Things I'm Thankful For...Meaning & Purpose

On March 11, 2014 my (Derek's) debut album Carry On was released.  It is amazing to think it has now been 10 years since that release date.  A lot of life has happened in that space of time.  This podcast episode is a slight detour from our normal content, but it's purpose is to celebrate and give God glory through what He has done.  Carry On was, in many ways, a first step into ministry and music for me.  It has opened many doors and in God's providence, the story of many songs and thoughts treasured up were able to be shared.  Join me for this retrospective podcast in which we dive in deeper and look at this album now turning 10! 

Listen to Carry On on these streaming platforms:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/5T10h7kXZh91qrBAVoKiio?si=w7sH3tNYQDqbB6EwPJEBvw
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/carry-on/836420634
Pandora: https://pandora.app.link/xBg2W5vHnHb
Amazon Music:  https://amazon.com/music/player/albums/B00IX6BIQI?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_Q280kvfLyQJPNiNag2kh0YV0D

CDs available for purchase here:  https://derekcharlesjohnson.com/product/284877

YouTube acoustic versions:
King Of Glory https://youtu.be/0bWJ15Zt3yk
Prodigal https://youtu.be/OwH-lNUvIQU
Carry On https://youtu.be/kcKO5wpMkMk

City On The Hill Music Festival:  https://cityonthehillmusicfest.com/

Tommee Profitt wikipedia page:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommee_Profitt

The second in this 2 part series on The Hiding Place, this episode finishes out the story and pulls some more themes together.  Through the extraordinary faith of Corrie and her sister Betsie, they are able to see the love and grace of God despite the dark circumstances they encounter.  Both go through months of imprisonment because they were part of the Dutch Resistance.  But they have the opportunity to lead Bible studies and encourage other prisoners; even to serve as witnesses to guards and officers.  Finally, a theme of forgiveness is readily present as Corrie must grapple with how to forgive those who did much harm to her and her family.  Through Christ, we see an example we should follow.  

Links for items mentioned:
The Hiding Place (original movie — free on YouTube):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zNDe30_eKw
The Hiding Place (2023 movie):  https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CQ6VK4T1/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r
Hiding Place museum:  https://www.corrietenboom.com/en/home
The Hiding Place Book (35th Anniversary Edition):  https://a.co/d/d4hImFm

In this first part of a 2-part series, Derek takes a look at favorite book:  The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom.  The Hiding Place is a story of extraordinary faith and trust in God's plan during one of the darkest periods in history:  World War II.  The story of Corrie and the ten Boom family is remarkable.  Through their efforts, it is estimated some 800 Jews were saved.  In this podcast, the effort is made to not just make this a "book review."  Really it's an examination of faith and an opportunity to ask the question:  would we be able to do the same as Christians if we were placed in a similar scenario?  Would we be willing to take the risk to save lives even if it might cost our own?  This first episode in the series examines a life that surrendered to God and was willing to take the risks of faith, no matter the cost. 

Links for items mentioned:
The Hiding Place (original movie — free on YouTube):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zNDe30_eKw
The Hiding Place (2023 movie):  https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CQ6VK4T1/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r
Hiding Place museum:  https://www.corrietenboom.com/en/home
The Hiding Place Book (35th Anniversary Edition):  https://a.co/d/d4hImFm

This week's episode takes a look at the concept of a hardened heart.  We see this throughout Scripture and really it's a posture we can knowingly or unknowingly fall into if we aren't in right relationship with the Lord.  Certainly we see the hardening of Pharaoh's heart in resisting God's call to free His people.  We also see Israel itself hardening its heart when it came to carrying out God's plan to enter the Promised Land.  And in the New Testament, there is an audience that was warned against making those mistakes -- even many had tasted of Christ but had not fully committed to following Him.  For these audiences the warning is clear.  For us it is as well:  do not harden your heart to the Lord.  

Coming to the end of Jonah, we look for a tidy wrap-up and conclusion to a short book that has many twists and turns.  But perhaps the question we want answered most, "What happens to Jonah?" is left unresolved.  We see through this chapter that Jonah still has a deep sense of pride and contempt in regards to the Ninevites.  We see that God provides something for Jonah (a plant), only to take it away.  At this, he is angry and upset with God.  Overall, we see that God has a heart for the lost and pokes at Jonah's "rights" to be upset with how He [God] acts.  Do we have any blindspots within our faith that keeps us from reaching out, just like Jonah?  This episode concludes our series but there is still much we can ponder and pray through as we ask the Lord to help us not run from, but fulfill our call in Christ.  

By Jonah 3, we see the prophet hearing the call of God, reinstated, and ready to go to Nineveh.  We know Jonah went into the city and preached repentance.  We know also that everyone in the city, from the king down to the citizenry, repented and fasted.  By the end of the chapter, we see that God relents from His decision to destroy Nineveh.  From this chapter alone, we learn much about how God feels towards the lost.  As believers in Christ do we have this same care and compassion over those who do not know Him?  Join me once again as we dive in and look at this amazing story!

In this second installment of Jonah, we see Jonah praying a prayer in an unlikely place:  within the belly of a fish.  We know from the first chapter, Jonah's disobedience landed him here.  But even as this place has brought him to his knees, Jonah's plea is not rejected before God.  Through the 10 verses of Jonah 2, there is a Psalm-like longing and hope within Jonah.  By the end, we see he has a heart of repentance and a desire to once again be reinstated for God's call.  It's a call we experience too as we fully submit and surrender to God's will.  

This is the first episode of a 4-part series on Jonah.  This series looks at the life and ministry of Jonah in regards to his reluctant obedience as a prophet of God.  In this first episode (corresponding with Jonah Chapter 1), we see Jonah's flee from God's call.  We see his disobedience causing consequences for Jonah and even the men on the ship (innocent bystanders to what Jonah has done).  We also see God's care and compassion for the lost.  This first episode is the springboard for where the rest of the book will take us.  Encourage you to listen in and please share with someone who you think will be impacted by this message.  

For this year, spending some time in meditation in December led me to a word I don’t often think about or even use on a regular basis.  But it’s a word that has profound meaning.  It is the word attune.  I believe God is calling me/calling us to be attuned to Him in 2024.  

I had to do some digging to figure out what attune/attuned means.  Even though I’ve used it before and had thought I knew the word’s meaning, I wasn’t sure.  Here’s what I found:

attuned/attune — aware of and attentive or responsive to something

• Sensitive to something
• Able to understand or recognize something 
• Able to understand or recognize a particular sound
• Related words = empathy, identify, relate, sensitive, understanding, communicate 

Join Derek for this kick-off episode for the new year as we learn how to be attuned to the Lord.  

As we wrap up 2023, we take a moment to pause and reflect upon this year and the meaning of Christmas.  We consider it all afresh again and what it means personally for our lives.  We also take that posture into the new year; knowing that 2024 will bring its own challenges and difficulties.  How will we pull away and continue staying in a place where we quiet our souls in rest with our Maker?  Lots of questions to ponder as we end 2023 with this episode.  Have a journal or notebook handy!  Jot down some thoughts and use this episode to prepare your hearts for this busy holiday season as well as the year that stretches out before you.  

Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.  Ecclesiastes 7:8