Good afternoon everyone, my name is Jaurel Michel. Glad to be a part of this songwriting movement and learning with you guys. Thank you Jon for allowing me to join in. God bless you Brother.

I was thinking about how one of the fruits of the Spirit is joy, and how I long for joy to be present through life's uncertainty and pain. -I sang "loose" (as in "release") since it's a nice active verb, but something about it isn't sitting right - does it sound too demanding? Too easily confused with "lose"? 😅 -Seemed like it needed a refrain as a break from all the words, but I'm not sure about it... -I've tried several different melodies for this thing and am still not sure! I think I accidentally recycled a bit of melody from my last song...help! -I appreciate help with anything else you notice! Loose (Let/May?) your joy, O Holy Spirit, Like (Be?) a never-ending stream Through our brightest days of blessing And our darkest nights of pain, Flowing, steady, through our deserts Of anxiety and doubt; Lord, refresh us through our journey On this hard and holy ground. In the shadows of unknowing, In the shifting of the sands, When our lonely path is hidden And we cannot find/feel your hand, Let your fountains of rejoicing Sweeten even every fall, When we find our every misstep Fit your purpose all along. Placeholder: Spirit, loose your joy Spirit, loose your joy Through the fire of our trials Let it mingle with our tears, Through (For) the sting of loss and sorrow And the ache of wasted years Nothing can undo the promise (Cannot burn away the promise) Sealed with Jesus’ precious blood: All our grief will turn to gladness In an/your everlasting flood. Spirit, loose your joy...

This is a song I wrote for trauma survivors; there are many in my church family. I hope to sing this over them one day, in the right setting. I have a working melody but it might be a little predictable, so I'm looking for other ideas. God of comfort, God of healing, We invite your Spirit here. Sit beside us in our grieving, Catch our shed and unshed tears. Help us lay our burdens on your shoulders, Learn to trust you with our pain. You can surely bear our grief and anger And will never turn away. God of comfort, God of healing, May we taste your perfect peace? Give us patience in the waiting For the wounds yet to be healed. When we wrestle with a past still with us, And a body keeping score, You are present in the mess and chaos - Help our spirits to let go. (Help us in our letting go?) God of comfort, God of healing, Through your trauma and your death, Lead us to a deeper freedom We will claim with every breath: Hallelujah to the Lord of Heaven, Broken willingly for us, Weaving light through every strand of darkness ‘Til the night is overcome. Hallelujah to the Lord of Heaven, Broken willingly for us, Weaving light through every strand of darkness ‘Til the night is overcome.

Hey all, I thought it could be fun to kick off a monthly challenge with these last few days of the month. So here’s the idea: Post either lyrics only or a melody without lyrics. Then anyone who wants to can co-write to your idea by either giving your lyrics a melody or your melody some lyrics. Have fun!!

Here's a quick first draft of a communion song or song of confession. Sorry to mess up the end of the chorus...guess I'm not sure how it should go. Does it need a bridge? I think I've stolen the melody...?? All help gratefully received! V1] Near to the cross of our Savior We bring our burdens of shame; All that is broken and wanting We lay before him, again. V2] Baring our deep imperfections Here, where Perfection was killed, Pardon and love without limits Flow through the blood that he spilled. CH] Streams of mercy unrestrained Tumble down like holy rain Beneath the cross, Beneath the cross. Strongholds crumble, sweep away In the rushing swells of grace Beneath the cross, Beneath the cross of Jesus. V3] Here he bore cosmic rejection, Justified wrath for mankind. Driven to save his beloved, Christ paid our debt with his life. V4] Nothing can now separate us, Neither the future nor past; Torrents of love spring, unceasing, From the One holding us fast. Streams of mercy…