The Castle

On July 17, 2017July 16, 2017 By roberthansen1317In Christian life, God, Short storyLeave a comment

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I walked the land for days. I was told if I could find the castle I would find the Kingdom. Not many I came across had ever heard of the castle, let alone know how to find it. That did not deter me from searching. I heard it calling.

I continued my journey. Desperately looking for anyone who could tell me how to get to the castle. I entered a forest and saw the child. He was looking at me and had a smile on his face.

I asked the child if he knew where the castle was. He looked at me quizzicality and asked, “Where have you looked?”

I started to answer but he continued, “you look but you do not see. The thing you search for is right in front of you.”

This child did not know anything about a castle. “If it is right in front of me then why am I still searching?”

He again said, “because you look but do not see.” He then scurried off into the forest.

I scratched my head, perplexed at that conversation but continued my journey. It had been several days when I came upon another child.

“Hello, can you tell me how to get to the castle?” I asked.

“Where have you searched?” asked the child.

“I have been on so many roads, so many trails, so many paths that I have lost count,” I answered.

“Have any of those roads brought you closer to the castle?”

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I thought, what kind of question is that? Isn’t it obvious the answer is no since I am asking you where it is? “I do not believe so. I have not found many people who have even heard of it, let alone know where it is.” What is wrong with the children in this kingdom? I silently thought.

“Many have been on this journey you are on. Some have succeeded in finding the castle. Some have never been on the right path. Others have quit searching when they were only steps away.”

“Why would they quit searching when they were steps away? Couldn’t they see it?” I asked.

“The evil one put scales over their eyes. He does not want anyone finding the castle and he will do whatever it takes to make you turn away and quit searching.”

With that, he left me with only more questions than answers. Who was this evil one? Why would anyone quit searching for something so grand? Why would they not want to live in the castle and the kingdom? None of this was making sense to me.

I continued on the path I was on. I was hoping that I would find someone who could lead me to the castle. It had been months since I saw the last child but I was on a journey and I was not going to stop until I found it.

I was rounding a corner when I saw a man sitting beside the road. “Where ya goin’?” he asked.

“I’m not really sure,” I responded. “I am searching for the castle in the kingdom but I have not been able to find it yet.”

“Oh, I see,” he said. “Mind if I tag along?”

“Not to be disrespectful but I prefer not. This is a journey I must take alone,” I answered.

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“Why don’t you go down this way?” he said as he pointed to the left of me. “I have heard down that road will be all the money you could ever want.”

“Thanks, but I have had money and it did not bring me the peace I search for.”

“Why not go down this road?” he said as he pointed to the right. “I have heard there all the women you could ever desire down that road.”

“Thanks, but I have had my share of women and they did not fill the hole in my heart,” I replied.

“Why not turn around and go back to where you were? Surely it is a lot easier than searching for a mythical castle that you will never find.”

“You must be the evil one the child told me about. I will not listen to your serpents tongue. I will be on my way now.”

With that, I bid him farewell and was on my way again.

It seemed like another year had passed but I knew it could have only been days. I was getting frustrated. Why could I not find this castle?

I crested a hill and saw the two children again. “Hello again, will you continue to talk in riddles or will you show me the way to the castle?”

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“The castle is located where you will never expect it to be. You will find it when you can cross the moat between your mind and your heart. You must understand, through faith, that what is seen was not made from the visible. You must have faith in what you do not see.”

Do what? Are these children serious? Moat, mind, heart, invisible, visible?

“You must lower the drawbridge and connect what you believe to be the truth and what you know to be the truth. When your heart and your mind are one you will find the castle. When you find the truth you will find the castle for the castle is the truth.”

“Keep searching. Walk in faith. You are on the right path.”

As perplexed as I was, I felt a peace that I had not felt before. Somehow, what they said was making sense. I knew I had not found the castle yet but I knew I was close. I knew I was heading in the right direction. One step at a time, one minute at a time, I will keep on walking.

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Kingdom by David Dunn –

I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For by U2 –

Walk By Faith by Jeremy Camp –

Sing In The Valley by The Perrys –

When The Sun Sets In The Ocean

On July 14, 2017July 20, 2017 By roberthansen1317In Christian life, marriage, poems, Poetry3 Comments

At the end of the day when the sun sets in the ocean

Does she welcome him with arms wide open?

Does she tell him how much he was missed?

Does he cherish each and every kiss?

Does he talk about the damage he’s done?

How people pray for rain but there is none?

How the ice caps are less and less?

How the heat from him is causing a mess?

Or does he talk about all the good times

People laughing, basking in his sunshine

The picnics and the foods that grow

Does he talk of times from not long ago?

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Does she talk about the storms and hurricanes?

Does she talk about how she wishes she could see the plains?

Does she complain about her waters rising?

Does she blame him for the people dying?

Or does she talk about how the people play

How they jump over or try to ride her waves

The joy in someone’s eyes as they see her for the first time

Does she wonder if their love is strong or are there warning signs?

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Or do they talk about what a wonderful team they are

How they are always together to look at the stars

How both of them together can cause great things to occur?

Does she tell him how much she loves him and he loves her?

When they are all alone in the dark

Do they share what’s deep in their hearts?

When he wakes to start another day

Is there a tear in the ocean’s waves?

When he is gone and up high in the sky

Does he think of her with a twinkle in his eye?

Does she say hurry home soon?

Does he say tonight we will watch the moon?

So much can happen, so many feelings and emotions

At the end of each day when the sun sets into the ocean

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In Case You Didn’t Know by Brett Young –

Walk Away by Goo Goo Dolls-

If We Were Vampires by Jason Isbell –

The Story by Brandi Carlile-

One Day At A Time by Brian Courtney Wilson-

House On Fire by Rise Against –

Ordinary People by John Legend-

I Won’t Give Up By Jason Mraz –

Roots

On July 12, 2017July 11, 2017 By roberthansen1317In Christian life5 Comments

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Have you ever met someone you thought was either half crazy or half genius? G was that person. I call her G because she reminded me of a grandma, even if she was a few years younger than me. Most would call her an old soul, I called her crazy for many years.

One time I went to visit G and, as usual, she was wearing one purple sock and one yellow sock. I have learned to accept her for who she is. She loves to garden and some of her talks were on that subject.

“Keep planting seeds. Even when all you see are weeds sprouting, don’t think for a second that seed isn’t still there. Life is like that. The weeds pop overnight but the flower takes awhile to bloom. Many people are like the weeds, grasping for the quick and easy. But when you wait for the flower and it finally blooms, man it is beautiful.”

“Weeds will choke the life out of you. Some weeds are beautiful but don’t let them fool you. A weed is still a weed. You have to get rid of them as fast as possible.”

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She invited me over to have some pie and milk one day. After I took a bite she asked how did it taste. I said it was delicious. She replied: ain’t a bit of apple in it. It’s called mock apple pie. A lot of people are like that. Say they are something and turns out they aren’t like that all. Gotta watch out for mock people.
Most of the things she said I could only shake my head at and smile. Most, I have to admit, I didn’t even understand for most of my life.

“This moment contains all moments of your life. Your entire past has lead you to this moment. Your entire future is at this moment. Why would you want to be anywhere other than where you are now.”

“Hiding behind secrets and lies is like walking across a frozen lake as it melts beneath your feet. One more step and you could fall through.”

“True love requires open hands. Remember while you are looking down at your palms they are looking up to true love.”

“You can’t be a star if you are always chasing the sun.”

“It’s a cold, cold world out there. The fire in you is stronger. Don’t let anyone throw water on you.”

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“You can’t live in a castle if you are always swimming in the moat.”

“You can’t soar like an eagle if your friends are all groundhogs.”

“You have two choices in life. You can live in the dark or you can find the light switch.”

“A house of cards can only stand if all four suits work together. A spade to do the hard work, a diamond to cut through the hard times, a club to knock some pride out of yourself, and a whole lot of hearts.”

“If a man pulls up to my house to pick me up for a date and beeps the horn, he’s at the wrong house.”

“To become who you are meant to be you have to get past who you thought you were.”

“We all need a friend like Winnie the Pooh.”

“If you don’t want to smell like a sewer, don’t hang out at the sewer.”

“There’s no I in yOU and mE. That’s whY we are an A.”

“The grass on the other side will turn brown also if you don’t take care of it.”

“Those scars remind you who were, not who are.”

“If you want to be a light in this cold, dark world, you can’t be afraid to light a candle.”

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“If you want to go west but find yourself going east, turn around.”

“The sun is always shining above the clouds. Don’t let a few dark clouds ruin your tan.”

“If love makes you change who you are inside, then it isn’t love.”

“If you have to be fake to get someone to love you, then the love isn’t real.”

“Assuming you are going the right direction, if you keep putting one foot in front of the other you will get to where you want to go.”

“It’s okay to cry. One day those tears will water the most beautiful garden.”

“Sometimes the hardest person to forgive is yourself.”

“If you see a stranger who needs help, help. That stranger may be you one day.”

“If you want a clean yard, don’t expect someone else to clean up all your dog doo.”

“No pain no gain is only a half truth. We all have pain but not everyone gains. If you want to gain you have to fight through the pain, you have to not quit, you have to pick yourself back up and keep on trying.”

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“Hope and faith and love are the only four letter words in my vocabulary.”

“We can never say goodbye if we first never say hello.”

“The forest has a bunch of different trees but they all provide the same shade.”

One day we were having a heart to heart about where we come from. Our hometowns, our friends, our parents. People that influenced us. What we inspire to be.

I will never forget what she said. Even though I had to think about it for awhile.

“We are all roots. A complicated mess all tangled up together, covered in mud and dirt, just searching for the light. We are just waiting to burst through that ground and explode into what we were meant to become. Unfortunately, most of us can’t forget the mud and dirt we left behind. Yes, it helped make us what we are and some of us still need it to give us life. But, in order for us to live a life full, we must stay above the dirt and continue to reach for the sky. When you finally see that flower, all this dirt and mud and tangled roots will make sense.”

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Roots by Parmalee-

Roots by Zac Brown Band-

Wonder by Hillsong United –

My Roots Go Deeper by Alathea –

Birds Of A Different Color: A New Chapter

On July 11, 2017September 3, 2017 By roberthansen1317In birds of a different color, Christian life, poems, Poetry6 Comments

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It has been a year since my first Birds post. Six months since the third one. This one I actually meant to release after the elections but…

I have another one ready to go that will be published next week. I hope you enjoy them.

Be sure to catch up on the history of the birds:

Birds Of A Different Color

Birds Of A Different Color: The Sequel

Birds Of A Different Color : Christmas Eve

It would soon be a sad, sad day throughout the land

When the eagle would soon fly to Heaven to be in God’s hands

All the birds talked about the progress they had made

When they all decided to love instead of hate

They all knew a new leader needed to lead

But some birds didn’t think there was a need

Why can’t we just govern ourselves

While others thought that would not go well

It wasn’t long before the roads the eagle paved turned to gravel

All the progress the birds had made started to unravel

The Hawk stepped in and said he had something to say

“I should be the leader because I am a bird of prey!”

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The Vulture laughed out loud and said he should be the one

A younger Eagle said he had the right since he was the son

The Hummingbird said it should be him since he was small and fast

The Falcon and the Osprey both said no as they laughed

“How can a small bird be a leader?”

“Wake up little bird, you are just a dreamer”

It was then the wise old Owl spoke up

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“All of you are making me sick, ENOUGH!!”

“Listen to how we speak!”

“If only the Eagle wasn’t so weak”

“It is as if all we have learned has been erased”

“Appreciation and respect for others is being replaced

With words of hurt and words of hate”

“I see a new leader as all of you debate”

“The only one who hasn’t said any words

Should be the new leader of the birds”

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All the birds looked around wondering who it could be

They all gasped when they saw the Eagle crying quietly

“This was just a test of the last resort”

“For my time here is indeed short”

“Have you all forgotten how it was before?”

“When we all killed in a useless war.”

“We can all coexist in love.”

“That is why I will appoint the dove.”

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“There is no other way we can live,

As we have been doing, we must continue to give.”

“We must continue to encourage!”

“Let kind words continue to flourish.”

“Help all those hurt and in need.”

“Don’t let in selfishness and greed”

“These might be the last words I say.”

“Love, my friends, love instead of hate!!”

“I pray you will always do what is just, what is right.”

Then the Eagle spread his wings and took his last flight

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Better Than I Found It by Danny Gokey –

Here We Stand by Chosen House Choir-

Brother What Happened by Muddy Magnolias-

How Did You Love by Shinedown-

As Long As There’s Love by Alabama-

Enough Love To Go Around by Doug Anderson-

Troubled Times by Green Day-

4-15-13 by Dropkick Murphys-

One More Light by Linkin Park –

Unstoppable by Matty Mullins feat Jordan Feliz –

Change For The World by Charles Bradley-

Choose To Love by Francesca Battistelli –

One Way To Live by Clint Black-

Unite by 1Girl Nation-

Heal Our Land by Troy Sneed-

O God Forgive Us by For King & Country –

What Do I Know by Ed Sheeran –

Get Together by The Youngbloods –

Dear Daughter by Halestorm

On July 10, 2017July 10, 2017 By roberthansen1317In Christian lifeLeave a comment

Finally, Halestorm made a video to one of my favorite songs. I featured the lyric video on my very first post over two years ago.

The Stained Glass Window

On July 10, 2017July 10, 2017 By roberthansen1317In Christian life, Short story12 Comments

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I heard the doors open and shut. Another person walking into church late.

Seriously?

C’mon lady, the church is half empty and you come and sit right beside me. Hello? Have you not heard of personal space?

She gave me a weak smile, and I gave her one back. Not my first thought to do but we were in church.

A few minutes later tears started to stream down her face.

Oh no God, not today. I do not want to deal with this today. I just came to worship you, not talk to someone else.

Ask her if she is okay!

No God! I told you I did not want to do this today.

Reach out for her hand!

Are you serious? I will not do that. She will probably think I am hitting on her or something. From the way she is crying that is the last thing she needs.

That is what she needs. She needs a friend. She needs you.

God, in case you haven’t noticed, I don’t have any friends. I’m not exactly the kind of friend people want. I don’t have time for people in my life.

Offer her a tissue!

I don’t have one on me.

There are some in front of the church!

You want me to get up and walk to the front of the church, right in middle of the sermon?

Yes!

I exhaled softly. Maybe it was loudly.

“Excuse me, let me go get you a tissue.”

“Thank you but you don’t have to.”

If only. “Yes, I do. God is telling me to go get you a tissue.”

She looked at me weird. I could hear her thoughts. This guy is crazy, thinking God is talking to him.

I came back and gave her the tissue.

We listened to the rest of the sermon. At the end of the service I sat there, waiting for her to get up. She didn’t.

C’mon God. Seriously, I have so much to do today.

Nothing more important than my daughter!

I looked at her and could tell she had a lot on her mind. Tears started to flow again.

“Are you okay?” Duh. Of course she isn’t okay.

I reached out and touched her hand and she looked at me with such sadness.

She started to talk. Opening up more and more as the minutes past. Everyone else had left the church and it was just her and myself. Well, and God.

She talked about her mistakes and her pain. Tears would come and go. I listened and tried to lighten the mood when the opportunity arose. I tried to offer encouragement where I could. The more I listened, the more I realized she was a lot like me. I forgot about all I needed to get done and just sat there and listened.

That’s when I heard God tell me to look up. I did and that’s when I saw the light shining through the stained glass window. How had I never noticed the stained glass window before? Maybe I had and just let it slide to the back of my mind. If I had noticed it before, I do not remember it being so beautiful.

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That’s when I remembered something I had read about how stained glass windows were made.

I asked the woman to look up.

“Look at the stained glass window. See how beautiful it is. It’s beautiful, just like you. Just like me. In order for it to be made, it has to be broken. All the broken pieces are put together just so by its maker. You can’t see how all the broken pieces will turn out, just like you can’t see what next year or even what tomorrow will be. Then one day, presto. You see this beautiful, completed work of art. One day you and I will be a completed work of art. We just have to keep picking up the broken pieces and putting them together until we are complete.”

It was like a light went off behind her eyes.

She thanked me and got up and ran out of the church. I never even got her name.

She came back the next Sunday and we talked more and wouldn’t you know it, we became good friends. So good, in fact, that we are now married.

Our stained glass window is not complete. God is still putting more broken pieces together but I can see the picture. I can see how all the past mistakes, all the broken pieces are making a beautiful window. It would not look how it looks without all the broken pieces of glass. One day, our window will be complete and it will be more amazing than I could ever imagine.

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Stained Glass by Jon Guerra-

Broken Things by Matthew West-

O Come To The Altar by Elevation Worship –

Pieces by Rob Thomas –

Broken Places by Plumb-

New Music Friday 7/7/17

On July 7, 2017August 20, 2017 By roberthansen1317In Christian life, new music, new music FridayLeave a comment

New music Friday on a Friday, woo hoo. Pick out a few or listen to all. Find someone new to listen to.

One new follower this week:

You Are The One by ShatterRed –

All That Remains:

Nothing I Can Do

Never Sorry –

All Time Low:

Last Young Renegade

Drugs & Candy

Good Times

Life of the Party

Ground Control (Featuring Tegan and Sara)-

Aranda:

We Are the Enemy

Stay

Are You Listening?-

Betty Who:

Human Touch

Pretend You’re Missing Me

Reunion

I Love You Always Forever

Beautiful Feat. Superfruit

You Can Cry Tomorrow-

Black Star Riders:

Thinking About You Could Get Me Killed

Letting Go Of Me-

Bleachers:

Don’t Take The Money

Everybody Lost Somebody

I Miss Those Days-

Colin Hay:

A Thousand Million Reasons

The Best In Me

Frozen Fields Of Snow

The Last To Know-

Dear Evan Hansen:

Waving Through A Window Dear Feat. Ben Platt

Only Us by Ben Platt & Laura Dreyfuss-

Demon Hunter:

Died In My Sleep

Half As Dead

Raining Down –

Dreamcar:

After I Confessed

All Of The Dead Girls

The Preferred

Do Nothing-

Erasure:

Sweet Summer Loving

Just A Little Love-

Gawvi:

Giana

Something Bout U Feat. Jawan

Feel It Feat. Jocelyn Bowman

Steady Feat. Zach Norman –

Goldfrapp:

Systemagic –

Hannah Kerr:

Never Leave Your Side

Overflow

I Stand Here

Lifeline

Love I Leave

Mercy Won

Warrior –

Harry Styles:

Sweet Creature

Two Ghosts –

Incubus:

Nimble Bastard

State Of The Art

Undefeated

Loneliest-

Karen Elson:

Wonder Blind

The End –

The Lacs:

My Kinfolks

Jack In My Coke Feat. Montgomery Gentry

Redneck As Me-
Lil Yachty:

All You Had To Say

Made Of Glass

Running With A Ghost Feat. Grace-

Lillie Mae:

Nearing Home –

Linkin Park:

Talking To Myself

Battle Symphony

Invisible

Halfway Right-

Little Hurricane:

For Life –

Machine Gun Kelly:

Bad Things feat Camila Cabello-

Magic Giant:

Set On Fire

Let’s Start Again

Shake Me Up

Let It Burn –

Mandisa:

Unfinished

The One He Speaks Through

My First Love Feat. Jeremy Camp

I’m Still Here-

Mary J. Blige:

Smile Feat. Prince Charlez –

Mother Mother:

Love Stuck

Letter –

Papa Roach:

Born For Greatness

Periscope

Help

Sunrise Trailer Park

None Of The Above –

Paramore:

Rose-Colored Boy

Fake Happy

Pool

Caught In The Middle

Forgiveness –

Patti Labelle:

Folks On The Hill-

Pokey LaFarge:

Riot In The Streets

Better Man Than Me

I Will Never Change

Must Be A Reason –

Rascal Flatts:

I Know You Won’t

Are You Happy Now Feat. Lauren Alaina

Our Night To Shine-

Seether:

Something Else

I’ll Survive

Against The Wall

Let Me Heal

Count Me Out

Misunderstood –

Stephen Pearcy:

Passion Infinity

Rain –

SWMRS:

Figuring It Out –

Tennis:

In The Morning I’ll Be Better –

Tim O’Brien:

Guardian Angel

When the Mist Clears Away

My Old Brown Coat and Me

Few Old Memories –

Tuxedo:

Take A Picture

Shine –

The Wild Reeds:

Back To Earth

Fall Asleep

Only Songs –

Zac Brown Band:

Roots

Real Thing

2 Places At 1 Time

Your Majesty

My Old Man –

New Music Friday 7/6/17

On July 6, 2017July 6, 2017 By roberthansen1317In Christian life, new music, new music FridayLeave a comment

A day early or two weeks late, hhhmm.

One new follower this week:

Faces by Stolen City –

Here is some music I have been listening to. Pick a few or pick all and find something new to listen to.

Acceptance:

Fire And Rain

When I Was Cursed

Haunted-

All That Remains:

Madness

Halo

Louder

Rivercity

Far From Home

Trust And Believe

Back To You –

All Time Low:

Dirty Laundry

Nice2KnoU

Nightmares

Dark Side of Your Room

Afterglow –

Aranda:

Not the Same

Don’t Wake Me

Starting Over –

Betty Who:

The Valley

Some Kinda Wonderful

Wanna Be

Make You Memories

Free To Fly Feat. Warren G

Mama Say –

Black Star Riders:

When The Night Comes In

Cold War Love

Dancing With The Wrong Girl –

Bleachers:

Goodmorning

Hate That You Know Me

All My Heroes

Let’s Get Married

Nothing Is U

Foreign Girls

Goodbye –

From Come From Away:

Prayer feat Chad Kimball

Stop The World Lee MacDougall, Sharon Wheatley, ‘Come From Away’ Company

Lead Us Out Of The Night –

Colin Hay:

I’m Walking Here

I’m Inside Outside In

Blue Bay Moon

Love Don’t Mean Enough

Come Tumblin’ Down –

Craig Finn:

Tangletown

It Hits When It Hits

Be Honest –

Dear Evan Hansen:

Disappear

Good For You

For Forever

Words Fail

If I Could Tell Her

So Big / So Small

Anybody Have A Map?

You Will Be Found –

Demon Hunter:

One Step Behind

The End

Slight The Odds

Trying Times –

Dreamcar:

Ever Lonely

The Assailant

Slip On The Moon

Don’t Let Me Love

On The Charts –

Eisley:

Sparking

Defeatist

A Song For The Birds –

Erasure:

Love You To The Sky

Be Careful What You Wish For!

A Bitter Parting

Still It’s Not Over

Take Me Out Of Myself

Lousy Sum Of Nothing –

Faith Evans & The Notorious B.I.G.:

Somebody Knows

It Was Worth It –

Gawvi:

Like We Belong

Show Me

The Sickness Feat. Jordan Powers

Closer Feat. Robbie Lee & Julissa Leilani

Hold On Feat. Sydney Wilson –

Hannah Kerr:

Your Love Defends Me

Radiate

Undivided

Be Still and Know (Featuring Mark Hall) –

Harry Styles:

Carolina

Only Angel

Ever Since New York

From The Dining Table

Sign Of The Times –

Incubus:

No Fun

Glitterbomb –

Karen Elson:

Double Roses

Why Am I Waiting

Wolf

Call Your Name –

The Lacs:

American Rebelution

Lake Somewhere

One More –
Lil Yachty:

Bring It Back

Forever Young Feat. Diplo

Momma (Outro) Feat. Sonyae Elise

Better Feat. Stefflon Don –

Lillie Mae:

Honky Tonks And Taverns

These Daze

Forever And Then Some

Wash Me Clean –

Linkin Park:

Sorry For Now

Sharp Edges

Good Goodbye Feat. Pusha T & Stormzy

Heavy Feat. Kiiara –

Little Hurricane:

Same Sun Same Moon

Bad Business

OTL

Mt. Señorita

You Remind Me

Moon’s Gone Cold –

Machine Gun Kelly:

Let You Go

At My Best Feat. Hailee Steinfeld

Go For Broke Feat. James Arthur –

Magic Giant:

Jade

Hideaway

Window

Celebrate The Reckless

Eyes Wide –

Mandisa:

Out Of The Dark

Comeback Kid

Good News

Prove Me Wrong

What You’re Worth Feat. Britt Nicole

Bleed The Same (Intro) Feat. Kirk Franklin

Bleed The Same Feat. tobyMac & Kirk Franklin

Shine –

Mary J. Blige:

Thick Of It

It’s Me

Indestructible

Love Yourself Feat. Kanye West

Glow Up Feat. Quavo, DJ Khaled & Missy Elliott

Survivor –

Matisyahu:

Step Out Into The Light

Back To The Old

Head Right –

Mother Mother:

The Drugs

Back In School

Baby Boy

Family –

Papa Roach:

Break The Fall

Crooked Teeth

American Dreams –

Paramore:

Told You So

Grudges

Idle Worship

Hard Times –

Patti Labelle:

Till I Get It Right

Here’s To Life –

Rascal Flatts:

Yours If You Want It

Dance

Love What You’ve Done With The Place

Kiss You While I Can

Hopin’ You Were Lookin’ –

Richard Edwards:

Disappeared Planets –

Seether:

Betray And Degrade

Saviours

Take A Minute –

Stephen Pearcy:

I Know I’m Crazy

Hit Me with a Bullet

What Do Ya Think

Summers End-

Stu Garrard:

In The Middle

Undivided feat Amanda Cook

Morning Light feat Amy Grant

Oh Blessed feat Anthony Skinner

Let My Dreams Fly featTerrian Bass

The View From Here feat Hillsong UNITED

Heaven Is Around Us feat John Mark McMillan

Oh Mercy feat Matt Maher, Audrey Assad

The View From Here feat Hillsong UNITED –

SWMRS:

Miss Yer Kiss

Ruining My Pretending

Hannah

Silver Bullet

Lose It-

Terry C. Keller:

If I Said I Didn’t Care

Someone Always Wants To Build A Wall – (no video I could find)

Tim O’Brien:

Friday, Sunday’s Coming

Little Annie (When the Springtime Comes Again) –

Todd Rundgren:

Fiction

That Could Have Been Me Feat. Robyn –

While She Sleeps:

Yuo Are We

Steal The Sun –

White Reaper:

The World’s Best American Band

Judy French –

The Wild Reeds:

Everything Looks Better (In Hindsight)

Fix You Up

Fruition

The World We Built-

Zac Brown Band:

Long Haul

Start Over

All The Best

Trying To Drive Feat. Aslyn

Family Table –

God, What Do You Want?

On July 6, 2017July 6, 2017 By roberthansen1317In Christian life, God, God we need to talk, Use me God5 Comments

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Dear God,

Can you believe this year is half way over already? It won’t be long until we see Christmas decorations on the shelves. It seems to start earlier and earlier each year.

Well, where to begin? I started this year off strong. I had a million things I wanted to do and be. I wanted to write more and send some of my stories to publishers and maybe find someone to do a demo of one of my songs. I wanted to save money for Christmas so I would not have to charge any gifts this year and stay out of debt. I wanted to get closer to my wife. I wanted to read the bible more. I wanted to be able to run again. Let me rephrase that, I wanted to run a race again without being hurt and to run it competitively like I used to. I wanted to call home more. I wanted …

I wanted…I wanted….I wanted…

Well, you know what has happened? None of that. None of it even has come close to happening. In fact, I have written less. Most days I think what’s the point. These words aren’t ever going to make a difference anyway. Every time I save a dollar something happens where I have to spend two. I still don’t talk like I should. I haven’t read a bible devotion in months. I haven’t even taken a step to run in months. I am thankful I can walk but I want to run.

So, all things I have wanted to do so far this year have not come close to happening.

So, God, what do you want? What do you want me to do? The last half of the year is all about what you want. I will put my wants aside and will listen to what you want.

Here I am, speak to me, lead me, show me your ways. Here I am.

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