01. No Not One
Written by Brandon Heath and Christy NockelsI co-wrote this song with one of my favorite songwriters, Brandon Heath. I enjoy co-writing because it's always interesting to me how the other person will take the song in a direction I would not normally go. Sometimes that can be frustrating, but sometimes it can be truly rewarding and such a great picture of unity and humility. Some friends of ours at Creative Trust, Brandon's management team, introduced Nathan and I to Brandon's music and we now have great respect for him as a writer and a friend. Brandon and I wrote this song one afternoon and I've loved it ever since... I knew right away that it would be a song that I'd want to lead corporately and eventually put on my own record. My favorite part of this song is the bridge...one of the lines says, "You gave us all a reason to shine." The lyric fit so beautifully with this theme God seemed to be breathing into me and into my songs about "light"... His light, our light...how He shines, how we shine... Jesus, the one and only, is our beautiful purpose and reason in this world to SHINE... 02. Life Light Up Written by Christy & Nathan NockelsI started writing this lyric and chorus melody in the Autumn of 2007, after a Passion regional conference in Boston. The worship was explosive that weekend, and the anticipation of the students to see God move was life changing for me. When I flew home from that weekend I looked over the city from the airplane and a melody and lyric came from my mouth, "let my life light up like the city lights..." I prayed for the students, that each of them would have the courage to be a light in a dark place, and to take the songs we had shared together into their everyday lives... Upon returning home, I learned that I was invited to go on some of the Passion World Tour stops in 2008. I have to admit that I was fearful to go. I was mostly anxious about being that far away from my kids and not being able to get to them quickly if they needed me. This would be a mission of total trust, and one of humble obedience to the One I knew was calling me. The verse and pre-chorus of this song, for me, was my "yes" to God...realizing there will be moments and seasons He calls us to go beyond our comforts and trust Him with total abandonment. Jesus said in Matthew 5: 14, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." This is who we are as the people of God...we are a lamp set up on the lampstand...a city, set up on a hill for all to see. We are the light of the world... What's even more amazing to me is that we've recently moved to a new city and into a new home and neighborhood. I can tell you that it has been just as much of a challenge for me personally to be a light in my own neighborhood, if not more challenging, than flying thousands of miles from home to "light up" in the darkest night. This song proclaims that He is the song we bring with us, and in us, into the darkest places of this world. It is a prayer and a proclamation that says, "my light will shine on earth and my Father will be praised!" This can look like a trip to China, or sometimes, it's just walking into "open house" with my kids at their public school down the street. Both are equally challenging for me...both require an "offering" of myself unto God, letting Him shine and show others His fame and His love through me in all that I do. 03. Choose Written by Christy & Nathan NockelsThis song was written as a prayer for our family a few years ago. We felt the Lord clearly call us in 2004 to lay down our journey as "Watermark" to become available to God in a new and fresh way. There is something to be said sometimes for "clearing the table" in our lives and letting God put back on the table what He desires for us to focus and spend time on. This is what happened with us a few years back and it was only the beginning of God teaching us to choose the things of Him over our own wants and wishes. I love Psalm 37:5, it says, "Commit your way to the Lord, trust Him and He will act." It's no small task to "commit your way" to the Lord everyday, but it is required of us in order to stay aligned with where He is going and in love with the things He loves. Since His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts, we are wise beyond words to daily choose to follow and "glory" in the things of God. As God put some things back on my "table" that year, I was surprised at first to realize it was a very focused and intentional season He was calling me to. Really there were only a few things on the table... Him, Nathan and my children... In Psalm 37, verse 4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart". I've always read that to mean, "if I serve Him, He will give me what I desire". During this time of pruning and simplifying God very clearly showed me that the verse means that He is our "desire giver". He will show me what my desires are to be. All I can say is that the more I have "given over my journey", the more He has miraculously instilled and fulfilled what I desire. This has brought a rest into my life like I've never known. When I commit my way, when I choose to pursue a love relationship with Him, my beloved, He draws near to me and He acts on my behalf in the strangest and most beautiful ways. 04. The Song Of The Beautiful Written by Christy & Nathan NockelsIn my lifetime, I'm grateful that my eyes have seen some of "the beautiful"...the broken finding their cure, the fallen back on their feet, the innocent who have greatly suffered...yet found Jesus there, in the midst of it all. There are those who wait, particularly friends who have waited years for a child, but have learn to cry, "Jesus, no matter what, You are my all." There are those who have been forgiven much, learning gracefully, to love much. Those who have lost deeply, I've seen them gain immeasurably more than they could think to ask. We are the broken...yet we are the ones made beautiful because of Jesus. What wondrous love is this? That He would look upon us and by His grace and mercy, touch us, and make us whole and free forever. The song of the redeemed is a glorious cavern of mystery, mingled with sweet simplicity as we sing, "Jesus loves me...Jesus saved me!" 05. You Are Able Written by Christy & Nathan NockelsThis song was written as a personal response to the days we are living in... I tend to become fearful, mainly for my children, when I watch the news or get caught up on current events. I'm always amazed how fear, in the lives of those around me, can have such a great hold on our minds and even our plans for what is ahead. As a worship leader, we have a great responsibility to live lives worthy of the calling we are given. I can think of no better way of leading, than to ask God to completely pour me out as an offering at His feet, and to set my eyes and my heart on who He is. When we do this, we see right away that He is able... As children of God, we really have no reason to fear this world. He is able! No matter what comes our way, He alone has saved us, and He alone will forever stay with us! This song is really a declaration of faith against fear...for such a time as this! May the mouths and hearts of this generation declare our trust in this glorious mystery, the keeper of history...that we will trust no other name and that our hope is in He who is able! 06. A Mighty Fortress Written by Christy NockelsEvery generation will inevitably struggle with the same question, "what is truth?" Songs are a beautifully simple way to engage people with Truth, that is, what is certain, real and everlasting. When we worship it is imperative to set before our minds and our hearts the attributes of God...His character, His grace and His mercy. This is why His word so powerfully leads us in worship! When we practice this, we set ourselves up to respond appropriately in His presence. The idea and the heart around "A Mighty Fortress" is just that...to renew our minds of who God is and then respond with all eyes and hearts set on Him. We live in a cold, unpredictable world, but it is wonderfully alarming and freeing to sing Truth when all around us is crumbling. This song proclaims that we have protection and take refuge in God and His kingdom is an unshakable kingdom, one in which we will someday reign victorious because of Christ! When I write and lead songs, often I imagine and picture a "generation" grasping who God is and responding to Him inside of and in spite of the current circumstances of our world and our surroundings. This song was written with a heart to support and cradle that kind of powerful revelation and response...
07. My Master Written by Christy NockelsMy dad has been a pastor for as long as I can remember. One of my favorite messages that he used to share was from Exodus 21: 1-6. It's about Hebrew slaves and the process they would go through with their masters after they had served their time. Basically, upon the 7th year, they could go free, or choose to stay. He would tell about the process of the Hebrew slave choosing to stay with their master, even after they were free to go. The slave would publicly go before the community and declare, "I love my master, I will not go free". Then, their ear would be pierced, and the blood would signify a lasting covenant with their master...one made by choice and for all to hear. He beautifully tied this to our relationship with Jesus, our Master, and reminded us that the disciples often would call themselves "bond slaves" of Christ. We have a will, but when we choose to align ours with His, this brings true freedom and love like we've never known. After he shared this message one night, he felt led to have our church respond in a very unique way... That night many of us lined the aisles of that old church and took the hand of one of the leaders and publicly confessed, "I love my Master, I will not go free". As a teen, that had a great impact on me as those words came from my heart and my mouth, and it still does to this day... Serving and calling Jesus "Master" doesn't' seem to be a real popular thing in this world to have rolling around in your vocabulary and in your everyday life. However, I am compelled to tell of the joy and freedom I have experienced in serving my Master. I will tell of His mighty ways, drawing near to Him and remembering what He has saved me from! Of this, I will forever sing! 08. In Your Hands Written by Molley MoodyI have been continually blessed by the people that God has chosen to bring into our lives over the years... One of the ways that He has done this, is that He always brings the right person, at the right time, to help care for our children when we're working and ministering. Several years ago we met a sweet, young woman...full of life...by the name of Molley Moody. Molley has become like a part of our family over the years and we've watched her graduate from college and walk faithfully into the beginnings of her own ministry of singing and songwriting. Through the years I have had Molley sing and play her songs for me, hoping to somehow encourage her along the way. I believe that Molley has something to say through her songs and in His time I believe God will lead her to use her gifts more and more in both a powerful and practical way. As Molley sang her songs for me one afternoon, this song called "In Your Hands" caught my heart. When I heard it, I immediately thought of the young women I've had the honor of leading in worship and spending time with over the years. They are at such a unique and pivotal time in their journey, and most of them are desperately seeking God about the future. "In Your Hands" is a song of surrender. It's a confession that sweetly says, "take all that I am Lord...my heart, my thoughts, my time, my life..." Molley describes surrender in such a unique and pure way with this song, and to support what God is doing in her, I chose to include it on this record and lead it with young women in this season of ministry. 09. Marvelous Light Written by Charlie HallThis song was written and previously recorded by our longtime friend Charlie Hall. I have personally loved this song and have seen God use it powerfully in worship. I wanted to merge a somewhat familiar song that I was already leading corporately, with these new songs...and this one was a strong fit. "Marvelous Light" has a beautiful message of the freedom, rescue and healing that we have in Jesus when we run towards Him in this life. When we understand that His marvelous, truth-revealing light exposes who we are and who He is over us, we respond with gladness and joy! This song renews our minds and hearts that we are free from darkness, shame and ultimately the sting of death because of Jesus' resurrection. I'm also excited to use one of Charlie's songs because he has been a part of our lives since we first began to lead worship almost 15 years ago. We have learned much from Charlie's leadership over the years, so it's an honor to have this be a part of my record. 10. Hosanna Written by Brooke FraserThis is a song that our Passion family fell in love with a few years ago. Written by Brooke Fraser of Hillsong Church in Australia, this song has become a powerful song of praise in the mouths of students and believers all over the world. I'm just a messenger...another voice, humbly desiring that this sweet cry of praise be heard more and more throughout the earth....that Jesus might be lifted up! The bridge is the "moment" for me... When you see students with all their might singing, "break my heart for what breaks Yours" you are ruined in the sweetest way forever. I don't know why God chooses to just "land" on certain songs, but I believe this is one of those songs for this generation, and one of the most treasured songs that I've ever led corporately. 11. By Our Love Written by Christy & Nathan NockelsSongwriting is such an amazing process to me... Long before there were lyrics or even a melody for this song, I knew it would be on my record. My husband Nathan and I would talk about songs during the writing process and I'd say, "remember there will be a song called "By Our Love". I had one tiny melodic idea for it, but that was it really... This song really took shape the morning after a very special gathering with our new church family in Atlanta. It was one of those sweet times together in God's presence that I will never forget. Our two oldest children were a part of that gathering, and even though their eyes could barely stay open towards the end of our worship time that night, my prayer was that they'd somehow sense and grasp the presence of God in that place and remember it. I realized more than ever that night that I want my children to "get it." I want them to understand that you can't have worship without love and justice. Our songs must have hands and feet, and they must go into the darkest places of the world. The distractions that our children are exposed to in this country and their desensitized minds and hearts became like a heavy brick on my heart. My prayer is that God will allow my children to see with His eyes and love with His hands in their lifetime...that they might "stand firm in the truth and set their hearts above". How can we show them most effectively that it's "by our love" that we are set apart and "by our love" that we show Jesus to the world. I can recall some amazing moments from my childhood that my parents faithfully exposed me to worship, and also lived lives of love to those around us. I have vivid memories of my mom, in particular, involving me in random acts of kindess. I have an early memory of her driving me to the home of a little girl from our church, who had no mother, and a father who could barely care for her. She took down the little girl's measurements that day and in the following weeks, made her a beautiful Easter dress. My mom was also the one who sat with me for hours at the piano, teaching me worship songs and how to sing harmonies. My mother understood worship and justice, and because she involved me, I remember and I understand... I've always been intrigued by Ephesians 5:19, it says, "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs." There is an exhortation that songs can carry with them, and I believe even modern worship songs can have that feel and purpose, as many of the old hymns did. My prayer is that this song might be a song we sing to each other when it's appropriate...a reminder and a "calling forth" of those whom we walk life with, whom we parent and lead...to live lives of deep love for Jesus' sake. |
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