Million Little Miracles

One of my favorite ways that I hear the Lord speak to me is through music, especially worship music. I was recently listening to Old Church Basement, a new album by Maverick City Music & Elevation Worship. I’ve been deeply moved and have cried every time I’ve listened to the song Million Little Miracles – it’s a beautiful, anointed declaration of how much He has done for me (and for each of us). 

Listening to that song reminds me of the choice that we have about how we view and respond to the circumstances in our lives. “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” This quote has been attributed to Albert Einstein, and I am taking it out of context for the purpose of this reflection. 

I’ve written quite a bit about my journey of recovery and healing from brain cancer and all the related treatments. I still struggle with fatigue and the ability to sleep well – it would be quite easy for me to focus on those things. But instead I’m choosing to be grateful and to recognize the miracles in my life: the way He gave me the strength to make it through the chemotherapy and radiation treatments without the most common side effect of vomiting; the fact that God made the brain to be neuroplastic (having the ability to adapt to experiences); the way He’s provided more than enough financially for the medical care I need(ed); healing my brother and mother from cancer years earlier as testimonies upon which I could build my faith; I could go on…

I hope that you can also take a moment to reflect upon the Lord’s faithfulness in your life. As the lyrics to Million Little Miracles say, “I hope [we] never get over what [He’s] done.”

Don't Forget to Remember

I love listening to music, particularly uplifting music. I recently came across a new song by Ellie Holcomb titled "Don't Forget to Remember" on one of my weekly playlists curated by Spotify (the online audio streaming service/app). The song is written for children (and the adults in their lives) and talks about looking at different aspects of creation as reminders of God's love, goodness, and presence. The lyrics to the song are also the words to a lovely children's book. Ellie Holcomb says that she wrote them to "help [her] own forgetful heart and [her] children’s precious hearts remember what is true."

In the weeks following my discovery of this song, I've often told myself, "Don't forget to remember..." filling in the rest with a truth like "God is good,"  "God is here," or "I'm never alone." As humans, we can be very forgetful, so I think we need to be intentional to remind ourselves of truth. I have lots of encouraging quotes/verses hanging near my desk at work. I also try to acknowledge the beauty of God's creation whenever I can.

I hope that you can take some time in the coming weeks to remind yourself to remember God's faithfulness whether through reading old journal entries, enjoying His creation, or listening to a good song. Check out Ellie Holcomb's book and song online if you're interested. I'll leave you with some of the lyrics:

"And when you catch the snowflakes that fall from the sky
Don't forget to remember you're one of a kind
And after the winter and cold are all through
The flowers remind you God makes all things new"