Laura Story - Blessings

Laura Story - Blessings (Folio) by Laura Story. For Piano/Vocal/Guitar. Songbooks and Folios. Moderate. Book only. 88 pages. Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing #4575720167. Published by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing.

Consider it a great joy...whenever you experience various trials (James 1:2)

What if your blessings come through raindrops? What if your healing comes through tears?

There's no denying some of the blessings in Laura Story's life. As the songwriter of the #1 Worship Hit, “Indescribable,” recorded by Chris Tomlin in 2004, she married her high school sweetheart, Martin Elvington the following year. She then began working in music and women's ministry at the 4,000-member Perimeter Church in Atlanta. After signing an artist deal with INO Records, her 2008 national debut won a Dove Award for Inspirational Album and earned Laura two consecutive nominations for Female Vocalist of the Year–all blessings, indeed!

But amidst that success, a brain tumor hospitalized her husband in 2006. They faced the strong chance their long-awaited bond might last just two years. The faith Laura sang about was put through the unexpected fires of fear and loneliness; most young newlyweds don't imagine being kept alive at one point by breathing machines or having to find their way through significant post-operative vision and memory loss. Could blessings really be found in such a life-altering struggle? Laura's song, “Blessings,” suggest that they can.

“Life is filled with things you don't expect, but the Bible tells us to respond by trusting God and continuing to worship Him,” Story begins. “Martin hasn't received complete healing–and that can be hard at times when we view God as all-powerful and all-loving. But here we are now saying, 'Yes, this is how faith works. God has proven to be faithful. We have been truly blessed out of a circumstance that at first didn't seem like much of a blessing at all.'”

As Laura explains it, she believes she and Martin now have a voice that wasn't there prior to the suffering. “I can hardly begin to tell you of the hundreds of hurting people we've prayed with, people going through more than we have. This is a chance to share the Gospel.”

“Don't get the wrong idea. It hasn't been easy,” Laura admits. “Everyone wants to be a mature and equipped follower, but would I have signed up had I known what it would take? God has grown us up, deepened our faith, our awareness of our great need for Him as a Savior, daily. We knew it before, but we didn't see it. This is a good place to be.” Her song, “Blessings,” reflects that hopeful place.

Songs include: This Is the Day • Friend of Sinners • You Are Love • What a Savior • Blessings • Your Name Will Be Praised • One Life to Lose • Prodigal Song • Remember Me