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“God Reigns in the Storm” and Interview with Vikki Cook

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Thad gave me the Before theThrone CD for my birthday in September, and it immediately became a favorite in our whole family, for good reason.  The music is uplifting, and the lyrics are rich with inspiration.  Steve and Vikki Cook spent many fruitful years in Maryland producing music for PDI, which became Sovereign Grace Music.  Since their music has been produced by Integrity Music, Word, and Sovereign Grace, most of you have sung at least one of their many worship songs at church.  “I Will Glory in My Redeemer” is one that comes quickly to mind.  Last year, the Cooks relocated to the Orlando, Florida, where they now attend Metro Life Church.  It has been a joy to become acquainted with them, and get to hear them make music at church! 

I've also been blessed to hear Vikki share with us Metro Life ladies about developing a heart of worship in devotional times. She reminded us from Zephaniah 3:17 that God rejoices over us with singing, and commented that reading old hymnals and theology books for worship inspiration is "like picking jewels out of the sky every morning"!  Her music is full of gems, to be sure!

One song on Before the Throne has particularly ministered to me, as I am freshly aware of God’s sovereign mercy in the midst of my own storms of life.  My children have heard me sing it so many times around the house that they can sing it, too!

“God Reigns in the Storm”

by Steve and Vikki Cook

from Before the Throne CD

There’s a tempest that can flood the soul

When troubles pound like crashing waves

In these afflictions I have realized

There’s a place that I can hide

I know that God has promised me his strength

And His Word can never fail

He is faithful, O so faithful

There are Sovereign Hands

Holding all my days

Yes, I know God reigns in the storms

Every trial and pain

Wisdom has ordained

Yes, I know God reigns in the storm

There’s a midnight that can fill the soul

When the darkness knows no end

And though it feels like I am all alone

There’s a truth that gives me hope

I know the One who counted all my tears

And He is nearer than my breath

He is with me, always with me

There are Sovereign Hands

Holding all my days

Yes, I know God reigns in the storms

Every trial and pain

Wisdom has ordained

Yes, I know God reigns in the storm

There’s so many things that I don’t understand

But I know His every plan for me is good.

So good.

I would highly recommend Before the Throne as a Christmas present for anyone who appreciates heartfelt praise and worship music.  Find out more (including samples and lyrics) at: http://www.beforethethronemusic.com/

Steve also produced the Worship God Live CD, which was released last year by Sovereign Grace (http://www.sovereigngraceministries.com/music/projects/worshiplive/)   I especially enjoy the Cooks’ rollicking song, “Count It All Joy.”  My other favorite on this CD is Bob Kauflin’s remake of William Cowper’s hymn “God Moves in a Mysterious Way” which includes these lines: “O fearful saints new courage take / The clouds that you now dread / Are big with mercy and will break / In blessings on your head.”  You can read about William Cowper (who often suffered the storms of depression) and the original hymn here: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/g/m/gmovesmw.htm or click on the above CD link to hear a sample of the updated version.

And now, as a special treat, an interview with Vikki Cook:

First of all, please tell us about your family.

Stephen and I have been married for 26 grace-filled years.  How fast it has flown!  Everyone tells you the years go by quickly, but I never imagined just how fast!  We have two daughters.  Stephanie, our oldest, is finishing up her 2nd year of college as an Anthropology major.  Suzanna is in her Senior year of high school.  This is my last year to homeschool... I'm still feeling a little sad about this, but I'm grateful for all of the time I've had with my girls at home.  What a privilege it has been!

How did you both get into the music business?  Where has that taken you in life? 

Stephen and I were always involved musically as kids in school.  I was in choirs and choruses, and Steve was in choir and band. (he played the trumpet)  I met Stephen in college, Oral Roberts University, where he had just switched his major from the Trumpet, to Communications.  I was a Vocal Performance major.  We both started writing songs in college before we knew each other.  When we got married, we kept writing, but together.  We served on the worship team at church.  For several years we had a band in the Northern California area where we did outreach concerts.  When we became members of what is now Chesapeake Community Church, (our Sovereign Grace church in Joppa, MD) we be came acquainted with the worship songs of Mark Altrogge and loved what we heard.  God had been pulling on our hearts that a change of direction was going to be happening for us.  We believed that God wanted us to start writing worship songs for the church.  In 1986, Stephen and I relocated to Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, MD, where we continued to write and serve the church with music.  Stephen was working for People of Destiny, which became "PDI" and later Sovereign Grace Ministries.  He worked for the ministry or Covenant Life Church for almost 20 years, until we came to serve with Metro Life Church and our Florida Sovereign Grace churches last year.

What keeps each of you busy now? 

Stephen and I have started a music publishing business since coming to Florida.  We are seeking to compliment what Sovereign Grace Music is doing in serving churches with God-glorifying, Christ-centered music.  Our business is called UG Music Group. (Underground Grace...) The business has two arms, one for congregational worship songs called, "Before the Throne Music," and "UGG Records", which is representing the younger bands coming up in our churches.  "UGG Records" just released a project by the band in our Pasadena, CA, church called "West Coast Revival."  Steve and I also recently released our "Before the Throne" project on our "Before the Throne Music" label.  Both are available online at either www.beforethethronemusic.com or www.uggrecords.com   Besides running the business, Stephen and I are busy serving church worship teams, training and developing skills helpful for serving in their local church.  We are currently staff songwriters for "Integrity Music" and besides writing songs, we also help out teaching at their annual songwriter's retreat.  I am a vocal teacher as well.  I love teaching God's children how to sing!  Anyone interested can contact me at Icanhelpyousing@aol.com

Tell us the reason you wrote "God Reigns In The Storm" and how you collaborated with the author, Elyse Fitzpatrick, and her book A Steadfast Heart.

It was actually Elyse's idea.  She is a good friend and is part of our San Diego, CA, Sovereign Grace Church.  She thought it would be a great idea to have a song on a CD in the back of her book that encapsulated what the book was saying.  Elyse was describing her book to us, based on Psalm 57, as a book about learning to hold onto God in the midst of suffering.  She said, "You know...God...in the storm."  I was immediately impressed with the idea.  I started running with the idea of "God Reigns in the Storm" and shared with Stephen all of my thoughts.  We worked on the song for about two months, and when we presented it to Elyse, she loved it!  When I'm having a difficult day, I pull out this song and just start "preaching the truth" to myself...and my heart melts, and I am reminded again that "all things work for the good, for those who love God and are called according to His purpose."  We do not walk alone in this life...thank the Lord!!!

Virginia’s note: You can find Elyse’s book at:

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=527477&netp_id=440710&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW

Vikki, what encouragement do you have for the other home school moms who may be struggling in the "storms of life"? 

There's just no two ways about it, home schooling is hard!  You are not just dealing with trying to teach those children who are depending on you, you are dealing with their sin against you, and against each other...as well as a hefty dose of your own sinful heart, all mixed together!  No wonder it's so hard!  But let me say, as a mom who is near the end of her home schooling years...I would do it again "in a heart beat!"  I can't say that I was the "perfect" home schooling mom.  I made many mistakes.  I gave into my sinful heart way too many times.  I got impatient with my girls when they "just didn’t get it" even after I spent hours teaching on the required subject.  I felt like giving up sometimes.  Thank God that I didn't, because I would have missed so much fruit in my life and my girls' lives!  When you are in the midst of endless teaching, grading, correcting (papers...and attitudes!), planning, dealing with sin, etc., it is so hard to see the day when you envision yourself saying, "Ah yes, it's been worth it all!"  ...but it is.  There is a harvest of righteousness, peace, and joy that will be evident in our children's lives as a result of all of those hours devoted to home schooling and character training.  I can see it in my girls' lives.  It makes me so grateful for the grace of God in our lives that allowed me to keep our girls at home.  Yep, home schooling was hard!  But it was absolutely worth it!!!! 

"Even if I turn out to be wrong, I shall bet my life on the assumption that this world is not idiotic, neither run by an absentee landlord, but that today, this very day, some stroke is being added to the cosmic canvas that in due course I shall understand with joy as a stroke made by the Architect who calls himself Alpha and Omega." -Kilby