Then Sings My Soul Saturday - Jeremy Camp

I hope you all had a blessed Thanksgiving! We had a very relaxing week. We actually didn't travel this year for Thanksgiving. Greg, Spencer, Mary Lyndsey, and I stayed home and have done pretty much nothing for the last three days (except eat of course) - and it has been wonderful! I have plans to get out all the Christmas decorations tomorrow. Maybe I'll post some pics. It was weird not to be with our families this year, but we needed the rest and a break from all the travel.
The only thing I have done this week is join Facebook. I finally gave in to all the pressure. I must admit, it's been kind of fun reconnecting with old friends from college and high school.
I can't believe another week has passed so quickly and it's time for another TSMS. I have exciting news!! I've been meaning to post an announcement all week, but in the spirit of doing pretty much nothing (which is what Greg and I agreed to for the holiday) I never got around to posting :-)
The announcement is: I'm having a giveaway this weekend and every weekend until Christmas on TSMS. That's right... more free music. All you have to do to be eligible to win is post a song on TSMS. I will randomly draw a winner from the posts each week today (November 29) and Dec. 6, 13, and 20. I haven't completely decided what CD's I will be giving away in December, but this week I'm giving away my highlighted artist's newest release!!
If you didn't know, Jeremy Camp's new CD Speaking Louder Than Before was released this week. I was sent an early copy to preview and I loved it. Here are a few highlights.

All the songs are great, but I must admit this one was one of my favorites.






I guess I loved this one so much because it speaks to me of a day I long for.


And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4


On that day... there will be no more seizures.


If you aren't familiar with Jeremy Camp, I encourage you to go to his site and check him out. Also if you would like to purchase his CD, you can click on the banner at the top of this post.
Here's a little more info on him.

Jeremy Camp

Husband. Father. Artist.

http://www.jeremycamp.com/

Husband. Even when Jeremy’s message became painfully personal when losing his first wife to cancer just months after their wedding, he boldly wore the mantle of comforter, soothing the pain of others by sharing his story, listening patiently to theirs, and providing them with songs that expressed what they were feeling when their grief left them unable to speak. It was that life-altering tragedy that inspired his early career. He was blessed a second time with wife Adrienne, who is such a strong supporter of Jeremy’s ministry and story. Jeremy is a great example of a husband devoting to his family.

Father. Adrienne and Jeremy have two little girls: Isabella, who just turned 4, and Arianne, who’s 2. Being a dad who is greatly involved with his daughters’ lives, Jeremy and Adrienne have chosen to have him gone on the road no more than a week at a time. He shares, “My priority is my family – the girls are at such a crucial age that I just want to pour into them even more – but I also know what I’m called to do.”

Artist. Jeremy Camp’s thoughtful lyrics and booming voice have earned him legions of fans and accolades including 16 No. 1 songs, five Dove Awards, three ASCAP Songwriter of the Year wins and an American Music Award nomination. Camp continues to reach the masses with his music. Radio remains a strong supporter of Camp's music as his recent project Beyond Measure produced six back-to-back No. 1 hits, "Tonight” (CHR), “What It Means” (AC) and “Give You Glory," which was named the No. 2 AC Song of the Year on the R&R charts. In 2007, Camp was also voted Best Male Artist in the ChristianMusicToday.com Reader's Poll as well as named the No. 2 Artist of the Year on the R&R charts. Speaking Louder Than Before. “At this point, I have a more clear-cut purpose and vision of what I’m meant to do. I’m more purposeful in what I’m sharing.” Speaking Louder isn’t so much about Camp turning up the volume as it is finding greater clarity in what God’s called him to do. And while he continues to grow and mature as an artist and a man, it only makes sense that this rocker with a preacher’s heart would use his platform to proclaim – louder than ever – the message he knows today’s kids need to hear. Speaking Louder’s songs will resonate with people of any age, but Camp’s message this time around is directed squarely at youth. “I see the hurt, the lack of direction, in this new generation,” the former youth leader says. “I always had a passion for youth, but this album is really aimed at them.”

Faith Lifts - Rejoice

Times are hard for everyone. Evil is everywhere. Crime is rampant. The economy is falling apart. People are losing jobs. I turn on the news and am overwhelmed with the stories I see reported. And I don't even have to go to the television to know people are facing difficult situations. 

Join me over at Faith Lifts to read the rest of this devotion.

Have a day full of rejoicing,

Amy

Then Sings My Soul Saturday - Faith Hill

I want to thank everyone who has been faithfully participating in Then Sings My Soul the past few weeks, even though I've been unable to visit everyone's posts. Our schedule has been really crazy since going to Chicago and Spencer's seizures have been extremely out of control. We're tired - and I haven't been blogging much or visiting blogs. I hope to finish the series on famous people with epilepsy this coming week.

For all of you new people who have been participating and have joined in for the first time - please keep coming. I know I'm a terrible hostess for not visiting your sites and thanking you for joining in with us! We're all glad you found TSMS and hope you will keep participating.

Last week, I talked about country songs and how I had forgotten how much I loved them. I ran across this one this week and I loved it. It reminded me there's coming a day when we won't have to deal with seizures any more either. Whether that day is here on earth or one day in Heaven... it's coming. I just have to hold on to my faith! Please continue to keep Spencer in your prayers.

Writer, Interrupted - Midweek Motivation

I was passing through the town my in-laws live in and decided to call to see if they would like to meet for dinner. We discussed which restaurant to meet at and hung up. I arrived about twenty minutes later but did not find them at the restaurant. I agreed to go ahead and be seated, knowing they would soon arrive to meet me. The clock kept ticking, but they didn’t arrive. I began to panic thinking something might have happened. Fear set in.

Come read the rest of this devotion over at Writer, Interrupted.

Have a blessed day,

Amy

Then Sings My Soul Saturday - Trace Adkins

I don't usually post country songs, but after watching the CMA's with my Grandma who was visiting this week, I couldn't resist. I used to listen to country all the time, but have switched over to contemporary Christian stations. I still love country music though. Watching CMA reminded me there are some awesome country songs out there. I couldn't decide between this one and and George Strait. He's one of my favorites. Maybe I"ll post him next week :-)
This is the line my Grandma said everytime I've gotten frustrated with something one of my kids have done this week.

I'm afraid to admit... I think she's right.

Have a blessed weekend!

Amy

An Update and Famous People with Epilepsy - Part 2

Life is crazy right now. After having been out of town in New Mexico for a week in October and in Chicago for a week in November... I'm trying to play catch up.  The holidays are upon us and all of the fun school activities and programs have us in full swing :-)

I had the privilege of speaking at Emmanuel College this past Tuesday morning as their

Convocation speaker for Disability Awareness Week. I was so excited they were highlighting epilepsy since November is Epilepsy Awareness Month. I think there were about 600 students present - which is the largest group I have ever spoken to. Plus, it was college students - kind of a tough crowd. But I think it went well and it was fun! I really miss working on a college campus. The students are always so full of energy.

Well, I promised a series on famous people with epilepsy so I wanted to keep going before the month of November slips away from me.

Did you know that Sir Isaac Newton had epilepsy? He endured both epilepsy and the bubonic plague. He made great advances in both science and math. He founded the three laws of motion and revolutionized Western understanding of nature with his enduring theory of universal gravitation.

Not only did Isaac Newton have epilepsy but so did Charles Dickens, the author of Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol. He also gave many of the characters in his classic novels epilepsy, trying to offer readers important knowledge about the lives of people often overlooked by society.

I'll share some more people soon. The list may surprise you.

Sweet Blessings,

Amy

Faith Lifts - Waiting on God

I would venture to guess not many of us like to wait for anything. Most of us don’t like waiting in line at Wal-Mart, waiting at the doctor’s office, and we certainly don’t like waiting on God.

Come join me at Faith Lifts today to read the rest of this devotion. Just click here.

Sweet Blessings,

Amy

Thanks for the prayers

I want to thank all of you for your prayers, comments and emails of encouragement while we were in Chicago. We just arrived back home around 10pm tonight and we are pretty exhausted.
We were actually supposed to come home yesterday, but we had to extend our stay.

You know that seizure we were waiting for... well it finally happened. Only it was at 7pm on Friday night so we didn't get to inject the neurolyte for the spect scan. Also, it was status. Spencer seized for an hour and a half. They had to give him a lot of medication to stop the seizure so we ended up staying an extra day. He's still pretty drugged but glad to be home.

We did get the entire seizure on the EEG though so we still have some good information to work with. We have ruled out surgery for now and will treat more aggressively with medication. We will expect some side effects probably. We ask for your continued prayers for Spencer for no more seizures and no side effects from the increase in drugs.

I'll try to keep everyone posted on how things are going. I'm over at Faith Lifts tomorrow then I'll be back later this week with more information on famous people with epilepsy. Thank you all again for your prayers. We definitely felt them while we were there.

Sweet Blessings,
Amy

Then Sings My Soul Saturday - Grace by Laura Story

I love this song by Laura Story! The words say it all for me.




Grace by Laura Story


My heart is so proud. My mind is so unfocused.
I see the things You do through me as great things I have done.
And now You gently break me, then lovingly You take me and hold me as my
Father and mold me as my maker.
Chorus
I ask you: "How many times will you pick me up, when I keep on letting you down? And each time I fall short of Your glory, how far will forgiveness abound?"
And You answer: "My child, I love you. And as long as you're seeking my face, You'll walk in the power of my daily sufficient grace."
At times I may grow weak and feel a bit discouraged, knowing that someone, somewhere could do a better job. For who am I to serve You? I know I don't deserve you. And that's the part that burns in my heart and keeps me hanging on.
Chorus
You are so patient with me Lord.
As I walk with You, I'm learning what your grace really means. The price that I could never pay was paid at Calvary. So, instead of trying to repay you, I'm learning to simply obey You buy giving up my life to you for all that You've given to me.
Chorus




I'm simply walking in the power of His daily sufficient GRACE!
We're extending our stay in Chicago to try to get the testing for Spencer completed. He still hasn't had a seizure for them to do the scan. Today (Saturday) is our last shot. Please pray he will have a seizure today (not status but a small one) so they can complete the testing. Also pray for our trip home on Sunday.
Thanks! Hope you all have a blessed weekend.
Amy

Update on Spencer

Sorry I haven't posted more updates since arriving. Once we got here, I got very sick, the sickest I've been in several years. Just my luck. I have spent a good amount of time at the hotel lying in bed while Greg has been at the hospital. My doctor called in some meds for me, so today is the first day I have been somewhat able to function since Tuesday.

Here's the update on Spencer. He has only had one small seizure since getting here. They captured it on EEG but couldn't inject the neurolyte. It seems weird but we are praying he will have a seizure today so we can finish the testing. We just don't want it to be a status seizure. 

We did find out from the doctor that Spencer has three focal points that his seizures originate from. This means he is probably not a candidate for surgery, but it hasn't been ruled out entirely yet.  There is still a chance that surgery might help him. We'll know more if we can get this last test done. We will probably change his drug therapy and possibly try some new dosages or medications.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers. I will post more info once I know more. Thanks for all of your support and encouragement.  See you tomorrow at TSMS.

Amy

 

We're in Chicago

Spencer getting "hooked up."

Well, we have arrived at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. We are about two miles from Grant Park where they are expecting close to a million people to descend to see Obama give his speech later tonight. It's been really crazy here today.

We arrived  yesterday afternoon and checked in at our hotel. It's about .2 miles from the front door of the hospital so that is really great because we can walk if we need to but they also have a shuttle.

They didn't have a bed for Spencer until today so we were admitted this morning. They have him hooked up to the EEG and have started his IV so they can inject the neurolyte if he has a seizure. We are sleep depriving him tonight and taking him off his meds tomorrow morning. We are praying specifically he will have a seizure tomorrow after 10am and before 3pm and that it won't be  a status seizure. It feels weird to pray for a seizure to happen when for years all I've prayed is for him not to have one. 

We met the doctor today and he was really awesome. I feel confident he will definitely be able to help Spencer. 

So far Spencer is doing great. He didn't enjoy the blood work or getting the IV but he is very much enjoying laying around in his PJ's, watching movies and playing video games. The party will be over when I make him start homework in a little while :-)

Thanks to everyone for your prayers and encouragement. I will try to update you again tomorrow.

Amy

Did You Know?

It's my 200th post!!! I can't believe it. I was going to do a give away, but so much has been going on I didn't get around to planning it. Maybe I will give away something for the holidays.

As I mentioned yesterday, November is Epilepsy Awareness Month, so I will be sharing lots of information on epilepsy. I wanted to start today by inviting you to see how much you know. I found this quiz online today and thought it was cool. I only got 20 of 25 right myself, and I try to stay on top of these things. Click on this quiz link and see how you do.

I will be updating you guys on our Chicago trip this week for Spencer's testing for brain surgery. Thank you all for your prayers and emails of encouragement. They really mean a lot to me. Please continue to pray for God to be in all the details this week. He has already shown off in a big way. More to come on that later.

I wanted to start a series I will do this month providing you with information on famous people with epilepsy.

The first person I'm highlighting is Vincent Van Gogh. This excerpt is taken from a calendar that UCB produced in 2006/2007.

"Vincent Van Gogh, a painter of profound sensitivity and remarkable productivity, experienced complex partial seizures throughout his life. Driven by genius, he relied daily on his brother Theo as a source of comfort and support. Theo's constant correspondence helped Vincent cope with his epilepsy and helped him to become a world-class artist."

Click here to read more about Van Gogh's epilepsy.

Will update you guys from Chicago tomorrow! Have a blessed day!

Amy

Then Sings My Soul - Amazing

Welcome to Then Sings My Soul! So glad you dropped by this week.

November is Epilepsy Awareness Month! I've decided to kick it off with my TSMS post for this week. I was excited when I found this video tonight on You Tube!

This song is called Amazing by Janelle. I think I've heard it on the radio before, but I wasn't sure so I did some research on the artist. I was excited to find that Janelle is a Christian artist.
You can click on her name to find out more about her. I also thought you might like to see the lyrics for the song, (it's a pretty cool song) so here is another version.




I'll be posting lots of information about epilepsy this month, so if you know someone who would be interested, please direct them on over.


Have a blessed weekend! I'll be posting updates from Chicago on Monday.
Sweet Blessings,
Amy