11 Ways to Comfort in a Crisis – #5 – Music

A friend just sent me an encouraging email with me this quote, “When words fail, music speaks to the heart,” along with the lyrics to the old hymn, Great Is Thy Faithfulness.

When faced with the terrible season of the Happy Baby’s hospitalization, I found great refuge in music.

We had a super long drive to the hospital, so having encouraging music to listen to was important – otherwise I’d be alone in a quiet car with my thoughts/fears/anxieties and that was not a good thing!

I had three different friends on three different occasions surprise me with CDs featuring a special mix of worship music that they had put together especially for me and my hospital drives.

One friend carefully selected a series of songs around the theme of rest.

My other friend made a ‘Driving Tunes’ CD of worship songs from artists like Hillsong and Chris Tomlin.

Then, another sweet friend felt it important that the Happy Baby have music to listen to as well, so she delivered a CD player to his hospital room along with a CD of Sacred Lullabies.

While sitting next to his crib surrounded by dinging bells, wires, and feeding tubes – I was constantly given opportunity to be anxious.  But that CD player and those CDs helped establish a warmth and presence in the room that resonated peace within my tired soul.

Sometimes a person in crisis is too weary to do Bible studies or even spend a lot of time in prayer.

But listening to worship music and engaging with the lyrics is incredibly healing.

Sometimes the words of the song spoke what I was feeling so clearly that they became my prayers.

Today I have put together a list of songs that blessed me in our season at the hospital.

Maybe you could use them one day to make a mix for another person who might need a little hope.

Or maybe that person is you. 🙂

Kari Jobe – Steady My Heart, Find You On My Knees, Savior’s Here

Christy Nockels – Healing Is In Your Hands

Audrey Assad – Everything Is Yours, Restless

Natalie Grant – Your Great Name

Hillsong United – Take Heart

Hillsong – Lord of Lords, None But Jesus, Desert Song, Unending Love, Alive In Us, You Are More

Britt Nicole – Stand, The Sun Is Rising, Still That Girl

Old Hymns – ‘Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, Great Is Thy Faithfulness

I am abundantly blessed to be married to a worship pastor.  Do you remember the photo I shared the day he led us in worship over the Happy Baby’s NICU crib just a day or so after his birth?  I will never forget the power of that moment – the sense of God’s presence even in the midst of something so awful.

The Lord inhabits the praise of His people.

One of my favorite Bible stories is the one where Paul and Silas were thrown in prison and in the darkest hour of the night, they chose to sing and lift their voices to the Lord.

And God set them free.

This is what worship can do, sweet friends.

So I cannot think of a better thing you could do to comfort someone in a crisis.  Give them a CD of songs that point to Him.

Happy Music-ing! 🙂

“I will honor the Lord at all times.  His praise will always be in my mouth.  My soul will be proud to tell about the Lord.  Let those who suffer hear it and be filled with joy… Let us praise His name together.” Psalm 34:1-3