Praising God today and every day

For my birthday blog, I decided to present content that is essentially nothing but a song of praise to God, in celebration for what He has done in my life.  This song I’m about to share is one that I’ve heard a hundred times perhaps, since its release in 2011.  Practically every time I would hear it, I would think, “I really need to work these powerful lyrics into a blog.”  I would think this because the sentiments are an echo of my heart.  But somehow it never made it to a blog post; until today!  I’m pleased to present the song “You still amaze me” by Rebecca St. James from her album “I will praise You”.

“Oh how beautiful the sound that has saved a wretch like me.  I was lost, but I am found; I was captive ‘til You made me free.  It was grace that taught my heart how to marvel at Your Name.  Breaking all my fears apart, taking all my doubt and shame.  And it all comes down to this: yeah, it all comes down to; [Chorus] Your grace is amazing to me; Your love is still such a wonder.  Your cross is still bringing me to my knees, oh God, You still amaze me.

When I stand before Your throne I will bring eternal praise.  For my heart has found a home, and a reason still to say, that it all comes down to this: yeah, it all comes down to; Your grace is amazing to me; Your love is still such a wonder.  Your cross is still bringing me to my knees, oh God [Bridge] and I am amazed.  How You paid in death every sinner’s wage; how You loved me first, so You took my place.  And redemption came through the work of grace.  It’s amazing, so amazing.

And it all comes down to this: yeah, it all comes down to; Your grace is amazing to me; Your love is still such a wonder.  Your cross is still bringing me to my knees, oh God, You still amaze me.”

Lord, after all these years, You do still amaze me, as this song says.  Thank You for Your faithfulness!  I worship You.  Amen.

God bless,

Kevin

An outstanding film is about to turn 20

June 30, 2004.  This is a famous day in superhero film history as it is the day that the film “Spider-Man 2” was released.  It’s no secret that I love this film; I have often contended – and I will continue to do so – that this is the best superhero film ever made.  I give my kudos to the film’s director Sam Raimi; he struck superhero storytelling gold.  Even though I’m a little bit early, I wanted to take some time to share some thoughts, in celebration of this great movie’s anniversary.  To be honest, I could go on and on and on praising various aspects, scenes, and character arcs from this movie, but let me just hit and run on a few elements.

First off, I came across an article from toms guide.com written by Dan Girolamo; he titled it, “‘Spider-Man 2’ is turning 20 – here’s why I think it’s the greatest superhero movie ever”.  I want to commend his article to you; the link is right here for you.  For my purposes today, I want to quote when Girolamo says these words:

“With great power comes great responsibility.” The famous line from Uncle Ben in “Spider-Man” became one of the defining moments of Raimi’s trilogy.  However, the phrase that better represents the core theme of “Spider-Man 2” is “You’ll always have a choice.”  This choice is what Raimi understood better than any director who’s ever worked on a “Spider-Man film.

The choice in “Spider-Man 2” revolves around who Peter wants to be, which determines the outlook on his life.  To live normally, can Peter still be Spider-Man?  Will he sacrifice appearances at plays or physics classes to capture some bank robbers?  Can he be a loyal friend to Harry while still being Spider-Man?  Can Peter love Mary Jane, or must he shut her out to protect her from Spider-Man’s enemies?  This existential crisis causes Peter to lose his powers.  This vulnerability from Peter is something is something rarely seen in a movie with comic book heroes.”

On a personal note, watching “Spider-Man 2” for the first time was a gripping experience that I will never forget.  I could relate to Peter’s desire to want to do the right thing; I resonate with it even stronger today.  At one point in the film, Peter throws his Spider-Man suit in a dumpster and announces, “I’m Spider-Man no more.”  Who among us wouldn’t have made the same choice?  I would have.  Yet, he realized that he could not simply turn his back on his heroic duties.  When he returns to the battle, it inspires us – it certainly inspires me – to stay faithful to our calling, no matter how difficult.  The fact that Peter gets to enjoy a happy ending, for a change, never fails to cause me to cry tears of joy.

To conclude, Dan Girolamo wrapped up his thoughts on this movie with these words: “Take away the webs, the suits, and the villains.  At its core, “Spider-Man 2” is a movie about sacrifice and responsibility.  Peter finally realizes this sentiment in his last conversation with [the film’s antagonist] Doc Ock.  Peter says, “Sometimes, to do what’s right, we must be steady and give up the things we desire the most, even our dreams.  Being a hero is hard, just like making a successful sequel.  But when a filmmaker like Raimi understands the emotional dilemma of being a hero, you get a masterpiece like “Spider-Man 2.”

God bless,

Kevin

Reflections on life as my birthday draws near

As my birthday draws closer and closer, this year I find myself extra grateful for the gift of life.  I won’t repeat what I said last time all over again here, but since my last birthday, I went through a very trying physical battle that left me close to death’s doorstep; had it not been for God’s providence – and talented doctors, nurses, and health professionals – I would not be here today.  The old hymn sums it up well for me: “To God be the glory; great things He has done.”

Those who know me best know that I’m not a person who broadcasts and promotes myself.  To do so would be arrogant, short-sighted, and unhelpful to anyone.  Instead of foolishly showcasing myself, I submit that one of the sentiments that I want to capture my life story is this statement: it’s not about Kevin; it’s about the great God Kevin worships and serves.  You see, my life was changed forever when I met Jesus.  He is my life, my hope, my everything.  Without Him, I am nothing.  Without Him, ultimately I have nothing to write that is of any lasting value.    

2 Corinthians 5:17 is a powerful verse from the Bible (“if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away, behold, all things have become new”), but a few verses prior to this one, we also read some powerful words.  Verse 15 says, “And he [Jesus] died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again” (italics added for emphasis).

When a person becomes a Christ-follower, it means so much more than going to Heaven when you die (although this is a fantastic perk, to be sure).  Rather, Jesus comes in and revolutionizes your life; He gives supernatural power to help us to walk an exciting, adventurous path with Him right by our side.  Walking with Him is to live a life of hope, tranquility, and fulfillment.  One of my favorite Bible verses is from John 10, where Jesus states that He came to give us life “more abundantly” (verse 10).  Don’t get me wrong: this doesn’t imply that life won’t hurt sometimes.  However, even in the midst of unspeakable pain, He is always there; He gives peace, help, and comfort, in the midst of the worst storms.

To conclude, I’ve often said that Rebecca St. James is a hero of mine.  She has consistently been a strong voice for God, and a good example.  I think there is a renewed interest in her life and ministry because of the new film “Unsung hero” – a film that I recommend to you.  I used to have a VHS tape highlighting Rebecca and her family called “No secrets” from back in 1998.  The tape may be gone, but thanks to You tube I found the content again.

At one point in the program, she stated, “We don’t have to get caught up in the whole thing of anger and resentment and bitterness.  We can find hope.  There is hope…I say from the stage, ‘Jesus is the hope’.”  Then in another segment, she said it a little differently: “There’s something better.  There’s something better than image…There’s something better than delving into drugs, into alcohol, into sex.  And it’s Jesus.”  An “amen” belongs here!

God bless,

Kevin

Praising God, come what may

As the days to my birthday draw nearer, I feel this is an important time to submit this reminder: getting older is not a burden to be dreaded; it is a blessing to be celebrated!  Every day is a gift.  I have been on the brink of death several times in my life; most recently, it was in August into September of 2023, when I was sicker than I even knew.  Ultimately, I ended up in the hospital emergency room.  After a few days there, I was well enough to finally return to my home and gradually to my everyday routine.  To go through this kind of health crisis reminds you to treasure every day as it comes.

That’s not to say that I don’t endure bad days.  Of course I do.  For example, this past weekend was Father’s Day.  And it was a bittersweet day for me.  When talk of the value of fathers is in the air, it can be difficult for me to hear.  You see, God molded my dad into a wonderful man; a man of virtue and integrity, and a man who was devoted to his family.  But he is in Heaven, enjoying the glories of Heaven.  Even 9 years after his unexpected passing, I miss him.  

There are other examples of bad days occurring, even in the midst of gratitude for life.  For instance, just today, as I was putting the final touches of this content together, I faced a bad day that left my stomach in knots.  The details of the ordeal aren’t relevant, but when I was finally able to catch my breath and process everything, I knew I needed to rework today’s blog a bit.  I also knew that I needed to bring up Brandon Lake’s song – that was released last year – titled “Praise You anywhere”.  It captures how God is worthy to be praised, both in the good days, and the bad.  Here’s a sampling:

“Sometimes you gotta praise in the prison; cry out to Heaven, shout it ‘til the doors swing wide.  Sometimes you’ve gotta stand on your shackles, brave in the battle, worship with your hands held high.  [Chorus] I’ll praise You anywhere.  Praise, give Him praise, give Him praise, in the highest.  Praise, give Him praise, give Him praise in the highest.  He is worthy, yes, He is worthy of all of the praise.”  This line also caught my attention: “On mountain or valley, I know that You’re with me there.  I’ll praise You anywhere.”  Amen and amen!

In conclusion, I just wanted you to understand that when I speak of gratitude for life, it’s not that I am blind to the pain, agony, and heartache that can befall a person in life.  In fact, maybe that’s where you are right now as you read this.  The bottom has dropped out of your life, and you don’t even know what end is up.  I’ve been there too.  I feel your pain.  With empathy and love, I submit to you that even in the most intense storm, God is faithful.  Look to Him.  Cling to Him.    

God bless,

Kevin      

Thoughts on "Unsung Hero" movie

Last week, I finally had the great privilege of seeing the film “Unsung Hero”.  Anyone who knows me knows that I have been a big fan of Rebecca St. James for a long time now; this film is based on the true story of how God took care of her, her siblings, and her parents - David and Helen – when their family first moved to the United States. 

I could go on and on detailing why I enjoyed this movie, or the various scenes where I found myself in tears (keep your Kleenex handy, for sure).  However, rather than belabor this, let me just state that someone asked me what my favorite scene in the movie was: I answered that it was when young Rebecca (played exceptionally well by Kirrilee Berger) showcased her singing talent to a record label, and was subsequently signed to a deal, launching her ministry and career.

The song that was performed in that poignant scene was one that Rebecca had written called “You make everything beautiful” (technically, in real life, this song wouldn’t be written until 2011, several years later, but for the moment and the overall context of the film, it was picture perfect to include it here).  For one thing, this song shows Rebecca’s humility, faith, and dependence on God.  Take, for instance, this stanza:

“Grant me serenity, Lord, and patience, for things will take time.  Grant me freedom to walk a new path, and let me feel Your love.  In my weakness You can shine; in Your strength, I can fly.  [Chorus] And You make everything, everything beautiful; You make everything, everything new.  In its time, in Your time, it’s beautiful.”  I nearly lifted my hands in worship to God, right there in the movie theater, with this portion of the song: “Lifting open hands to You, my Savior; beautify my soul.  Knowing You redeem my pain and failure; purify my soul.  Beautify my soul.”

In conclusion, I am recommending the film “Unsung Hero” to you.  It showcases a family coming together in the midst of an immensely trying crisis; it also demonstrates other vital elements in life such as prayer, gratitude, generosity, and forgiveness.  Ultimately, however – in my opinion anyway – this is a film that shows the power of God to provide for His own; to do “exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20).

God bless,

Kevin