Life Playlist

I think I was scrolling through Pinterest the other day when I saw an interesting writing prompt: What playlist best describes your life?

Fascinating.

I've always said that choosing a favorite song is much like choosing a favorite book, which is much like what I'd imagine choosing a favorite child would be like. Impossible. Besides, in my life, different songs take on different meanings for different seasons. How could I possibly choose a playlist to encompass all of life? I couldn't do it.

But I think if I had to choose a playlist for this summer and this season of my life, this group would encompass my top ten. (And they're in no particular order, by the way.) (And yes, it's heavily Gaither.) I'll link to my favorite renditions, too, in case you need a private mini-concert.


1. Praise My Soul, the King of Heaven
I love a good song of praise, and I love an anthem. LOVE THEM. This one is both. I love listening to this one when my heart is so full of joy that I don't have my own words. The second verse is probably my favorite part: "Praise Him for His grace and favor / To our fathers in distress / Praise Him now, the same as ever / Slow to chide and swift to bless / Alleluia, Alleluia / Glorious in His faithfulness."

2. I Then Shall Live
Some of you may know or remember that this song was one we chose to incorporate in our wedding. Truly, if I had to declare a life song, this would be it, because every word speaks of what I hope others would see in my life. It's what Ryan and I hope people see in us as a couple. I can't possibly pick one favorite lyric from the whole thing, but the last verse is particularly powerful: "Your Kingdom come around and through and in me / Your power and glory, let them shine through me / Your Hallowed Name, O may I bear with honor / And may Your living Kingdom come in me / The Bread of Life, O may I share with honor / And may You feed a hungry world through me."

3. Because He Lives
I had to choose this one, not because it's a Gaither song, but because it's the song my parents chose to use when they dedicated me to the Lord when I was just two weeks old. I've always kind of felt like this was my song. (I didn't really have a favorite rendition of this song until I found this one just now, and of course it's the best. David took care of that.) My favorite part of this song is the chorus: "Because He lives, I can face tomorrow / Because He lives, all fear is gone / Because I know He holds the future / And life is worth the living, just because He lives.

4. The Longer I Serve Him
This one may officially push me over into the old category, but that's okay. Another Gaither goodie, but after having walked with the Lord for just over 35 years, I have to say the words are completely true, so it had to make the playlist. This rendition is MY FAVORITE, not because it's the best in technical or musical ways, but because it shows the truth of the lyrics. My favorite verse is the second one: "Every need He is supplying / Plenteous grace He bestows / Every day my way gets brighter / The longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows."

5. Sitting at the Feet of Jesus
Yes, this the third time you've seen a song from the same concert. What can I say? They picked good music at that one! This one isn't a grand anthem, but I love the words and the reminder to slow down and spend time with the Lord. These are my favorite words: "Give me more the mind of Jesus / Make me holy as He is / May I prove I've been with Jesus / Who is all my righteousness."

6. Find Us Faithful
Here's another one from our wedding song lineup! I've loved this song since I was little (and had a major Steve Green phase) and I still love the lyrics. Fun fact! Guess who used to be a member of the Gaither Vocal Band? Steve Green. :) Works out nicely, doesn't it? This rendition comes from their reunion concert. All the lyrics are amazing, but here are some of my particular favorites: "After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone / And our children sift through all we've left behind / May the clues that they discover, and the memories they uncover / Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find." (Yes, I know we don't have children. But we still have people who will come behind!)

7. My Desire
When Ryan and I first started dating, he would always say goodbye by dancing one song with me before he would leave my house. Our first dance was to this song - and it was also the song for our wedding dance (alone on the beach after all the guests had left). This is a Jeremy Camp song that I actually didn't know prior to Ryan introducing me to it. My favorite words are these: "All my life I have seen where You've taken me / Beyond all I have hoped and there's more left unseen / There's not much I can do to repay all You've done / So I give my hands to use." (By the way, this is vintage Jeremy. I forgot the longer hair phase!)

8. 10,000 Reasons
This song was the background to our wedding trailer video (which is no longer on the web...I think our videographer closed his business). Ryan and I love it, and it's another one I love to listen to when I'm praising. My favorite words? "You're rich in love and You're slow to anger / Your name is great and Your heart is kind / For all Your goodness I will keep on singing / Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find."

9. Be Still, My Soul
Fun fact: Same tune as I Then Shall Live. Maybe I just love the tune! But then again, I wrote a book about being still, so that whole theme is dear to me as well. Hands down, my favorite arrangement is this one by Selah, and I am am still a Nicol Sponberg fan (the original female singer in Selah) so her version is my pick. This version pairs the song with What a Friend We Have in Jesus, but it's her delivery of Be Still My Soul that I love so much. My favorite words are: "Leave to thy God to order and provide / In every change, He faithful will remain / Be still my soul: thy best, thy Heavenly Friend / Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end."

10. Fully Yours 

I played this song at my baptism (almost ten years ago now) and still love the lyrics. It's written and sung by my friend Brent Vernon. I couldn't find a video of it, but if you go to this link and scroll down to the title, you can listen to it. The lyrics I especially love (and had on display at the baptism) are these: "So won't You use my life for greater things than I could ever dream of / Grant a passion, Lord - a never dying flame / And may my days be spent in serving You, in sharing You - giving glory to Your Name."



Those are my top ten! (Subject to change at any time, of course.)