21st Day of Easter - Only in God (Psalm 62)

John Michael Talbot’s album “Come to the Quiet” has very special significance for me. I remember listening to it over and over during our first year of marriage...we both had good jobs and had just bought a home, why was my soul so restless? We left that life and moved to Texas so Ken could start seminary, and life got harder, deeper, poorer and richer all at the same time. When the pain of childbirth was too great for words,  I tapped Ken’s arm to start and restart this song during the longest part of labor with our first child.

Only in God - John Michael Talbot


The version above is from the album, and I love the stark simplicity of it. Talbot sounds so young! Ken and a high school buddy hitchhiked to a rock music festival in Charlotte in the early ‘70s where JMT and his brother, Terry Talbot, were in a band called Mason Profit. Both Talbots, as well as Ken and his hitchhiking companion, became Christians soon after that. Everything changed.

Here you can see JMT perform the song with a live audience. He has had an interesting ministry as the founder of the Brothers and Sisters of Charity, a Catholic monastic community.

Only in God - Live version

20th Day of Easter - Getty Family Sing

What a wonderful gift this family has given through these weekly live performances!

Getty Family Sing April 28

If you are pressed for time, move to 12 minutes or so and listen to the amazing story Keith tells of setting Psalm 91 to music. Just 18 months ago, there was concern that the words “plague and pestilence” had little meaning for modern listeners. It is a wonderful song that Kristyn sings while Keith plays guitar and the girls bang around in the kitchen. They end with a rollicking version of “Great is Thy Faithfulness.” They introduce a new song early on, so watch the whole thing when you can.

If you are interested in getting words and chords to their songs so you can join in live on Tuesday evenings (7:15 CT), their website is Here.

19th Day of Easter - Sweet, Sweet Spirit

This is an old favorite of the Sardis UMC congregation where I have served as music minister for 15 years. This wonderful recording is an Adventist Choir and a congregation in North London singing together.

Sweet, Sweet Spirit

I love the harmony they split into at the high part - “sweet Holy Spirit, sweet heavenly dove...” That is where congregations tend to lose singers, or they drop an octave. Harmony makes it possible for everyone to sing in their best voice, together. We just can’t all sing the melody at the same time. There is a life lesson in that, for sure.

Read this, if you have time, to learn about the composer and the wonderful way the song came about. Story behind the song

18th Day of Easter - I Need Thee Every Hour

(My apologies for not posting every day of the Easter season. There are plenty of great songs, but 50 days of continuous posting is a bit more than I can find the time to do well)

I woke up with the chorus of this song in my head. Here is the hymn page with all the verses and a recorded version with some fine guitar picking in it. 

I Need Thee Every Hour hymn page

I Need Thee - Chelsea Moon w/ Franz Brothers

If you want to just sing the chorus over and over, join along with this congregation. I Need Thee - Don Moen

Annie S. Hawks wrote the words to “I Need Thee” in 1872. Her pastor, Rev. Robert Lowry, composed the music and added the repeating chorus. I wonder if we would know the song without the chorus - it is the most powerful part. 

Wikipedia quotes Ms. Hawks about her mood when she wrote the song -  "For myself, the hymn was prophetic rather than expressive of my own experiences, for it was wafted out to the world on the wings of love and joy, instead of under the stress of personal sorrow."

15th Day of Easter - We Will Feast in the House of Zion

Based on promises in Psalm 42 and 62 as well as Isaiah 43, Sandra McCracken’s “We Will Feast in the House of Zion” is especially appropriate for the anxious times in our lives.

We Will Feast in the House of Zion

You can easily find excellent video and audio recordings of the composer singing the song, but something about this woman’s offering is especially sweet and touched me in a way that the professional productions of the songs didn’t. Thank you, Laura Anderson. I, too, have been a little bit stressed lately and found that I couldn’t come up with a song every day, even though all I do is post other people’s work. You took the time to learn the chords and had the courage to post yourself singing. I hoped to do that myself but haven’t made it happen. You did, and it cheered my heart and encouraged me which is what you wanted all along, isn’t it?

12th Day of Easter - Getty Family Sing

Some of you enjoyed hearing the Gettys sing “In Christ Alone”with Alison Krauss during Holy Week. Here the Gettys are singing in their home with their adorable little girls.

Getty Family Sing

The Gettys have posted several family videos during the shelter-in-place season.

Here is In Christ Alone in case you missed it.

9th Day of Easter - I Heard the Angels Singing

Eric Bibb has a unique drive to his music that makes it instantly distinguishable. If I had to pick a favorite musician at this stage of my life, it would be him.

There are studio versions of Bibb performing this song that can be found online, but I love the minimalism of just the man with his guitar -

I Heard the Angels Singing

The lyrics are traditional, perhaps a spiritual.

I went down in the valley one day
I heard the angels singing
I heard a voice, I saw no one
I heard the angels singing
What you reckon the angels said
I heard the angels singing
Your sins is forgiven and your soul is free
I heard the angels singing
I went down in the valley one day
I heard the angels singing to me
I seen an old devil walk down my way
I heard the angels singing
What you reckon the devil said
I heard the angels singing
He said that heaven's door is closed, go home don't pray
But I heard the angels singing
I said get back sit down, get out of my way
I heard the angels singing
I don't wanna hear another word you say
Oh I heard the angels singing
Oh yes, I heard the angels singing
Just when I thought my soul was lost
I heard the angels singing
My dungeon was shook, my chains dropped off
I heard them singing
The people come running, saying what's it all about
I heard the angels singing
The holy ghost hit me, I could not help but shout
I heard the angels singing
When I went down in the valley one day
I heard the angels singing to me
I seen an old devil walk down my way
I heard the angels singing
I said get back sit down, get out of my way
I heard the angels
I don't wanna hear another word you say
Woo! I heard 'em singing
In that great getting up morning
I heard the angels singing to me
In that great getting up morning and I, whoo!
You know I heard the angels, hallelujah!