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Laura Story shares another devotional with us in this week’s episode of “Wednesdays In The Word.” Watch the video below as she talks about turning our questions of “Why?” with God into “How? inspired by John 9.

I think the point of the story isn’t so much the ending, as much as it is that so often we turn to that question of “why?” and for me it’s something that I can become bitter over. But what I’m learning is that as God softens my heart he’s turning my “Why?” into “How?” And rather than saying “Why are you doing this?” I’m learning just to open my hand and say “God, how might you use this situation in order to glorify yourself all the more?” -Laura Story

What is a challenge that you have faced in your life where God used it for his glory? Post your answer in the comments section & be entered to win a copy of Laura’s new book, “What If Your Blessings Come Through Raindrops?” and a signed copy of her album “Blessings!”

Don’t forget to get your copy of Laura’s Devotional Book HERE and her hit CD “Blessings” HERE!

“Blessings” Wins Three Major Awards; Story Named Songwriter of the Year; Story Picks Up Three Billboard Music Awards Nominations, Including Top Christian Artist

April 23, 2012: Taking home four trophies—the most Dove Awards of any artist at last Thursday’s ceremony—GRAMMY®-winning songwriter and worship leader Laura Story embellished her acclaimed career as she nabbed the award for Song of the Year for her celebrated, multi-week No. 1, “Blessings.” The song and album of the same name also won awards for Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year and Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year. In addition, Story earned the Dove for Songwriter of the Year, a fan-voted award. The Gospel Music Association (GMA)’s 43rd Annual GMA Dove Awards were held on Thursday night, April 19, at the FOX Theatre in Atlanta.

“I am so grateful for the kindness of the GMA last night, as well as the listeners, fans, radio and retail who have so graciously supported us this past year,” says Story. “I’m even more thankful that God uses broken thing and broken people to shine His glory through. All praise and honor to Him.”

Fresh off her Dove wins, Story was also nominated for three Billboard Music Awards Thursday night: Top Christian Song for “Blessings,” Top Christian Album (Blessings), and Top Christian Artist. The Billboard Music Awards  will take place at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand and be broadcast live Sunday May 20, 8/7c on ABC.

Story’s 2008 national debut, Great God Who Saves, won a Dove Award for Inspirational Album and earned her two consecutive nominations for Female Vocalist of the Year. In February of this year, Story picked up her first GRAMMY®, winning the award for Best Contemporary Christian Song for “Blessings.” In addition to this GRAMMY® win, her four Dove wins and three Billboard Music Award nods crown an immensely successful period for the decorated worship leader.

“Blessings,” which was released last year, was in rotation at over 100 Billboard Christian format reporting stations going No. 1 at Christian AC, Inspo and the National Audience charts for multiple weeks. Additionally, the song also held the No. 1 spot on the iTunes® Christian/Gospel Top Songs chart for 28 consecutive weeks. The critically acclaimed album Blessings debuted at No. 4 on Soundscan’s Overall chart and has remained one of Christian music’s best sellers to date.

Currently on the road with Mandisa for the “Girls Night Live” tour, Story took time out from the 30-city trek to attend the Dove Awards at which she and husband, Martin, revealed that the baby they’re expecting later this year is a girl. Story wraps the “Girls Night Live” tour on May 4 in Savannah, Ga., and the remaining dates also feature special guests Anita Renfroe and Jamie Grace in select cities. For more information visit  www.girlsnightlive.com. Starting November 29, Story will join Steven Curtis Chapman and many others on the “12 Gifts of Christmas” tour.   www.12giftstour.com

Story’s first book, What If Your Blessings Come Through Raindrops?, released last month by Freeman-Smith, a division of Worthy Publishing (EMI CMG Distribution), and is already in its third printing.  Inspired by her Grammy and Dove Award-winning hit song, “Blessings,” the book is comprised of 30 daily devotions designed to draw readers into a deeper understanding of God’s sometimes mysterious gifts.  For further information on the book, visit www.worthypublishing.com or  www.turningpointpr.com.

The GMA Dove Awards ceremony will be nationally televised on GMC TV on April 24 at 8PM and 10PM EDT.

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About Laura Story:
Laura Story, a talented worship leader and songwriter known for penning hit worship songs such as “Indescribable” made famous by Chris Tomlin, made her music debut in 2008 with her first release Great God Who Saves (INO Records). Great God Who Saves garnered her four Dove nominations in 2009, at which she took home her first award for “Inspirational Album of the Year.” In 2011, she also nabbed another nomination for “Female Vocalist of the Year.” Her hit single “Mighty To Save” earned a No. 1 Soft AC/Inspo and Top 10 AC hit at Christian radio. Also in 2011, Story revealed twelve new inspirational tracks on her sophomore release titledBlessings. Story teamed up with producer Nathan Nockels (Passion, Philips, Craig & Dean, Point of Grace) and delivered a worship project that exudes constant threads of pop energy and singer-songwriter warmth. The title-track immediately became a fan favorite as it topped the iTunes ® Christian/Gospel Top Songs chart and held the No. 1 spot for 28 consecutive weeks.

For more information on Story, please visit  www.laurastorymusic.com.

Media Contact:
Velvet Kelm and Jess Draper
the media collective
615.591.7989
velvet@theMcollective.com
jess@theMcollective.com

*Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Gospel Music Association

We have chosen the winner. Thanks everyone for your comments!

Not only is Laura Story a wonderful musician, but she is now an author. We have featured her new book “What If Your Blessings Come Through Raindrops?” several times here on FreeCCM.

Laura has recorded several devotions that can be paired with her book. She offers some great insights into God’s blessings! Watch this video and keep reading for a chance to win a copy of the book and an autographed Laura Story CD.

“This was a king that had everything in the world he could have possibly asked for…and you see even as God has blessed him so richly, his response to having all these things is that eventually these very things turned his heart away from the Lord.

Sometimes I am tempted to buy into that American dream. The big house, the picket fence, the 2.5 kids—whatever that looks like for you! And I buy into this lie that if I just had a little bit more, I would be satisfied. A lot of that I just have to lay before the Lord and realize that God is not going to give me things that I prize over Him. That is not the best thing for my soul!

Truly seek first the kingdom, and all those things will be added to us as we need them.”

What is one of the “things” that turns your heart of away from the Lord like Laura talked about with Solomon? Comment with an answer for your chance to win!

P.S. Don’t forget to get your copy of Laura’s Devotional Book HERE and her hit CD “Blessings” HERE!

We are so excited for Laura Story who picked up her first GRAMMY at Sunday night’s awards ceremony, winning “Best Contemporary Christian Song” for her No. 1 hit “Blessings.” This GRAMMY win crowns an immensely successful period for her, after she garnered five Dove nominations, a No. 1 hit song and a best-selling sophomore album Blessings in less than a year’s time.  In addition, Laura and her husband, Martin, recently learned they are expecting their first child, due later this year!! See what she had to say about all of this below.

“What an amazing season this has been! Martin and I have been so thankful to find out that we are expecting, and then this GRAMMY surprise was the cherry on top! We are both humbled and so grateful to God for this and pray that any attention the song “Blessings” receives will be used by God to bring hope to others who are walking hard roads. May God’s faithfulness be seen in this above all things. Thanks to all who are celebrating with us.” –Laura Story

Check out the video above to preview Laura’s newest single, “What A Savior,” and hear her explain the story and meaning behind it. Plus keep a look out for when she comes to your town for the “Girls Night Live Tour” with Mandisa, which kicks off next week in Omaha, Neb. They’ll be visiting over 30 cities within the next two months, so visit www.girlsnightlive.com to see when they’ll be near you!

If you have yet to get your copy of Laura’s GRAMMY winning song “Blessings” then click here to go listen now. You will not be disappointed

This next week we’re giving away signed copies of Laura Story’s brand new album “Blessings.” We’ve heard from so many fans about the way God has blessed them through the difficult times in their lives, and we would love to hear from you as well. Check out the video below to see some of the amazing and powerful stories & leave a comment with any thoughts you might have to be entered to win. We’ll randomly select 5 people next week to receive signed copies of the album!

Have a good weekend!

Laura

Contest closed – Congrats to all our winners!

Laura leads this week’s devotional and shares all about her favorite worship Psalm. See what she has to say below about pouring our hearts out to the Lord, and trusting in what we know about him.

www.LauraStory.com
Get Laura’s new album “Blessings” now!

So, what’s your favorite Psalm?

In the next installment of our devotional series, Laura Story talks about our questions with God and poses the idea that maybe we should change our “Why?” into “How?” Watch the video below to see what she has to say, and post your thoughts in the comments section.

Don’t forget to pick up your copy of Laura’s new album “Blessings!” You can stream the full record and download a free song right here.

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”  “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. -John 9:1-3

Miss last week’s episode? Click here to watch

“Blessings” – The Brand New Album From Laura Story

Available Everywhere Now - Click here to get your copy!

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Laura Story stopped by to hang out with us last week, and opened up about some amazing lessons that The Lord has been teaching her recently in her walk with him. Over the next couple weeks she’ll be sharing those things with you right here in our devotional time, and we’re excited for you to hear it. Check out our first episode below as Laura talks about “counting” and how she’s re-learning what that means according to God.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. – James 1:2-4

Visit LauraStoryMusic.com to download her powerful song “Blessings” and the entire new album now. Also don’t forget about our special $5.00 album sale on her previous record “Great God Who Saves” in the Deals section of our site.

Check back next week for much more from Laura!

“And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” – Romans 5: 3-5

God is love. He tells us so repeatedly in the Bible. Yet sometimes it doesn’t feel like He loves us. What if we pray for our loved ones to make it through, but they pass away before we even say goodbye? What if we pray for our children to grow up healthy but instead we watch them suffer a life-threatening illness? What if we pray for that little extra money to make ends meet, but we end up losing our home?  It’s devastating when we don’t see God’s answers to our prayers. “We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near.”

What if the very thing that is best for us isn’t the same as what we’re praying for? “All the while, You hear each spoken need. You love us way too much to give us lesser things.” God is watching over always, directing every moment we experience. So if He isn’t answering our prayers how we think He should, does that mean He isn’t answering? Or could it be something else? Could it possibly be that He’s really blessing us?

“What if your blessings come through raindrops?” It’s hard to comprehend, but maybe God really is guiding us in our trials. Maybe they’re working towards something bigger. Maybe God is blessing us through the hard parts in our lives. Of course, we always wonder, can’t God find some better way to show us what He needs to? Can’t He take away the pain and give us happiness? Isn’t that what’s best for us? But through it all, “the pain reminds this heart that this is not our home”. We know our lives here on earth are only temporary and our real home is heaven. So, it’s possible that the pain has a purpose. “What if the trials of this life are your mercies in disguise?” Sometimes, we need the suffering so God can shape us into who we need to be. Someday we’ll see the purpose. Until then, remember God promises us His very best. “We doubt your goodness. We doubt your love. As if every promise from your word is not enough.” Trust, for He knows what He’s doing.

We are excited to have Laura Story as a special guest leading our devotional time over the next few weeks. Be sure to come back and watch her walk through scripture. Also, get your copy of the song on iTunes, or visit LauraStoryMusic.com to download her entire album “Blessings” now! Post your comments below and scroll down for the video and lyrics.

Lyrics:
We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
And all the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

CHORUS:
Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel you near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if each promise from Your Word is not enough
And all the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we’d have faith to believe

CHORUS

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win, we know
That pain reminds this hearts,
That this is not, this is not our home…..

CHORUS

What if my greatest disappointments,
Or the aching of this life,
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy.
What if trials of this life,
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise?

We had the incredible pleasure of getting to sit down with Laura Story to talk about the heart behind her new album “Blessings.” She explains the writing and recording process, as well as her experiences behind the powerful message conveyed in the songs. You don’t want to miss out on the encouragement she brings through her story. Watch it below, and then leave your comments for a chance to win the album before it hits stores on April 12th.

If you have yet to hear her song “Blessings,” go to iTunes or LauraStoryMusic.com to listen now!

What does it look like when I spend years praying for healing for my husband that never comes? I feel like we’ve gotten to a place of having to make a choice- are we going to judge God based on our circumstances that we don’t understand? Or are we going to chose to judge our circumstances based on what we hold to be true of God? I’m learning that every morning when I wake up, to choose to trust God. And that’s what “blessings” is about. It’s just considering… MAYBE THE BLESSING IS ACTUALLY FOUND IN THE ABSENCE OF THE THING THAT I’M PRAYING FOR.

-Laura Story

Don’t forget about our $5.00 deal on Laura Story’s previous album, “Great God Who Saves!” Click here to preview the album and download your copy now!