"Where Did that Song Come From": October 2016

I Go to the Master

This song and it's music was written by one of my all time favorite songwriters Rev Carroll McGruder. and recorded in 1991 by Zion Music. I was there the very first time they sung it in public they recorded live called Come Fly with the McGruders. It was my first experience with a gospel concert as I had just recently started going to church. It was exciting!!! Sis Priscilla McGruder had to be one of the most powerful anointed singers I have every heard. I absolutely loved the way she worshiped while she sang her heart out. There was just something unique and different that made her stand out from all other singers. God knew exactly what he was doing when he put this songwriter and vocal singer together. What a great pair these two became in God's ministry.

Carroll McGruder (December 25, 1946 - September 14, 2015) and Priscilla McGruder ( October 25, 1948 - April 29, 2010) pastored the United Pentecostal Church in Kennett, MO for twenty-five years. The first time I visited their church was also the first time I heard Bro Larry Carter play and sing Sunday School Girl. They were made Bishop on February 25, 2006 and Rev. Don Sheerin became pastor.

Carroll Lester McGruder was born in Holcomb, MO to Lester Hendrix and Fannie Beatrice (McCool). He married Priscilla Elaine McDonald on June 1, 1976. They had three children: Eric, Shawnee, and Holly.

Awards:
2013 Bro McGruder won songwriter of the year.

Photo from the actual concert at the Forum in Jonesboro, Ar.

Happened to be my very first gospel concert.

In Watching a video of another song actually found myself

when camera zoomed by bottom right corner.

What a wonderful memory this picture brings back to me.

Lyrics:

(Verse 1)
When there's no place to go, you think no one knows, what you're going through.
When you've done all you can, you're exhausted my friend, and there's nothing else left you
can do.
When life overwhelms you, or someone betrays you, you feel like nobody cares,
There's still one place I know, when there's no place to go, I can go to the Master in
prayer.

(Chorus)...
I can go to the Master, He always listens, He welcomes my pleas because He cares about
me, He won't overlook my petition.
He's standing above, and He's watching in love, He's waiting my burdens to bear,
He's got time for you, and a place for me too, I can go to the Master in prayer.
(Verse 2)
When the world turns on me, I'm so blind I can't see, doubts are everywhere.
When friends turn me down, and my spirit is bound, I can't rise above all my fears.
When pain won't release me, there's no peace within me, I'm feeling like life isn't fair,
When my night's sleep is lost, and I've turned and I've tossed, I can go to the Master in
prayer.

(Chorus)... (End)If you're life's a dead end, I can still recommend, you can go to the Master in prayer. The McGruders have so many wonderful songs here are a few of them: Heaven's Point of View Stand on the Word Most of All I'm Going Home with Jesus

I finally had time to create a video of Sis McGruder singing this song herself,

Recording by Karen Wheaton.

Other Favorites by the McGruders

Just have to say there are way too many to list them all :)

Heaven's Point of View

Stand on His Word

Saved by Grace

Warming Up

Sources:

http://www.kennettupc.com/page/carroll_mcgruder

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2199&dat=19881225&id=j0IyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HeYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6612,5910062&hl=en

http://www.mcdanielfuneralservice.com/home/index.cfm/obituaries/view/fh_id/12769/id/3310088

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=152305879

Here is a site for soundtracks: http://www.christwill.com/i-go-to-the-master-125979.html

Please feel free to contact me if you happen to have Sis McGruder singing this song or would like to add to the information provided. There is a lot of information on the two wonderful people in many places.
Thanks for stopping by. God Bless.

When God Unfolds the Rose

This song was written by Frank O'Brien after hearing a sermon titled "Just Let It Unfold" by Rev Vaughn Morton while at the Pentecostals of Alexandria Church in Louisiana. The copyright is dated 2003. This sermon link is listed below that you may hear it for yourself. Rev. Morton states in his sermon that he read this story in a booklet that went like this:

A little girl eager and curious picked several rose buds from her mother's garden and tore them open to make them bloom, but her eagerness turned to disappointment when the flower failed to respond to her efforts. Her mother explained that God has a time for the roses to bloom and they would have bloomed perfectly had she left them alone. He stopped with this part to explain that we should wait on God that in God's time he will add what we have need of. God will take care of it. We need to learn to Just Let It Unfold. The essence of his sermon was that problems are a part of our daily life. It's just life this life is just a tiny rosebud. A poem was quoted near the end of Rev. Vaughn Morton's sermon which he said softly, "

It is only a tiny rosebud,

This flower of God's design;

But I cannot unfold its petals

With these clumsy hands of mine.

The secret of unfolding flowers

Is not known to such as I.

This flower God opens so sweetly,

Would in my hands fade and die.

If I cannot unfold a rosebud,

This flower of God's design,

How can I think I have wisdom

To unfold this life of mine?

So I'll trust in Him for his leading

Each moment of every day.

I will look to Him for His guidance

Each step of the pilgrim way.

The pathway that lies before me,

I'll trust Him to unfold the moments,

Just as He unfolds the rose.

Lyrics:

Verse 1:

There been times when I thought my prayers

Didn’t even reach the ceiling of the room

Where I knelt to pray

And a voice inside kept asking me

Did I think God was really listening

To anything that I had to say

But I just kept on a praying

And holding on by faith

Knowing God is always in control

And I waited like a rose bud in the garden

For only God can unfold the rose

Chorus:

When God unfolds the rose

He always gets it right

When the petals are in place

Oh, it’s such a beautiful sight

God knows when to hold on

And the perfect time to let go

So let God have his way

And watch God unfold the rose

Verse 2:

There are trials and tribulations

We must all go through

When it comes to heartaches

We’ve all had our share

Oh, but when times are the hardest

We need to hold God to the promise

He said He’d never give us more than we could bear

So, I’ll just keep on a praying

And holding on by faith

Knowing God is working all things for my good

And I’ll wait just like that rose bud in the garden

For only God can unfold the rose

God knows when to hold on

And the perfect time to let go

So let God have his way

And watch God unfold the rose

Other songs written by Frank O'Brien:

Nothing Like Being Able to Touch the Lord

Music Chords:

http://www.yourchords.com/347602/Misc-Unsigned-Bands/Frank-Obrien---When-God-Unfolds-A-Rose-Chords/transpose11/

Timothy Spell Soundtrack: http://www.shop.timothyspell.com/When-God-Unfolds-The-Rose-Sound-Tracks-CD-WGUTRST.htm

Sources:

Just Let It Unfold - Bro Vaughn Morton: http://apostolicclassics.sermon.net/main/main/6811325 listen to the sermon that inspired this beautiful song.

August 24, 1964 The Progress-Index from Petersburg, Virginia.Page 6 https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/49149471/
Highest Praise Publishing http://us.search.ccli.com/songs/4230957/when-god-unfolds-the-rose

Any information that could add to this post would be appreciated and even a photo if possible. Thanks and God Bless.

Didn't I Walk on the Water

This song was written by Sister Linda Gibson Johnson. She is a singer / songwriter and is a retired elementary educator from the Hollers of South-Eastern Kentucky. She was born in 1971 and is married to Bro Scott Johnson and they have four children.

I will be updating this blog hopefully soon with more information.

My reason for adding this song to my blog is I have found myself in a struggle. I feel I am in limbo just waiting and don't know what I am waiting for, but I do know the one who does know all and see's all. So I found myself shouting out, "I don't understand what is going on and I can't do this Lord, I just can't do this and fell on my bed crying, just being honest here. I then grabbed my phone and remembered a couple of songs I heard sung by the Dunaways. As I begin to listen I then decided to go back to my computer and look up the words to practice to sing at church myself. I found the lyrics and even a soundtrack if I needed one that is when I came across who actually wrote this song. Then I knew God was letting me know that this is the next song for this blog. If I needed it so desperately tonight then there are going to be others searching who He will lead to it as well. I actually prefer to hear the songs sung by the original singer and was happy to find Sister Johnson on YouTube doing just that. Then I got really excited to find a recent post on YouTube where she gave her testimony about how this song began. Sister Johnson was a guest singer at Dallas, North Carolina Church of God in Gastonia County on June 19, 2016. The post was published almost a month later by Jack Paylor. Before she started to sing this song she told the congregation that this song comes with two testimonies within it:

The first one she herself had just finished going through a really hard trial at least that's what she thought but, there was a whole lot more to come in her future. She was still living in a little blue house that was once her papa's house in the hollers of South - Eastern Kentucky. She was crying and almost panicking to God. She said "Now Lord I see something else coming and I can't handle this. I can't bare it, I cannot do this your gonna have to Lord. (Insert: remember how I was just feeling a couple hours before posting this, so this really gave me God bumps.) She said she told Him, "Please help me!" She said if she didn't already have her paper and pen at that time she would have missed this song as it came that quick cause He wanted her to know it that fast. She said it's not about us, it's not about her strength. She could not keep it herself. We cannot do it on our own.

The second testimony of this song was the third verse. It was about her oldest sister. Thirty years ago her sister was going through a separation which later the Lord put them back together, but in this moment her sister had no income, two small children and a big house payment due in six days. She was cleaning her bathroom mirror praying to the Lord. I have six days to make my house payment or they are going to take it. She said God spoke audibly to her and said, "I created the world in six days." The day her payment was due it was paid. Through the years the one property after another came up for sale and her sister was able to purchase three other properties with houses beside that one just years before thought she was going to lose.

Thank you Sis for letting God use you in such a power way. God bless.

Lyrics to Sister Johnson's Original Version:

As I kneel in the darkness in the middle of the night.

I'm praying for assurance everything's going to be alright.

Lord, I see another battle out in front of me.

I'm afraid I won't be able and I'll go down in defeat.

He said, didn't I walk on the water and I calmed the raging sea.

I spoke to the wind, it hushed and I gave you peace.

Didn't I run to your rescue, Didn't I hear you when you called?

I walked right beside you, just so you wouldn't fall.

Didn't I leave all of heaven, just to die for your sins?

I searched until I found you, and I'd do it all again.

He said, Do you remember where I brought your from?