Lyrics... Live Out Loud!

Steven Curtis Chapman \ Live Out Loud

Imagine this
I get a phone call from Regis -
he says "Do you want to be a millionaire?"
They put me on a show and I win
with two lifelines to spare

Picture this
I act like nothing ever happened
and bury all the money in a coffee can
Well, I've been given more than Regis ever gave away
I was a dead man who was called to come out of my grave
I think it's time for makin' some noise

CHORUS:
Wake the neighbors
Get the word out
Come on, crank up the music, climb a mountain and shout
This is life we've been given, made to be lived out
So, la, la, la, la, live out loud

Think about this
Try to keep a bird from singing after
it's soared up in the sky
Give the sun a cloudless day and tell
it not to shine

Think about this
If we really have been given the gift
of life that will never end
And if we have been filled with living
hope, we're gonna overflow
And if God's love is burning in our
hearts, we're gonna glow
There's just no way to keep it in

CHORUS

So, la, la, la, la, live out loud
Live out loud
Everybody
La, la, la...la, la, la...la, la, la, live out loud
I wanna hear everybody
La, la, la...la, la, la...la, la, la, live out loud

Every corner of creation is a living declaration
Come join the song we were made to sing

CHORUS

I Give Up, Take My Life!

When I was young I wanted to save the world! Save the world? Yes, save the world! I meant it in the literal sense too, I wanted to do something big like put an end to world hunger,or invent something that helped millions of people, or become the first woman president. Yes, the President!

I gave it my best effort too, but I felt like I was running on a treadmill set on high speed. No matter how hard I tried, I just wasn't getting anywhere. I remember thinking, "How can I save the world, I'm tired!"

With that reality check, I tried to sprinkle my life with excitement and my motto was, "You only live once! Carpe Diem - seize the day." Instead of saving the world, my new mission was to discover the secret to true happiness. This was a perilous fight!

Then she came along, a beautiful brown-eyed baby girl. I thought she was the answer to my life long search for fulfillment. I thought that being a mom would complete me because I was told that babies give unconditional love. On the contrary, I found motherhood to be overwhelming, because not only did I have one, but two lives to be responsible for. Instead of saving the world, instead of defining happiness, I realized it was time to "do the right thing" and do what is best for my husband and my daughter.

I grew up in a very traditional family which meant that my parents expected my baby to be baptized. She was almost 7 months old when I finally scheduled her baptism, so when I called my mom her response was predictable, "Finally, she said!" Expecting the same reaction from my Mother-in-law, I was completely caught off guard when she challenged me with a question that I was not prepared to answer. "What does baptism mean to you?"

I was confused! I thought, "Why she would ask such a silly question?" I replied rather matter-of-fact, "It's water and a commitment that we want to raise her the best way we can!" Just when I thought that was bad enough, her next comment was worse, "Well since it's obviously important to you, we will be there, but they better not put a drop of water on that babies forehead! I understand a baby dedication, but I don't think it is necessary for them to be baptized until they are older."

"What?.... WOW!" I thought. "Are you kidding me? Older? What if something happened to her? I wouldn't be able to live with myself!" "No one has ever challenged my belief's before and besides," my puzzled mind asked, "Why would someone have the nerve to challenge me at a time when I'm just trying to do the right thing?"

As we anticipated the arrival of family and friends, my husband made a comment that almost made my heart stop. "I would rather have my knees crushed than go to church today." (GULP)My husband, my best friend, the love of my life, whom I live with has this to say about this significant event? In all of my take charge, do good planning, I guess I never thought to consider his perspective or ever considered it would be different than my own.

Needless to say, I was numb. I had no response other than no response at all. I put on my best fake smile, but on the inside I was defeated. I was trying to understand how their could be three completely different views when all I was trying to do was THE RIGHT THING!

At the church and everyone seemed to be "into it." We gathered our place in the pew and just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, the Pastor starts preaching on tithing. Oh NO!!! "Give more money" is the theme of the day! I found myself sitting amongst a crowd, but in-fact, I was completely alone. My mind was playing back each and every chapter of my life and that is when I came to realize that I don't know what I believe and I don't even know what "the right thing is." I felt like nothing that I could do, think, or say, would ever be right or good enough and it was at this very moment, I gave up!

I went through the motions of the baptism and as the offering plate was passed, I wrote out a check for every penny that I had in my account, set it into the offering, I plead... "God, I give up! I quit! I can't do it anymore! No matter how hard I try, enough is NEVER enough. Please take my money, my daughter, AND my life!"

I had NO idea what I just did. I thought all you needed to do was pray and ask Jesus to come into your heart which I been doing that since I was 10 years old. The difference in this prayer is that you completely surrender your life to God. There is nothing cliche about this prayer, it's real, it's genuine, and it's humble.

I still desire to make my mark on this planet, but I want to do it by encouraging others who might still be seeking after worldy accomplishments or lacking joy and happiness. I want to LIVE OUT LOUD to show others how my life has been transformed and I want to be Christ's Ambassador. (2 Corinthians 5:20)

Every now and then I catch myself looking into those big brown eyes and I think to myself, "I gave my life for you." Oh what a miraculous story, that Jesus actually gave His life for me! Live Out Loud and pass it on!

Here I sit, Alone I am... (Not really)

I remember riding the bus to school every morning and I would be one of the first students to get picked up. I would walk to the back of the bus, take a seat and wait. We lived in the country so the wait was long between stops, and at that particular time of day sitting in the back of a long school bus made it seem especially lonely.

I remember a poem I wrote that went something like this... "Here I sit, alone I am, on this cold bus seat. As I look across the land, my window begins to freeze. Here I sit, alone I am, staring into this blur..."

That's it! That's all I remember. So why am I blogging this? Well, I'm sitting at in Downtown, Appleton at the Harmony Cafe waiting for my appointment to arrive. He's late and as I sip my delicious Ivory White Mocha Latte (skim milk, of course!) I feel alone! Isn't it amazing what you think about when you are waiting? I'm not good at waiting - obviously. A minute feels like an hour and I squirm over the thought that I have the wrong location, the wrong time, or worse...the wrong day. I start checking every resource that is available to me, email, text messages, voicemail, and the calendar to make sure I have it right.

"Did they forget?" or "Do they have the wrong day, date, or time?" I have one eye on the clock and one eye on the door. I begin searching for something to pre-occupy myself, which is this blog at the present time. The longer I wait, the more mind begins playing tricks, for example: "What if they got in an accident, forgot, lost my number, or went to another location?

Oh boy, waiting is hard! Yet, when you stop and wait you have an opportunity to see things you may have missed. Like those 2 kids behind the corner that are laughing and having fun inbetween customers, or the pictures on the wall that I just walked right past, or my bible.

I carry it with me so if I am ever given the opportunity to sit and wait -- and this would be one of those times -- I can pick up my bible and be reminded to "cast all my anxiety on him because He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7) or this one, "A man's wisdom gives him patience, it is to his glory to overlook an offense." Proverbs 19:11

O.k. Lord, I get it!

God is so faithful to speak to us when we need him. I'm so thankful that I have had this opportunity to wait, to be alone as a student of his word. Somehow 30 minutes has passed very quickly, I've gained some valuable insight as I sit here alone, but not really alone... He was here the whole time.

Huh? Look at that! My appointment is here. Perfect timing!

Life's Not Fair, Who Said it Would Be?

Today is just one of those days that am overwhelmed in circumstance. "Michael Jackson dies at age 50" is pouring out of every media source I see, touch, and hear. I can't say I am grieving the death of Michael Jackson... let's just say this announcement comes in a moment in time when I'm carrying all kinds of heavy questions that I just don't have answers too.

"Why do bad things happen to good people?" "Why am I being nudged out of a relationship?" "Is my husband doing okay?" "When will our economy turn a corner?" "Did I do the right thing and make the right decisions at work today?" "Am I using the teachable moments to train my kids?"

I will spare you the endless list, but pose the question to you, "What is heavy on YOUR mind?" The world is filled with bad stuff, so what do we do to stay positive and protect ourselves from buying into it? As I type these words, I am thinking of three very close friends who are in the process of closing their businesses and countless other friends looking for jobs. The economy has broken them and they are waiving the white flag of defeat. My heart is so heavy for each and every one of them, and as their friend, I am absolutely helpless to fix their businesses, lives, families, and the community at-large. What I can do and I AM doing is praying and not "just" praying. I'm turning it over to a sovereign God who I believe has a big audacious plan that is incomprehensible to our limited human imagination and even in the depths of this pit, He is there.

If I am burdened so heavily by circumstances that I have no control over, why would I even attempt to get in His way? Jesus, thank God for Jesus, who came to this earth and sacrificed everything. Jesus existed to set an example for us and then died to prove he could conquer death, not for his own benefit, but mine, ours! His whole life was a masterful work of God so that through his death and resurrection, eternal life could come to this world of lost hopeless sinners.

So life is not fair, and if anyone could make the claim, it would be Jesus himself. I'm not going to carry the weight of the world on my shoulders and I'm not going to buy into the bad stuff that is overwhelming me today. I'm going to put my trust in a very big God, a God so big that even death couldn't hold him. I will rest in His promises that shout out "hope" in the book of life (the bible) and I will "Live Out Loud" by praying for the hurting, discouraged victims that this world is choking. Today, I chose to put my faith in God's plan and know that He sees the bigger picture, has a bigger plan, God himself is in control, not me.

Is this all there is?

A friend asked me the other day, "Is this all there is, you work your whole life and then you die?" That is a big question and the source of it is even bigger? My initial response was, "No, of course not!" Clearly my answer did not satisfy the inquisitiveness behind the question.

My heart is heavy for those who are living their lives "thinking" that is what life is all about. Even without having a relationship with Christ I knew my life had more to it than to work and die. When in doubt, all I have to do is think about my husband, kids, health, and friends,. Immediately my heart overflows with purpose, humility, and gratitude. I think it is that same purpose, humility, and gratitude that has inspired me to blog. "Live out loud" comes from the platform of how you live speaks louder than what you say. I love the saying, I'd rather see a sermon than hear one anyday.

Please be encouraged today that life is not to work and die. It is full of fruitful opportunities to touch lives without saying a word, and doing what many others don't or won't.

Don't I Know You?

Have you ever heard the phrase, "I never forget a face." I happen to be one of those people who possesses a unique gift of remembering faces. Names on-the-other-hand, is an entirely different blog. Anyway, my special-ability to remember faces totally back-fired on me one day. A friend and I were out for dinner and our table was located in the front of the restaurant just inside of a large window that extended from the ceiling to the floor. From my vantage point, I could see everyone entering the restaurant and many of them walked within inches of me as they approached the front door. As my friend and I were talking, laughing, and eating, I saw a group of women coming toward the door and as they lined up single-file to enter the building, my eyes wondered over in their direction. I immediately recognized a tall, thin, dark-haired women and I reacted without even thinking. My eyes got big, my face lit up with a smile, I waved enthusiastically, and without a sound my mouth said, "HI!."


Well, her reaction was not what I was expecting. She paused, looked over her shoulder and then back at me. She tucked her elbow into her waist, brought her hand to her chest, slowly wiggling her fingers while lowering her chin and glazing at me through her tightly pinched eyebrows. My reaction was, "Oops!" I quickly looked back at my friend to end the awkwardness of the moment and my mind began to race. "I know that I know her, but WHERE do I know her from?" Even though I was absolutely certain that I knew who she was, her body language made it clear that she did NOT know me.


For days, I could not get her face out of my mind and I would replay that same awkward moment in slow motion play-by-play. Then all of a sudden it hit me! "She's the hostess at the Olive Garden!" As a huge sense of relief came over me embarrassment followed. This is an employee who cheerfully greets me, leads me my table, is kind, friendly, and cheerful all in the role of her work. She certainly made a positive impression on me to the point where I instinctively treated her like a long-lost friend.


In humility, I remember the story of Mary and Martha in Luke chapter 10. Martha is distracted by all the preparations that had to be made and she is so focused on her own agenda that she neglected to realize that God himself (Jesus) is sitting in the room. How many other people do I come into contact with while I am focused on buying a newspaper, filling my car up with gas, digging in my purse for a coupon, without taking the time to fully acknowledge who it is that is providing service to me? You can argue that people are just doing their job, but Jesus told Martha to stop working and worrying and pay attention to people not things.


Next time you are out-and-about remember Hebrews 13:2 that says, "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." So I want to encourage you to "Live Out Loud" this week through slowing down, looking around, and paying attention to the people you interact with on a daily basis.


Ask yourself, "Do I really notice the person who is serving me or am I more interested or consumed in myself?" We need to look for opportunities to connect with people and notice the people that God puts in our path. I encourage you to go out of our way to get to know them by name, ask inquisitive questions, and find a sincere way to share a compliment. My hope for you is that you will be sitting in a restaurant one day and someone you acknowledge waves back at you with the same sincere enthusiasm.

I Have a Voice!

Have you ever felt like you can make a difference or that you WANT to make a difference? I do and I have for as long as I can remember. At a very young age I would imagine being a singer, an actress, a lawyer, doctor, or even a beauty pageant queen. My imagination had no limit and I never put boundries around the possibilities of "Who I wanted to be when I grew up?" To top it off, my dad would say confidently, "Honey Girl, you can be anything you want to be!" And I believed him!

Here I am at age 37, which is about as old as I could imagine being back then. I just have to say that my perspective on what it means to make a difference has changed drastically. Back then, my idea of being famous or rich was the only way to make a difference, but today I believe that making a difference is made through simple acts of kindness. Let me ask you... When is the last time to you made a conscious decision to care? It is amazing what you see, do, and go-out-of-your-way-for when you are intentionally looking for ways to be kind or show someone that you care. I find myself being patient in the line at the grocery store, I am courteous to others through the use of manners, and I smile more, a lot more!

Last winter, I was stopped at a stoplight and I saw a mom with 2 very young children walking on the sidewalk beside my car. It was a cold winter day and even though they were bundled up in winter jackets, neither child had mittens. With the windchill, the temperature that day was well below zero and I felt bad for those little ones. Instinctively, I reached over and grabbed a pair of gloves that my own kids left on the back seat and just as I began rolling my window down, the light turned green and traffic started moving. The pressure of the other car's acceleration, the ackwardness of throwing gloves out of my window, the possibility of being rejected, or the embarrassment I might cause for the mother, ultimately prevented me from following through.

I believe that thinking is worthless without the act of follow through and in this case, my failure to act led to deep regret. Pride, haste, fear, and doubt all played a part in my inability to execute and from now on, I want to LIVE OUT LOUD and put the needs of others ahead of my own. Phillipians 2:3 says, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves." So why not take God's word literally. Jesus wasn't a crowd pleaser, he did profound acts of kindness, and he didn't live to please himself or what was socially acceptable. Jesus did what was right and didn't wait for the proper time and place to do it either.

The moral of the story is that moment by moment, day by day, we can make a difference through the decisions that we make. If we take ourselves out of the picture and put the needs of others before our own, we may not be in the spotlight, on centerstage, or cashing in on monetary rewards, but the value gained from a simple act of kindness is immeasurable.

So today... Live for others. Live out loud!