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This episode revisits the tragedy of Newtown, one month later, and provides a worship session that can work as a balm, a comfort, for all who mourn.
Outside of Newtown, the worship here is applicable to anybody who has lost a loved one, and is looking for comfort. I am not perfect, I can only hope that this helps.
I get to share my experiences with leading a similar worship session, some twenty-plus years ago, when a college friend of mine had a relapse and was at death’s door.
The uncomfortable reminder that we must all be aware of is that heaven is our true home, is more glorious than anything we experience here on earth, and every choice we make today has to take into account whether we are that much closer to the finish line.
A PDF songsheet download is available for this episode. Right-click here and select Save As…
Episode Log Times
4:46 – Worship Session (Music and Prayer)
5:20 – Just A Closer Walk With Thee
8:25 – All the Way My Saviour Leads Me
10:49 – No, Never Alone / His Yoke Is Easy (mashup)
12:55 – It Is Well With My Soul / All My Trials
16:55 – Come, Ye Disconsolate
19:53 – I Must Tell Jesus
24:40 – Lux Aeterna
26:26 – In Heavn’ly Love Abiding
29:10 – Spoken, Spontaneous Prayer
33:14 – Song of the Week (“There’s A Light” by Beth Nielsen Chapman)
39:33 – Personal Reflections
50:40 – Final Comments and Doxology
******************SONGS*******************
JUST A CLOSER WALK WITH THEE
Unknown
Just a closer walk with Thee
Grant it Jesus if you please
Daily walking close to Thee
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
I am weak but Thou art strong
Jesus, keep me from all wrong.
I’ll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.
Through this world of toils and snares
If I falter Lord, who cares?
Who, with me my burden shares?
Only Thee, dear Lord, only Thee.
When this troubled life is o’er
Time for me will be no more
Then guide me gently, safely o’er,
To Thy shore, dear Lord, to Thy shore.
Public Domain
ALL THE WAY MY SAVIOUR LEADS ME
Fanny Crosby, Robert Lowry
All the way my Saviour leads me,
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy
Who through life has been my Guide?
Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort
Here by faith in Him to dwell
For I know whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well.
All the way my Saviour leads me
Cheers each winding path I tread
Gives me grace for ev’ry trial
Feeds me with the Living Bread
Though my weary steps may falter
And my soul athirst may be
Gushing from the Rock before me
Lo! a spring of joy I see.
All the way my Saviour leads me
Oh, the fullness of His love!
Perfect rest to me is promised
In my Father’s house above.
When my Spirit clothed immortal
Wings its flight to realms of day
This my song, through endless ages,
Jesus led me all the way.
Public Domain
NO, NEVER ALONE
Unknown
No, never alone. No, never alone.
He promised never to leave me;
He’ll claim me for His own.
No, never alone. No, never alone.
He promised never to leave me;
Never to leave me alone.
Public Domain
HIS YOKE IS EASY
Ralph E. Hudson
His yoke is easy, His burden light
I’ve found it so, I’ve found it so
He leadeth me by day and by night
Where living waters flow.
Public Domain
IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL
Horatio G Spafford & Philip P. Bliss
When peace like a river attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll.
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say
“It is well, it is well, with my soul.”
It is well, with my soul.
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight
The clouds, be rolled back as a scroll
The trumpet shall resound and the Lord shall descend
Even so, it is well, with my soul.
Public Domain
ALL MY TRIALS
Traditional
All my trials, Lord, soon be over.
All my trials, Lord, soon be over.
Public Domain
COME, YE DISCONSOLATE
St. Thomas Moore, Samuel Webbe
Come, ye disconsolate, where’er ye languish
Come to the mercy seat, fervently kneel.
Here, bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish;
Earth has no sorrows that heav’n cannot heal.
Joy of the desolate, Light of the straying
Hope of the penitent, fadeless and pure!
Here speaks the Comforter, tenderly saying
“Earth has no sorrows, that heav’n cannot cure.”
Here, see the Bread of Life, see waters flowing
Forth from the throne of God, pure from above.
Come to the Feast of love, come everknowing
Earth has no sorrows, but heav’n can remove.
Public Domain
I MUST TELL JESUS
Elisha A. Hoffman
I must tell Jesus all of my trials;
I cannot bear these burdens alone;
In my distress He kindly will help me;
He ever loves and cares for His own.
I must tell Jesus all of my troubles
He is a kind, compassionate Friend
If I but ask Him, He will deliver
Make of my troubles quickly an end.
I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!
I cannot bear my burdens alone.
I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!
Jesus can help me, Jesus alone.
Tempted and tried I need a great Saviour
One who can help my burdens to bear
I must tell Jesus, I must tell Jesus
He all my cares and sorrows to bear.
O how the world to evil allures me!
O how my heart is tempted to sin!
I must tell Jesus, and He will help me
Over the world the vict’ry to win.
Public Domain
LUX AETERNA
Roman Gradual
Lux aeterna luce at eis Domine
Cum sanctis tuis in aeternum, quia pius es.
Requiem aeternam dona eis Domine
Et lux perpetua luce at eis.
Cum sanctis tuis in aeternum, quia pius es.
Requiescant in pace. Amen.
Light eternal, shine upon them O Lord.
With the Saints of Thine, eternally, because Holy, Thou art.
Rest of eternity, grant unto them, O Lord.
And light perpetual shine upon them.
With the Saints of Thine, eternally, because Holy, Thou art.
Rest in peace. Amen.
Public Domain
IN HEAV’NLY LOVE ABIDING
Anna L Waring; A.H. Brown
In heav’nly love abiding, no change my heart shall fear
And safe is such confiding, for nothing changes hear.
The storm may roar without me, My heart may low be laid,
But God is round about me and can I be dismayed?
Wherever He may guide me, No want shall turn me back;
My Shepherd is beside me, And nothing can I lack.
His wisdom ever waketh His sight is never dim;
He knows the way He taketh, and I will walk with Him.
Green pastures are before me, which yet I have not seen
Bright skies will soon be o’er me, where the dark clouds have been.
My hope I cannot measure, my path to life is free;
My Saviour has my treasure, and He will walk with me.
Public Domain
The Song of the Week is “There’s A Light” by Beth Nielsen Chapman.
In this episode I sample versions sung by Ashley Cleveland, Emmylou Harris, and by the author. All versions are available in iTunes. Support your favorite artists.
Feel free to leave comments, questions, and/or prayer requests, below,
or leave a message at 203/701-7771
Follow Nick Alexander on Twitter: @NickAlexCath