Casting Crowns

My fabulous Aunty Leone, Uncle Stephen and superstar(tm) cousin Michael gave me the latest Casting Crowns cd Lifesong for my birthday and I had the chance to listen to it and read some of the words some more today (bit hard to read them in the car with the whole car-sickness thing). It's really cool, they write a brief explanation and accompanying verses with the words of each song which puts it in context and gives it more meaning.

Love Them Like Jesus

The love of her life is drifting away
They're losing the fight for another day
The life that she's known is falling apart
A fatherless home, a child's broken heart

You're holding her hand, you're straining for words
You're trying to make sense of it all
She's desperate for hope, darkness clouding her view
She's looking to you

Just love her like Jesus, carry her to Him
His yoke is easy, His burden is light
You don't need the answers to all of life's questions
Just know that He loves her and stay by her side
And love her like Jesus
Love her like Jesus

The gifts lie in wait, in a room painted blue
A little blessing from Heaven would be there soon
Hope fades in the night, blue skies turn to gray
As the little one slips away

You're holding their hand, you're straining for words
You're trying to make sense of it all
They're desperate for hope, darkness clouding their view
They're looking to you

Just love them like Jesus, carry them to Him
His yoke is easy, His burden is light
You don't need the answers to all of life's questions
Just know that He loves them and stay by their side
And love them like Jesus

The Lord of all creation holds our lives in His hands
The God of all the nations holds our lives in His hands
The Rock of our salvation holds our lives in His hands
He cares for them just as He cares for you

So love them like Jesus, love them like Jesus
You don't need the answers to all of life's questions
Just know that He loves them and stay by their side
And love them like Jesus
Love them like Jesus
Love them like Jesus

This one was 'follows the account in Matthew of the man full of demons... until he met Jesus.' I looked up the verses (Mark 5:1-13, Eph 2:1-10, Romans 8, Revelation 1:18) and what really struck me was just the difference in peoples lives before and after Jesus. I guess as I get older that makes more sense and I can see that in my own and other people's lives more.

Set Me Free

It hasn't always been this way
I remember brighter days
Before the dark ones came
Stole my mind
Wrapped my soul in chains

Now I live among the dead
Fighting voices in my head
Hoping someone hears me crying in the night
And carries me away

Set me free of the chains holding me
Is anybody out there hearing me?
Set me free

Morning breaks another day
Finds me crying in the rain
All alone with my demons I am
Who is this man that comes my way?
The dark ones shriek
They scream His name
Is this the One they say will set the captive free?
Jesus, rescue me

CHORUS

As the God man passes by
He looks straight through my eyes
And darkness cannot hide

Do you want to be free?
Lift your chains
I hold the key
All power on Heav'n and Earth belong to Me
(repeat)

You are free
You are free
You are free