Give Me the Strength

Here's a good worship opener for church. Feel free to use and record your own!

This was written for Sunday worship at Bethany Presbyterian Church in Huntington Station, NY, the church were I was baptised. I was the musician there one summer and needed a song to fill in the prelude slot one Sunday, so... "Give Me the Strength" came out.

Give Me the Strength
by Kevin Story

Lord, give me Your words to sing

To Your people gathered worshipping

Speak through my fingers and my voice

We all in You want to rejoice

Give me the strength, Lord, to live like Your Son

Give me courage, Lord, to show how it’s done

We want to rise up and sing to the sky

Singing Your praises, Your name to glorify

Lord, open my eyes to You

So I can see what You want me to

Help me spread Your holy light

And grant the world this awesome sight

Give me the strength, Lord, to live like Your Son

Give me courage, Lord, to show how it’s done

We want to rise up to reach for Your light

Even one ray, Lord, would make it all all right

Lord, I lift my heart to You

My joys and sins for You to view

Clean me, make me your instrument

Use me to spread your wonderment

Give me the strength, Lord, to live like Your Son

Give me courage, Lord, to show how it’s done

We want to rise up and shout throughout the earth

Spreading the Good News, starting a rebirth

Verse:

E     | F#/E      | Am6/F#  Am6/B  | E     | E     | F#/E     | Am6/F#  Am6/B  | E     |

Chorus:

Amaj7     | G#m7  C#m7  | Amaj7     | G#m7  Dadd2  | Amaj7     | G#m7  C#m7  | D     | G     | A6/B     |      |

End:

D     | A     | E  A/E  | Am6/B  E  |

© 2005, Kevin F. Story

For Bethany Presbyterian Church

21 August, 2005

steal this song

i wrote this song with the intent that it be stolen. well, hopefully not stolen out of malice or greed. (i doubt that's happening here.) with so much unrest and stuff in the world today, i hope folks will learn this song their own way and post their own versions of it and share it with their friends. it's all about spreading the message of PEACE and LOVE, and proclaiming our basic rights to FREEDOM and CHOICE. (if you're one of those folks who "steals" this song, let me know!)

i turned 26 last week, a feat i never thought imaginable. but it does make one wonder about what one is doing with one's life. i recall hearing that Neil Young was upset people of my generation weren't doing anything, making music about what was going on in Afghanistan & Iraq; well, here's to hopin' we can start a fire. or something.

RAISE UP YOUR VOICE
by Kevin Story
(c) 25 Feb 2011

1. Everybody wants peace
So peace is our song
Sing a song of peace right now
You know it can't be wrong (2x)

Chorus:
Guns, hate, prison state
Take 'em away
Take 'em away for a brighter day
Peace, love, freedom, choice
Raise up your voice
Raise up your voice
Raise up your voice!

2. Everybody wants love...
3. Everybody wants freedom...
4. Everybody wants choice...
5. Everybody wants peace...

Chords
Verse
G C | G C | G C | G C | F   | C   | G C | G   |

Chorus
D   | C   | G C | G C | D   | C   | C   | F Bb | F Bb | F Bb | F Bb | G C | G C | G C | G   |