Above All

Well, as an introduction of the song "Above All", it's a Christian worship wrote by Paul Baloche and Lenny LeBlanc, both are very blessed songwriters and of course I LONGED to be like them. Somehow it's a very meaningful song with powerful lyrics and most Christian knows this song. This song is also recorded by Hillsongs, Rebecca St.James, Micheal W.Smith and others which are also great musicians that serve THE LORD. I suggest you take some time to check the song on youtube (I prefer Paul Baloche's version).

Paul Baloche's Story

It was a Tuesday morning where Paul was in his church, alone with the piano worshiping THE LORD. The thoughts of God is above all just came to his mind, and a voice spoke in him, "Lord, You are above all kingdoms, above all thrones, above all wonders the world has ever known...". Then, he fix in some simple melody for the verse, and it sounds good, but over the years, Paul was figuring for the chorus but he just can't get "the one" that he thinks it'll be the right one.

One day, Paul and Lenny sat together to write songs. Paul played 20 over songs for Lenny to listen, but only "Above All", a song with an incomplete chorus caught his attention. Lenny started to work on the chorus. Again, the words just came "Crucified... laid behine the stone... like a rose... trampled on the ground...".

"Whoa", Paul was impressed, "What a contrast, what a picture... that's Jesus! The One who is and always will be above all, was willing to be crucified and rejected, just to demostrate His love to an unappreciative world."

By the time they reach "You took the fall, and thought of me... above all." Both Paul and Lenny were in tears. The revelation hit them and broke their heart, that made them realize how worthy He really is, that He truly deserves our worship.

Lenny LeBlanc's Story

"When Paul Baloche and I finished writing "Above All," I somehow knew in my heart that it would touch millions of people." It all started when Paul and Lenny got together to write songs for Lenny's soon to be recorded project for Integrity Music.

Paul played him the verse of "Above All", and something in it really touched Lenny and he told Paul that it was a great idea. Paul also shared that he had written several different choruses for the song but wasn't happy with any of the version he written himself.

Early the next morning before Paul woke up, Lenny played around with some choruses idea and got a right one. Instead of bringing it great like any other ordinary chorus, they'll bring this low and soft. "Crucified... laid behind a stone...", and Paul really liked it. So they begun fine-tunning the song and then it's completed.

Lenny thinks that the reason "Above All" has impacted the world so powerfully is becuse it's such a beautiful picture of how a God that is above everything, would become like a rose, trampled on the ground, take the fall and think of us... above all.

Adam Jong's Story

Well, of course Adam Jong is nothing like the above mentioned musicians but just a noob keyboardist that only have 2 years of experience. It all started since I accepted Christ as my personal savior at 28th Jan 2007. Just don't know what happened and this guy is included in the worship team at the 2nd week of being a christian.

Greatful that Carl's one of the default worship leader at that time, that always wanted to try different songs (which are all new songs to me), and also Ruth and May that helped and encouraged me so much at my early spiritual life. Thanks for the worship team that patiently bare with a new learner to be in the team, who sometimes (or most of the time) mess up a lot. Thanks God for putting these people in my life (Thanks Cheryl for leaving to UK too, or else there won't be a chance :P ~kiddin).

So... Carl is the one that showed me this song, as one of the songs he did in one of the Sundays. Somehow, I wasn't aware about the song but just trying hard to get the chords right. But as I grow spiritually, now I understand that, how great musicians are made. We don't need to be piano diploma holder or any music competition winners, just the heart for the Lord, and He will open the way.

Being one of my most familiar worship songs, I used this in my very first worship leading session in Nottingham Bible Study Group. This is also one of the main songs that I played on Eve (my Yamaha keyboard) during my hard time. I have the habit of unleashing my emotional unbalance through playing keyboard.

And now... I'd come to this stage, where I used my own arrangement to remake "Above All", an "Above All" that somehow describe my feeling. Don't ask me what feeling it is, you decide from the song. It took me 6 days to complete this song, which means I slowed down in writing songs, or maybe I'm just afraid of something again...

Isaiah 64:5-6, "You welcome those who cheerfully do good, who follow godly ways. But we are not godly. We are constant sinners, so Your anger is heavy on us. How can people like us be saved? We are all infected and impure with sin. When we proudly display our righteous deeds, we find they are but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall. And our sins, like the wind, sweep us away."

Sin is the breaker between us and God, desires and temptations are always there. But because of God's unfailing love to us, Jesus paid the price, by dying on the cross, to be the bridge that connects us to The LORD, that washed away all of our sins, eventhough He is above all things... yet, He loved us so much. LORD, I pray for Colin who is worship leading in Nilai Sunday Service for the next 2 weeks, hope that You'll be with him. Also for the Nottingham students, who just started our new semester. Pray that this semester will be spiritually and academicly enriching. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.