My dear friend Audrey Assad is a Nashville based singer/songwriter/worship leader and is exceptionally gifted when it comes to those things. I’ve had the chance to become friends with Audrey through a mutual friend/sonwriter named Matt Maher.
Last night, Audrey tuned into to our Global Night of Prayer for Kate McRae. As we were praying together, via the web, Audrey just sensed that God was giving her the words to a song for Kate. It was a song of hope and prolific for that matter. She penned the words last night during our prayer, but, did not have the melody. We prayed that God would give her a strong melody to accompany these beautiful, hopeful lyrics. I got a text message this morning that the ‘worktape’ was finished and in my inbox.
When I got back home I gathered Promise and Lindsay (who’s one of our temporary roommates). The three of us sat in our living room as tears filled our eyes because we knew that God had given little Kate and the McRaes a song of hope specifically for them. I immediately email the song to Aaron and Holly. I soon got a call from Aaron McRae about the song. He was without words.
From Aarons words, ‘Kate had just come out of the MRI and we were all celebrating the victory that she was moving her right side. We then got the email with the song, called all the family in the hospital to come and listen. We all gathered around Kates bedside with tears in our eyes and listened to the song with Kate.’
I’m reminded through the situation with Kate that when we just step up and use our God given talents/abilities and be faithful with them God will use us! Let Audrey’s Song be a reminder to you to get creative, be a blessing and let God use what He’s given you to be a blessing to people around you. Just so you know…you’re gonna start hearing a lot more about Audrey Assad VERY SOON! She’s singing a song that she wrote called ‘Wintersong’ on Chris Tomlin’s new Christmas record that is sketched to release in October!
Here are the Lyrics to Audrey’s song called ‘Little Light’ and HERE is the link to hear it.
Little Light
Audrey Assad
Look at all the angels watching you
They’re singing songs that we have never heard
Their voices ring like bells over the mountains
Oh, if only we could hear their words
God is near, little girl.
Your eyes are brilliant,deep sky blue.
Your quiet wisdom is an evening song.
The angels must be breathless at your beauty
Like the world catches its breath before the dawn.
God is near, little one.
And Jesus bends to hear you breathe;
His tender hands are holding you tonight.
His heart is ravished when you look at Him,
and oh, the endless mercy in His eyes;
God is here, little light.
Today has been such a mix of emotions for those of us that know 5 yr. old Kate and the McRae Family. For Aaron and Holly (her parents) today has been quite hell like.
If you aren’t tied in to the story of Kate McRae in short this is how her parents tell it:
Monday June 29th, 2009 began like every other day, and ended like one we could have never imagined. Our daughter Kate was taken to the Dr. for tremors in her right hand. We proceeded to Phoenix Childrens Hospital for a stat CT of her head. At 5:30 I, Holly, Kate’s mom, was taken into a room alone and told Kate had a massive tumor on the basil ganglia portion of her brain. I called her dad and our journey has begun. It’s a journey we never would have chose to be a part of, but was chosen for us, and our sweet Kate. She is now in the Phoneix Childrens ICU awaiting tests to determine what it is and how far progressed. Please, our dear daughter needs your prayers, as do we, Aaron, Holly, Olivia and Will.
On Thursday, July 2nd, 2009, the day before Kates surgery, my wife (promise) and I had the chance to go be with Sweet Kate and The McRae Family. We ended up doing a little photo shoot with Kate and you can see some of those photos here:
Our time with them was so special and we got to run around the hospital and play with Kate. She was in the brightest spirits and you would have NEVER known the little girl had a brain tumor. That day truly was a gift with her. We then filmed a short little video that we called ‘Pray for Kate’ with Aaron and Holly. We really thought people would want to see their face and hear their desperate cry for the world to pray for their girl! They did such a stand up job in the midst of ALL the emotions sifting through their heads.
This video has taken off and in 24 hours it circled the world and rallied THOUSANDS of people to pray. In the first 24 hours the video had been seen over 5,000 times and posted via Twitter/Facebook/Blogs everywhere. It was so viral and so awesome. Here’s the video if you haven’t seen it:
People from all over the world began praying for Kate and it became quite a trending topic amongst communities everywhere. People have been grabbing this story from all walks of life and they even got a visit from John McCain in the hospital. Dr. Phil and his wife Robin are praying, Switchfoot, Natalie Grant, Candance Cameron Bure (DJ Tanner from Full House), the Women of Faith team/speakers, pastors, moms, dads, kids and many more have rallied thier support in prayer for Kate. One thing is true, God has heard the cry of his people for this little girl.
On Friday, July 3rd, 2009, Promise and I were driving home from a few errands and just heavy over the situation. I asked Promise what she thought about doing an online Global Night of Prayer for Kate McRae. Well, she quickly responded with YES and what do you need me to do. We began Twittering the idea and with 2 hours of promo at 8pm PST we had 250 people logged in for a directed time of prayer and worship. We know that 250 people were logged in, but, we’re finding out that families/spouses/friends/etc… gathered around to join in. We’re guessing that at the time of the live broadcast we had over 500 people worshiping, interacting, praying, singing and lifting Kate up. It was a time filled with the Spirit of God and people continue to go and interact in prayer via the REPLAY stream. We’re hoping to do another Global Night of Prayer this week. It should be another powerful time together.
It’s been so amazing to watch Kate’s life ALREADY routing people towards him. She has no idea that she has been revolutionary in some of our lives. She’s just a 5 yr. old girl who’s trying to fight an aggressive brain tumor. She’s got great parents, great family, great friends and a loving church community surrounding her and fighting this journey with her.
I’ve been so encouraged by the many people that have had their hearts gripped by her story and I call it a privilege to be walking alongside the McRae’s while God walks us towards his miracle in her. We really are putting all our eggs in the basket that He will heal her. Why not? Trusting and believing in Him for the healing is our best course of action and until He chooses something different, I choose to believe for her complete healing.
I shared with Aaron and Holly that I would rather pray in faith for her healing and be devestated by His will if He chooses to take her from this world right now. I’m anchored in the healing hand of Jesus for her healing. Let’s keep this faith for them and keep petitioning God for His mercy.
You were before time and You’ll be when it ends For You have no beginning and no end
Your word will endure, without change it is sure On Your promises we will stand secure
Faithful, You are ever faithful
You are ever faithful to us God
Your might, You display in the skies everyday Everything You created for Your praise
From the cross on the earth
To Your throne You return, where You reign
Over all creation never changed, You are never shaken
Faithful, You are ever faithful
You are ever Faithful to us God
Powerful, You are crowned all powerful
All the world will bow before
You, oh God
You’re the song of our soul’s salvation
Life that cannot be taken
Solid rock, our firm foundation
Never changed, You are never shaken
SONG OF HOPE
robbie seay
All things bright and beautiful You are
All things wise and wonderful You are
In my darkest night, You brighten up the skies
A song will rise
I will sing a song of hope
Sing along
God of heaven come down
Heaven come down
Just to know that You are near is enough
God of heaven come down, heaven come down
All things new
I can start again
Creator, God
Calling me Your friend
Sing praise, my soul
To the Maker of the skies
A song will rise
I will sing a song of hope
Sing along
God of heaven come down
Heaven come down
Just to know You and be loved is enough
God of heaven come down, heaven come down
Hallelujah, sing
Hallelujah, sing
Hallelujah, sing
Everlasting God
brenton brown
Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won’t grow weary
Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won’t grow weary
You’re the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles
How He Loves
john mark mcmillan
Verse 1:
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.
Pre-Chorus:
And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all
Chorus 1:
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.
Verse 2:
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 a sloppy wet 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…
This is sweet Kate McRae. She’s an amazing 5 year old girl and is now fighting for her life against a brain tumor. Promise wrote a beautiful blog about her. Check it out.
I’m a pretty big Michael Jackson fan. The reports today of his cardiac arrest and his death are heartbreaking. He’s an entertainer like no other and has a songwriting ability that only a few have and a voice like no one in history. I know some people that have worked with him and they say he was an unbelievable musician and quite a guy.
Whether you think he’s weird or great, he was an epic talent and that’s undeniable. Truly this historic day is a sad one for those of us that appreciate great artistry!
Are you a fan? What is it about M.J. that you really dig? Seriously, how big of a bummer would it be to have lost the King of Pop today?
It’s surprising that my previous post could be so silent! I can post a stupid video about us getting In Ear Monitors or smoking a turkey, point people to a free give away from my wife or friend and get a dozen comments in a day on meaningless things, but, when it comes to justice the blog goes COMPLETELY silent.
I’m just curious why we, as a generation/culture, are so good at fronting that we’re about justice, but, when it comes to people actually doing justice we play a different card.
Don’t worry, I’m just as guilty of doing this too. I’m really good at talking about justice and I’m finally giving of myself to actually go and do it. What I find is interesting is that justice is sexy right now. It’s sexy in pop culture, it’s sexy in church culture and in and of itself maybe that’s a God thing. After all the reality of engaging the less fortunate was most revolutionized by the sexiest man in the universe, Jesus. HA! I know that’s a bit provocative, but, I’m just sayin’.
Seriously though…we’re the generation that’s good at talking, blogging, iChatting, leaving churches because they’re not justice driven enough, etc… but I’m just curious how serious we are about bringing the Kingdom of God here and now. The Christian sub-culture has a lot to say on the subject, but, I’m ready to move past hearsay and start doing! I’m having a moment of checking my own heart on how serious I really am on engaging the less fortunate for the sake of the Kingdom. It’s definitely easier to talk about it then to actually do it.
I guess my encouragement for all of us is to engage this on a practical level. Whether it’s you getting mobile and going or it’s just simply supporting people like Promise and I (who are getting read to get mobile) through your resource of encouragement or money. If it’s not money, which is TOTALLY fine, how about just a word to say…go for it, do it, we love this, press on, I’m with you…ANYTHING. HAHAH! It was honestly just a little discouraging to have ZERO support in our comment cues today. I know some of you did give, financially, yesterday and for that Promise and I are super grateful. I think I was just hoping for a bit more encouragement from our blogging communities, but, maybe I set my expectations way to high and I just need to settle down, humble up and shut up.
I wanted to share a little word from Mama Zipporah. She was the FIRST comment on Promises blog today. Listen to what she writes:
Thanks promise and brian . I do not have enought words to express my gratitude. I did not know that l was beautiful. But now l know l must be beautiful. I look forward for your coming in august. This time my heart is healed and l will really sing and l am telling everyone you are coming. I love you and l care. Mama Zipporah
Let’s keep lending out our lives to follow Jesus, radically, in these days. Let’s get behind people like Mama Zipporah and the orphans here and around the world. I definitely want to hear from some of you, my friends, on where you’re at as it relates to engaging the less fortunate. Do you feel lost in your aim? Do you feel, like me, that you’re better at talking about it then doing it?
Two Scriptures to ponder and then leave a comment with your thoughts! Come on now and then don’t forget to go read my previous blog post about the journey Promise and I are about to take to Kenya. ENGAGE US, PRAY FOR US, SEND US!!!
Micah 6:8
8 He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
Isaiah 1:17
17learn to do right!
Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed. [a]
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
plead the case of the widow.
Promise and I wanted to post a quick note to see if you’d be willing to help support us in fundraising and prayer as we get ready to go serve some people we love in Kenya, Africa.
A couple of years ago our church, Cornerstone, crossed paths with a brilliant and beautiful African woman named Mama Zipporah. Oddly enough, I was aware of the work Mama was doing in Kenya as she was the primary reason that the filmmakers from the revolutionary documentary called Invisible Children found their story.
Mama Zipporah has an orphanage in Kenya called Huruma Childrens Home. She is in the business of living out the scripture in Isaiah:
Isaiah 1:17
learn to do right!
Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed. [a]
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
plead the case of the widow.
Right now Mama has 150+ children in her home. Most of the children come from a horrific background of abuse and abandonment. Mama and her team have made it their aim to not just be a transitional orphanage but rather to provide these children with love, dignity and family.
Let me just say that Promise and I know Mama, personally, and spent a great deal of time with her here in Arizona last fall when she came, unexpectedly, as a broken widow to grieve the loss of her amazing husband Papa Isaac. We cried with her, prayed with her, laughed with her and dreamed with her about how God would continue to use her in the plight of the less fortunate.
As a church we are in the process of helping them fund and build a dormitory that would allow them to bring in 200 more children. It’s our privilege to have been invited to come, serve and help build this additional dormitory so that they can rescue more of these orphan children and give them a place to call home. Mama’s dream is to bring these children into the home, share her love with them, share the love of Christ with them, give them an education and, effectively, raise up the future leaders of Kenya. This is the dream, this is the hope and this is the heart of the Kingdom of God.
Promise and I will be leaving with our team on August 7th, 2009 and we will be in Kenya for 10 days doing a wide array of things with the Staff at the home and with the children. One of the things we’ll be doing is putting on a ‘summer camp’ for the older children (ages 12-18). I’ll be leading some worship, Promise will be teaching some Art & Photography and we’ll have some great time to build into some of these amazing kids. Additionally, we will be helping finish up their dormitory and chapel spaces.
Here’s the reality, WE NEED YOUR HELP funding us to get to Huruma! The cost of the trip is $3200 dollars, total, for both of us to get to Huruma. This is actually an AMAZING price for both of us to be in Africa serving for 10 days (flights, food & transportation for both of us are all included in that price). We are trusting God that we can raise all of that support in the next 6 weeks. We are just going to be bold enough to ask you if you would consider helping us get to Kenya. Honestly, any amount is a huge help at this point. If you have $10 dollars, $1000 dollars or anything in between IT WILL HELP US!!! Anything you give is completely tax-deductible and we would be forever grateful!
Here’s the two ways you can give financially:
1. Give Online – Cornerstone has a website where you can give directly to our account for this trip. When you click the link below you’ll have to click create an account, which only takes like 2 minutes, and you’re then able to use a debit or credit card to give to this mission. Creating the account allows our finance office to mail you a giving statement at year-end. Be sure to select one of our names (Promise or Brian) in the drop down menu so that you can give to us. Here is the link: http://is.gd/16yFI
2. Mail Check – Make any checks out to “Cornerstone” and in the memo section put “Wurzell – Kenya Aug. 2009”. You can mail Checks to us at this address:
Cornerstone
c/o:Brian & Promise Wurzell
2211 E. Pecos Rd. Suite #2 Chandler, AZ 85286
For more information on Huruma Childrens Home – check out their website: http://www.hchngong.org/
You may also email Promise and I if you have any questions regarding this project. Please email us promiseandbrian@gmail.com
If you cannot give financially, seriously, would you pray for us and our team? Pray for Mama Zipporah and pray for these children that God would use Huruma to be a place where they’re built up to be the future leaders of their country. Mama is the widow serving the orphan and we want to do whatever we must to support this Kingdom mission. We believe it’s possible. Thanks for your support and your friendship!
Gratefully,
Brian & Promise Wurzell
P.S. – We would love to see some of your prayers for us and for Mama Zipporah and her team right here on this blog post. Just leave a comment and type out your prayer. We will be sure Mama and our team get to see these prayers too. That encouragement would mean a lot to more than just Promise and I. Thanks in advance!
Click the picture below and go read Promises thoughts on our wedding. I think she did an awesome job explaining and articulating how special this day was for us. Make sure to leave a comment over there too!
RT: Amazing to hear @nataliegrant singing HELD @womenoffaith. She told the audience about little Kate in AZ who we don't know & yet love. 9 hours ago
@marygraham @nataliegrant - thank you so much for shouldering this story with those of us close to this dear family. you girls are the best! 9 hours ago
Getting ready to head to a little dinner party to plan a 'Young Marrieds Retreat'. Should be a good time of eating, connecting and planning. 14 hours ago
@CJBergmen i hear he's quite controversial on this album and he says bad words. oooohhh....busted!!! ha. i wanna hear it. 14 hours ago
