I have neglected my blog for a long time… too long. I’ve gone throughout the past several months and an idea will pop into my head that I want to blog about, but then I get side tracked with work, wedding planning, or photography jobs, etc… So I’m finally making a big effort to blog about something that’s been on my heart lately.  This wonderful song by David Crowder… “How He loves”.

Our community recently learned about our pastor, Matt Chandler’s, brain cancer. One of the first weekends after finding this out, one of the church elders got up and told a brief story of visiting Matt in the hospital earlier that week. In the middle of the visit, Matt Chandler – as he sat in his hospital bed awaiting brain surgery, couldn’t stop repeating the lyrics of this song (from the book of Ephesians) “Oh how he loves us… He loves us… Oh how he loves us….!”   Ever since hearing this story, the song has had a much deeper impact on my heart and I crave to hear it.

It’s so amazing how much we take for granted the wonderful plan the Lord has set in place for us. As Romans 8:28 says “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  His plan is GOOD for us. Everything that happens to us is for His Glory and is GOOD.  Here is an article from the Associated Press about Matt Chandler suffering well. I am so grateful that the world gets to see such a worthy example of someone who knows how to suffer well and who shares it with the world.  It is also incredible the strength that the Lord has given Matt to stand up and preach the past couple of weekends with just about the same energy and fire in his sermons as before he began treatment! Oh, how he loves us.

David Crowder Band: “How He Loves.”

He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realise just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
So Heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…

He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.