Since many are visiting “Angie’s Notes of Grace” for the first time, I want to tell you a little about why I write, and why I chose this title.
Why do I blog? Sometimes I wonder that myself, I blog because God has placed a desire in my heart to share what He is teaching me. In the 51 years, I’ve been on this earth, I’ve had some amazing experiences and I’ve been through some horrible events. No matter how good or how awful God has ALWAYS been by my side.
He has loved me, cheered me on and celebrated with me: When the boy I had been in love with since I was 11, finally kissed me on October 3, 1981. When we were married. When we had each of our 3 children. When we celebrated 30 years of marriage. When 2 of our children got married. When we found out our daughter was pregnant, and countless other happy occasions.
God was also there to hold me, comfort me, heal my broken heart and encourage me to keep living for Him in dark moments: When I was 14 and my 18-year-old friend in our youth group was killed in a car wreck. When my cousin died of Cystic Fibrosis a month after my High School graduation. When my husband was in a major car accident and sustained a head injury that put him in Neuro ICU for 2 days. When my brother-in-law was diagnosed with Leukemia. When I had a cancer scare. When my brother-in-law lost his battle with Leukemia. When I was diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety and had to receive intensive outpatient treatment. When my other cousin died of Cystic Fibrosis at 35. When my daddy passed away. When my son was arrested more than once. When I had to quit my job due to chronic health issues, and the list goes on and on.
Like I said, I blog to share how God’s grace has been with me through EVERY ONE of those events, it doesn’t mean the good things weren’t GREAT and the bad things weren’t HORRIBLE. It means I’ve NEVER been alone! I’ve always had ways to cope that didn’t include drugs or alcohol, and I want to share with you, my friend, that there is HOPE in this world! That hope is Jesus!
The next thing is how I came up with the title of my blog “Angie’s Notes of Grace”. Now if that is all it said, it wouldn’t need an explanation but in my title, I put music notes. ♫ ♪ Some people may come to my blog looking for music reviews. You won’t find that here, however, you will find that through every event in my life, and every day of my life music has influenced me.
For as long as I can remember, music has been a part of my life. My mom always sang in the church choir. My dad played trumpet, along with every other brass instrument, in the High School band. He loved to have music of all varieties playing on the stereo at home. There is even a picture of me at about 3 with my daddy’s big ole headphones on listening to music from his stereo. As I grew up, my love of music grew. I eventually joined both the school and church choirs. I even took private voice lessons for about 6 years. As an adult I continued to sing in church choirs, participate in church musicals and sing solos occasionally for church, weddings, funerals and other occasions. Now I just sing to praise God and for my own enjoyment.
The point is music speaks to me! It doesn’t matter if it is just melody or melody and lyrics. It can be singing or listening. It speaks to me! It moves me! Deep within my soul!
To help show you what I mean I did something a little crazy. The next paragraph is made up strictly of lyrics to popular Christian songs. I have taken little snippets of songs and arranged them to tell you what I write about.
“Some days life feels perfect, other days, it just ain’t workin’, the good, the bad, the right, the wrong and everything in between.”1 “Oh, my soul, you are not alone. There's a place where fear has to face the God you know. One more day, He will make a way. Let Him show you how, you can lay this down.”2 “I know You're able and I know You can save through the fire with Your mighty hand, but even if You don't, my hope is You alone.”3 “Day by day, without fail I'm finding everything I need and everything that You are to me.”4 “I wanna trust that You are near. Trust Your grace can be seen. In both triumph and tragedy.”5 “He knows every hurt and every sting, He has walked the suffering, He knows. He knows, let your burdens come undone. Lift your eyes up to the One who knows.”6 “There's a war between guilt and grace, and they're fighting for a sacred space. But I'm living proof grace wins every time. No more lying down in death's defeat. Now I'm rising up in victory singing, hallelujah! Grace wins every time.”7
Maybe now you know Angie Pettijohn and “Angie’s Notes of Grace” a little better. I hope you will join me over the next few weeks, months, and God willing, even years, as we explore what God teaches me through His word, life, and music.
Living in Grace,
Angie
1 “Speak Life” Artist Toby Mac- Written by James L. Moore, Ryan Dale Stevenson, Toby Mckeehan • Copyright © Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol Christian Music Group
2 “Oh My Soul” Artist Casting Crowns- Written by John Mark Hall, Bernie Herms • Copyright © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
3 “Even If” Artist Mercy Me- Songwriters: Bart Marshall Millard / Benjamin Glover / Crystal Lewis / David Arthur Garcia / Tim Timmons
Even If lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Music Services, Inc
4 “Breathe” Artist Big Daddy Weave- Written by Andy Cloninger, Michael David Weaver, Michael R. Farren • Copyright © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc
5 “I Have This Hope” Artist Tenth Avenue North- Publishing:|© 2016 No Alibis Publishing (adm. by Fun Attic Music, LLC) (SESAC)/Fellow Ships Music (SESAC)/So Essential Tunes (SESAC) (adm. at essentialmusicpublishing.com)/LMNOPublishing (adm. by Fun Attic Music, LLC) (SESAC)
Writer(s): | Mike Donehey, Jason Ingram, Jeff Owen
Writer(s): | Mike Donehey, Jason Ingram, Jeff Owen
6 “He Knows” Artist Jeremy Camp- Publishing: © 2014 Capitol CMG Genesis / Stolen Pride Music (ASCAP) (Admin. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com / CentricSongs / 2 Hour Songs (SESAC) (Admin. at Music Services) Writer(s): Jeremy Camp and Seth Mosley
7 “Grace Wins” Artist Matthew West- Publishing: © 2015 Highly Combustible Music / Atlas Music Publishing / House Of Story Music
(ASCAP) (Admin. by Atlas Music Publishing obo itself, Highly Combustible Music and House Of Story Music)
Writer(s): Matthew West
(ASCAP) (Admin. by Atlas Music Publishing obo itself, Highly Combustible Music and House Of Story Music)
Writer(s): Matthew West
