Last month, I was so fortunate to be able to see Josh Garrels when he came down to Hawai’i for a close knit show at the new Surfer’s Coffee Bar from  Surfing the Nations! There was also live art going on, as well as a ton of international/handmade goods for sale.  I was ecstatic!… but also at a loss without a wallet and a dying camera battery… meh.

Anyway, Josh Garrels has been working on a documentary for his latest [and FREE!] album, Love & War & and the Sea in Between.  Thus, we probably won’t see any videos just yet, but recently he and michelle posted a lovely gob of photos on his blog – sneak peeks of their band in the quiet beauty of creation!  Here are a very small select few of my favorite shots – more than anything, I do encourage you to stop on by his blog and indulge in the photos for yourself. :)

josh and michelle garrels

i can’t wait to hear this song – apparently the song they are performing together, “little blue” is dedicated to their daughter heron.  sweet!
oh and the aquarion is now on my wishlist.  next to the chapman stick and a butter dish…

speaking of their daughter heron, this is such a darling picture from their concert for the community of mayne island. it melts my heart; so reminisce of the love of Abba Father.

josh garrels and his daughter heron

This next photo… I am so partial to because I am a big fanatic of lighting.  Incandescent lighting.  And I love the song this was filmed for: “Bread and Wine.”

film shoot for Bread and Wine

and lastly, a snippet of their “practice” (oh but how lovely it sounds!) of “Pilot Me.”

pilot me practice session from michelle garrels on Vimeo.

excited face!

xo

here is another occasion where… this is probably not the title of the song, and there’s that high possibility it’s not even thurlow’s song.
and yet i am posting it under his name because, after i heard this song during his Worship in the Word set, it resounded in my spirit for days!  basically, it’s a song on Psalm 61. there’s always such a power in singing Scripture, because truth is Truth!  such a beautiful song, i hope to hear it on an album soon.

song can be heard on the prayer room archives of International House of Prayer Kansas City (the set is Tues, June 26, 8:00 am…. song around 1:00).. here’s the lyrics!

Hear my cry, o Lord, listen to my prayer
You have been my strength
Amidst my enemies
You have heard my voice
And given me a portion with the ones
Who fear Your name

Now my soul waits
For You alone
For in You is
My salvation

And from the ends of the earth I call out to You
And when my heart is failing I call out to You

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I
You have been my refuge for all of my life
So let me dwell in Your house forever
And find my refuge in the shelter of Your wings

-jon thurlow

xo

so.  I actually heard this song from Cory Asbury during a few of his worship sets on the IHOP-KC live webstream early this summer.  and it’s one of those songs that resonates in my spirit often.  enjoy!

Lyrics:

In the quiet of my soul
In the stillness I hear Your voice call
And I am overwhelmed
And I am lost for words
To describe You

Jesus, You’re more than a friend
Jesus, You’re more than my heart
Could ever express
Your love and Your grace never fail me
Your merciful touch always heals me
You bring joy to my soul

My heart longs to worship You my King
And I long to bring You a pleasing offering
And I am overwhelmed
And I am lost for words
To describe You

xo

source

So. I don’t think “Fully in Love” is the actual title, but this song has been resonating in my spirit since I heard Jon Thurlow sing it in the IHOP-KC Prayer Room on the Monday, June 20, 2011 Worship in the Word set.

I can  never “just” sing out this song, because it is a bold song; it is the recognition of the reality of the call of Christ, the reality of the cross, and still a genuine profession of devotion and commitment.  To ask God to put the flame of love in His eyes into our own eyes is not a mere warmth – it is a scorching, eternal gaze that singes pride and idols and fear.  Oh but if we ask Him to burn our hearts with love, He will set us ablaze! And what a beautiful burn, to stand in the fire and know it is a purifying flame…

the love that you have for Jesus
come and put it inside of me
come and burn it on my heart
like a seal, like a seal
that in the famines of Your presence
or in the floods of persecution
or in comfort of the culture
it’s still real it’s still real

oh.. i just want a heart that is fully in love!

it’s what you wanted in the garden
it’s what you wanted on the mountain
it’s what you wanted on the crossbeam
just a heart that is fully in love

burn your love upon my heart like a seal
that in the floods of persecution it’s real
set your love upon my heart like a seal
that in the floods of your presence it’s real

 

- jon thurlow

xo

so i’ve been sick/feverish the past few days.. multiple contributing factors -
like the seeming incessant ebb and flow of people coming home, people visiting, and people leaving for an extended or indefinite time;
or maybe it’s the high stress of being jobless and poor;
or maybe the sick baby at home.

whichever.

anyway, so today i have been home, sleeping most of it off. but being confined to this room, i started looking for any spare roll of film i might have for my fun little nikon fm2n. what i did find was an awesome stack of college playlists on cds, and a VANS shoebox full of old film photos.

yes, that is totally a picture of my brother holding a seven-foot indian python.

oh and i re-visited myspace.

SAY WHAT???
IT EXISTS??

yes, my friends, myspace still exists.

scary isn’t it.
my last “update” (remember when they tried to be all facebooky?) was in 2009.  ahh what a weird time in my life too.

anyway, what i did love about myspace (honestly) was the surplus of artists with their music ready for preview, and in early days, download! one of such found artists was annie williams. i don’t understand why her music is so hard to come by, when she’s so wonderful to listen to! in fact, in my search for maybe even a youtube video of her song “used to,” i’m rather luckless. but, her song “hold my hand” is just as wonderful! from the album “An Introduction to Annie Williams.”

oh. and you can download “Roll on Hills” from Noise Trade, which is always a sweet deal!

still, i don’t get why she isn’t more popular.
whatevsies. i just did you a favor.

;)