Moving Forward -- Tammy Trent

Introduction

Music has a power to help us through some of the toughest times in our lives. And for those with the gift, it can be a way to express the pain associated with those times and reach out to others. It is perhaps particularly interesting to hear a message of hope coming from someone who’s been there, who’s gone through that valley, and come out the other side. That’s part of the music and witness of the I See Beautiful album by Tammy Trent.

Crossrythmns.co.uk has an interview and article that summarizes Tammy Trent’s life. Basically, she’s a child of the 80’s, raised in a Christian household in Grand Rapids, MI. She got a break singing backups for Pam Thum, and got her first record deal in 1995. She met Trent Lenderink when the two were 15, at a church revival. They married seven and a half years later. In September 2001, they were on a mission trip to Jamaica and Trent (who was an experienced diver) went diving in Blue Lagoon, with Tammy watching from shore and reading a book. Something happened, and Trent drowned – on September 10, 2001. She was working to get her family to come down to be with her when all US flights were grounded on September 11, 2001. She tells of being alone in the hotel room in Jamaica and praying for comfort from God. A hotel maid told her that she’d heard Tammy crying and was there to offer comfort. Tammy said in the Crossrythm interview that

I had asked, ‘God could you just show up here right at this moment?’ And he did it for me at that moment. So I knew at that moment that somehow I would get through this. I knew that God was very, very real. And that I wouldn’t just survive it but somehow I would overcome it. I knew that truly that was the beginning of healing in my life. […] I think it’s still really a choice for me every day, to wake up and to choose life and to choose hope and to choose peace even in the moments when I don’t feel those things.

There are two songs from her I See Beautiful album that I’d like to take a look at today. One is the title track, and the other is called Stop the World. We’ll look at the second song first. It was written by Peter Orta for Tammy, in response to Trent’s death, and Peter sang it at Trent’s funeral. There’s also a third song, At the Foot of the Cross, also from that album, that we can talk about if we have time.

Stop the World

2001 Peter Orta

Now when I gaze upon the ocean
I look and try to find my smile
And the wind on my face always
Reminds me to breath

Memories come back as the sun falls
I remember chasing after you
Now I’ve captured your heart deep inside me
Finally. I’m free.

CHORUS:
You’re my miracle of life
You’re everything I breathe
I wanna fall asleep in your eternity
So I let the winters fall spring the summer free
If the season is your love
Stop the world for me

Now when I wake up in the morning
My eyes have never been so clear
The gift that you were is now what I have to be
I see clearly

CHORUS

BRIDGE:
All the pain is not in vain
If there’s a change
I’ll never be never gonna be the same

CHORUS

• How do we handle those times of feeling alone, of feeling abandoned, of tremendous loss?
• How do we express grief and work through it?

I See Beautiful

2006 Tammy Trent
Every time I take the time I see you
Everywhere I look I know you’re there
No matter how I’m feeling I can feel you
I believe that I receive your goodness

I choose to see things differently
You can if you will just believe

CHORUS:
Something like rain
That falls from the sky
The air that I breathe
The tears of joy in my eyes
An innocent child
A flower in bloom
Oh, I can’t help it I see beautiful

The sun and moon take turns dancin’ on the ocean shore
The stars light up the heavens everywhere, Yeah
Sitting by the fire watching snow fall to the ground
Father I can see how much you care, Wow

I choose to see things differently (Yes I do)
You can if you will just believe (Yes you can)

CHORUS

Come go with me open up your heart
You can receive decide to be a part of everything I choose to see things differently (Yes I do) You can if you will just believe (Yes you can)

CHORUS

The sun and the moon
The stars in the sky
Every living thing you created day and night

This is a bit of a more “pop” song than I normally listen to, but (as noted in the Crossrythm interview), the song takes on a greater meaning when you know the story behind it. A key reminder for me in this music is that attitude is key to many things. I like the idea of deciding to see beautiful as a part of the way we choose to live.

At the Foot of the Cross

2006 Tammy Trent At the foot of the cross
Where grace and suffering meet
You have shown me your love
Through the judgement you received
And you’ve won my heart
Yes you’ve won my heart
Now I can

CHORUS
Trade these ashes in for beauty
And wear forgiveness like a crown
Coming to kiss the feet of mercy
I lay every burden down
At the foot of the cross

At the foot of the cross
Where I am made complete
You have given me life
Through the death you bore for me
And you’ve won my heart
Yes you’ve won my heart
Now I can

CHORUS (2x)

I don’t have much particular to say about this song, other than it’s a beautiful presentation of a key point of Christianity. I wouldn’t have necessarily found it, other than finding Tammy’s story in preparing for this lesson.