Praise God it's finished! is my latest collection of original songs, seeking to minister to those suffering from abortion. I myself was one such, and the story of how I learned to receive the forgiveness offered through faith in the only One who saves us by his mercy and compassion, is at the center of my journey with the Lord. (Please read Accepting the Gift & The Spirit of the Rejected Child.)

Seven of the nine songs on Clean Skirts are my original compositions. Additionally, I am so pleased to have my husband's song, "Dance, Little Angel" on the recording. It speaks in a father's voice of the love and longing for our departed children. Also I have included a rendition of "Wondrous Love", a song I deeply treasure.

I had a dream one night that Jesus was giving me a new skirt. I prayed and asked the Lord what the dream meant. The Holy Spirit seemed to gently prompt me to take up my daily reading, and I would find an answer. My reading for that day was the first chapter of Lamentations, which speaks of the filthiness of Jerusalem as though she were a woman who has made herself a whore by allowing pagan worship to defile her sanctuary. Jeremiah writes, "Her uncleanness was in her skirts."

From this I came to understand that Jesus was removing my uncleanness, the impurity and sexual immorality, the self-will and pride that were all woven into the abortion experience. My association with pagan child sacrifice as old as Molech, which still reigns in this world in the form of abortion, was being cleansed from me. I was given a new skirt, a clean skirt in place of the filthy skirt I dwelt in before I knew that I was filthy, before I knew the saving power of Yeshua.

May all who are in need of clean skirts turn from their ways and receive the forgiveness that is freely offered through Yeshua.

Clean Skirts is dedicated to my beloved daughter Raechel, who gave life a chance when she found herself in the same position I was in at her age, and thereby gave me the precious gift of grandmotherhood. Life prevails in little Naomi!

Want a copy of Clean Skirts? Just email me and I'll send you one.

CREDITS

ABIDE IN MY LOVE
YOU FILL US TO OVERFLOWING
OYE, SHEMA, HEAR (*listen)
WONDROUS LOVE (*listen)
HEART OF THE LAMB / HARP MELODY
DANCE, LITTLE ANGEL (*listen)
YOU FORGAVE
MAY ALL I DO
INEXPRESSIBLE, INDESCRIBABLE

Abide in My Love, as I live in the Father.
Abide in My Love, and you never will wither.
Abide in My Love, in a vineyard above all others.
Come inside, I want you to Abide in My Love.

Abide in Me, as I abide you. /x3
Come inside, I want you to abide in My Love.

Abide in My Love, as My words abide in you.
Abide in My Love, so My joy lives inside of you.
Abide in My Love, Father be glorified by you.
Come inside, I want you to abide in My Love.

YOU FILL US TO OVERFLOWING (John 4:14, Ezekiel 34:26, James 1:17, Revelation 22:17)
As a husband serves water to his thirsty wife,
You fill us to overflowing, fill us to overflowing.
Water springing up into everlasting life.
You fill us to overflowing, fill us to overflowing.

CHORUS:
Water of Life, offered for free,
You fill us to overflowing.
Let me be a cup for your glory,
You fill us to overflowing. / x2

While we give voice to all our hearts’ confessings.
You fill us to overflowing, fill us to overflowing.
We lift our hands to receive your showers of blessings.
You fill us to overflowing, fill us to overflowing.

Every perfect and good gift comes from above.
You fill us to overflowing, fill us to overflowing.
The most perfect gift of all is your love.
You fill us to overflowing, fill us to overflowing.

OYE, SHEMA, HEAR (Lamentations 1:9) (listen)
Is it you? Felt the knocking at your heart, the tugging at your spirit?
Is it you? Knew a treasure had been lost, and you never could retrieve it?
Is it you? Made a box without a key, just a place to store your grief in?
And you just could not believe you could ever be forgiven?

Oye, shema, hear, oh bride, and be purified.

Is it you? Are you ready to put aside your unclean garments?
Is it you? Are you ready to put on the clean skirts you are offered at this moment?
Is it you? Are you ready to receive this complete package of forgiveness?
"Cause your ears can hear the truth now, your eyes can finally see Jesus?

Oye, shema, hear, oh bride, and be purified.

Oh, the joy of His forgiveness.
That there's nothing we have done,
That can ever make Him cease to love us,
'Cause He laid down His life for everyone.

Oye, shema, hear, oh bride, and be purified.
Oh, the joy, oh the joy.

WONDROUS LOVE (listen)
What wondrous love is this, oh my soul, oh my soul?
What wondrous love is this, oh my soul?
What wondrous love is this, that caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul?
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul?

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down.
When I was sinking down, sinking down.
When I was sinking down beneath God's righteous frown,
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul, for my soul.
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul.

To God and to his lamb I will sing, I will sing.
To God and to his lamb I will sing.
To God and to the lamb, unto the great I Am,
While millions join the theme, I'll sing on, I'll sing on.
While millions join the theme, I'll sing on.

HEART OF THE LAMB / HARP MELODY For Peggy Sterling, who found comfort in the lap of the Lamb
There’s a wee little one up in the garden, calls me her mother.
There’s a wee little one, up in the green,
Says I’m her only one.
There’s a wee little one, up on the meadow,
Lifts her pretty head when she hears me,
And she can’t wait to show me all the petals that her tiny hands can hold.

Wise, so wise, beyond her years,
Tuned to my turning heart she hears
The sabbath at the end of all my tears.

And she won’t grow too big 'til I’m there to share it,
That’s how much I mean to her. And she
plays in the waters of the Rivers of Mercy,
I'm going to meet her there.
And she holds not against me the wrong I have done her,
Wretched though I surely was.
Oh, she loves and forgives with the heart of the Lamb.
It is easy to love and forgive from the lap of the Lamb.

There are so many wee ones singing together, near to the fountain.
Untold numbers of wee ones, safe from all harm,
Playing in the flowers there.
And though some of their heart beats have been forgotten,
in this dull and thoughtless world,
they can hold hands with Jesus every morning, sheltered in His heavenly fold.

Wise, so wise, beyond their years,
Tuned to our turning hearts they hear
The sabbath at the end of all our tears.

And I won’t grow too big 'til you’re there to share it,
That’s how much you mean to me. And I'll
play in the waters of the Rivers of Mercy,
I'm going to meet you there.
And you hold not against me the wrong I have done you,
Wretched though I surely was,
Oh, you love and forgive with the heart of the Lamb.
It is easy to love and forgive from the lap of the Lamb.

With the heart of the Lamb, with the heart of the Lamb.

DANCE, LITTLE ANGEL (listen)
Dance with me, little angel, sent down from heaven above.
Dance with me, little angel. You're the one I've been dreaming of.

I know you're somewhere out there. I can feel you move.
I made a special place for you here in my dancing room.
So dance, little angel, dance.

I wrote this song for you. I hope it's in your favorite key.
Rhythms are meant to move you, moods to put you in a reverie.
And if it ain't right I can change it. I'll make it fit you to a tee.
So dance with me, little angel. Dance, little angel, dance.

I know you're somewhere out there. I can feel you move.
I made a special place for you here in my dancing room.
So dance, little angel, dance.

YOU FORGAVE (Luke 7:37-50, Matthew 26:12, Mark 14:8)
And I who had the greater debt forgiven love you more,
Than one forgiven little; that is why I come and pour,
The best of all my oils from an alabaster jar,
Upon Your head, upon Your feet, to honor who You are.

How can an empty vessel, that’s discarded, cracked and dried,
Be filled with an unending wealth of precious oil inside?
I came to you an empty one, and you reached out to save.
I offered overflowing oil and tears and you forgave.

You forgave. You forgave. You forgave. You forgave.

“You let this woman touch you - don’t you know her filthy way?
She's a woman of the city, no better than a stray.”
Jesus answered, “She has come against the day that I must die,
anoints my head unceasing, and her faith I won’t deny.”

How can an empty vessel...

MAY ALL I DO Let it be remembered that Naomi was suckling at Raechel’s breast while Raechel was recording her vocals on this song.
As the prophets pointed forward to the cross, to the cross,
And apostles pointed back, just to the cross, to the cross,
May my life be like an arrow with no object of its own,
But to aim toward my savior, that all eyes may see His throne.

May all I say be showing the way. May
Every story point to Your glory. May
All I am be lifting the Lamb. May
All I do be leaning to You. May
All I do be leading to You.

As we owe our dear redemption to the cross, to the cross,
As we’d wander blind & lost but for the cross, for the cross,
May our steps be so illumined by salvation’s beacon bright
That whoever looks upon us only sees our master’s light.

May all I say...

INEXPRESSIBLE, INDESCRIBABLE (Isaiah 61:10, 1:18, Hosea 2, 1 Peter 1:8, Psalm 45:10-11)
I could not have hurt you more, my bridegroom, my Lord,
Than when I placed another love before you.
But after long unfaithful days, I see the error of my ways.
Lord, take me as your bride, let me adore you.

Prepare me for the wedding, ‘cause my sins are like scarlet.
Wash me til my clothes are white as wool.
Clothe me and cover me with the robe of salvation.
Covered in your glory I am full, full, full, full, full.

inexpressible glory, indescribably full. Amen.

Consider and give ear; Listen, O daughter.
Forget your people and the house of your father.
The King is enthralled by your beauty;
Honor Him for He is your Lord, don’t you see?

Prepare me for the wedding, ‘cause my sins are like scarlet.
Wash me til my clothes are white as wool.
Clothe me and cover me with the robe of salvation.
Covered in your glory I am full, full, full, full, full.

inexpressible glory, indescribably full. Amen.

CREDITS
Michelle Shelfer: Vocals, all instruments except on "Dance, Little Angel", & harp on "Heart of the Lamb"
Jerry Shelfer: Vocals, guitar & percussion on "Dance, Little Angel"
Geralyn Hampton: Harp
Background Voices: Amanda Addleman, Geri Cannon, Geralyn Hampton, Raechel Titus & Michelle
Special Guest Appearance: Naomi Michelle Titus on vocals
Recorded by John Bowman at Bowman Sound john@bowmannet.net
Art, Design : Michelle
Photography: Raechel Titus