Life Song

 

I realized last night that I hadn’t listened to any music in the new year, so this morning on my way to work I decided to listen to my life song—the song that captures who I want to be and what I want to do in the world: “Add To The Beauty” by Sara Groves.

 

“We come with beautiful secrets

We come with purposes written on our hearts, written on our souls

We come to every new morning

With possibilities only we can hold, that only we can hold

 

Redemption comes in strange places, small spaces

Calling out the best of who we are

 

And I want to add to the beauty

To tell a better story

I want to shine with the light

That's burning up inside

 

It comes in small inspirations

It brings redemption to life and work

To our lives and our work

It comes in loving community

It comes in helping a soul find its worth

 

This is grace, an invitation to be beautiful

This is grace, an invitation”

 

As I listened, I remembered a retreat that I went on many years ago. One of the retreat activities was for participants to take pictures of what the lyrics of “Add To The Beauty” meant to them. Looking at all of the pictures was very interesting, and many of the images stuck have with me through the years. For example, one group took a picture of a shower for the lyric “redemption comes in strange places,” while another took a picture of a mailbox for the same. Redemption can come from both of those strange places, “small spaces, calling out the best of who we are…”

 

As we begin this new year, I’ve seen a lot of people post individual words that they want to live into for the year: trust, hope, love, dignity, faith, bravery, positive self-worth, Jesus. I’ve seen a lot of people post scripture verses for which they want to do the same. But I’ve not seen a lot of people post life songs.

 

So I’m asking you now: What is your life song? What song brings about the pictures and images of who you want to be? What lyrics really stand out to you? What words drive you to inspiration? It can be a song you’ve liked for many years now or one that’s current on your heart. I’m just curious to know: What is the driving force for the soundtrack of your life these days? And why? And if you had to take a picture to capture some of its words, what image(s) would you capture?

 

Please share. I’d love to know!