Inspiration & Music Pick: Marry Me (Wedding Song) by Amy Noelck created for THE Surprise Wedding
Recently I got to meet Amy Noelck, a passionate singer/songwriter with a vision for impacting the world and am inspired by her heart for serving others and vibrant energy. Amy wrote “Marry Me,” a moving anthem of love and the perfect wedding song (from her new album Amy Noelck EP) created for “The Surprise Wedding” of Ryan & Amanda Leak that you may have seen featured on the news and social media in the past few months.
On June 7, 2013, Ryan Leak proposed to his girlfriend. Her dream was to get engaged and married on the same day, and so later on that night he cleverly delivered her surprise dream wedding after planning it for weeks with inspiration from Amanda’s wedding board on Pinterest.
I got to hear Ryan share the story behind the proposal at church a few months back and this music video/documentary shows a little bit of their story. To see the entire documentary of The Surprise Wedding, you can watch below:
Video Produced by Jeff Ray (jeffshootsyou.com)
Giving Back: Help Amy and the Leaks Fight Against Human Trafficking Through the A21 Campaign
Instead of receiving wedding gifts, “The Surprise Wedding” couple asked all of their wedding guests to give to the A21 Campaign (thea21campaign.org), an organization fighting against human trafficking all over the globe. Amy was so inspired by this that she started raising awareness for the cause herself.
You can purchase the song here to make a difference: http://bit.ly/1dFntwb
More About Amy Noelck
Amy Noelck is a talented singer-songwriter from Dallas, Texas who wants to use her music to impact people all around the world. Through songs of love, heartbreak and hope, her folk/pop sound & charismatic personality have captured the hearts of everyone who hears her music. She is passionate about helping others, and using her gift in music to do so. All of the proceeds from her new album “Amy Noelck EP” will be given directly to organizations like the A21 Campaign, that are helping to end human trafficking world-wide.
“I try to write music with lyrics that reveal the transparency of life. I love God, and I love people. I write about brokenness so those that are hurting and longing for something to fulfill them, will see that they are not alone.
We are constantly searching for something that will give us peace and joy through the struggles of this life, but, I am confident that lasting peace and joy cannot be found in anything—unless first found in Jesus. It is my hope and prayer that not only my songs & lyrics would represent God’s character, but also every aspect of my life.” – Amy
To find out more about Amy and to connect with her, visit her site www.amynoelck.com.
Soul Inspiring: “Oceans” Guest Reflection by Mary Lynn
When you step into the ocean, away from the sand that is firm on the dry land, you walk out in faith.
You do not know what is out there, you do not know what’s in the water, what is coming towards you, you do not know where the ground will dip, you have to trust your feet and the ocean floor.
One thing people do not know about me is that I am scared of the ocean (now you know), if I go in I won’t go past my hips, someone has to be with me holding my hand and even then I have this horrible anxiety consuming me. I am afraid of the ocean and the great unknown that is beneath the surface of the water. Watching Shark Week last week didn’t help either, probably won’t go in now past my knees.
This [past] summer has been an adventure, a hard one but a good one. I was burnt out, I was consumed with activities, I was lost, I was confused, I was depressed, I wanted to quit this Christian walk. But of course God is faithful, so good, loving, and ever so sweet that He wouldn’t stop chasing after me. He made sure I knew He was there and had greater plans for me. He brought people and things that showed me what was going on in the spiritual realm and in my life that made me feel this way. He started a new journey through this. He brought me to the starting line of a new glory, a new revelation that will take me deeper into His courts.
He called me to quit my job.
I pay for mostly everything, my rent, education, bills, groceries and etc; I am dependent on having a job.
I have quit my job, I said yes to God.
During school, on the days I do not have class I will be at the Upper Room from morning to evening. I will be meditating on His words, ways and love. As I sit there reading my psychology textbooks, He has promised to reveal to me His wisdom on this subject; as I sit there meditating on His words, He has promised I will become more like Him; as I sit there worshiping, He has promised I will get to see His Glory.
I do not worry for the days to come, I laugh because oh the joy that will come from this season!
I do not know where the money is going to come from! I do not know how I am going to get it! But one thing I know is that He is faithful, I know He is my daddy, I know the treasures of Heaven are opened to me, I know He sees and I know I no longer have to worry.
“I already paid the price. Now labor in rest.” (The words that were being sung at a worship set, just as I was walking in having anxiety over paying textbooks.) He is such a good Father, such a mighty God, such a beautiful Savior, a faithful Lover.
You call me out out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand.
Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand will be by guide
Where feet may fail an fear surrounds me
You’ve never failed and You won’t start now
The Lord called me to overcome one of my greatest fear – the ocean. The difference though is that instead of walking into the ocean, I will be walking upon the waters, walking above everything that is in the deeps. The great unknown is below me, but I know that I will get to look down and see His creation underneath me. He will show me His beauty and will reveal to me who He is through them.
No job, it is all I have known, I always worried about not having enough money to pay for bills or having groceries. To always work for everything I needed and wanted. To sustain myself.
I know that as I walk deeper upon the ocean, I will probably become fearful, I might screw up and I probably will do a Peter; I will start to sink. The devil will try to remind me of my fears, the sharks, jellyfish and etc will surround me, I will be vulnerable to them. But God won’t fail me, He will protect me and when I call out to Him, He will come and lift me out of the waters. I will meditate on His good works, I will worship Him and Thank Him. He has already shown His faithfulness by providing for a payment for a leaders retreat that I didn’t have money for.
I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine
I know there will be waves and disturbance in this walk, I do not know the storms that are to come in this season, and the friction below in the ocean deep that cause waves. However, I know I will keep my eyes on where my help comes from and I know that Jesus will walk me straight through the waves as if it were nothing, that I can be confident in His love for me. For if He is my Love, I am His bride, and he died for me then I know I can trust Him in His faithfulness to walk me through the waves, to calm the seas and to protect me.
Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior
The Holy Spirit is what has guided me to this season and had me stepping into fully trusting the Lord (always struggled with fully trusting in Him), but to know that I can trust the Lord and that the ways He will provide and reveal Himself is without borders. The Holy Spirit will still guide me to where ever He has called me, the decisions I make about grad school, the college and subject to study. He will guide me to my Husband, He will show me the Heavens and much more. He will guide me deeper into the inner courts, where I will known my Savior.
I AM EXCITED!
You can follow Mary Lynn on her journey of trust and finding truth at Broke and Faith.
Song lyrics in italics from “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)” by Hillsong UNITED
Worship: Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) from Hillsong UNITED LIVE and Acoustic
“You call me out upon the waters – the great unknown where feet may fail…there I find You in the mystery, in oceans deep. My faith will stand…”
I love these two version of Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) live at the Colour Conference Sydney and the acoustic version. This song brings me to a place of surrendering and remembering who holds all in His hands…
Click here to get the album Zion featuring the song Oceans, and the latest Zion Acoustic Sessions album.
Oceans Acoustic Session
Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)
You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand
And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine
Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You’ve never failed and You won’t start now
So I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine
Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior
I will call upon Your Name
Keep my eyes above the waves
My soul will rest in Your embrace
I am Yours and You are mine
Editor’s Journal: You Were Made to Flourish Even In the Wilderness
Through any trial you’ve been through, the harvest and lives you can impact because of what you endured is greater than the dry season you experienced. You may have been squeezed by circumstances & confused by people who seemed to leave your life – but it had purpose beyond what you can see.
In my quiet time I heard “the desert purified your praise and depth of your love.” I know it’s a word of encouragement for someone else too. Restoration and new beginnings – that’s what I believe for you this year and beyond…
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
You survived and are stronger, your spirit is more resilient than you know. Suddenly surprises & the fruition of dreams & tears you sowed lay ahead…it’s winter but springs are coming, baby! Seek your Father and you’ll find Love, fulfillment, clarity, direction, new creativity & all you need… Your story is powerful and sharing it can influence the lives of many, bringing refreshing hope to others. Dreams bloom in due season for purposes deeper than you can imagine and you were made to Flourish for such a time as this – dare to step boldly into your purpose and nourish your divine dreams…
– Julene, Editor DreaminSoul.com
Below – Dream in Soul Creative Expression: Be Inspired by a Poem I Wrote As Encouragement for Dreamers On Overcoming and Understanding the Wilderness
There is Always Something…
Always be joyful. 1Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (NLT)
Be happy [in your faith] and rejoice and be glad-hearted continually (always); Be unceasing in prayer [praying perseveringly]; Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will]. (Amplified)
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Give thanks where ever you may be, in all things, in all ways, knowing that what you see is not all there is and God’s hand is at work – there is always, always always something to be thankful for, always…