On most days, we can sense God's love and presence all around us.
But when tragedy strikes, we grieve and feel alone, lost, helpless.
But it's at these times when we need God even more.
That's what our family reunion friends focused on when they gathered together to sing, share stories, and remind each other God does bring us through it all.
Featuring Walter Artiz, the Meloschenko family, Joe Pearls, the Voice of Prophecy Trio, and Sandy Wyman.
And at the piano, Tim Crosby, Phil Draper, Kelly Maurer, Jimmy Rhodes, and Jim Teal.
Also featuring very special guests, Ray and Weida Turner.
So we invite you now to listen to the music, enjoy the heartfelt stories, and remember how God has brought you through it all.
Something beautiful, something good.
All my confusion he understood.
All I had to offer him was brokenness and strife. But he made something beautiful of my life.
If there ever were dreams that were lofty and noble, those were my dreams at the start.
And my hopes for life's best were the hopes that I harbored down deep in my heart.
But my dreams turned to ashes, my cathols all crumbled, my fortune turned to loss.
So I wrapped it all in the rags of my life, and I laid it at the cross.
Something beautiful, something good.
All my confusion he understood. All I had to offer him was brokenness and strife.
But he made something beautiful of my life.
Something beautiful, something good.
All my confusion he understood.
All I had to offer him was brokenness and strife. But he made something beautiful of my life.
Yes, he made something beautiful of my life.
And he made something beautiful of my life.
There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's face.
And sinners plunged beneath that flood, blushing all their guilty stains.
There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's face.
And sinners plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains.
Dear dying Lamb, thy precious blood shall never lose its power.
Till all the ransom church of God be saved to sin no more.
And since thy faith I saw the stream, thy flowing womb supply.
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
And shall be till I die.
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
Amen.
Father Gabriel in that day, he'll take wings and fly away,
for to hear the trumpet sound in that morning.
He will blow it in the east, he will blow it in the west,
and will hear the trumpet sound in that morning.
In that morning, my Lord, how I long to go, for to hear the trumpet sound in that morning.
Talk about me as you please, or talk about you on my knees,
for I want to hear that trumpet in that morning.
Just a while down here below, then to glory I will go,
for to hear the trumpet sound in that morning.
In that morning, my Lord, how I long to go, for to hear the trumpet sound in that morning.
Oh, I love to shout and sing praises to my heavenly King,
for he'll make the trumpet sound in that morning.
Then on the wings of the love I'll fly to the paradise on high,
when I hear the trumpet sound in that morning.
In that morning, my Lord, how I long to go, for to hear the trumpet sound in that morning.
Amen.
There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus, no, not one, no, not one.
None else can heal all my soul's diseases, no, not one, no, not one.
Jesus knows all about our struggles.
He will guide till the day is done.
There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus, no, not one, no, not one.
There's not an hour that he is not near us, no, not one, no, not one.
No night so dark, but his love can cheer us, no, not one, no, not one.
Jesus knows all about our struggles.
He will guide till the day is done.
There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus, no, not one, no, not one.
Did ever one find this friend forsake him, no, not one, no, not one.
Did our sinner find that he would not take him, no, not one, no, not one.
Was there a gift like the Savior given, no, not one, no, not one.
Will he refuse us a home in heaven, no, not one, no, not one.
Jesus knows all about our struggles.
He will guide till the day is done.
There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus, no, not one, no, not one.
No, not one, no, not one.
I traveled alone, I traveled alone, upon this lonesome way.
My burdens were heavy, and dark was my day.
I looked for a friend, not knowing that he, had all of the time, been looking for me.
Now it is Jesus and me, for each tomorrow, for every heartache, and every sorrow.
I know that I can depend upon my new-found friend, and so to the end, it's Jesus and me.
The road may be long, to heaven's pearly gate, I know that it's narrow, I know that it's straight.
But Jesus is there, through eternity, we'll travel along, just Jesus and me.
Now it is Jesus and me, for each tomorrow, for every heartache, and every sorrow.
I know that I can depend upon my new-found friend, and so to the end, it's Jesus and me.
Forever I'll sing, of his great love for me.
Forever I'll tell it, on land and on sea, I'll stay by his side, contented I'll be.
For all of my life, it's Jesus and me. Now it is Jesus and me, for each tomorrow,
for every heartache, and every sorrow. I know that I can depend upon my new-found friend,
and so to the end, it's Jesus and me. Now it is Jesus and me, for each tomorrow,
for every heartache, and every sorrow. I know that I can depend upon my new-found friend,
and so to the end, it's Jesus and me. I know that I can depend upon my new-found friend,
and so to the end, it's Jesus and me. It's Jesus and me.
You know, some folks, you listen to one or two cuts on a CD, and they kind of wear you out.
That's not Joe. Joe Pearls has this beautiful anointed ability to sing a song, to lift up Jesus,
and just to keep us involved. Bless us, Joe, as you sing.
When the twilight fades into purple shades, and I'm deep in blue all the long night grew.
When the storm clouds hide the rainbow of God's love,
it's then I hear His voice speaking gently from above.
And to every life a little rain must fall, so look up, my child, dry your eyes and smile.
Though the nights are long, Jesus gives a song, joy replaces pain.
After all the rain, as the days go by, there'll be times I'll cry.
But through the clouds of bliss I can see His smiling face.
And to every life a little rain must fall, so look up, my child, dry your eyes and smile.
Though the nights are long, Jesus gives a song, joy replaces pain.
After all the rain, joy replaces pain.
After all the rain.
Since I started for the kingdom, since my life He controls,
since I gave my heart to Jesus, the longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows.
The longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows.
The more that I love Him, the love He bestows.
Each day is like heaven, my heart overflows.
The longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows.
Every need He is supplying, plenteous grace He bestows.
Every day my way gets brighter, the longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows.
The longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows.
The more that I love Him, the more love He bestows.
Each day is like heaven, my heart overflows.
The longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows.
The more that I love Him, the more love He bestows.
Each day is like heaven, my heart overflows.
The longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows.
I'm going to go forward, but I sense particularly this year that we're in a big, huge transition step time.
And I don't know who wouldn't want to suggest who might or might not be here next year, but there is one who is among us.
By the way, I will say it is so exciting to have next to me somebody who lost her tooth in the spaghetti yesterday.
Eleven years of age, Tiffany. And look at you showing that.
But just to show you that the young is coming aboard and replacing and refreshing and renewing.
But we do have among us in these circles a giant, someone from yesteryear.
And that is Ray Turner, who's just about 93 now, and his wife, Weida, right there in the front and center.
And there's a song that has become his trademark. And I think it would be appropriate as an act of reverence and worship if we would invite Weida to take the piano and Ray to stand and sing when they ring those golden bells.
There's a land beyond the river
And there we call the sweet forever
And we only reach that shore by face decree
By and by we'll gain the portals
There to dwell with the immortals
When they ring those golden bells
For you and me
Don't you hear the bells now ringing
Don't you hear the angels singing
Tis the glory hallelujah to believe
In that far or sweet forever
Just beyond the shining river
When they ring those golden bells
Golden bells
For you and me
Thank you.
I have heard of a land on a far away strand
Tis a beautiful home of the soul
Led by Jesus on high
There we never shall die
Tis a land where we never grow
Never grow home, never grow home
In a land where we'll never grow home
Never grow home, never grow home
In a land where we'll never grow home
In that beautiful home
Where we'll never more roam
We shall be in the sweet by and by
Happy praise to the King
Through eternity sing
Tis the land where we never shall die
Never grow home, never grow home
In a land where we'll never grow home
Never grow home, never grow home
In a land where we'll never grow home
When our work here is done
And a life crown is won
And our troubles and trials are o'er
All our sorrows will end
And our voices will blend
When loved ones will meet in the end
Never grow home, never grow home
In a land where we'll never grow home
Never grow home, never grow home
In a land where we'll never grow home
There is someone, someone in heaven
Someone who really cares for me
Truly He is sweet and gentle
For all His love is oh so great
His name, His name is Jesus
He died to save my soul and yours
Oh, I love Him and I will serve Him
Serve Him forever and evermore
His name, His name is Jesus
He died to save my soul and yours
Oh, I love Him and I will serve Him
Serve Him forever and evermore
applause
I'm amazed at the people who have had a lot of shadows in their life.
I'm one of them and lost my wife, which many of you knew, 40 years a while back.
It's been tough, but the Lord is good.
And I've had a chance to meet a lot of friends I used to know and work with
and I know quite a few of you and it's great to be back here.
Thank you so much for inviting me.
Does Jesus care when my heart is pained
Too deeply for birth or song
As the burden's press and the cares distress
And my way grows weary and long
Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares
His heart is touched with my grief
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary
I know, I say, You care
Does Jesus care when my way is dark
With a nameless dread and fear
And as the daylight fades into deep night shades
Does He care enough to be near
Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares
His heart is touched with my grief
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary
I know, I say, You care
Does Jesus care when I've said goodbye
To the dearest on earth to me
And my sad heart aches till it nearly breaks
Is it not, to Him does He sing
Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares
His heart is touched with my grief
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary
I know, I say, You care
Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares
His heart is touched with my grief
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary
I know, I say, You care
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary
I know, I say, You care
Sandy, come on down.
The scripture says that God works all things together for good
to those who love Him and to those who are the called according to His purpose.
But Sandy, sometimes all those things don't seem like they're so good.
Just share it with your story.
No, they don't always feel good, that's for sure, Steve.
Well, it was Monday morning at 5 a.m., June 21, 1993,
and I was holding my seven-year-old son, Trevor's body,
as he succumbed to an inoperable brain tumor.
And I remember at that time, having a very difficult time,
trying to reconcile this wonderful, merciful Jesus the Good Shepherd
that I had seen pictures about and sung about and talked about all my life,
always seeking me, always redeeming me, always loving me,
with the searing pain that I was having at that moment.
It didn't seem to make any sense.
He'd had six months of progressive deterioration,
double vision and slurred speech and difficulty swallowing
and unbalanced so that he had to stay the last three or four months of his life in bed,
pretty much on his right side because he had such violent dizziness.
He never complained, and I used to always wonder what he'd grow up to be
because he was such a wonderfully loving and thoughtful and caring child.
I thought, what a wonderful daddy he'll be.
I wonder what profession he'll grow up to want to be in.
One Friday morning after we'd had him in the hospital a couple of weeks
and brought him home for a few weeks trying to rehabilitate him at home,
he looked at me and he said, Mommy, he said, I'm not getting any better.
I think you need to call the doctor. I can't swallow my pills this morning.
So I called the doctor and we went back for the seventh MRI scan
and many more tests and put him back in the hospital.
And the doctor came in and I'll never forget he had tears running down his face
when he came and sat down and said, I wish I didn't have to tell you what I had to tell you.
But it looks that Trevor has a pontine glioblastoma.
It's the fastest growing cancer and the worst place you can have it in the brain stem.
And he probably only has a few weeks to live.
And I remember at that time feeling like I'd been kicked in the stomach by something.
Some of you have been through that experience and all the air being sucked out of the room
and my life flashing in front of me and trying to confess every sin.
And there were some very private ones that needed confessing.
Coming up with the magic formula that would make God do what I wanted him to do.
And I went in and explained it to Trevor because he wanted to know everything.
And he started to cry and I started to cry.
And then he patted me on the back and he said, Mommy, he said,
at least I had seven years. Some people don't even have that.
And that began a two week journey of time together.
That's all we had where we sang a lot of songs.
We would sing songs like, Take Me Out to the Ball Game and Do Your Ears Hang Low.
But we progressed by Trevor's request to songs like My Home's in Heaven
and Do Lord and his favorite, which is He's Able.
And we would sing He's Able with every ounce of faith and hope that we had.
And we would talk about heaven and all the things that we would do together.
And he'd say, Mommy, if I die it won't be so bad for me because I'll go to sleep
and I'll do this thing all here, it'll be Trevor, this is Jesus, wake up.
It's time to go home.
But he said, for you, Mommy, it'll be very hard.
I don't want you to have to miss me.
And I do, of course.
We had anointing services. We had all night prayer vigils.
We had people across this country. Thousands of people were praying for Trevor.
But I think if it was God's intention to heal him physically,
he would have done it off Trevor's prayers alone.
If you could have heard him, they were so sweet.
I don't want to die, but I want to go home and be with my family.
Please come place your hand on the part of my head that's not well so I can go home.
But if that's not what's going to happen, help me not to be afraid and help me to trust you.
And as we came near the end, we spent a couple of days in vigils with him lying on the bed
and singing songs and playing praise music in the background.
And I just remember as I was holding his body in those moments
that I've never felt God's presence ever in my life so close and so tangible.
I didn't understand it. It was a nightmare.
It was to hell and back experience in many ways.
And yet I could reach out and touch God. He was so real.
And I realized that he understood perfectly well how I felt, of course,
because he had to watch the life of his own son slip away.
And the text now means so much to me where it says God gives us a peace that passes understanding.
It means he gives me a peace that takes me beyond the need to understand.
Because try as I might, in these 47 years of living, I haven't been able to figure it out
and have the answers. And God didn't bring me any answers. He just brought himself.
And I've learned that faith is not my ability to hold on to God,
but it's trusting his ability to hold on to me, that it's all about him.
And that someday, when the videotape is played back, it will all make sense.
I don't believe I really lost Trevor. I believe I gained him.
And that the only place that loving will not cause any pain is in heaven.
And so here we are. And I continue to choose to trust,
even though sometimes it doesn't make any sense and it's not clear.
One day, by God's grace, I will hold him again.
And we will take up right where we left off.
And there won't be any more MRI scans, and there won't be any more pain,
and there won't be any more crying or fear, and there won't be any more saying goodbye.
And I want to make a date with you to meet him there and introduce you to him.
Red hair, dancing green eyes, freckles, and a nonstop smile.
And some holy morning, we're going to be there together, by God's grace.
Some holy morning, we're going to be there together, by God's grace.
Some holy morning,
I'm gonna fly far away.
Some blessed morning,
to a never, never, never ending day.
Some great day morning,
he's gonna call me by my name.
Some lovely morning,
I'll never, never, never be the same.
I'm gonna see my Savior in glory.
I'm gonna see him break through the blue.
And I'll tell, tell the story
of how he died for me and you.
Some golden morning,
I'll meet the hope of my heart.
Some lovely morning,
we never, never, never more will part.
Gonna be no more tears or sorrow.
Gonna lay my own burdens down.
And I'll always have tomorrow
to lay my harp and wear my crown.
Well, some holy morning,
I'm gonna fly far, far away.
Some blessed morning,
to a never, never, never ending day.
Ooh.
A never-ending day.
Rain.
Oh.
Going together,
enjoying the trip,
Getting used to the family I'll spend eternity with.
Learning to love you, how easy it is.
Getting used to the family of God.
Climbing the mountains, crossing the plains.
Fording the rivers, sharing the pain.
Sometimes the losses and sometimes the gains.
Getting used to the family of God.
Going together, enjoying the trip.
Getting used to the family I'll spend eternity with.
Learning to love you, how easy it is.
Getting used to the family of God.
Reaching our hands to a brother that's new.
Learning to say that I really love you.
Learning to walk as the father we do.
Getting used to the family of God.
Going together, enjoying the trip.
Getting used to the family I'll spend eternity with.
Learning to love you, how easy it is.
Getting used to the family of God.
Learning to love you, how easy it is.
Getting used to the family of God.
Let's just hold hands and without the instruments sing it to the Lord together.
Going together, enjoying the trip.
Getting used to the family I'll spend eternity with.
Learning to love you, how easy it is.
Getting used to the family of God.
Learning to love you, how easy it is.
Getting used to the family of God.
My father gave me a phone call.
As we were talking on the phone he says, I've got to tell you about something that happened to me.
He says, I finally got it.
I said, what do you mean?
And he just started crying like a baby. He says, I've got it.
He says, all my life I've sung all these great classic songs.
How lovely are thy dwellings. Songs that with the poetry of the old world describe the colors of words that only words can do.
The beauty of God and of His grace.
And he says, I sang these songs and I performed them and I never knew what they were saying.
And he'd stop to cry a little and I'd say, that's alright dad.
When you're ready keep talking. He says, but now I know what they mean.
And what a special gift for a son to know and to see his dad's journey.
And as I spent the last week with him before he passed, he says, you know what I regret the most?
He says, I regret the years I wasted.
Thinking I was smart and had it figured out.
But not really knowing the essence of what God is.
And we cried together.
And it was beautiful.
But in the week I spent with my dad before he died, I realized that it's not the quantity, but the quality of life.
And God is able to save to the uttermost.
And what his life has meant in the last week to me is equivalent to what it could have been living in service for a lifetime.
Because it showed more about God's grace than about my dad's goodness.
And what he was able to do for God.
But it's not about what we do for God.
It's about what God does for us.
And we're so honored, aren't we, to be vessels.
I've had many tears and sorrows.
I've had questions for tomorrow.
There have been times I didn't know right from wrong.
But in every situation, God gave blessed consolation.
That my trials come to only make me strong.
And I've been a lot of places.
And I've seen so many faces.
But there have been times when I still felt all alone.
But in my lonely hours, those precious lonely hours,
Jesus, he let me know I was his own.
Through it all, through it all,
Oh, I've learned to trust in Jesus.
I've learned to trust in God.
Through it all, through it all,
Oh, I've learned to depend upon his word.
I thank God for the mountain.
And I thank him for the valleys.
And I thank him for the very storms he brought me through.
You know why?
For if I never had a problem,
I'd never know that my great God could solve them.
I'd never know what faith in my God could do.
He brought me through it all.
Through it all, through it all,
Oh, I've learned to trust in Jesus.
I've learned to trust in God.
Through it all, through it all,
Oh, I've learned to depend upon his word.
Oh, I love you, Lord.
Through it all, through it all,
He's brought me through it all.
I've learned to trust in God.
Every bad time and all the good times you've been through.
I've learned to trust in God.
Through it all, through it all,
Oh, I've learned to depend upon his word.
He's brought me through it all.
Through it all.
Amen.
The cross upon which Jesus died
Is a shelter in which we can hide.
And its grace so free is sufficient for me.
And deep is its fountain as wide as the sea.
There's room at the cross for you.
Though millions have come, there's still room for one.
Yes, there's room at the cross for you.
Though millions have found him a friend
And have turned from the sins they have sinned,
The Savior still waits to open the gates
And welcome a sinner before it's too late.
There's room at the cross for you.
Though millions have come, there's still room for one.
Yes, there's room at the cross for you.
Well, the hand of my Savior is strong,
And the love of my Savior is long.
Through sunshine or rain, through loss or in gain,
All the blood flows from Calvary to cleanse every stain.
There's room at the cross for you.
Though millions have come, there's still room for one.
Yes, there's room at the cross for you.
So I'll cherish the old rugged, old rugged cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down.
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.
Though millions have come, there's still room for one.
Yes, there's room at the cross for you.
Out of my bondage, sorrow and night,
Jesus I come, Jesus I come,
Into thy freedom, gladness and light,
Jesus I come to thee.
Out of my sickness, into thy health,
Out of my need, and into thy well,
Out of my sin, and into thy self,
Jesus I come to thee.
Out of the fear and dread of the tomb,
Jesus I come, Jesus I come,
Into the joy and light of thy home,
Jesus I come to thee.
Out of the depths of ruin untold,
Into thy peaceful sheltering fold,
Ever thy glorious face to behold,
Jesus I come to thee.
Out of the depths of ruin untold,
Into thy peaceful sheltering fold,
Ever thy glorious face to behold,
Jesus I come to thee.
Oooo...
I just want to take a minute to say thank you for sharing this family reunion moment
with your voice of prophecy family.
I want to encourage each of you to complete your collection of family reunion music by
calling 1-877-HOSANNA right now.
That's 1-877-467-2662.
Call them and ask for information about what other products are available in this family
reunion series.
I know you'll enjoy all of them.