Christian Life and Work

Is it the place for me?

cthibodeau — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 06:28:17 +0000

I think I have come to the realization that I miss going to church. So I thought I might go back to Esquimalt United Church since I enjoyed being a part of music team there, with Brooke Maxwell as the music director. Probably not the best way to choose which church to go to…

Anyway, since I last was there 3 years ago, I figured I better find out what has been going on since then. I went to the website and started looking around. I found out that they have updated their Mission and Vision statement since I left. When I read their new statement, it dawned on me that it does not really describe a church that I would like to attend. I guess my problem is that I was part of the Discernment Team that drafted the previous Mission and Vision statement for the church back in 2006; so I identify closely with that one.

Here’s what I will do: I will put links to both Mission statements below, and you can make your own decision.

Current Mission Statement

Previous Mission Statement

Clicking on the links above will open a new window/tab.

God Bless You!

All Because of Jesus

cthibodeau — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 02:34:59 +0000

This is a new (to us anyway) song we have been singing at the small group together. I thought I would share the lyrics and video with everyone.

God Bless You!

All Because of Jesus
by Casting Crowns
off their “Altar and the Door” album

Giver of every breath I breathe
Author of all eternity
Giver of every perfect thing
To You be the glory
Maker of Heaven and of Earth
No one can comprehend Your worth
King over all the universe
To You be the glory

And I am alive because I’m alive in You

It’s all because of Jesus I’m alive
It’s all because the blood of Jesus Christ
That covers me and raised this dead man’s life
It’s all because of Jesus I’m alive
I’m alive, I’m alive

Giver of every breath I breathe
Author of all eternity
Giver of every perfect thing
To You be the glory
Maker of Heaven and of Earth
No one can comprehend Your worth
King over all the universe
To You be the glory

And I am alive because I’m alive in You

It’s all because of Jesus I’m alive
It’s all because the blood of Jesus Christ
That covers me and raised this dead man’s life
It’s all because of Jesus

Every sunrise sings Your praise
The universe cries out Your praise
I’m singing freedom all my days
Now that I’m alive

I’m alive, I’m alive, I’m alive

NewWorldSon

cthibodeau — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 07:15:50 +0000

Hello everyone and welcome to this brief journal entry.

Ever since my older daughter had one of NewWorldSon’s videos on her blog, I have been waiting with great anticipation the arrival of their latest self-titled album. Well today is the day, and I have already made my way to iTunes and gotten my copy.

I really like their style of music, and the fact that it is Christian based does not hurt either. So let me leave you with a video of one of the songs on their new album “Do You Believe in Love?”

God Bless You!

The River

cthibodeau — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:32:01 +0000

I am not very happy with how the singing part of last Saturday’s small group meeting went. There did not seem to be any flow between the songs so it all seemed disjointed to me. The only part of the night that I think went well was the closing song. Listening to the conversation throughout the evening brought the song “The River” by Brian Doerksen.

I will include the lyrics as well as a video of the song.

God Bless You!

The River
Brian Doerksen

To the river I am going bringing sins I cannot bear
Come and cleanse me, come forgive me Lord I need to meet you there

In these waters, healing mercy flows with freedom from despair
I am going, to that river Lord I need to meet you there

Precious Jesus, I am ready to surrender every care
Take my hand now, lead me closer Lord I need to meet you there

Come and join us, in the river Come find life beyond compare
He is calling, He is waiting Jesus longs to meet you there
He is calling, He is waiting Jesus longs to meet you there

Precious Jesus, I am ready to surrender every care
Take my hand now, lead me closer Lord I need to meet you there
Take my hand now, lead me closer Lord I need to meet you there

Savior Please

cthibodeau — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 09:51:39 +0000

One of the songs we did at our small group get together on Saturday was a song by Josh Wilson called “Savior Please”. As usual for songs that I put here, it really speaks to me. So here are the lyrics and the video (with the lyrics) follows:

Savior Please
Josh Wilson

Savior, please take my hand .
I work so hard, I live so fast.
This life begins, then it ends.
And then I do the best that I can,
but I don’t know how long I’ll last.

I try to be so tough,
but I’m just not strong enough.
I can’t do this alone, God I need you
to hold on to me.
I try to be good enough,
but I’m nothing without your love.
Savior, please keep saving me.

Savior, please help me stand.
I fall so hard, I fade so fast.
Will you begin right where I end?
And be the God of all I am because you’re all I have.

Hallelujah!
Everything you are to me
is everything I’ll ever need.
and i am learning to believe
that I don’t have to prove a thing
cause you’re the one who’s saving me.

God With Us

cthibodeau — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:09:30 +0000

I go to a small group meeting every Saturday night, and I help with the singing. For this week’s meeting, something interesting happened. I went on YouTube, and one of the videos that was recommended to me was “God With Us” by Mercy Me. As it turns out, that song actually fit the topic of the meeting.

Anyway, here are the lyrics just in case you cannot listen to the video that I will include further down.

God Bless You!

God With Us
Mercy Me

Who are we that You would be mindful of us
what do You see that’s worth looking our way
we are free in ways that we never should be
sweet release from the grip of these chains

like hinges straining from the weight
my heart no longer can keep from singing.

[chorus]
All that is within me cries
for You alone be glorified
Emmanuel God with us
my heart sings a brand new song
the debt is paid these chains are gone
Emmanuel God with us.

Lord You know our hearts don’t deserve Your glory
still You show a love we cannot afford

like hinges straining from the weight
my heart no longer can keep from singing. [back to chorus]

Such a tiny offering compared to Calvary
nevertheless way lay it at your feet. [back to chorus]

Renewal of Vows

cthibodeau — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 09:08:46 +0000

As part of that meeting I mentioned in my last entry, one of the things that should happen is a couple renewing their vows after 50 years of marriage. I have just started looking for a song that could be used for that occasion, and so far I have found “Love Song” by Third Day. I am going to include the lyrics and a video of the song and I would appreciate comments on whether this song is suitable.

I’ve heard it said that a man would climb a mountain
Just to be with the one he loves
How many times has he broken that promise
It has never been done.
I’ve never climbed the highest mountain
But I walked the hill of calvary

[Chorus:]
Just to be with you, I’d do anything
There’s no price I would not pay
Just to be with you, I’d give anything
I would give my life away.

I’ve heard it said that a man would swim the ocean
Just to be with the one he loves
How may times has he broken that promise
It can never be done
I’ve never swam the deepest ocean
But I walked upon the raging sea

[Repeat chorus]

[Bridge]
I know that you don’t understand
the fullness of My love
How I died upon the cross for your sins
And I know that you don’t realize
how much that I gave you
But I promise, I would do it all again.
Just to be with you, I’ve done everything
There’s no price I did not pay
Just to be with you, I gave everything
Yes, I gave my life away.

Searching for music

cthibodeau — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:01:28 +0000

More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, – Philippians 3:8 (New American Standard Bible)

My wife, older daughter, and I met with a very good friend of ours to chat about an idea she had about a dinner meeting at her house. She was hoping that there could be some singing, and she mentioned a song called “Surrender” by Vineyard. She said she could not give us the actual passage since she did not have her Bible with her, but she thought it was in Philippians and that it spoke of “count it all as loss except my relationship with Christ”.

The bit in quotes is what I wrote down and that night after the meeting I went looking for a song called “Surrender” and the Bible passage she was talking about. The passage I found is at the top of this entry, and the lyrics of the song I found are below as well as a video. The song is a Vineyard song but is performed by Lincoln Brewster in the video:

I’m giving you my heart, and all that is within
I lay it all down for the sake of you my King
I’m giving you my dreams, I’m laying down my rights
I’m giving up my pride for the promise of new life

And I surrender all to you, all to you
And I surrender all to you, all to you

I’m singing You this song, I’m waiting at the cross
And all the world holds dear, I count it all as loss
For the sake of knowing You for the glory of Your name
To know the lasting joy, even sharing in Your pain
© 2005 Integrity Music

God Bless You!

How is that possible?

cthibodeau — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 01:15:43 +0000

One of the things I always seem to struggle with is what life after death is like. I will confess that whenever I have doubts about whether or not God exists it has to do with my inability to visualize what life after death would be like. Then I remember this Steven Curtis Chapman song that puts all of it into perspective: God Is God. Lyrics and video follow.

And the pain falls like a curtain
On the things I once called certain
And I have to say the words I fear the most
I just don’t know

And the questions without answers
Come and paralyze the dancer
So I stand here on the stage afraid to move
Afraid to fall, oh, but fall I must
On this truth that my life has been formed from the dust

God is God and I am not
I can only see a part of the picture He’s painting
God is God and I am man
So I’ll never understand it all
For only God is God

And the sky begins to thunder
And I’m filled with awe and wonder
‘Til the only burning question that remains
Is who am I

Can I form a single mountain
Take the stars in hand and count them
Can I even take a breath without God giving it to me
He is first and last before all that has been
Beyond all that will pass

Oh, how great are the riches of His wisdom and knowledge
How unsearchable for to Him and through
Him and from Him are all things

So let us worship before the throne
Of the One who is worthy of worship alone

God of This City

cthibodeau — Sun, 24 May 2009 08:53:14 +0000

Ever since my last journal entry, there is one song that has been recurring in my head and on the radio: God of This City. This song was written by Bluetree while they were on a mission trip in Thailand, and has also been recorded by Chris Tomlin. To me, this is a song of promise and hope. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Lyrics and video follow.

God Bless You!

God of This City

[Verse 1]
You’re the God of this City
You’re the King of these people
You’re the Lord of this nation
You are

[Verse 2]
You’re the Light in this darkness
You’re the Hope to the hopeless
You’re the Peace to the restless
You are

There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God

[Chorus]
For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
Greater thing have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City

[Verse 1]

[Verse 2]

There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God

[Chorus]
For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here

There is no one like our god
There is no one like our God

[Chorus]
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here