Worship You My King
Posted: April 15, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: faith, god, jesus, music, worship Leave a comment“What was I made for?” the Barbie movie, Grammy-award-winning song asks? (I got to accompany my daughter singing that song a month or so ago for our annual Women’s Day, by the way, what fun! And what a great song.) What was I made for? Why am I here? As I grapple with the deepest questions of life right now, already surviving past the typical glioblastoma patient at my stage, this is something I think about every day. I want every moment to count. I want to accomplish what I was put here to do. Why am I here? In a word, “worship.” Worship is what I was made for (Isaiah 43:21).
WORSHIP YOU MY KING
CCLI # 7231636
You have made me
Though you shaped me still you know
How imperfect I can be
I’m unworthy
But you turn me toward your light
And you set my spirit free
I will worship you
Almighty maker of everything
I will lift my voice and sing
I will worship you
With all of my soul,
All my inmost being
I will worship you, my king
All creation
Every nation on the earth
Every soul wants to belong
From the inside
Hear my heart, wide open now
Crying out to you in song
I will worship you
Almighty maker of earth and sea
I will lift my hands and sing
I will worship you
As all round the world
All our praise will ring
I will worship you, my king
In my heart you reign alone
Forever seated on the throne
In my heart you reign alone
I will worship you
Almighty maker of everything
I will lift my voice and sing
I will worship you
Almighty maker of earth and sea
I will worship you, my king
I will worship you
Almighty maker of everything
I will worship you, my king
I will worship you
As all round the world
All our praise will ring
I will worship you, my king
Living with Terminal Illness: Interview with Rob Skinner
Posted: March 25, 2024 Filed under: Monday Morning Music Leave a commentThank you so much for all of you who pray for me and ask how I’m doing! This interview has some of the latest updates. Rob Skinner is an expert church planter and student of healthy ministry grown in my family of churches (the International churches of Christ). He is also a fantastic interviewer and has a great podcast where he speaks with different church leaders from around the world. In an earlier episode a few years ago we spoke about the role of worship ministry in growing churches. In this latest episode we speak candidly about living with a terminal illness, the role that music has played in my own recovery from brain surgery, and facing uncertainty with faith in a loving God.
See As a Child (Remastered 2024)
Posted: February 27, 2024 Filed under: Monday Morning Music Leave a commentRecorded in 2001, remastered in 2024. This song is about stripping away the spiritual clutter and getting back to what is most essential, seeing God with trust and innocence like a child. It was written back in 2000 as I was going through major life transition, leaving my 6 year career in marketing and product management for an uncertain future in full-time ministry. Now 24 years later I wanted to re-release the song as I have been reflecting on new changes in life.
More about writing the song here:
Realize by Cora Craig
Posted: February 19, 2024 Filed under: Monday Morning Music Leave a commentHere’s a little bit about my daughter Cora Craig’s song “Realize” from her new album, “Stay Right Here.” I love this whole album. What a joy to get to work on this project while going through my recovery from brain surgery at the beginning of last year. (I am so glad music was something I could still work on when there were many other things I was unable to do.) I love the struggle to surrender in the message of this song, ultimately choosing to trust: …the foundation has been laid, help me understand and live that way.
Holy Battle Lyric Video
Posted: February 12, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentLast week I posted a new song about the epic cosmic struggle we are in as people of faith (and I shared personally about my present health battle). I was encouraged that the song generated a big positive response and heard about some groups singing the song already! Here is a lyric video version, suitable for online worship service or groups that use lyric videos for worshiping in smaller gatherings or ministries that don’t have live musicians. God bless!
This Holy Battle
Posted: February 5, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentI’m in my own holy battle right now with the forces of chaos that attack my very body and brain. Fighting cancer is difficult to say the least, but it helps me when I daily choose surrender. Choose to trust my Creator along my journey and frame my own struggles within the greater cosmic battle over death that I believe has already been won. The forces of evil rejoiced as the Son of Man was brutally tortured and killed, all the fury of the Chaos Dragon focused wholly upon him (Rev 12:12). But death could not hold him. He rose from the grave, he gave us his name, and a Great Commission. No matter what happens with my temporal human existence I will rise again because the battle has already been won.
This Holy Battle
CCLI # 7231574
He rose from the grave
He gave us his name
And a great commission
The battle’s been won
The chains are undone
And we have a mission
You gave your only son
To show the depths of your love
Now we can overcome
Because we know what you’ve done
This holy battle’s won
There’s no greater fight
You show us your light
In a world that’s divided
The battle for souls
Love making us whole
In Jesus united
chorus
Let love conquer fear
Keep drawing us near
So we can be like you
Your Spirit will guide
Your power ignite
As we speak your whole truth
chorus
Am / Am / G / D
You Are God (Song by Brandon Young)
Posted: January 29, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: bible, god, jesus, love, music Leave a commentI love to use this space for sharing original songs written by other disciples in my church family, and today I’d like to share a catchy and upbeat song by the campus ministry leader for the Guam Christian Church called “You Are God.” This song seems super fun and easy to learn. Please try it out, and if you can send me a recording of your group singing it, send it to me and I’ll add it to this post. Below are the lyrics and the chords you will see on the video. I like how the song first focuses on who God is (v.1) and then my response to who God is in terms of personal devotion (v.2) and spreading his love to others (v.3).
YOU ARE GOD by Brandon Young
Who made the blind man see
You alone can rescue me
You are God my only King
You are God
There’s no other
Who calms the raging sea
You lift us up on wings like eagles
You are God
You are God
You are God
To me
You are God
You are God
You are God
To me
I will deny myself
And I’ll pick up cross
I pledge to love you with my deeds
No other God before
I’ll put You first
I mean it when I say
You’re everything
chorus
I’ll share my faith with those
Who may not know they need
A Savior just like You saved me
I need You more than I
Need air to breathe
Don’t live off bread alone because I see
chorus
Only in the Cross (Album Version)
Posted: January 22, 2024 Filed under: Monday Morning Music Leave a commentI shared this song originally a few years ago along with some of what went into writing this song. There are many old hymns that are so appropriate for Communion but it seems that many newer worship songs are more oblique in their lyrics; I wanted a song for us to sing as the gathered church that explicitly referenced the body and blood of Christ, and gathering “in remembrance” of him. So I wrote this song several years back for that purpose. Finally I was was able to recently release a studio version of this song on my most recent album, “Heaven’s Declare.” We sing this song fairly frequently in my local congregation, I hope others will begin to sing it too.
For more about the writing of this song, chord charts, and lyrics see https://jbriancraig.wordpress.com/2020/10/05/only-in-the-cross-resources/
CCLI #7231641
We Shall Overcome
Posted: January 15, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized 1 CommentHello everyone! Happy Monday and happy MLK day. In honor of his legacy and his dream, I wanted to post a song I was asked to produce along with some friends of mine a few years ago for an online conference, “Let Justice Roll.” This song was an anthem of the civil rights movement here in my country years before I was born. I believe God is working among the nations to slowly bring change, and the rule and reign of King Jesus! Collectively, as the people of God, we shall overcome someday.
“Noel” New Christmas Album
Posted: December 12, 2023 Filed under: Monday Morning Music | Tags: christmas, holiday, music, noel, rock Leave a commentHey everyone! Merry Christmas!! You probably aren’t aware of this, but I quietly released a Christmas album last year (actually, part 1 of a Christmas album). Would love to invite you to take a break from Mariah Carey (no offense, I love all Christmas songs) and listen to some Savior-focused holiday songs during this festive season of celebrating Jesus’ entry to planet earth.
Here is one of the songs from the album, “The First Noel,” where I put my own take on this Christmas song (and throw in a bit of Pachelbel Canon).
Links to JBC Noel Part 1 album:
https://songwhip.com/jbriancraig/noel-part-1
The First Noel – JBC Version
Verse:
C / G/B / Am / G
F / C/E / F / G
C / G/B / Am / G
F / C/E / F / G
Break:
C / G/B / Am / G
F / C/E / F / G
C / G/B / Am / G
F / C/E / G (break)
Interlude:
C / G/B / Am / Em
F / C/E / F / G
Monday Morning Music 