The hymnal of my life.

As I sit here working in my office a holiday playlist from my iTunes library is putting me in the seasonal mood.

I love music. I am a melancholy with an artistic spirit [just no artistic talent!]. Music is a soundtrack for my life. In fact, I can trace milestones on my spiritual journey through the albums and songs that I was listening to at that point.

Awhile back I began collecting these songs into my iTunes library so I could remember God’s story in my life. Some of these selections will make you laugh when you think of the style, others will mystify you as to why they would be important to me. But each one witnessed God to me at an important stretch of road.

This is my life’s hymnal - my musical life journal - my psalter.

CHILDHOOD - 1960s-70s

• WMBI 90.1 FM, Chicago
• Ralph Carmichael
• Andre Crouch - “Take Me Back”, “Keep On Singing”
• Doug Oldham - “The King Is Coming”, “A Rich Man Am I”
• LBC Chorale - “I Want The World To Know”

JUNIOR HIGH - 1970s

• Gaithers – “Because He Lives”, “Get All Excited”, “I Am A Promise”

HIGH SCHOOL - 1970s

• Dallas Holm & Praise - “Hey I’m A Believer”
• Keith Green - “For Him Who Has Ears to Hear”, “No Compromise”, “So You Wanna Go Back to Egypt”, “The Keith Green Collection”
• TRUTH - “Would You Believe In Me”, “Songs That Answer Questions”, “Second To None”
• Imperials - “No Shortage”, “Just Because”

COLLEGE/GRADUATE - 1980s

• Glad – “Captured In Time”, “No Less Than All”
• Michael W. Smith – “MWS Project”, MWS 2”

ADULT/LYNCHBURG - 1990s

• Michael Card – “Sleep Sound In Jesus”
• Steven Curtis Chapman - “Real Life Conversations”, “More To This Life”, “Signs Of Life”
• Michael W. Smith - “Exodus”
• Ron Kenoly - “Majesty”
• Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
• “Smithton Outpouring”
• Christ Fellowship Choir – “For Such A Time”
• Jars of Clay – “Jars Of Clay”
• LIGHT – “Carry The Light” [Portugese]

ADULT/GEORGIA - 2000s

• City on a Hill – “Songs of Worship and Praise”, “Sing Alleluia”, “The Gathering”
• Caedmon’s Call – “In Company Of Angels”
• Passion – “Live From The 268 Generation”, “Better Is One Day”, “How Great Is Our God”, “The Road To One Day”, “Our Love Is Loud” “Sacred Revolution”, “Everything Glorious”, “God Of This City”
• Chris Tomlin – “The Noise We Make”, “Not To Us”, “Arriving”
• Third Day – “Offerings”, “Come Together”, “Wherever You Are”
• Philips, Craig, and Dean – “Let My Words Be Few”
• Matt Redman – “Face Down”
• Hillsong United – “Look To You”
• Fee – “We Shine”
• Praise 97.5 Atlanta

CHRISTMAS

• Amy Grant – “A Christmas Album”, “Home For Christmas”
• Michael W. Smith – “Christmastime”
• City On A Hill – “Its Christmas Time”

LIFE

• Handel’s Messiah

George Handel wrote his oratario in 24 days and first performed it in 1742 in Dublin. Interestingly, when it was first performed in London the next year it was not well received. It was performed there in Covent Garden, a theater! Handel had called it a “musical entertainment”. I wonder that people of that time would think if they knew there were church plants meeting in and performing God-focused music in movie theaters today! This musical journey through the birth, suffering, and reign of Jesus Christ has been the most enduring and encouraging music throughout my life.

What are the next selections that will be added? I don’t know. But I know that songs will be added to the list because God will continue to speak to me through new music. He’ll play just the right new tune to walk me through the next peak or valley.

What is in your life’s hymnal?