For the next few weeks, we are publishing stories about songs that have been

meaningful to our congregation. Most of these songs were part of our first MGX experience.​​

 

* * * * *

I Know Who Holds My Hand

by Oscar Overcash

. . . even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. -- Psalm 139:10

 

-In the 1970s, I was working with a local (Willmar) entrepreneur, trying to get his business off the ground. I had to work for him until 2 p.m. and then, to put food on the table for our family of five, I’d go load trucks until 10 p.m. or later. I started working for Hostess to get a better schedule, but they promoted me to manager, and soon I was filling in for drivers who couldn’t make it. This meant driving a route for 10-12 hours, 4 days a week, and doing my management work in 2 days. Finally, I decided to go back to teaching so I could have a decent schedule and see my family once in a while.

-My brother-in-law, Bruce Hoglund, told me it would take a year to get my Minnesota teaching license. I told him, “Well, you know, I went to a good school...” (North Carolina State) Sure enough, I got the license in 30 days.

-On a Sunday night at church, I got up to give testimony. When I said I was leaving Hostess, people started murmuring sadly – they thought we were moving. I said, “No, I’m staying in town” and told the story of how God had provided my teaching license. When it was time to call for hymns to sing, Mary (my wife) chose #444 in the brown hymnal, “I Know Who Holds My Hand.”

Many things about tomorrow I don't seem to understand

But I know who holds tomorrow And I know who holds my hand.

 

-That song has been meaningful to me ever since. The Lord has held my hand through many transitions.

 

Thank You, almighty God, for holding our hands through all the transitions of our lives.   Help us to walk in Your ways through them all. -- Amen.

​​​

* * * * *

Heaven Changes Everything

by Stephanie Tollefsrud

[Jesus said] “...In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”     -- John 16:33

 

-- On March 28, 2018, I was in the Twin Cities visiting friends during spring break when we got news that my husband’s brother was on his way to the Mayo Clinic and would later be diagnosed with multiple myeloma cancer, the disease that would cut his life short here on earth.

-- That same afternoon I received a text from my dear friend Heather that her family was involved in a terrible head-on collision on Highway 23 near Hawick. My 11-year-old godson, Nathaniel Isak Shumaker, was airlifted to HCMC from the scene and was in critical condition. The rest of the family sustained injuries of various sorts and ultimately were able to return home. But Nate stayed in a coma for a month before waking up healed and whole in Jesus' arms.

-- Nate was a giver, always thinking of others and including others, and so it was comforting to me to know that he was an organ and tissue donor. I now try to encourage others to “Do Nate,” or DONATE life - check that little box on the driver's license application. Also, to make every moment count, as Nate did in his short life. But even more important is giving others the true gift of life and sharing the message of salvation in Jesus Christ. Because as John 16:33 reminds us, Jesus has overcome the world.

 

A goodbye would be goodbye with no "I'll see you again" And when a life is over, that would simply be the end.

 

Thank You, Jesus -- Heaven changes everything. --Amen.

​

* * * * *

Who Else is Worthy?

by Jayme Wright

"Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness." -- Psalm 29:2

​

--For the Song Story MGX a few weeks ago, I chose two songs. The group sang “Who Else?” by Gateway Worship. The second one was “Thy Will” by Hillary Scott. I highly recommend listening to both of them!

-- I was born and raised in and around the Willmar/New London-Spicer area. Most of you at FCC have met my biological mom. But not everyone knows I was adopted. I can honestly say the ONLY reason I was able to share my song story is because of God’s gift of forgiveness!

-- My biological parents divorced before I was born. My dad was, and potentially still is, a drug addict, and to this day I have maybe spent a month of my life with him. But God's gift of forgiveness means that when we see him, we can say hi, and he knows who my son Liam is. We don't spend a lot of time with him, as we have chosen to set that boundary.

Unfortunately, my mom started to do drugs as well. I don't know how many people truly understand that drugs change a person. I have had a few people in my life go through addiction, and walking with them was the most difficult thing. Especially when I was seven years old. My mom became a different person; she and her boyfriend at the time physically abused my brother and me. I found out later that at the time it was the worst physical abuse case in Kandiyohi County history.

-- We went into foster care for a couple of years and eventually both my parents lost their parental rights. My dad chose drugs over us. My mom gave up her parental rights after about a year of visitations and social work hoops to go through and, in her words, "failing time and time again." She knew how much we needed stability. In 2007, my brother and I were adopted by my parents and gained five older siblings! In time, my biological mom entered recovery, and we have a wonderful relationship with her now – thanks to the Lord and His work in all of our hearts.

-- Statistically, I should be like my biological parents. Statistically, I should not have married my husband and have the life I have. But all of that confusion, pain, and chaos brought me to where I am today - knowing that God is good, and being able to forgive those who wrong me. “Thy Will Be Done” captures that understanding that God brings about good through all of our circumstances.

-- And after all of that, who else is worthy of my praise? What other gods or powers would make me an instrument and use me the way God has? Statistically, I should not be here right now. BUT GOD alone is worthy to be praised! The song “Who Else” speaks to that:

You healed my brokenness, showed me Your glory...

Who else is worthy? There is no one, only You, Jesus.

-- I can never thank the Lord enough for His kindness to me.

 

"Thank You, heavenly Father, for Your grace, Your forgiveness, and Your love. Grant us a full measure of Your Holy Spirit that we might give these gifts to others." --Amen.

​

* * * * *

Nobody Loves Me Like You

by Shalese Sands

"I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."     =-- Psalm 121:1-2

 

-- On Jan. 10, 2019, I slipped on the ice in my yard and fell backward hard. I didn't hit my head, but my neck whipped back in the process. I had some bruises and was a little sore, but otherwise felt fine. About 10 days later, I started getting numbness in the fingers on my right hand. The numbness would last maybe 5 or 10 minutes, then it would just go away. Then I started having migraines, and wasn't really sure what was going on. I talked with my doctor about it, and she did some tests (including a CT), but nothing of concern showed up. So the doctor gave me some migraine medication.

In the meantime, I had such severe pain in the back of my neck that it would actually wake me up sometimes during the night. About that time, I started hearing Chris Tomlin's song, “Nobody Loves Me Like You,” playing on the radio. The words were very meaningful:

“Morning, I see you in the sunrise every morning;

It's like a picture that you've painted for me; A love letter in the sky”

-- I started hearing it on the radio over and over. When it came on the radio at night, listening to it gave me a sense of peace and calm. It reminded me that God's got this and made it easier to fall back asleep.

-- My symptoms worsened to the point where I would get numbness in my hand and tingling multiple times a day for 5 or 10 minutes, and then it would just quit. Sometimes it would start with one finger and spread to all of them, then just disappear. A couple of times, I actually had some aphasia – meaning I knew what I was trying to say, but it came out all garbled. Again, for only about 10 minutes. That happened one time when I was at my parents' house for supper, and they were very close to bringing me to the ER. But after 10 minutes, I was fine again.

-- Finally, in mid-February, my doctor wanted me to have an MRI to try to figure out what was wrong. I'd never done an MRI before, so I was kind of intimidated about that. Guess what was one of the first songs that came on when they gave me headphones to listen to while doing the MRI? "Nobody Loves Me Like You”! I felt so much peace: “All right, God's got me. Whatever this is, He's got me.” Through this whole ordeal, that song would come on again and again, just when I needed it.

-- In the end, it turned out that my left carotid artery had been dissected from my fall. That created a 90- percent blockage, and I was having mini-strokes as a result. I had to be on blood thinners for three months (and baby aspirin for life after that), but finally the dissection completely healed. I’ll always be grateful for the Lord reminding me that He loves me and is always with me, no matter what I’m going through.

Thank You, Lord, for loving me like nobody else.  Help us all to trust in Your love through all the hard times of life. —Amen.

​

* * * * *

Praise the Lord, O My Soul

by Abby Palacios

After this, I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before

the throne and before the Lamb.... And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” Revelation 7:9-10

 

-- I grew up speaking English and Spanish, and worshipping in a Spanish-speaking church. My mom also speaks and reads English perfectly well, but when she hears a song at church, if she knows it in Spanish, she sings it in Spanish. That’s the version she connects with most deeply, because it lives in her heart. 

-- The song “Praise the Lord, O My Soul” by Elevation Worship has been a favorite at home, and when I stumbled across a version played by a mariachi band on TikTok, I tracked down the full video on YouTube (you can find it by searching for “Praise Mariachi Contador Cover”). It is really meaningful to see this great song sung and played in a way that resonates with our culture as well.

-- I have discovered more versions of worship songs we all know and love in Spanish, and while they’re beautiful in both languages, there’s just something special about hearing them in the language I learned first.  At the end of the day, God understands us all and speaks to us all, regardless of the language we use.

 

Gracias, Señor, por todas las idiomas en el mundo. Thank you for all the languages and people in the world. Help us all to praise You always. Amen.

​

​

* * * * *

"Just as I Am"

by Marlene Hovland

 

"Just as I am, without one plea; But that Thy blood was shed for me

And that Thou biddest me come to Thee; O Lamb of God, I come, I come." -Charlotte Elliott

 

-- I grew up in a church that taught me to believe in the God that I know today. But I thought that I had to do good things to get to heaven. And it was hard, because I was constantly messing up.

Then, when I was 22, I heard an evangelist share that the only way to heaven was by God’s grace, given through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. As the audience sang “Just as I Am” during an altar call, I walked forward. I prayed the sinner’s prayer and accepted Jesus into my life as my Savior and Lord. Oh, what relief I felt!

-- I looked in the Bible, and it confirmed all I had heard that night. My confusion was replaced with purpose. Anxiety was replaced with peace. My perfectionism was changed to accepting myself as God does. JUST AS I AM!

-- I’ve found that God continues to teach me by many means and through many people. God continues to help me with relationships and decisions that I make. And I'm sure thankful to Him for that!

By the way, that evangelist was David Wilkerson, who founded Adult and Teen Challenge in 1958. Some members who’ve recently found new life through this group in Minnesota are coming to share with us at FCC on Sunday, June 28. God continues to change lives for eternity. All praise to Him!

 

Thank You, Jesus, for dying for us and rising again to give us new life. Thank you that we don’t

have to do anything to earn this free gift. Help us to praise You always.    --Amen.

​

* * * * *

"Amazing Grace"

By Stephanie Tollefsrud

 

"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants." -- Psalm 116:15

 

-- My Grandpa Frank loved music and was quite the harmonica player! Some of my favorite memories are from when he would take out his “teeth” and play the harmonica for us grandchildren. We would laugh, dance in circles, and sing silly songs!

-- In 1997 (my senior year of High School), Grandpa was diagnosed with lung cancer. It was hard to listen to his voice get rattling and then eventually disappear. But, I remember as I visited him in the hospital near his final days, he seemed to find great joy in the hymns we would sing and play for him - his smile assured us he was worshipping the Lord with all his heart.

-- On Aug. 5, 1998, as I was listening to the sweet harmonica playing on Lori Line’s instrumental arrangement of “Amazing Grace,” my Grandpa Frank took his last breath on earth. I was touched and moved, as I had been given the greatest sign that he had just woken up in heaven and was playing that hymn in glory. 

-- Since that moment, “Amazing Grace” has been an extra special song of faith to me.

 

"Thank You, heavenly Father, for giving us assurance of our loved ones’ eternal destiny. Grant us the grace to walk with You through our last days on earth." -- Amen

 

* * * * *

A Blessing in Disguise

by Shalese Sands

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

 

-- Since 2017, my artwork was represented by a gallery on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii, on the island of Oahu. In 2022, the owners had another gallery in Lahaina, on the island of Maui, and they emailed me to ask if I would create another body of work for the Lahaina gallery. They were going to fly me out to Hawaii (I’d never been there), put me up in a hotel, and pay for a sunset cruise with high-end clients, whale-watching, food, and who knows what else. I was very excited about this possibility and the opportunities it would afford me!

-- Unfortunately, as I started working on the art, I realized I had too much on my plate (with the other gallery, plus commissions and inventory for shows I needed to complete), and I wouldn’t have time to create enough high-quality pieces. I emailed the manager and apologized, but bowed out of the opportunity. She thanked me for giving her a good amount of notice and for my honesty. After I mourned the loss of that dream working vacation for a while, I prayed and gave it up to the Lord. Then, I forgot about it.

-- The next year, on August 8, 2023, the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century tore through Lahaina, killing at least 100 people and destroying over 2,000 buildings. One of those buildings was the gallery in which my work would have been shown. It was burned to the ground. I realized that if my art had been there, all of it – at least eight pieces - would have been destroyed. That would have been at least half a year’s worth of work. I was thankful that my art was spared, and maybe someday I’ll get to Hawaii another way!

 

Thank You, Lord, for sparing us from things that would be more than we could handle. Thank you for walking with us through troubles when they do come.

Grant us Your perfect peace, whatever our circumstances. -- Amen.

​

* * * * *

 

The Lost is Found

by Carol Westberg

And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ Luke 15:9

​

-- In 1963, my husband Paul and I packed up the things we wanted from my parents’ house in Atwater, where they had recently passed away. We were living in Minneapolis, so we planned to store the items, including my wedding dress, at Paul’s parents’ home in Willmar. We loaded everything in the back of a pickup. Thinking we had secured everything, we took off. My wedding dress was still in its box, and securely tied – we thought.

-- The next day, my uncle called me. “Is your wedding dress with you? It was just on KWLM radio that someone found one.”  I called Paul’s parents, but his mother couldn’t find it. It turned out it had blown out around the underpass west of Atwater. It was still in the box.

-- I was so grateful to the honest person who found it.  Also, my daughter was grateful when, 26 years later, she was able to wear my dress for her own wedding.

 

Thank You, heavenly Father, for caring about the little things. Thank you to the honest people who also care.

Help us to care about the little things of others, too. -- Amen      PS – with God’s guidance and help, we are both still married!

* * * * *

End of a Season

by Kari Stadem

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV

​

-- Every autumn for 30 years, my father had been ready to get out of the cold and down to Phoenix. For many years, he and my stepmother (“Mama Dee”) left Minnesota in October and returned in May or even June if he could manage it. Mama Dee always wanted to be around here more often to watch the grandchildren in programs, games, concerts, and plays, but Dad would say, “You don't have to come, but I'm leaving for Arizona on October 15th.” The last couple of years, his health hasn’t been the greatest, so they waited until after Christmas to head down south. But as soon as the temperatures dipped below freezing, he would ask, “Why aren’t we in Arizona yet? When are we leaving?”

-- As Dad’s dementia has grown worse, we kids decided that it was too risky for them to be in Arizona, and we gave up the lease on their apartment. This fall, we’ve been wondering how the transition would go. Yesterday, my parents were over for weekly supper with the family, and Mama Dee told me that the other day, Dad looked out the window and said, “What a beautiful snowfall.” She couldn't believe it. He hasn't mentioned the word Arizona once, despite the cold and the snow. Either he doesn’t remember Arizona, or he has reconciled himself to staying in Minnesota.

--It reminded me of a story my mom told about when I was 18 and headed off to college. Our family performed musical programs at churches throughout Minnesota, averaging more than 25 programs per year for at least 8 years. My parents decided they couldn't continue without me (our family of five needed every member to contribute). They would feel bad saying no to all the requests that would pour in. However, after they made the decision, my mom only had to turn down two requests. There was no Facebook, social media, or websites to announce their decision. We sang at churches from all different denominations, so it wasn't necessarily word of mouth. God confirmed to my parents that they were right — our family singing season was over.

--

Regarding my dad, God confirmed to Mama Dee and his children that the right decision had been made. The Arizona season is over, and my dad is accepting it contentedly.

Thank you, Lord, for the seasons of our lives and for the way they can end peacefully.

Help us to enjoy each season and to embrace its endings with joy and contentment. Amen.

​

 * * * * *

​