrestle with the decision to hightail it to Leesville or wait. Aunt Lisa calms me down and tells me to wait because Matt may be transferred to Alexandria. Sure enough he is and they don't get there til 2am. Sunday morning is a blur. I have two songs to choose from and I haven't practiced either one at all. I just go with "Rejoice in the Lord ." I know the song but don't have the words memorized. My mind isn't on revival mode. It's more on survival mode. I just give it all to God. I make it through the song. Afterwards the guest preacher tells me that he enjoyed my song and that it went right along with his sermon. Many people came by complimenting me on my singing and telling me how they liked the song. Only a few know all the drama behind the scenes.
Later that afternoon Tate and I go to Alexandria to check on Matt and my mom. When we get back that night, I'm exhausted. As I lay in bed, I start thanking God for all His mercy and strength He gave me that day. I was so thankful that God was in control and He was working out all the details before any drama came on the scene. I laugh as I think of how the devil tried to destroy the revival and how God just stomped him like a bug. Then I started to think how very appropriate it was for me to sing "Rejoice in the Lord Always." I must remember this on a daily basis.
REJOICE IN THE LORD
By: JOHN DARIN ROWSEY
CHORUS:
REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS
AND AGAIN I SAY REJOICE
DAYTIME, NIGHTTIME, ANY TIME'S THE RIGHT TIME
TO MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE
THROUGH THE GOOD AND BAD, THE GLAD AND SAD
IT'S TIME TO LIFT YOUR VOICE
REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS
AND AGAIN I SAY REJOICE
VERSE 1:
THE MIDNIGHT HOUR MAY BE AT HAND
AND YOU CAN'T SEE THE LIGHT
BUT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER
WHEN YOU WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT
JOY'S GONNA COME IN THE MORNING
WE HAVE HOPE, BUT UNTIL THEN
LET GOD ARISE, OUR FAITH'S ALIVE
WE KNOW HOW THE STORY ENDS
VERSE 2:
THE ENEMY WILL TRY TO BRING YOU DOWN
HIS EVIL WORKS EMPLOY
BUT HE CAN'T PULL YOU UNDER
WHEN YOU LIFT YOUR HEAD AND COUNT IT JOY
NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST YOU
IS GONNA PROSPER ANYHOW
GIVE GOD THE PRAISE IT'S NOT TOO LATE
THE BEST TIME TO START IS RIGHT NOW
BRIDGE:
REJOICE - AGAIN I SAY REJOICE
REJOICE - MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE
THROUGH THE GOOD AND BAD, THE GLAD AND SAD
IT'S TIME TO LIFT YOUR VOICE
REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS AND
AGAIN I SAY REJOICE
REJOICE, REJOICE
