Promise in the Waiting
Joni Van Rossum, Director of Worship & Media Arts
11/28/25
Advent is around the corner, and there couldn’t be a more perfect follow-up season to November, where our focus word is Promise. Promise always stirs something in us. Longing, hope, a gentle ache for what God has yet to reveal. Scripture speaks right into that longing with Isaiah’s assurance that “those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:31).
At Desert Cross, we enter this season trusting that God’s promises are not distant ideals but present realities. They hold us steady when life feels uncertain. Paul reminds us of this truth: “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this” (1 Thessalonians 5:24). In both Tempe and Gilbert, each candle we light during Advent season becomes a small declaration that God is still at work, still drawing near.
This Advent, the song “Waiting Here for You” gives voice to our shared attitude of hope. It reminds us that waiting is not passive . . . it’s worship. We’ll be singing this song during Offering throughout the season, and we’d love for you to join your voice with ours.
Take a moment to listen to it and let it settle into your spirit.
As Psalm 130 proclaims, “I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.” May this Advent be a season where our waiting becomes a witness to the God who keeps every promise.
Singing Gratitude
Joni Van Rossum, Director of Worship & Media Arts
9/24/25
This October, our theme word is Gratitude. Fittingly, we’ve introduced a new offering song by Brandon Lake in September, called “Gratitude” . . . you can listen to it here: Watch on YouTube.
Why bring in this song during the offering? Because offering isn’t really about passing a plate. It’s about offering ourselves. Brandon Lake puts it plainly: “I’ve got one response, I’ve got just one move, with my arms stretched wide, I will worship You.” That’s the heart of giving. Our money, yes, but more importantly our breath, our voice, our thanks.
It’s easy to treat gratitude as a polite “thank you” note to God. But the Bible never frames it that way. Gratitude in Scripture is fierce, stubborn, and loud. Paul urges us to “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5), which is either impossible or brilliant, depending on the day. The psalmist insists we enter God’s courts with thanksgiving, as if gratitude is our ticket in (Psalm 100). Even Philippians suggests that thanksgiving is the antidote to anxiety, which might explain why simply singing “Hallelujah” can quiet our spiraling thoughts. Gratitude is a main element of our faith.
Psychologists are catching up to what Scripture has been saying all along. Dr. Robert Emmons, in his book Thanks! How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier, describes gratitude as “the ultimate performance-enhancing substance.” It lifts our moods, strengthens our relationships, and keeps us steady when life shakes us up. Brené Brown writes in The Gifts of Imperfection that gratitude doesn’t require chasing extraordinary moments; instead, it helps us notice the sacredness of the ordinary. Gratitude, in other words, rewires both our brains and our hearts to pay attention to what really matters.
That’s why “Gratitude” is such a timely song for us. It’s honest, it’s singable, and it gives us permission to stop performing and simply bring our hallelujahs. So listen to it this week, hum it while you’re driving, sing it in the kitchen, and let it get under your skin. The more we practice gratitude in our daily lives, the more natural it will feel when we gather to sing it together.
I do not want gratitude to be just something we sing about. Practicing gratitude is the way we learn to see God.
Let the Psalms Resound–Then & Now
Joni Van Rossum, Director of Worship & Media Arts
8/27/25
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the Psalms. Not just as poetry, but as the original worship songs of our faith. They’ve been shaping how I choose music for worship, helping me focus more on truth.
In Praying the Psalms, Walter Brueggemann writes that the Psalms are “the voice of our own common humanity…speaking to the same God.” They show us that worship isn’t just about praise…It’s also about lament, struggle, and hope. The Psalms are honest. They model how to bring our whole selves to God.
That longing for honest worship was stirred up when I watched a scene from the series House of David, where David sings Psalm 30 to King Saul (forward the video to about 3:19):
“I will exalt you, Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths…”
Watch the clip
That moment made me wonder: What did the original Psalms sound like? Scholars like Suzanne Haïk‑Vantoura have worked to reconstruct ancient melodies using cantillation marks in the Hebrew text. If you’re interested, you can hear some of these reconstructions here:
Mystery of the Harp – Lost Music of the Bible
While we may never fully recover the Temple’s music, those sounds and scenes remind me that worship has always been emotional, musical, and deeply human.
As I choose modern worship songs, whether it’s a centuries-old hymn or brand-new worship song, I want them to carry the same emotional honesty and theological weight as the Psalms. Because worship, then and now, is about meeting God with open hearts and real lives.
Let’s keep singing songs that tell the truth.
Songs That Carry Us:
Choosing Music that Tells the Story of Our Faith
Joni Van Rossum, Director of Worship & Media Arts
7/14/25
Have you ever heard a song—whether in church or on the radio—that stopped you in your tracks and spoke straight to your soul? Maybe the lyrics mirrored a prayer you didn’t have words for. Or the melody opened your heart in a way no sermon ever could. I believe that’s the Spirit at work.
When we pray, “Come, Holy Spirit,” we often expect a whisper, a sign, or a sudden sense of clarity. But sometimes, the Spirit moves in rhythm and harmony—in worship choruses and yes, even in secular songs. There are moments of synchronicity when a song you “just happen” to hear lines up perfectly with your situation. I don’t think that’s random. I think it’s God reaching out, reminding you nothing can separate you from God’s love:
“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38–39)
As someone who chooses music for worship every week, I pray constantly to be Spirit-led in those choices. What will help us hear God’s voice together? What lyrics tell the truth of who we are and who God is in this moment? What song will carry us when our own words fall short?
It’s a sacred responsibility. And it often feels like a dance between preparation and surprise. Sometimes I spend hours sifting through songs, and other times, one simply rises up. Unexpected but exactly right.
And it’s not just about “church music.” A line from a Broadway ballad, a pop anthem, or even a movie score can carry truth. If it lifts your spirit, moves you to tears, or wakes something up in you, it might just be the Spirit nudging you to listen closer.
So next time a song hits differently, pause. Take a breath. Say a prayer. Ask, “Lord, are you speaking to me through this?” The Spirit doesn’t only work in stained glass and Scripture. Sometimes, God works through earbuds.
Remember, as Psalm 139 reminds us, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” The answer is nowhere. And that includes your playlist.
One Song, One Church, One Spirit: Jesus, Have It All!
Joni Van Rossum, Director of Worship & Media Arts
6/9/25
This Pentecost season, we’re introducing a powerful new worship song, “Jesus, Have It All” by Jeremy Riddle. It’s a song of deep surrender and global vision—perfect for this season of Pentecost.
Pentecost marks the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the birth of a Church that reaches every nation, tribe, and tongue. “Jesus, Have It All” echoes that journey. It begins in the personal, “You can have my heart…” and grows into a collective cry of faith from the Church, finally expanding to include the worship of believers across the world. It’s that evolution, from “me” to “us” to everyone that makes this song so meaningful during Pentecost.
As an offering song, it helps us reflect on what it means to give not just money or music, but our whole selves in worship.
We encourage you to take a few minutes to listen to the song, think about the words, and let them sink in. Learn the lyrics, reflect on the meaning, and come ready to sing from the heart as we offer all we are to Jesus together.
From Rome to Arizona: Creating Beauty that Serves
Joni Van Rossum, Director of Worship & Media Arts
5/8/25
Creating Beauty That Serves
In a quiet corner of Rome, nestled in the shadow of the Vatican, the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music is on a mission: to preserve the rich tradition of sacred chant and liturgical music that has echoed through cathedrals for centuries.
Watch the story here.
It’s more than just preserving sounds on a page—it’s preserving a way of listening.
A way of being.
Gregorian chant, one of the oldest forms of written music in the Western world, was never meant to be a solo show. It’s music that demands you listen to others. The singers breathe together. They shape phrases together. They tune to one another—not to be the loudest, not to stand out—but to become something unified, something greater than the sum of its parts.
In a time when the world often feels noisy and divided, there’s something quietly revolutionary about that kind of listening.
A Choice to Create
What struck me most in this story wasn’t just the beauty of the music—it was the choice.
The choice to dedicate time, space, and heart to something that doesn’t just serve us, but serves others.
To make something beautiful—not for applause, not for profit—but because beauty, in itself, is a way to love your neighbor. A way to give glory to God.
This is exactly the kind of work I am trying to do at Desert Cross.
When we wove our What Wondrous Hope Cantata into the fabric of Palm Sunday worship this year, it wasn’t just about offering good music. It was about offering our listening. Listening to Scripture. Listening to each other. Listening to the Spirit that calls us to create beauty in the middle of brokenness.
If you missed it—or just want to relive the experience—here’s a link to the full service:
Palm Sunday Cantata – What Wondrous Hope
Beauty That Delights. Beauty That Serves.
Whether it’s chant in a Roman chapel or woodwinds and voices in a church in Arizona, sacred music invites us to step outside ourselves. To find unity in diversity. To create something that delights—and heals—and draws us closer to God and one another.
And that’s my mission and my hope:
That through song, through art, through listening—
we’d become not just better musicians,
but better neighbors.
Better disciples.
Better creators of beauty that serves.
Mission ImPossible
Joni Van Rossum, Director of Worship & Media Arts
4/24/25
Yet Not I, But Through Christ In Me
Your Mission for the Easter Season
Your mission, should you choose to accept it for this Easter Season, is to contemplate and embrace the truth behind the song “Yet Not I, But Through Christ In Me,” which we will be singing throughout the season of Easter at Desert Cross. This song is basically the ultimate reminder that life isn’t about us muscling through on our own—it’s about Jesus working in and through us.
What This Song is About
Imagine trying to complete an impossible mission on your own—dodging life’s obstacles, defusing emotional bombs, and climbing the mountain of daily struggles . . . without backup. Sounds exhausting, right? Well, that’s what life would be if we tried to do it all without Christ.
Fortunately, “Yet Not I, But Through Christ In Me” tells us we don’t have to. Every verse declares that Jesus is the one carrying us, strengthening us, and securing our future. It’s like Paul says in Galatians 2:20:
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”
In other words, Jesus is the ultimate agent in this operation—we just follow His lead.
Why This Song is Perfect for Easter
Easter is the ultimate victory story—the moment when Jesus completed the mission that changed everything. Sin? Defeated. Death? Conquered. Hope? Restored.
When we sing “Yet Not I, But Through Christ In Me” this Easter season, we’re declaring that we don’t have to fight through life solo. The mission has already been won, and now we get to live in the power of Jesus’ resurrection every single day.
Some Food for Thought
Before you go rushing into action, take a moment to reflect:
- Where in your life are you still trying to be the lone agent instead of relying on Christ’s strength?
- How does knowing that Jesus has already won the ultimate victory change the way you face challenges?
- What would it look like to wake up each day and fully embrace the truth: Yet not I, but through Christ in me?
Your Next Mission (And This One’s Not Impossible)
Step 1: Click here to listen to “Yet Not I, But Through Christ In Me”
Step 2: Let the lyrics sink in—this is your mission briefing
Step 3: Join us in singing it at Desert Cross throughout the Easter season
Because if there’s one thing we need to remind ourselves again and again, it’s this: It’s not about me. It’s all about Jesus. And thanks be to God for that.
This message will not self-destruct; my hope is it will stick with you long after Easter. See you in the field.
O Sacred Head, Now Wounded
Denise McClellan, Director of Adult Ministries & Missional Service
4/18/25
When I reached out to Joni Van Rossum, our Director of Worship & Media Arts, for a version of this hymn, he sent me this link. It’s absolutely beautiful. I hope you find it to be a gift on Good Friday.
Your Will be Done
Joni Van Rossum, Director of Worship & Media Arts
3/10/25
As we enter the month of March, we shift our hearts and minds toward the reflective season of Lent. I am excited to introduce “Your Will Be Done,” a worship song with profound lyrics that guide us in daily surrender to God’s plan. The simple, yet compelling chorus, is a recurring prayer: “Father, not my will but Yours be done,” echoing Jesus’ prayerful example in the Garden of Gethsemane. Drawing on Christ’s example, we are reminded of His unwavering love and obedience. Even in Gethsemane, where the weight of true obedience pressed upon Him alone, He chose the Father’s will over His own.
Through each verse, the lyrics progress from Christ’s steadfast faith at the cross—bearing our sins—into His glorious resurrection. We are promised that we, too, will be raised and restored with Him, singing in unity with the saints: “Father, not my will but Yours be done!” The final stanza calls us forward as God’s people, daily led by our Father through every trial and triumph, confident that He will bring us home.
I encourage you to listen to the song and begin learning the melody in these coming days. By familiarizing yourself with its prayerful message, you will be ready to sing from your heart during our Wednesday Night Prayer Services throughout Lent.
May this anthem shape your Lenten journey—offering a daily reminder that our greatest act of worship is surrender. I encourage you to reflect on Christ’s perfect obedience and that you invite the Holy Spirit to stir in you the same faith, trust, and declaration: “Father, not my will but Yours be done!”
Embracing God’s Wisdom
Joni Van Rossum, Director of Worship & Media Arts
2/4/25
Throughout February, our focus is on Wisdom. In a world that often celebrates quick fixes and human insight, Godly wisdom calls us to surrender our limited understanding and trust the Lord who sees the whole picture. This month, we invite you to reflect on true wisdom by learning a powerful new worship song you’ll find linked below.
“Christ Our Wisdom” acknowledges that God’s ways are higher than ours. When we fail to comprehend life’s circumstances—whether joy or sadness—the song reminds us that each moment is under God’s perfect plan. It highlights our need for trust when we feel weary, freedom from anxious thoughts, and clarity to see that He is always in control. In every uncertainty, we can rest in the truth that we are loved and never abandoned. Ultimately, the beauty of the cross becomes our greatest revelation of His wisdom and glory.
By singing, “You are God, and we are not,” we place ourselves in a posture of humility. We learn to rely on God’s sovereignty rather than our own perceptions. As you meditate on these words, consider how the pursuit of wisdom starts and ends with worship of our all-knowing and loving Savior.
I introduced “Christ Our Wisdom” in worship last weekend, so I encourage you to listen and familiarize yourself with this melody. May this song serve as a reminder that true wisdom is found in Christ alone, and may its message guide your heart toward deeper trust in His unfailing ways.
Desert Cross Faith Formation 
Beautiful! Both songs, just beautiful! Thank you! ❤
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Another great Rich Mullins song.
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