Prayerful Improvisations Podcast

“He has shown you . . . what is good” (Micah 6:8). How do we truly know that we are doing good things in life? What do we use as our gauge? God, who IS good, reveals to us “what is good” in this passage from Micah 6:8, “…to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” May this music prepare your heart for the day set before you and encourage you to do these things that are good in God’s sight.

"Holy." Set apart. God is holy and calls us to be holy (set apart) for His purposes, to follow Him and love others as He has loved us. As you spend time with God today, may you find yourself in the presence of the One who loves you with an unfailing holy love. May you experience the joy and peace found in His holy dwelling place, a place set apart just for you.

I have been reading a book recently about prayer. Many authors contributed their understanding and practices of prayer to this book. One thing that struck me is that everyone prays differently—different ways, different routines, different places, different atmospheres. Yet we all pray to One God who tells us that He listens to our prayers. He doesn’t just hear them, but He intently listens and cares about what we pray. The music in this episode is about prayer and for your prayer time. As the wonderful hymn says:

“Good Morning!” This common greeting has come to be used as a simple acknowledgement of another person . . . just another way of saying “hello”. But what if we were to think of this greeting as a prayer of blessing? In fact, when we are wishing someone a “good” morning, we are essentially praying that they would experience God’s presence since He alone is truly “good.” And when we are in His presence, we have the opportunity to enjoy His blessing and benefits throughout our day. So I pray this music will lead you into God’s good presence today and that you enjoy a “good morning” with Him each and every day.

This is the second episode featuring hymns of faith, reminding us that God invites us into relationship with Him to find new life, healing, love and peace. And He welcomes us into His loving arms just as we are…

Joyous Easter Blessings! He is Risen! May you be encouraged and inspired today, "the day the Lord has made."

As Holy Week begins we are drawn ever closer to the pain and agony our suffering Messiah endured on his last days with His disciples. Yet in the midst of darkness we are reminded of Jesus’ own words: “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” May these musical reflections today comfort and console you, bringing light to your heart and mind, and give you hope in the resurrected Light of Christ.

“Have Faith.” “Keep the faith!” “All you need is a little faith.” These are common aphorisms one might hear during crucial life moments when faith is being tested. And while these sayings are surely meant to provide comfort, they tend to lack a foundation on which we can plant our feet. After all, what is “faith” and where or with whom does our faith rest? Hebrews 11:1 tells us that “faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Throughout all four Gospels we read time and time again Jesus saying things like, “Your faith has made you well” or “Your faith has saved you.” And in every instance that “faith” is directed in one place: Jesus Himself! So continue to be forever faithful, for there is “confidence in what we hope for” in our Lord and Savior.

As we are now just about two weeks into Spring, this week’s music is focused on God’s creation and the new birth we see in nature during this time of year. Come take a walk with the Lord as he reveals “the works of His hands” to you today . . .

When we receive an invitation to an event, it often makes us feel good for two reasons. First, it gives us something to look forward to, perhaps something we may not have expected to be a part of. But secondly it tells us that the sender of the invitation cares about us, that they want us to be present for their special event. God has sent us an invitation to the most incredible event we will ever know in all of history that was and is to come. He invites us to come into His presence, to be embraced by His love, to be washed clean by Living Water, and enjoy being with Him for all eternity. This invitation is addressed to you. All you need to do is open it…