YOU SAY

And The Spirit Fell

Lauren Daigle has a hit song our called You Say.  Last week we entered a State Jail with about 50 incarcerated ladies coming into a service.  Our ministry, Lifeway Haven was asked to speak and share the opportunity to enter this 2 yr. program.  We began with worship and the second song was You Say by Lauren Daigle.  As we stood to worship, a young woman in her early 20s slipped out of her row and went to the front.  I noted she was missing some front teeth and not a beautiful girl by the world standards.  She was dressed in her white uniform and tennis shoes.  She began an interpretive dance to the song.  It was not a smooth, soft, graceful dance at all.  In fact, it was jerky and rather aggressive in nature, but VERY expressive.  It only took us a few minutes in to note that she BELIEVED what Lauren was singing about what God said she was, NOT what the world said she was.  

The ladies in white quickly began to rise to their feet and all hands lifted to heaven.  Tears flooded down faces and some sobbed.  We were overtaken by their abandonment in worship.  We thought we had seen a deep level of worship, but THIS surpassed them all.  We were overtaken by our own emotions and wept as we watched these transformed women worship and embrace what God had revealed to them about how HE views each of them.  Tears were literally dripping off their faces into their laps as they sat down.  What had just happened?  What had we witnessed?  It was the breath of the Holy Spirit, He had come, He was welcome, He fell on us ALL!!!!!  As the dance ended, the young inmate said that the Lord told her that every time she dances, things "break off" those she abandons herself in front of.  

 

Oh my, how overwhelmed we were when we left.  Maybe desperate circumstances are good for us.  Loss of privileges, loss of personal items, loss of contact, loss of technology, and loss of freedoms.... can all lead to abandonment to God if we let our circumstances mold us and we turn to God.  Had we witnessed a room full of ladies that had come to the end of themselves and the beginning with God?  Jesus said when we visit prison, we visit Him.  We believe that we experienced a visitation from the Spirit of God.  He was honored, He was celebrated, He was applauded by His creation that had been given freedom within the walls.  We were just blessed to be present as He came by and left His presence among those who have turned to Him for a fresh beginning . 

    YOU SAY    

     by Lauren Daigle

I keep fighting voices in my mind that say I'm not enough
Every single lie that tells me I will never measure up
Am I more than just a song of every high and every low
Remind me once again just who I am because I need to know

You say I am loved when I can't feel a thing
You say I am strong when I think I am week
And you say I am held when I am falling short
And when I don't belong, Lord you say I am yours
And I believe, yes I believe what you say of me
Oh I believe

The only thing that matters now is everything you say of me
Cuz in you I find my worth in you I find my identity

You say I am loved when I cant feel a thing
You say I am strong when I think I am week
And you say I am held when I am falling short
And when I don't belong, Lord, you say I am yours
And I believe, yes I believe what you say of me
Oh I believe

Taking all I have now I'm laying at your feet
Cuz you have every failure, God, and you have every victory

You say I am loved when I cant feel a thing
You say I am strong when I think I am week
And you say I am held when I am falling short
And when I don't belong, Lord you say I am yours
And I believe, yes I believe what you say of me
Oh I believe

And I believe, yes I believe what you say of me
Oh I believe