A New Song

He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God.

 Psalm 40:3 NLT

I first discovered the power of praise as a desperate, fruitless Christian in the early 90’s. My life was practically devoid of love, joy, and peace. I was willing to try just about anything to find the abundant life that I knew Jesus had promised. So when the opportunity came along to go away for a weekend of prayer and praise, I decided to give it a try.
 
My only acquaintance with singing to God had been on Sunday mornings with the Baptist Hymnal or joining choruses of “Pass It On” around a campfire. But on that fateful weekend, I spent a big portion of those days singing praises to the Lord. It is no exaggeration to say that I was changed forever and so was the way I relate to the Lord.
 
That time of praise was so potent that I came home and immediately invested in the tools to make praise a lifestyle. I was a stay-at-home mom whose husband had an unpredictable income, yet I raided my stash of savings to start a music collection and get a 6-disc CD player installed in my car. (They weren’t standard in those days.) My kids and I ran errands to the sounds of Don Moen, Darlene Zschech and Judy Jacobs, singing along as we went.
 
I found that my praises silenced the chorus of condemnation that had been playing in my head for years. Only later did I find the Scripture that says just that: “From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.” (Psalm 8:2 NIV)  Whenever we sing of God’s mercy, the barrage of accusation is drowned out by the truth of God’s grace.
 
Rehearsing the truth in song became a source of joy in my life. When I found a song lyric that ministered to me, I’d search for verses to support it. If there was a principle that I sought to integrate into my life, I would create a playlist of spiritual songs on that topic. Somehow singing the concepts helped them burrow deeper into my soul—I literally sang them into my life.
 
Today I have collected over 4000 praise and worship songs. So many of those songs represent significant moments in my journey with the Lord. “Rejoice Africa” will forever take me back to the sweet presence of God’s Spirit impacting a boys’ soccer tournament. In the days when my father lay dying in ICU, “Made Me Glad” was my lifeline. “You Have Been So Good To Me” represents a turning point in my understanding of God’s character, the day I became fully convinced that His perfect love surrounds me and everything that concerns me.
 
It is my hope that you, too, will discover the powerful blessing of praising the Lord. To that end, I have compiled a list of songs and albums that have been meaningful to me and to the members of Divine Design’s Servant Team. I pray that you will soon be able to say that God has put a new song in your heart!
 
Favorite Artists:

Tommy Walker
Travis Cottrell
Klaus Kuehn
Gateway Worship
Paul Baloche
Michael W. Smith
Chris Tomlin

Favorite CDs:

“Revealing Jesus” by Darlene Zschech
“White Flag” by Passion
“Counting On God” by New Life Worship
“Alive Forever” by Travis Cottrell
“Revival At Brownsville” by Lindell Cooley
“Cover The Earth: Lakewood Live” by Various Artists
“WOW Hymns” by Various Artists
“Passion: Hymns Ancient and Modern” by Various Artists
“Greatest Hymns” by Selah
 

Favorite Songs:
 
From Sissy:
“Whom Shall I Fear ” by Chris Tomlin
 
From Dana:
“The Stand” by Hillsongs
“Reign In Us” by Starfield
“Great I Am” by New Life Worship
“Hello, My Name Is” by Matthew West
“I Lift My Hands” by Chris Tomlin
“Stronger” by Hillsongs
“Hallelujah We Will Sing” by Tommy Walker
“One Thing Remains” by Passion
 
From Martha:
“Just As I Am” by Travis Cottrell
“Jesus Paid It All” by Kristian Stanfill
“All My Fountains” by Travis Cottrell
“Who Am I” by Casting Crowns
“Voice Of Truth” by Casting Crowns
“Deep Cries Out” by Bethel Church Live
“A New Hallelujah” by Chris Tomlin
 
From Phyllis:
“Blessings” by Laura Story
“Holding On” by Jamie Grace
“How Great Is Our God” by Chris Tomlin
“Oh Love That Will Not Let Me Go” by Indelible Grace Music
“The Power Of The Cross” by Keith and Kristyn Getty
“We Win” by Dennis Jernigan
“You Are My All In All” by Dennis Jernigan
 
From Donna:
“Never Once” by Matt Redman
“Broken Hallelujah” by Mandisa
“In Christ Alone (with the Solid Rock)” by Travis Cottrell
“How Great Thou Art” by Chris Rice
“How Great Thou Art” by Carrie Underwood
“I Will Rise” by Chris Tomlin
“The Struggle” by Tenth Ave North
“By His Wounds” by Brian Littrell, Mac Powell, Mark Hall, and Stephen Curtis Chapman
 
From Debbie:
“Abba Father” by Klaus Kuehn
“Awakening” by Chris Tomlin
“Love Like Fire” by Hillsong Live
“Roar From Zion” Klaus Kuehn
“Whisper His Name” by Deluge
“Be Thou My Vision” by 4Him
“Counting on God by New Life Worship
“Standing” by William McDowell
“God Of The Impossible” by Sarah Reeves