Better than a Hallelujah

A cell phone camera and a fun app provides lots
of entertainment some days.



I'm not sure I can say it enough, the group Mercy River is AMAZING. When I heard months ago that they were getting ready to release a new album I was SO excited! Mercy River is made up of three down to earth moms who have a passion for music. (I have posted about them previously) Maybe that's one reason why I have been so drawn to them, I can relate, and dream to be in their position one day, inspiring others with music! I was so excited when I found their album on iTunes the night before it was officially released, if we still listened to cassette tapes mine would be totally worn out because of how much I have listened to it. I have had a hard time picking just one song on the album that has inspired me, that I wanted to write about- they ALL have inspired me in some way.

After listening to the album, I don't know how many times, the song Better than a Hallelujah caused me to stop what I was doing, restart the song and really LISTEN, and feel the words. I know the spirit was telling me to stop being busy and take in the message of the song. Here are the words:

Better than a Hallelujah

by Mercy River, from the album Higher

God loves a lullaby
In a mother’s tears in the dead of night
Better than a Hallelujah sometimes

God loves the drunkard’s cry
The soldier’s plea not to let him die
Better than a Hallelujah sometimes

We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful, the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah

The woman holding on for life
The dying man giving up the fight
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes

The tears of shame for what’s been done
The silence when the words won’t come
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes

We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful, the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah

Better than a church bell ringing
Better than a choir singing out, singing out

We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful, the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah

I grew up in the south, and in the south there are many "Hallelujahs"! It was fun to sing the "clap your hands, sway back and forth, shout hallelujah " songs in highschool choir and the youth city choir. Those kinds of songs can uplift and inspire just as much as the more quiet, reverent songs. So, I really felt I understood what they meant when the said "Better than a hallelujah". As I began thinking about the words of this song, it made me think about the counsel we are given to pray always. I love the first phrase of the song because I can relate to them most, "God loves a lullaby, in a mother's tears in the dead of night." SO many times in my life in the past 6 years I have cried holding my crying baby that just won't go to sleep. My tears truly were a prayer, pleading for help with my sweet child, for help keeping my patience and showing them love, when I all I wanted was for them to sleep so I could sleep. The last 6 years of my life have taught me more about having a constant prayer in my heart than the previous 22 years. God wants us to turn to him, he wants to hear the honest cries of our breaking hearts.  Not that he enjoys seeing us this way, but more because he is there waiting with open arms to comfort and direct us. He wants to hear our honest cries more than he wants to hear our loud "Hallelujahs". He wants to hear our thoughts turn to him, He wants to bless us with peace. He wants us to turn to him in prayer as a family, and in the quiet peace of our bedrooms. I hope the words of the song can inspire you as much as they have inspired me!

"Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:12-13

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you" Matthew 7:7

"Prayer is the provider of spiritual strength. It is the passport to peace. Prayer is the means by which we approach our Father in Heaven"- Thomas S. Monson



A recent family picture taken at the Denver LDS Temple



Guess what?! If you don't already have the new Mercy River album, Higher, you can go enter for a  chance to win a copy of your own! Mercy River is on a blog tour and will be stopping by TODAY  to guest post on my sisters blog, Moments! So head on over and check out her fun blog and enter to win!