 You Don't Need Me I'm thrilled to share with you the first single from my new record "Endless Fields!" You Don't Need Me (But You Want Me). The full project releases in stores on September 16th but the single has been released now to radio. Feel free to play the song using the player at the bottom of the page. There's also a short segment that includes my thoughts about the song. It's the second cut on the player. Check that out as well 'cause I think it will add an even greater dimension to the song for you. I'd also love for you to click on "comments" and let me know what you think. Enjoy! Man of Grace, Boy of Shame
forgiving myself This is my daughter Kali Joy taking the leap of faith! I don't know about you but my journey of faith has been a lot about coming to grips with the incredible reality that Jesus died for me. It's been a journey of understanding what that means with my mind, learning to open my heart to this indescribable love, accepting it and taking the leap of faith to actually forgive myself and let go of the past. Why has it taken me so long to let go of things that happened when I was just a teenager, for example? I don't know. I'll let the shrinks figure it out. All I know is that it just has. And I also know that I've learned SO MUCH in the process of really accepting Jesus' grace in my life and choosing to give it to myself. Things I would have never learned had it happened overnight. So here's what I've slowly learned through the years. Self forgiveness begins with realizing that Jesus took the punishment that I deserve. I deserve wrath for my sins, Jesus took the wrap for me. Theologians call it substitutionary atonement. Jesus was there in my place on that cross. Then self forgiveness involves the realization that I'm becoming someone new, someone who's starting to reflect him. Maybe you've heard this before: "I'm not who want to be, but I'm certainly not who I was." Slowly surely I'm seeing that he's making me more like him. I see Christ being formed in me and it gives me hope that I'll be totally like him someday. This transformation going on within helps me to see myself not as simply a forgiven sinner but as a new creation in progress. Next, self forgiveness involves realizing that to him, I am precious, priceless and greatly loved. He LOVES me. In love he created me. In love he has rescued me from my sins. You might want to read this a couple times: I find my worth in that which inspired God to create me and redeem me: LOVE. It was his love that inspired him to create me and redeem me. And if it was the love of God that brought about my creation and redemption, then it must follow that I have incomprehensible value and worth to him. Finally, to forgive myself certainly involves understanding these truths. But in the end it's a leap of faith EVERYDAY to trust that these things are true. I think you and I understand these things with our minds but for whatever reason, we don't really fully trust them to be true. So the final step of self forgiveness is a leap. A leap to trust. Maybe it just comes down to saying: "Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross in my place; thanks that you live forever in perfection in my place; thank you that your Spirit lives in me; thanks that I am precious to you; I take the leap today to accept your love and I take your strength now to forgive myself and live in the joy." I will forgive myself Let it go I will forgive myself Today I forgive myself I will release it Let it go I will forgive myself Today I forgive myself (chorus of a brand new song that'll be on my new record to be released in spring 2008) All Posts
|
First off and most important, I'm just a guy who's trying to follow Jesus and figure out where He's leading. Most of the time it's fun and sometimes it's really hard. You may or may not know that I'm a singer, songwriter, guitarist. My passion is following Jesus and making him known and I try to share that through my music. This passion to share Jesus through music has taken me to Russia, Turkey, Mexico, Thailand and Belgium. For several years I've worked with Family Life Radio www.myflr.org as the afternoon drive host in Midland, Michigan along with my solo aritst work. Now I've joined a new ministry in Phoenix, Arizona and am using radio and music to, with love and respect, invite Muslims to follow Jesus. If I can encourage you in any way, then you've made my day!
And let me encourage you with the perry lahaie e letter. It includes inspiring faith thoughts for your journey, upcoming appearances, news about new music and a chance to let me know what I can pray for you about. Click on the Contact button. 
 |
|||||||||
      |
|
|
I came to faith in Jesus when I was just ten years old. And He put in my heart a hunger to want to please him. But as I came into my teen years, I failed Jesus so often. And every time I would fail, shame would say to me, "This is who you are and this is who you're always going to be."
