Wednesday night, Majestic Theatre, October 27, 2021, sitting in the balcony with the love of my life, I experienced an emotional event. A younger Kim met an older Kim, revealing a whole Kim to her husband.
Hands held and memories whispered into his ear, often through tiny tears, I shared a part of me I hadn't shared with him in nearly 30 years of our life together. I have never really spoken about the impact of Christian music in shaping the woman sitting next to him, walking through life with him. I ponder why? Why Amy's music hasn't been present till this night, with us.
Song after song, a memory wrapped itself around me like the softest of blankets. The only change was a voice weathered by experienced and aged with years. Yet, the message, still as poignant today as it was then and as needed today as it was then, is the same – love and Jesus can change anything, any moment, any person at any time. And as with all Amy songs, He was in the room.
Now, I don't think Bill came away from the concert as infatuated with Amy as I am, but then I don't get his infatuation with the Boss either. But we both understand nostalgia, and that was fully engulfing for me this night.
The Jesus Music documentary recognizes Amy Grant as one of the key artists launching Christian music to a broader audience. She crossed over. Her music was beautiful. She was beautiful and, her songs spoke to me. Her words forged a relationship with my Lord. Melodies healed my heart, encouraged my dreams, and moved me to action.
But Amy has a history, and her story reveals a human history. Pair that with her falling out of love and back in love – human error – and she was judged by a Christian community back in the '80s and '90s. Today, it's what might be called canceled.
I encourage you again to see The Jesus Music. Watching it, I don't feel much has changed in the state of the world. The times seem similar, but the messages of these centuries are the same. We need more love, and we need more Jesus.
I have so many favorites from Amy – “El-Shaddai,” “Father's Eyes,” “Thy Word,” “Stay for Awhile,” “Everywhere I Go,” “Friends” – and yes, even “Baby, Baby.” Today's selection was the closing song of the night. Amy gave me an experience that encompassed all of me, a wife loving her husband, a teenager growing in God, a woman reconnecting with a long-time ‘“friend,’” and a Christian, among other Christians. She took me to a beautiful place with a memory so sweet that “I Don't Ever Want to Lose It.”
I pray for each of you reading this, that you savor those times and capture those moments and that today's song resonates with you as we add it to the Ponder This playlist for week 5. Below is a small snippet from the concert of Amy singing this week’s choice.
Until our next ponder…be safe, be happy and hold onto moments. If you liked today’s song, please share it with someone new.
Be sure to follow Ponder This on Instagram at ponderthis_k and Twitter at #ponderthisk
Don't Ever Want to Lose It (Wind in the Fire)
Memories on your face
Beautiful lines my hands can trace
Year-by-year slowly we're changing, my dear
Every sun setting low
Burns down fast
Can't make it stay
Can't make it last
Let me savor this time
And capture this moment
We've come this far to find
Without a wind in the fire
The burning can smolder
Don't let this feeling die
I don't ever want to lose it.
I will sing with you
Every song til life is through
Line by line we'll dance each measure of time
The most beautiful days
Will soon be past
Can't make it stay
Can't make it last
Let me savor this time
And capture this moment
We've come this far to find
Without a wind in the fire
The burning can smolder
Don't let this feeling die
I don't ever want to lose it.
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Wayne Kirkpatrick / Amy Lee Grant / Reed Arvin
I think I was first exposed to Amy in College in the Eighties and she was becoming famous in the CCM scene. Her music reunited me with my faith, and basically, at the time, if you wanted Christian music it was her or Sandy Patti. I just liked Amy's music the best.
I came across Amy awhile ago, on Youtube, she was a speaker at a conference.
While listening to her, what was so refreshing about her
was that she was so authentic and real.
It was realness in a Johnny Cash, King Solomon - Ecclesiasties kind of way.
In effect she said,
“Look, I’ve made a lot of mistakes and messed up a lot of things and, when it’s all done, Jesus is still the only thing real to me and his word is all I can depend on.”
I guess I always thought of her more of a secular artist now, but, it was refreshing and unexpected that Amy Grant would end up talking more about the importance of scripture than almost any other speaker at the conference.
It occurs to me that maybe Amy is the kind of person that ought to be our role model. I mean let's face it, she may have made mistakes but she's never done anything as bad as say David, or Solomon, or Paul, or any number of bible heroes.
And I say that in a bit of a joshing way - I don't think we ought to judge people by some kind of moralistic litmus test. In the bible the heroes are the battered and bruised who need Jesus, not the spotless and pure.
I think sometimes we forget about that….
This one is my favorite so far. I love you so much Kimbo❤