Blog
Wintley Phipps on "What You See In Me"
March 18, 2009
Here is a video of Wintley Phipps speaking about my song when I was on TBN's Praise the Lord with him in August of 2009.
enjoy, and don't forget to check out my new blog:
http://kellyclinger.wordpress.com
KC
love.loss.lyrics
January 25, 2009
love.loss.lyrics.
come visit my new blog for all my latest thoughts:
http://kellyclinger.wordpress.com
KC
Teens, TBN,
and Transparency...
August 16, 2009
We just arrived in Atlanta tonight from Orlando...it's good to be home. Although it doesn't quite feel like home yet! Our stuff is here, but it's going to take a little bit longer for us to settle in.
I got to be part of the entertainment for the Miss America's Outstanding Teen Pageant again this year, and it was so encouraging to see 52 teenage girls who have a heart to change the world! I sang The Star Spangled Banner (remembered the words and sang it acapella!!) and also sang Priceless while Taylor Fitch danced to it. It was awesome! Miss Wisconsin won,
and I'm sure she will have a great year!
Two weeks from tomorrow I will be on "Praise the Lord""on TBN! Check your local listings for when it airs. I know here in Atlanta it will be on at 10pm that night. All I can say is that Jesus is good and any door He opens is completely inspite of me!
On a more serious note, I'm going to be completely transparent here...I need your prayers for healing, both emotionally and physically. I have realized over the past few weeks that I have been operating through a filter of a lot of hurt, anger and mistrust. I have built walls that I don't want to live my whole life behind, and I know that Jesus does NOT want me to carry these things into my worship. They are affecting my physical body, and I'm tired of making excuses!! I am ready to begin this journey and admit my utter helplessness. I am willing to watch Jesus take the mess I've made and make it into a beautiful masterpiece.
I know you all will pray with and for me. My prayer for all of you is the same thing I am praying for myself...that you will recognize every set up that the enemy has for you before it's too late...and that you will not look to the right or the left
but focus only on His beautiful face.
I love you guys...
KC
Hello friends!
prayers welcome...
July 22, 2009
I think we are finally settling into the Atlanta area and getting organized again. I'm not going to lie...this has been a VERY tough transition. There has been resistance around every corner it seems, and at times it has been hard to see Him in the process. I have never doubted, however, that God moved us here to Turning Point Church to affect a generation, challenge methods, intercede, love people and build relationships. I also believe that in this season, God is putting His finger on things in me that I've never let Him deal with. That is never an easy journey but quite necessary. I am right in the middle of walking out "your gifts will get you into a position, but your character will keep you there."
I am hoping that everyday when I look in the mirror,
I see less of Kelly and more of Jesus.
I am asking that you all join me in prayer for several opportunities that are ahead of me. On Wednesday, August 12th, I will be in Orlando, FL singing "Priceless" at the Miss America's Outstanding Teen Pageant. I have been around pageants my entire life, and I love that God has opened a door for me to now sing about Jesus at them! Please pray that seeds will be planted in hearts that night that God is the only Daddy we need. Wouldn't it be awesome to see daddy wounds healed with just the melody of a song? Wow...
On August 31st, I will be flying to the TBN studios in Miami, FL to be the musical guest on the show Praise the Lord. This is probably the biggest door that the Lord has opened for me so far. I know that I will be singing "What You See in Me", and I am so excited to be singing over MILLIONS "He sees you healed, He sees you whole, He sees you beautiful." What a great privilege. I am, of course, very nervous and need your prayers to cover me. Do you think I should wear my Chuck Taylors on TBN? HA!
In the upcoming months, I will be traveling to do worship workshops with praise teams, leading worship at women's events and teaching a Bible study called "Surrendering the Secret" for post-abortive women. I know that women will be set free...and the enemy hates that. Pray for my children as they start new schools and for Matt as he pastors the students in this area.
My prayer for all of you is that God will ignite a passion in you that perhaps has gone out... that He will return to you the joy of your salvation. On the days when discouragement wants to take over, remember your desperate need for a Savior and His unwavering delight in you. What kind of love is that...
that He would take all my sin and shame and
cover it with the blood of His only Son? Wow...
Love you all…
KC
"Priceless"
The story behind the song...
June 30, 2009
My Dad, Roger, is an amazing man. His childhood was completely dysfunctional at best. He made a decision at an early age (mostly likely because of my praying great grandmother) that he would never live the life that was modeled before him. As a result, he poured himself into everything that he chose to do and has become a highly favored and blessed man. He is the biggest giver I've ever known...he funds an orphanage and many ministries, sends people on mission trips, gives to charities and has always been there for us when we needed him.
As I got older, however, I found myself just wanting TIME with my Dad. I was no longer a teenager who wanted his car to drive or his credit card to buy new clothes. I wanted his wisdom, his attention, and his love. Really, all that any daughter wants is to be noticed. It's the reason they play dress up, dance around the room, and paint pictures. I still find myself wanting to scream sometimes to get noticed...do you?
You can't put a price on the attention of a father...
In the second verse of "Priceless", I'm addressing the daughter who, because of her rejection issues, never made time for the Lord. He wanted to be her Daddy, but she wouldn't let Him in. She couldn't trust Him. So self-sufficient, she had life planned so well, and she planned God right out of it.
Romans 8:14-16 says "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, "Abba, Father." For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children."
I challenge you to love others and give them your time and let God love you and give Him your time...receive the love He so desperately wants to give you. Sit at His feet and breathe in the fragrance of His delight in you. You can trust Him. He will never leave you or forsake you.
Remember...when all is said and done, we can't get back our time...
KC
"Greater"
The story behind the song...
April 20, 2009
Joshua Scott and I wrote this song together on the platform of the church we were a part of for 4 years. Josh has a knowledge of the word of God unlike most...and his interpretations and revelations aren't regurgitated jargon. They are the result of years of prayer and study. He came to me with the chords for the song, and the idea that we as the body of Christ aren't asking for the right thing. I agreed.
Being a part of a "charismatic" church and traveling to many of them, you seem to hear the same lingo over and over. We ask for open heavens, revivals, miracles, signs and wonders, restoration...we wait for an experience or a feeling...and some of these we ask for before we've even mentioned the name of Jesus. The bottom line is that He is greater than all of those things. We can't live for the next revival, miracle, or feeling, but we can, however, call on the name of Jesus and all of those things will come! HE is our revival...HE is our sign and wonderÉHE is every answer that we need. So, why don't we just ask for HIM to come??
There is a line in the chorus that says "what if we took our eyes off of us and just looked to YOU?" We seem to always be concerned with what Jesus can do for us, fix for us, answer for us, how he can bless us and make things easier in our lives...but I can't find one person in the Bible who chose to follow Jesus and live their lives in line with His word who didn't have trouble...and in most cases, A LOT of trouble. "I have told you these things, so that in ME (JESUS) you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33
The bridge is hastening for Him to come...a quote from Revelation 22:17 "the Spirit and the Bride say "COME!" We as the body of Christ need to be a part of the movement that is hastening Jesus to come back and shower down His mercy along with His judgment. He is jealous for His bride.
Oh how we want Him to come...literally...
And while we're waiting, my prayer for myself and all of you is that we will love more like He loves, serve more like He serves, and always notice the plank before we point out the speck...
KC
"It is Well"
The story behind the song...
March 29, 2009
The hymn "It is Well With My Soul" has always been my mom's favorite hymn, so I've wanted to record it for awhile. If you've ever heard the story behind the song, it's quite heart wrenching. Horatio Spafford wrote the song after many traumatic events in his life including the death of his only son, shortly followed by the great Chicago Fire which ruined him financially (he had been a successful lawyer). Then two years later, he had planned to travel to Europe with his family but sent the family ahead. While crossing the Atlantic ocean, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with a sailing ship, and all four of Spafford's daughters died. His wife Anna survived and sent him the now famous telegram, "Saved alone." Shortly afterwards, Spafford was traveling to meet his wife, he was inspired to write these words as his ship passed near where his daughters had died. "whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say it is well, it is well with my soul"
When praying about putting this song on the album, I began to think about all of mishaps on my journey, and how hard it is to speak over my own soul that it is well. I also looked at the world and all of the things that are going on right now that seem to be getting worse...a nation that's no longer Christian, an economy that's very unstable, continual killings of innocent life, the list could go on and on. Many days you may watch the news and find it very difficult to say it is well.
It may surprise many of you to know that after many months of researching the Bible and praying for the Lord to show me truth, I believe that the church will be here to go through the tribulation. I believe that the Lord will protect those that love Him and choose not to follow the antichrist, but that many Christians will give their lives in the name of Jesus. I believe that we must understand that God's love is so jealous and deep for His bride that He must judge those who have risen against her. In Revelation, John talks about seven seals, seven bowls and seven trumpets. I believe that those are real events that will occur in chronological order and that if our hearts aren't truly set on the Lord, we will be easily deceived..."the great falling away".
I will spare you all of the eschatological details, but I said all of that to share that the verses of my version of "It Is Well" are the seven seals in Revelation:
Lyrics
When evil rises up (Seal 1)
And wars rage all around (Seal 2)
When everything I have is gone (Seal 3)
And life just isn't found (Seal 4)
With every passing snare
I will declare
That it is well
With my soul
It is well
It is well
With my soul
When I have traded my life for truth (Seal 5)
And watched the stars fall from the sky (Seal 6)
I will hide myself among the rocks (Seal 7)
As Your awaiting Bride
The bridge is from Psalm 62:1-2.
My soul finds rest in You alone
My soul finds rest in You alone
You alone are my rock and my salvation
You are my defense and I will not be moved
The end is a reading of the entire chapter of Psalm 27. The reason I chose this chapter is because of a personal experience I was going through a few years ago when the Lord told me to cling to those verses. I love verse 13 which says "I am confident of this: that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."
Tough times are here and tougher times are ahead. Study and know the character of God. Be determined and steadfast that no matter what happens you will declare over yourself
"IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL"
KC
"In Your Delay"
The story behind the song...
March 21, 2009
I often think it's crazy the way the Lord can give you a song. One night last year I had a dream where I was singing this really great song. When I woke up, I tried so hard to remember what the song was or any part of the melody, but nothing came to mind. A few days later, I was sitting on my bed working on another song and "In Your Delay" came back as if I had heard someone else sing it on the radio. I ran to my piano with the words "I'm twiddling my thumbs, popping my gum, and humming a little tune just waiting on you." And in about 10 minutes, the entire song was finished!
I guess that's the way He works.
I have found that 90% of our journey with the Lord involves waiting. In actuality, this would all be for nothing if we weren't waiting for Jesus to return for His bride. So, whether we know it or not, we are constantly either coming out of or going into a time of waiting for SOMETHING. Perhaps it's a job or a spouse or a calling that He's told you about, but in His perfect timing knows you aren't ready for. The result is a Bible full of people in waiting...Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Sarah, Joseph, John, Esther, Ruth, Paul...weren't they all waiting for something? And in their waiting weren't they being prepared for God's best for them? There's a line in the song that says "I just stopped to run in and grab a little of this and a little of that, but I walked out with arms full of more than I had intended. But I guess that's the way You work." Sometimes we think our delay will be short...but most of the time it's longer than we thought it would be AND we learn invaluable lessons in the process.
I find the irony of the song in the happiness and patience of it. I have found a peace and a release in knowing that if I do wait on Him, my strength is renewed and I learn to trust Him more. I've learned not to question the waiting, but to believe that this God who loves me more than I could ever fathom isn't concerned at all with MY timing. He will press that button on the treadmill when it's time for me to speed up. I wouldn't have it any other way.
Lyrics
I'm twiddling my thumbs, popping my gum
Humming a little tune
Just waiting on You
I've been standing in line
Wondering when is my time
You're so far away but still in view
And I just stopped to run in and grab
A little of this and a little of that
But I walked out with arms
Full of more than I had intended
But I guess that's the way You work
Cause You know more and I know less
And Your way is grand and Your way is best
And if I have to do a little waiting that's ok
Cause sometimes I figure it out and I find
I'm not ready and it's not time
So for now I will just stay
In Your delay
What I had planned isn't what You planned
But in my patience I get more of You
And in the meantime
If I fall a few times
You're my only audience
It's all for You
So I'll just hand out and ignore the clock
I wanna run but it's time to walk
So I'll listen for when You sound the gun
Cause You know more and I know less
And Your way is grand and Your way is best
And if I have to do a little waiting that's ok
Cause sometimes I figure it out and I find
I'm not ready and it's not time
So for now I will just stay
In Your delay
As I wait in expectation
For Your answers and revelation
I learn to trust and I find my strength renewed
Cause You know more and I know less
And Your way is grand yeah Your way is best
And if I have to do a little waiting that's ok
Cause sometimes I figure it out to find
I'm not ready, it's not my time
So for now I will just stay
So for now I'll learn to be ok
In Your delay
Mmmmmm
I'm twiddling my thumbs, I'm popping my gum
Humming a little tune just waiting on You
The Delay is Over!
March 15, 2009
Wow...it's hard to believe that the album is finally finished and I have a website....God has such an awesome sense of humor! I don't even know what to say here...right now, we are planning the CD Release Worship Night. I am really excited that all of the musicians that played on the album will be there. What an amazing group of people! Seriously, they all have such passion for Jesus, and it was such a privilege to get to work with them. You don't come across people like this everyday...here's a little background on each of them...
Joshua Scott and I led worship together for about 3 years. We became good friends and we wrote Greater and What You See In Me together. He played guitar on the album...great young guy...knows more about the Bible than most people in their fifties. He was the first person in my life to encourage something different to come out of me. He challenges me a lot...loves a good disagreement about spiritual things. I like to think of him as Paul...and I'm a little more John the Baptist...haha. He has a really cool business where he mods guitar pedals. Check out his website at www.jhspedals.com.
Paulette Wooten played keys and made all of the amazing loops on the album. She can create the coolest noises! I met Paulette when I went to North Carolina to be a part of the Dive worship school with Rita Springer. Rita has probably been my biggest musical influence over the past few years, and it's so cool to call her friend now. Paulette does a lot of writing with Rita, Suzy Wills Yaraei and plays at Morningstar in South Carolina. She is SO creative. The thing that's so great about Paulette is that her spirit matches her talent. She is so humble and gentle. I love that about her.
Gary Lunn played bass on the album. Please go Google his name...seriously...I was so intimidated to meet him. But he turned out to be the NICEST guy. One thing about him that really stuck out to me was one day in the studio when he asked "so, Kelly, what's your story?" How many of us take our eyes off of ourselves to ask someone else what their story is? I can assure you that Gary was surprised by my story! There is nothing pretentious about this guy...love him!
Lance Huff played drums...he's a mad man! He really spent most of his time in the studio napping since he would play his part one time and be done. I almost think that if Lance knew how good he was he would be unbearable to work with. He really is oblivious to how talented he is. Lance also works for Angel Food Ministries, which is an awesome ministry. Check it out at www.angelfoodministries.com.
David Huff played guitar on Blessed Hope and Priceless. He also produced, mixed and mastered the album. You may remember David from "David and the Giants". I can assure you he is still rocking! He has the most amazing ears...wait until you hear these songs. What a huge, giving, tender heart this man possesses...unlike anyone I've ever known. Some of my favorite memories of making the album are when David would ask Josh "how he got those sounds out of his guitar". Josh would rattle off something about pedals...haha. It's so great when the older can learn from the younger.
I can't imagine this project with any other musicians. I truly believe that the Lord orchestrated the entire thing. He gets all the glory...He doesn't need me. But He uses me anyways.
In the upcoming blogs, I am going to write the stories behind the songs and give you some insight into my walk with the Lord. I have much to tell...but much MORE to learn.
Thanks for reading...be blessed...