Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Vlog 16 - "Take Me Away"



Hey bloggers,

These are a few clips from our day in Tulsa, OK. We played at an Aquire the Fire event with a few thousand teenagers. God showed up. Later in the video we went into a spontaneous worship song.. "I love You, I love You Lord! ... Take me away!! Take me away!!"

Has God swept you off your feet? Has he "taken you away"? We're living on Earth, but our hearts must be captured by the God of Heaven. This is how we can change the world around us! By BEING changed ourselves. How have you been changed by God? Let us know.

Much love.

-the leeland boys

23 comments:

Bethany said...

I'm glad I checked this today. :) It's been a crazy week and I needed it!

Joshua Anderton said...

Hey,

My names Josh Anderton. I'm from Vancouver B.C. (Canada) and I'm 17. I never really comment like this just cause it feels odd but the video really inspired me.

So last Sunday I got to lead worship at a youth church close by and I went into it really feeling like I shouldn't have been the one to bring a group of kids in worship to such flawless God. I was having a pretty bad week, feeling unworthy and really just dirty. I mean I understand with all I am that God IS the forgiver but I just felt unworthy. When the band got together to pray I just plainly said "God I have nothing to give, let us be your microphone and, no matter what happens tonight, above all else be praised by it". I see now that that's the point. God did something brand new with us last Sunday night! The kids were really responding during the praise songs which was awesome. But when we shifted into worship God just rocked us! A leader came up and pointed out that it was Palm Sunday, the day the people worshiped Jesus a week before he was crucified. We just happened to be singing Hosanna by Hillsongs. Now I want to point out as testimony that we didn't plan to be leading the kids in "hosanna hosanna in the highest" that night. Our drummer asked to add the song right before we went on. But when we went back into the chorus it was like everyone in the place just woke up to the reality of God. As if Jesus was there and we were waving palms in praise! But the great thing about our God is that there was more. The bible says were called to go "from glory to glory"! He took us to still another level! We flowed with that chorus for a long time and then switched to spontaneous. I asked God what he wanted to do next and then his name came out of my mouth. We all sang "JESUS JESUS JESUS" over and over and that's where I felt it. A level I had never felt in worship...it was yet another moment in my faith walk where I fell in love all over again. I stepped back and it was like God said "thank you, I can take it from here" the band just played to the praise of the people spontaneously for bars and bars. THAT changed my life. I had nothing to give - it felt like less than nothing to give - and God WAS my strength. I'm thinking maybe God is a bit bigger than my circumstances? After the service, three people raised their hands to receive Jesus as their savior. Three seemed small but like it says in Luke 15:10, there was a HUGE party in Heaven that night.

I don't know who'll read this but I'm so excited I just got to relive that night! Leeland, you guys are such a blessing to me. People pray for a examples of true lovers and worshipers of God and you guys really are those examples for us. Come to Vancouver soon!

God Bless!

Josh

Tunafish said...

Wow Leeland, you can juggle really well! I have to say that I really enjoyed the video and wish that I could have been there. But kinda like Lee said, I can experience GOD anywhere, He can fill me up anytime, and He's always there for me. That's what rocks about GOD!

RafaelaM said...

Wouw, you guys know how to lead worship! :) I got tears in my eyes! God has changed me and is changing me through lots of stuff every day :) It al started with a Stellar Kart concert at my school. I first experienced how it is to worship God. There God touched my heart and ever since that moment he keeps doing amazing things :) At a Hillsong London and Matt Redman concert I put my hand in the air to show I chose God and at the youthcamp of my church he did some amazing things for me :) At one service in church we got to lay a rose at the cross and then kneel in front of it to show our love for him. These are just few things of what God has done for me =) It's so great! I'm so happy that my youthgroup and my church has so many services and stuff and I love it that we have a little group at school with who we pray every week =) God is doing amazing things in my town! (Zwolle, the netherlands) It's awesome! =) In June I'm going to see Michael W Smith too so that's awesome! :) I'd love to tell more, but it's getting kinda long :P God bless you and I'd love to worship God with you some day! :)

jasonS said...

That was great! Thanks for that- powerful worship. Have a great day and be blessed.

Samantha said...

this is a really great video. i loved worshipping with you guys when yall came to cleveland, and this is a prime example of why.

i never knew how immense God was until i was given the opprotunity to worship with so many others and have his power engulf the entire conference room. i broke down like never before, but it felt great. it felt right.

ive loved every moment ive spent with God since then. God can truly solve any problem and heal any wound. its amazing.

last night at youth, the message was about the crucifixion. id never had the story put in such a light. the objective of the lesson was to make us feel uncomfortable. we were supposed to feel the pain that Jesus felt. i definitely did and it was incredible. i have no idea how i could not give every living part of me to my Lord after this experience.

anyone who has not felt the pain of the cross should dig deeper. its eye-opening and something every Christian needs to feel not just for one day, but every day of their life.

thanks for this vid. you guys are awesome.

Raquelita said...

Yes!! God has definitely swept me off my feet! I love how you went from "May our Praise" in to the "take me away". It's one of my favorite worship songs because I love the line "We just want to be where you are" because it is so my cry to God. I have this amazing longing to be in God's presence. Every time I hear that song I just feel like I could leave everything in this world behind and be content forever with just God. But I also know that I have a purpose on earth too and I have to be a light for him so everyone else can feel the same way!!! It sounds like you guys had an amazing time of worship. You guys are awesome- thanks for posting

Princess Samantha said...

I agree. We can change the world by first changing ourselves. I love being caught up in worship like that. Imagine what it will be like in Heaven doing that nonstop!

JJprincess said...

These past two years have been an intense spiritual battle in my life. Trial after trial hit me leaving me broken down but I would just jump right back up and continue on fighting. I made a lot of bad decisions and bad choices that resulted in many types of scars. It came to the point where I shunned God altogether. I didn’t believe that there was a god and if there was one, He was just a cruel, sadistic, selfish torturer who liked to keep all the answers to Himself. I was so desperate to hear from Him; I just wanted Him to prove Himself to me- to give me a reason to believe in Him- but I wanted an audible voice. I wanted to hear the words “I love you” from Jesus Christ Himself. I knew this sounded selfish but I figured I at least deserved this much. I started to doubt everything I’d ever been taught. Is there a god or was it just my conscience or my emotions that I felt at services. I wanted all control of my life. I was sick of hearing people say to surrender everything you are to Him, because to me it didn’t make any sense to give everything and become nothing. What would I gain from that? How would that solve my problems? This all took place right before the Back-to-School Revival, so imagine how I felt when after wanting God to speak to me, I find out that all the services for that week are focused around that exact topic. After Friday, I was so desperate that I was finally convinced to talk to a leader. The conversation left me still frustrated, though. The only hope I was clinging to was that God would work a miracle in my life, because if He didn’t, I was done with Him and religion. The last night of the revival services, I found myself on the floor praying with all I had in me, begging God to prove Himself to me. There was a tongues of interpretation and I listened even though normally I’d ignore them thinking they were always for other people. God said: For you have thought your prayers have not been heard and you have said in your heart, “What’s the use?” I have seen your discouragement and I know how you have fought but I say to you this night, trust in Me and lean not to your own understanding. Allow Me to do the work as I will, for I see things you cannot see, and I know things you cannot know. Trust Me I say again. Trust Me and believe for I will do my work and nothing shall hinder you. - Immediately after Bro. Buford got up, looked me in the eye and said, “That message was meant for one young person. You’ve been questioning whether or not God speaks. Well that was Him. That was God, your Savior.” I was stunned as the impact of his words hit me. I just heard from the Almighty, All-powerful God- THE God. The God who created the universe, the God who loved me enough to die on the cross for me, the God who forgives and forgets all my failures. Never again will I doubt Him. Even when life gets rough and trials come, I now know that through those trials, He is refining me like gold tried in the fire. He will never leave me or forsake me. How could I not love Him, for He truly paid it all and I’m forever in His debt.

Romans 8:35-38 NLT- Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death? (Even the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from His love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow and even the powers of Hell can’t keep God’s love away.

Anonymous said...

this is why....your music never ceases to minister to me..when i need it the most. Lord thank you for the leeland guys..bless them with much more than they already have..they deserve it God..

Abby H said...

I really love when you guys sing things that arent really songs! You make them fun! Thanks for that boost of inspriation!!

Abby!
Smiles for Jesus!
(My comment is short compared to the other stories!)

Michelle said...

thanks for posting this! it made my day! its hard to live in a world that our president doesnt even consider Christian anymore. its so hard and i thank you so much for being there.

please visit CT and do a concert here - we would LOVE for you to come by!

CACowgirl said...

Lately, I've been felling really complacent - even fake - in my worship. I've been longing and praying for God to reveal Himself to me, i feel empty, until now. i want to thank you guys so much for everything you're doing, you're touching more lives than you know. Thank you so much!

~Katy
P.S. i have a couple prayer requests too if that's ok, one, is for me. if you guys (maybe bloggers too, not just the Lee boys?) could pray for me not to fall complacent again, i would really appreciate that.
The other is for my friend. she's fallen so far away from God that it hurts so bad when i hear about her. she's been into cutting, she absolutley despises God and her family, and so much more that i feel that i cant write it out. But she needs God and His love more than you can imagine. PLEASE pray for her! She needs all our prayers.
Thank you so much.

Kaitlyn MB said...

Thank you so much for this!!!! God bless you guys!!!!

You're music and attitude and worship about God inspires me!! That was beautiful!! I've thanked God many times for you guys! Someday I hope to be able to worship like that and be able to sing to God like that!

This was interesting, as I was reading the post that went with the video I was listening to "Can't Stop" and it went along perfectly! :D

God bless!!!

Unknown said...

It looks like that was an awesome time of worship! You're really a worship leader blessed by God! I'm a student at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, and its definitely a very difficult place to be a Christian. We have been praying about how the Lord desires to move in the city and on the campus, and your heart and love for the Lord has been an inspiration and a blessing to us!
You guys should come to RICHMOND and lead worship for an on campus event!!!!! : ) Pray about it!! haha...seriously!
God bless you guys!!!

Bethany said...

How have I been changed by God? I know I already made a comment on this, but I thought I would answer your question too. Actually God has really used you guys to bring me back to Him. The last two years have kind of been rough on me and God has used you guys to get me through it and bring me back to Him.

Anonymous said...

Praise the Lord! This is what it's all about, worshipping the One who gave us life. There is no better place to be than in the presence of God! He is so good to us. I am so glad that you are willing to surrender your lives to the Lord and listen to his heartbeat concerning His love to others! God Bless you all and may His glory manifest within your hearts and throughout the earth, Amen.
Anita from Wenatchee

VOL AND REV said...

muchas bendiciones

Leah said...

Thank you Leeland for making my day all the more easier to get through today with your music - a true inspiration

"When the storm is raging all around me
You are the peace that calms
My troubled sea
And the cares of this world
Darken my day
You are the light that shines
And shows me the way"

When are you going to come to New Zealand? Would be awesome if you did!

Keep on praising God with your tunes

Blessings

Leah Wright

Holly J. said...

that was awesome! you are so right about everything... you guys are amazing :)

Aaron Thompson said...

hi CACowgirl, i seen your comment on the leeland travel blog. sorry about your friend, one my friends has fallen away from God. praying! try to give God time everyday by reading your bible and praying, easy to say that lol. When were having a bad day, maybe not but just do your best.

Katie said...

Thanks so much for being such an inspiration when I really needed to hear this. You guys are a wonderful group of people and have had a huge impact on my life. Keep up the good work! God is blessing those around you! Phil. 1:3 <3KT

Katie said...

You guys have been such an inspiration to me through your music and posts, especially when I really need to hear something from a new perspective. Thanks for sharing this, it was really encouraging! Keep up the good work and God Bless!