Peace Came in the Morning

Not too long ago, I received disappointing news. Something I’d hoped for didn’t happen. The next morning, I awoke filled with anxiety. After I spent time in prayer and read my Bible, I prepared my breakfast. I thought one of my favorite songs might get me more excited about getting ready to go to work. When I called upon my Amazon Echo, I struggled to get the words out fast enough—forgot the name of the song.

My Echo thinks she knows me well. She said something like, “Since you listen to worship music, I’ll play the Amazon worship channel and Chris Tomlin.”

Sounded good to me. I like Chris. The song, “Good, Good Father” played. After Chris, another song played about trusting God. The two songs together spoke to my heart and spirit and brought peace to my morning and a wonderful reminder of God’s faithfulness.

My hope is found in the Lord. He meets my needs. I acknowledged how good my God truly is and renewed my choice to trust Him in my situation and with the decisions I needed to make.

When I put my faith and trust in the one who loves and watches over me, my anxiety diminishes, and peace moves in. Peace makes a better companion.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. Remember the Lord in everything you do, and he will show you the right way” (GNB).

Favorite Christmas Songs

My youngest daughter has a favorite saying—music is life. She sings, and plays the guitar, drums, and piano. She’s also a songwriter. God has blessed her with many talents.

My husband and I love music too. There’s no other time of the year we enjoy singing together as much as we do during the Christmas season. One of my favorites is Steven Curtis Chapman’s “Christmas Kiss.” But it’s only my favorite when my husband sings it to me.

Songs I enjoy that declare the reason for this season include, “O Holy Night,” “Joy to the World,” although I prefer the contemporary version made popular by Chris Tomlin, and a song I recently discovered—Michael W. Smith’s “All is Well.” Whether Carrie Underwood and Michael sing together or Jordan Smith sings alone, the song is amazing and becoming one of my favorites. These songs depict the glory of our Savior’s birth—that holy night when joy entered the world through a baby and brought the message that all is well if we make Him our Lord.

Other Christmas favs include the classics with a swing band feel. I listened to these songs growing up. My dad loved big band music and passed his enjoyment along to me. Songs like “Winter Wonderland,” “Let it Snow,” “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” and “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” bring fond memories to my heart. I’m a little partial to “Tennessee Christmas” by Amy Grant too, because my two older children and three grandchildren live in Tennessee.

What are your favorite Christmas songs?