Songs of Faith and Devotion

i wanted to share something with my readers today. for those of you that know me personally, you know that music is a HUGE part of my life. music moves me in ways that nothing else on this earth can. music has helped me out of the darkest days of my life and also led me through the happiest moments in my life. and still does to this day. i have a very wide range of music tastes and have a list of musicians and music that have played a very big part in my life. if you were to ask me who my all time favorite band is that has had the most influence on me - it would be depeche mode. i have followed them since i was in junior high and been a devotional (no pun intended with the title) fan of theirs from the first time i heard the album "catching up with depeche mode". i still have this cassette tape. i've seen them in concert more than 10 times (i've lost count) and will continue to see them every chance i get.

i saw this tour in 1993 at a very tough time in my life. i was dating a very abusive guy who was 8 years older than me at the time and i remember going to this show with him. i was 17 then. i adored this album and at that time, i was struggling with my faith. something i have done since as far back as i can remember. i was lost for a very long time. i believed in God, i didn't believe in God, i believed in "something"...i was always questioning and so confused. i always believe there was something there - i never considered myself athiest...but i always considered myself agnostic.

it wasn't until a few years ago that my faith truly started coming to me. that i was finally building a relationship with God. i continue to build that relationship daily with Him/Her. i have written a few times in this blog about my search and i'm sure there will be other posts in the future.

when i say i adore this album, i did. but i could never explain why. and in listening to the songs, i never really "got" them. i was driving home from work the other day, flipping through my cds and i found this album. i thought to myself that i hadn't heard it in so long and decided to pop it in the cd player. it has been in there on repeat since. i've probably listened to it atleast 8 times all the way through. i didn't realize until now the effect the words and the music had on me in this album until right now. it's funny when you've listened to something for so long and loved it, but it doesn't bring a deeper meaning until you least expect it.

every single song on this album is phenomenal. i did, however want to share with you all a few of the songs that move me the most. i am going to share a few videos from the devotional tour dvd that depeche mode put out and add the lyrics for you. i hope you enjoy them as well.

Depeche Mode - Higher Love




I can taste more than feel
This burning inside is so real
I can almost lay my hands upon
The warm glow that lingers on

Moved, lifted higher
Moved, my soul's on fire
Moved, by a higher love

I surrender all control
To the desire that consumes me whole
Leads me by the hand to infinity
Lies in wait at the heart of me

Moved, lifted higher
Moved, my soul's on fire
Moved, by a higher love

Heaven bound on the wings of love
There's so much that you can rise above

Moved, lifted higher
Moved, moved, by a higher love
By a higher love

I surrender heart and soul
Sacrificed to a higher goal

Moved, moved by a higher love
By a higher love
----------------------

Depeche Mode - Judas



Is simplicity best
Or simply the easiest
The narrowest path
Is always the holiest
So walk on barefoot for me
Suffer some misery
If you want my love
If you want my love

Man will survive
The harshest conditions
And stay alive
Through difficult decisions
So make up your mind for me
Walk the line for me
If you want my love
If you want my love

Idle talk
And hollow promises
Cheating Judases
Doubting Thomases
Don't just stand there and shout it
Do something about it

You can fulfill
Your wildest ambitions
And I'm sure you will
Lose your inhibitions
So open yourself for me
Risk your health for me
If you want my love
If you want my love
If you want my love
If you want my love
-------------

Depeche Mode - Mercy In You



You know what I need
When my heart bleeds
I suffer from greed
A longing to feed
On the mercy in you

I can't conceal
The way I'm healed
The pleasure I feel
When I have to deal
With the mercy in you

I would do it all again
Lose my way and fall again
Just so I could call again
On the mercy in you

When here in my mind
I feel inclined
To wrongly treat you unkind
I have faith I will find
The mercy in you

I would lose my way again
Be led hopelessly astray again
Just so I could pray again
For the mercy in you

When here in my mind
I have been blind
Emotionally behind
I have faith I will find
The mercy in you