However Small

The Sound of Your Voice

The Desires of the Lord

Our Calling–Where Deep Gladness and Deep Hunger Meet

“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”
– Frederick Buechner

I went to a ladies event at church not long ago and this is a quote that was shared that I’ll never forget. God has made each one of us unique. We are each gifted in different ways–and pretty much everyone has likely heard that before. What is often neglected is getting down to the heart of the matter.

We need to ask ourselves, “Who does my heart hurt the most for?” and, “What are good things that I have done for the sake of others that have been most satisfying?” There’s a pretty good chance the answers to these questions are exactly where God is calling you.

Now, it is easy to get ahead of ourselves with this. I’ve had a pretty specific longing to help special needs orphans overseas for around 10 years now. Am I there yet? No. Do I think that means I’m not following Jesus’s calling? No. Why? Because I know He is preparing me for this.

If where we feel we are called just isn’t possible yet, we need to ask ourselves, “How can I apply that very kind of serving right where I’m at today?” Boy has He answered me on this one.

I’ve been very blessed to have had several relatives live with me and my family in their last few months/years, and it has taught me so much. I’ve been able to learn from hearing their experiences and the wisdom they’ve shared over the years, while also getting lots of hands-on experience of caring for their physical needs. I have memories made of each one that I will always remember.

So, I encourage you to find His calling for your life. There’s nothing more satisfying!

Be My Vision, Lord

Be my Vision, Lord!

Not one can separate me from Your love–
It is in You I find hope towards eternity.

Be my Vision, Lord!

I will not be afraid, as You have overcome–
Because of You, death has no hold on me!

Reaching the Surface

Over the last year or two, occasionally in what I call “my quiet time” of reading and writing in my prayer journal, without knowing why, I would picture myself underwater, swimming towards the surface. All I could see above the water was light. Although I didn’t know what exactly to expect, I somehow knew I simply needed to reach the top.

It wasn’t until today that, finally, this made the least bit of sense to me. I thought to myself, “When I reach the surface of the water, what is it that I am breaking through?” My immediate thoughts were something I achieved, goals I finally reached, or finally being where God wanted me to be. But these just didn’t quite seem to fit. Finally, just about the least expected came to mind: Death.

So what was the point in this? What I got from this was that there are things we can’t see, things we won’t understand, and won’t make sense until we are outside the restrictions of a human mind and our earthly bodies.

A lot of times I tend to think there’ll eventually be some sort of drastic change and suddenly everything will make sense. I am slowly realizing by having that mindset, I’m setting my eyes on earthly things instead of Christ and eternity—His light.

So I hope this is as much of an encouragement to you as it has been to me. When we set our eyes on God and the eternal, we will one day break through, as Christ overcame death, and there will be absolutely nothing that can take that away from us!

As You Have Forgiven

Lord, soften our hearts.

Where we’ve been hurt and become bitter,
Help us to heal and let go.

Where we have become set in our ways,
Help us to surrender to Your will. 

Where our thoughts are controlled by fear, pain, and resentment,
Help us to trust, heal and forgive, just as You have forgiven us.

He Will Make A Way

I just realized it’s been awhile since I’ve shared anything of my own personal journey through this crazy thing called life.

As many know, I’ve not had my license or a job for quite awhile due to epilepsy. I’ve been trying to make the best of things by studying in the medical field for a possible job one day. I got connected with a program called Vocational Rehabilitation that helps people with disabilities get a job that is tailored to their capabilities. For me, this has basically been finding a job that doesn’t require physically strenuous activity as this triggers head pain (due to past surgeries). This was challenging at first because my previous work history was in personal care that required being able to lift heavy things/people. 

Through Voc Rehab, I started online classes a few months ago to be a medical assistant and just recently started an internship at a doctor’s office nearby…and I love it! The doctor and staff at the office where I’m working have all been so patient and helpful in teaching me new things every day.

I can definitely say a year ago I had no idea I’d be where I am today. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever been able to predict things a year in advance…who can??

It’s all been a reminder (as usual) of how I need to trust God–no matter what comes next. I can’t control the future. But I can make the most of every day. I can seek His will. I can love Him no matter what. I can reflect Him in my words and actions. Because of Him, I can. And you can too!

If it is His will, He will make a way.

However Small

Lord, wherever You lead me,
There I will go;
The gates that you open,
I will then pass through.

My hands You have made,
And they will not become idle;
The tools You have given—
Yes, they will be put to good use.

The seeds You have planted within me,
However small, will one day bear fruit;
And in Your time, yes, the harvest will come.

Perfect Love

Lord, You have created each of us with a purpose.
You have Your very own desires for our lives,
And have placed us where we are for a reason.

Open our eyes to see Your desires,
And prepare our hearts to receive Your calling.
The struggles we face are not worthless;
Yes, even the trials You allow are for a greater good.

By our weaknesses Your power is seen;
Yes, by our failures Your perfect love is made known.

Who can understand the perfect love of our God?

A Song For All The World To Hear

The Lord is my foundation in the chaos of life;
Through Him I have found peace in the midst of the storm.

He has taken my hardships and made them into something good;
My weaknesses have revealed the strength of the Lord.

What once was useless noise has become a beautiful melody–
Yes, a song to be sung for all the world to hear!

Take My Heart

Oh Lord, take my heart and make it more like Yours!

Peel away the pride and self-centeredness,
The temporary pleasures and desires,
The arrogance and self-decieving thoughts. (How easy it is to be deceived!)

Replace them with humility and selfless love,
Your eternal hope that surpasses understanding,
A willingness to learn–and a willingness to be broken.

For while the desires of my heart are bound to bring harm and only last for a time,
Your desires have a value that stands forever–a value that cannot be taken away!

Forever Stand

Lord, You are my everlasting hope;
Never have You failed me!
Though all else may slip away,
Always You remain firm.
Nothing can take the life that You have given;
Your foundation will forever stand.

Your Gift

Lord, guide my thoughts throughout each day;
May Your voice be heard in the words that I say.
Lead me as I walk in Your unfailing love;
May my actions reveal Your gift from above.

This Coming Year

You alone, oh Lord, know our each and every fear;
You know every step we’ll take within this coming year.

You lead us on the Way You’ve made—
Away from sinking sand.
Your shining light—it will not fade;
Yes, You guide us by Your hand.

Day by day we run this race;
You have borne our every sin.
Earnestly we seek Your face–
Your love that’s from within.

By Your strength we continue on;
In Your love, new hope is found.
By Your might, the battle has been won;
You set our feet on solid ground.

Nothing Can Separate

I have learned it is in the challenges of life that we are either pulled away from our faith or drawn even closer to God. It is so important that we examine ourselves, as in
2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?” When Jesus Christ is truly in us, nothing—like, absolutely nothing– can separate us from Him. But this is a daily choice. We wouldn’t be in a relationship with someone, see them once a week, and call it good. If Jesus Christ is inside us, He should be there to stay, 24/7.

But what does it mean to have Christ inside us?
In Matthew 16, Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” If Jesus himself had lived an easy life on Earth, than I would have a really hard time accepting this. But He didn’t. He lived a life full of surrender, humility, and the most painful of all, sacrifice. This was His example of what real, authentic love looks like, what it means to “take up our cross,” and what it means to find life in Him.
~~~~
I wrote this (above) yesterday morning intending on sharing it, but somehow didn’t get around to it. Then yesterday evening, coincidentally, for the first time in over a year, I had a 10-minute grand mal seizure. And, by God’s grace, I’m still here and living to tell about it. Despite the challenges life brings, I know it’s going to be okay, I know I have an eternal life that cannot be taken away, and I know I have peace and hope in One who has full control. I encourage you to keep your hope in Christ as well, because nothing can snatch that away!

The Sound of Your Voice

You bring peace to the quiet soul;
You give rest to those who seek You above all else.

There’s nothing I’d rather hear than the sound of Your voice;
Yes, You calling me by name!

Instruct my steps and hold me close to Your ways;
Where You lead, there I will go.

Taking in the Rain

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While listening to the sound of the rain pouring outside tonight, it made me think of what an important role plain ol’ water plays in our lives. It’s quite crucial to our existence. The sound of the storm also made me think of the hardships in life, and how they, too, play such an important part in our growth.

Something that we have a tendency to do when we go through the storms of life is to hide, when really, as a plant that is growing, we need to be taking it in. We should be asking ourselves, “Now what can I learn from this?” or “How can this be used to draw me closer to God or closer to those around me?” or even “How can God use this circumstance for the benefit of others?” (‘cuz life just isn’t always about us)

Though it’s not always as easy as it sounds, it truly is amazing how much we can learn just by choosing to accept the storms of life and seeing how going through them only makes us stronger.

Never Failing

Open my ears to Your voice, oh God;
May I hear the sound of Your footsteps as You draw near.

Change my heart by Your love,
And restore my soul by Your Spirit,
For You alone can satisfy.

Hold me close within Your arms,
For it is You who keeps me safe.
When trials come, still I find hope in You;
For You, my God, have never failed me.

His Endless Love

Be still, oh my soul,
And listen to the words of the Awesome One!
His gentle voice, His loving tone, and His patient ear–
The direction of the Lord is like no other.

His light outshines the darkness of this world,
And His countenance reveals the joy that is within Him.
He heals the broken hearted,
And gives rest to the weary;
Yes, it is through Him we find peace.

There is no other who can fulfill the desires He has given,
And not one can match His endless love.
He knows our every need before we ask;
Yes, it is by Him alone we can be satisfied.

You Give Me Peace

Though the earth may shake, You remain firm;
When hope seems lost, still You continue on.

While deceptions come, Your truth cannot be ruled out;
Yes, You are the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.

There is nothing that can separate me from Your love;
When my heart is troubled, You give me peace.

A Found Treasure

Oh Lord, how You have been patient that I may learn!
You have allowed pain that I may grow,
You have held me close that I may know Your ways,
And grafted me in that I may bear fruit for Your glory.

It is by You, oh Lord, that I have been changed,
And by Your blood that my sins have been washed away.

You have made my scars into a work of art,
And given a joy that far surpasses any pain.
From what was broken, You have made something beautiful;
Yes, You have turned what was lost into a found treasure.

All The More Brighter

Through my weaknesses, I find Your strength.
When I am lost, it is You who finds me.
When I am in darkness, Your light shines all the more brighter.
Through tribulations, You hold me near.
Lord, draw me closer to You still.

Be Content

Learn to be content. This is a phrase that has been on my mind for the last several days. I have found it’s so easy to allow my thoughts get carried away in how things would be so much better if I had this one thing, could go to this one place, or could reach this one goal–then I would be content. What I’m beginning to realize is that once I have that thing, there is quickly another “thing.” Another desire that, just maybe, when I have reached it—then I will be content.

It has got me to thinking of the disciples in the New Testament. How they went through just about every trial imaginable and frequently went without what we consider basic necessities–yet they were content. Why? Because their focus was on Christ.

“Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.”
-Philippians 4:11

The reality is, if we aren’t content, then we aren’t focused on Christ. So what does it mean “to be focused on Christ?”

All throughout my life, I’ve had many desires that were “good” per se, but still didn’t work out like I’d have liked. Why? Because they simply weren’t in His will. While God often places desires within us, it is important to remember if something is truly in His will, He will make it possible, and that if it doesn’t come about, then it simply wasn’t His will—or perhaps it just isn’t quite time.

“Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.”
-Psalms 34:10b

When our focus is on Christ, He becomes our desire, our goal, and our way of life. Something important to realize: Nothing and no one can take this away! So, as a result, we can always, I repeat, ALWAYS be content in Him!

“The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.”
-Proverbs 19:23

As You See

Lord, help me to see as You see.
You see when someone is hurting and needs a word of encouragement.
You see when someone needs confronted about something that needs to change in their life.
You see the hungry, the hurting, and the broken.
Help me to see as You see,
And to live according to Your purpose.

He Makes Us Capable

The wisdom of the Lord is like no other;
His understanding far exceeds our own.
He does not grow weary,
And His strength does not leave Him.

Time does not refrain Him,
And conditions do not hold Him back–
He is not limited by what we consider possible.

Far beyond what we can see–
Yes, even beyond what we can imagine–
There is no limit to what our God is capable of;
It is by Him we are made capable to fulfill what He has called us to.

May our God be given the glory for all He has done;
May His mercies be made known to all through us,
And His grace not be withheld.

To Him alone be the honor and praise,
For it is by His love we are given life and a new hope.

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21

Closer Still

Open our eyes to the path You have set,
And prepare our hearts for Your ways.
There is not a need that You haven’t met–
Yes, You planned each one of our days.

Guide us individually, and how we are to function as a whole;
Lead our every step–
May Your will be our goal.

You shape who we are, and have a purpose for each one;
Yet we are to function together–as the Church with Your Son.

May we set Your desires before our own tastes,
And surrender our plans to Your will.
May our every step not be taken in haste,
But draw us even closer to You still.

Clean, Clean, Clean…

Thoughts as I was cleaning today: When we clean, (well, hopefully) we know there are things we can see and things we can’t. We find cleaners that kill as many germs as possible to prevent the spread of any kind of sickness/disease/infection. How often are we really taking the time to “clean up” our lives, spiritually speaking? No matter what we do, there’s always going to be germs, diseases and such around us. (trials, temptations, etc.) But WE HAVE what it takes to disinfect ourselves. We have Jesus. But do we allow Him to work in us? It can be some hard, dirty work, but IT IS WORTH IT. Many times germs are microscopic and go unnoticed but they can have a huge affect on not only ourselves but those around us. Do we wait to wash our laundry till there’s mold growing on it? I should hope not! We have grown so accustomed to being just plain dirty in America. Sure, we can’t change the world, (Try and clean everyone’s house in addition to our own and it’s just not gonna work lol) but we can help prevent the spread of germs by taking care of our own, whatever they may be.

Hold Me Near

Lead me, Lord, in every step;
Walk me in the way You’ve set.

Draw me close to Your side;
I know You always will provide.

Through every trial I need not fear;
For You, oh Lord, hold me near.

Strength Renewed

Lord, You are above all we’ve ever known,
Above what we can ever imagine;
You are far greater than all You have made.

You are more than the human mind can perceive,
More than any individual can comprehend–
Yet You love us.

You created every detail of our being and gave us life by Your own breath;
By our own sin we were bound–
Yet You set us free by Your own death.

It is by Your resurrection we have been given a new hope;
Yes, by Your Spirit our strength has been renewed!

How Great Is Our God

Several years ago, I went to a concert including Chris Tomlin along with several other Christian artists. During one of his most well-known songs, How Great Is Our God, something went wrong with the sound system, and suddenly you couldn’t hear him or any music playing. But the thousands in the audience continued to sing. It was quite beautiful. In an odd sort of way, it was my favorite part of the whole night.

I found the song we were singing at that time quite fitting. There are countless things that we as humans have learned to make, achieve, and conquer, but still—God is sooo much greater! It is SO important that we remember this!

Particularly as we come to challenging points in our life, such as losing a loved one, making mistakes, or just plain stressed out over who knows what, it is amazing how helpful and relieving it can be to take it to Jesus and remember what He is capable of—how great He truly is. When we allow Him to, God is able to not only make things right, but also turn them into something beautiful! Oh, how great is our God!

Unfailing One

Lead me, Lord, through the craziness of life.
In the good times, and in the bad;
Through every big step, and even the small ones.

In every thought and every word,
Through times of success and happiness,
And through times of failure and defeat.

Never have You forsaken me,
For You are forever faithful.
Always You are with me,
For You are the Unfailing One.

Your Purpose

Set my eyes on You, oh Lord,
From where You come, and to where You are going.
Tune my ears to Your voice,
The words You speak, and the wisdom that is from You alone.

By Your Word, I have been given life.
By Your blood, I have been set free.
By Your Spirit, I have been given hope.

It is by Your will that I remain;
By Your purpose I continue forward.
There is not one other who could forever sustain me–
You, oh Lord, are my foundation!

Page By Page

After getting out my journal to write this evening, my mind was in quite another place. While in deep thought, I picked up a random book, and starting from the beginning started to turn the pages one by one.

It was as though it was the story of life–each page was another day, and each chapter was a time of significant change. Some pages were exciting, some not so exciting, and others were downright painful. But what really stuck out to me was the importance of each page–especially ones that didn’t seem at all important at the time they actually occurred.

I was reminded of how much the small things in life matter. What we do on a day-to-day basis is what shapes who we are. How we treat those around us. How we react to whatever life brings. Where we set our minds and hearts. Our deepest thoughts and desires.

As we write our life story, it is quite critical we set our hearts and minds on Christ, His will, and His desires. It is a daily choice, and may seem small at first, but this daily choice affects our life story more than even seems possible!

“Set your mind on things above, not on things on earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” -Colossians 3:2-4

My Source of Strength

Set my eyes on You, oh Lord;
Direct my feet to the way that I should go.
Fill my heart with Your selfless love;
May Your thoughts become my own.

Take away any distractions,
For You are all I need.
Let me not grow weary,
For You are my source of strength.

The Impossible Becomes Possible

The glory of the Lord cannot be contained;
No, it cannot be seen by the human eye.
By His word, what has never been is made;
At His instruction, the unseen is made visible.

At the voice of the Lord, the mountains tremble,
And by His steps, the whole Earth shakes.
It is in His name we have found hope;
By His hand, the impossible becomes possible.

He’ll Take Care of the Rest

While in deep thought of all the chaos in this world and knowing what so many are having to go through, I pleaded to God, saying, “Use me, Lord–please–use me!” Unlike the countless other times I have asked this with a response of silence, I actually got a quick response of, “I already am.” in a sort of don’t-you-see-it kind of way. It hit me hard and quite unexpectedly. I gotta admit, I feel somewhat ashamed.

Several months ago, I had quite a different picture of what the year 2020 had in store, and I’m sure countless others did as well. I’ve been quarantined with my Grandparents for about 8 weeks now, just helping out with basic things like meals, cleaning, meds, dr’s appointments and such. It’s not at all what I had pictured, but obviously God had a different plan.

What it comes down to is God alone knows where we should be, what we should be doing, and when we should be doing it. So, we just gotta keep continuing to seek Him and His will–not our own–and let Him take care of the rest.

My Everything

You are the Rock that I am standing on;
My Foundation that cannot be moved.

You are the Shepherd who finds me,
And the Eagle that watches over me.

You give me hope and a future;
Your Light shines bright–
Yes, even brighter still in the darkest places.

You bring peace amidst every storm;
You, my God, never fail me–
It is in You I place my trust.

Without You, I am nothing,
But in You, I have been made complete;
You, oh Lord, are my everything!

I Have Found Life

In You, oh Lord, I have been forgiven;
By Your blood I have been redeemed.
At the cross my debt was paid;
By Your death, I have been given a new life.

Where would I be, oh Lord, without You?
Where would my soul find rest?
I was lost, but then You found me;
I was weak, but then You restored my strength.

Through You, I continue forward;
You have set before me Your perfect way.
It is in You that I have found purpose;
In You, my Creator, I have found life.

In You

Lord, in You is found peace for the anxious heart,
Rest for the weary soul,
And joy that cannot be shattered.

In You is found hope,
A foundation that will never fail,
And a Light that cannot be put out.

In You is found a cause worth fighting for,
The very reason for our existence,
And a purpose for our being.

In You, oh Lord, our faith will forever stand!

Beautiful Scars

When I am hungry, You feed me;
When I am thirsty, You give me a drink.
When I am lost, You find me;
When I have gone astray, You set my way straight.
When I am anxious, You restore my hope;
When I am afraid, You bring me peace.
When I am broken, You heal me;
Though I have scars, You turn them into something beautiful!

Nothing Can Separate

We fall to our knees before Your throne,
Surrendering our hearts to You who have made us.

You give, and You take away;
We have, and then we have no more.

What is here and then is gone–
What is its value?

You, oh Lord, will always remain;
Nothing can separate us from Your love– there is no greater gift, and it has no end!

What is fear?

Let my heart not be afraid,
Nor my soul be discouraged;
For in You I have found peace–
A joy that goes beyond understanding.

What is fear that it can take hold of me?
Who gives it authority to overcome the freedom which is found in You?

Surely fear has lost its hold;
No longer does it have a place to dwell.
For You alone, oh Lord, shall reign in me;
Within Your truths are a joy that has no end!

My Foundation

The Lord is my foundation;
Always He remains firm.
There is not one who can take His place–
Forever He will stand.

The rains come,
And I am not washed away.
The winds blow,
But still He makes my way steady.

When the enemy surrounds me,
I am lifted up,
For my help comes from the Lord–
Never will He fail me!

He Knows

Oh how perfect is the way of the Lord!

He knows what we do not understand,
He sees what we cannot see.

His wisdom is greater than any human mind can perceive,
His glory beyond what one can grasp.

Where He comes and goes,
Where He finds rest and where He departs–
Can we truly understand?

Yet He knows each and every name.

He knows our every thought and every need–
He knows us better than we know ourselves.

It is in You, oh Lord, our hope is found;
How we seek to know You more!

Redeemed

You see me, You hear me, You know me;
When I’m afraid, it is You who gives me peace.

In You I find rest;
You give me strength.
In You I find a life worth living–
A cause worth fighting for.

I was lost,
But You, oh Lord, have found me.
I was deserving of death,
But by You, I have been redeemed.

What You Have Spoken

May my life be a reflection of You,
And Your light be seen through every part of me.
For where You stand, there I shall forever be–
You cannot be overcome.

May every step I take be on the Way You have made;
Where You lead me, there I will go.
Let every word within me be of Your Truth;
What You have placed within my heart, that I will speak.

No Greater Joy

Time is such a gift. There are so many good things that can be done with it, yet there are even more things that can cause it to be wasted.

These days, many people seem to have more time than they know what to do with. As a result, hours and hours tend to get wasted away in self entertainment. Yes, I said wasted. We were not created to be self entertained.

Now, for many this can be hard to grasp, particularly for ones who have grown up surrounded by self entertainment. Most would say we need some happiness in our life–a joy that kind of keeps us going, gives us a break, something worth living for–and yes, this is true, but where do we find this joy, this feeling of content, rest, purpose, and life worth living? To be sure, it is not in anything made by human hands.

It is in Christ, and in Him alone. If you haven’t found this yet, I strongly urge you to seek Him with all you’ve got…there is nothing more satisfying! And this should by no means be limited to an hour a day thing…this is a 24/7 thing!

I’m slowly learning this doesn’t look the same for everyone. (After all, we can hardly limit what God is capable of!) While I’m sure it can be a challenge at first, you will soon find that there is so much more satisfaction in doing things like visiting your neighbor who you know has no nearby family, sharing words of encouragement or gratitude, looking for ways to help those around you (physically, spiritually, emotionally, etc.)–starting in your own home–than there is in doing something that gives you a temporary kind of selfish pleasure.

Perhaps you are gifted with a hammer–(I am SO not! Haha!!!) then help your dad fix the fence. Mow your neighbor’s lawn. Make some cookies for your sister. Visit a nearby nursing home. Call up a friend you haven’t talked to in forever to see how they’re doing. Think of people who have had a positive impact on your life and thank them for it. If we are truly grateful for what we’ve been blessed with, than we will share it.

In all this, it is quite important we have rest– critical even. Where do we find this rest? Again, with Christ alone. It’s easy to kind of skip over this part. Don’t skip this. This also takes practice and doesn’t look the same for everyone. I personally find playing piano, as though it’s just me and God in the room, to be the most restful. Perhaps for you it is a walk outside every day, a long shower, a quiet time before everyone else is out of bed.

To try and sum it up, you need to truly seek God and His righteousness with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, nothing is more satisfying or can bring a greater joy.

Even The Small Ones

The Lord is my light in every darkness;
He calms every storm that comes my way.

It is in Jesus that I find rest;
As I come close to Him, He draws me nearer still.

He alone knows my past, present, and future;
He carefully places each day before me.

According to His purpose I will forever live;
He guides my every step–even the small ones.

The Answer

For every step,
You make a way.

Amidst every shadow,
You bring light.

Through every heartache,
You are the healer.

Through every trial,
You are our strength.

In every question,
You are the answer.

Where temptation is,
You are the deliverer.

From every chain–
You, oh Lord, give us freedom!

Who Can Compare?

You, oh Lord, are my Protector,
My Shelter in every storm.

You are my Shepherd and You keep watch over me;
There is not one who can take me away from Your hands.

By Your light and staff You guide my way–
By Your own life You have saved me.

Who can compare to the depths of Your love?
Who can give beyond this time You have made?

Greater Than All the Earth

You, oh God, shall reign forever;
Time itself is in Your hand.
In Your Kingdom the battle has already been won;
There is not one who can stand over You!

Your glory extends beyond the highest heavens,
And Your love beyond the deepest seas;
You are far greater than all the Earth.

Even death cannot take hold of You, oh Lord,
For You have broken its chains and brought us to Victory!

The One Who Has Made Me

Be my guide, oh Lord;
Instruct me through the night.
By Your understanding,
Lead me on the way You have set.

May Your desires become my own,
For Your Light dwells within me.
It is by Your direction I find peace,
And it is by Your Spirit my heart is moved.

Shape my life as You created it to be,
For who can better assign than the One who has made me?

Brought to Victory

Though I become lost from Your perfect Way,
Still You set Your Light before me.
You, oh Lord, are my Shepherd,
And You guide me on the narrow road.

I call on Your name and You hear;
Indeed, I seek after You and You lead me.
You, oh God, are my Creator;
Even still, You continue to shape me.

It is by Your strength I still remain;
In Your love, oh Lord, all hope is found.
Through every hardship You are with me;
By Your mighty hand I am brought to victory.

Why I Sing

Lead me, Lord, day by day,
On the road for Your perfect Way.

Hold me close, draw me near,
Away from sin, all doubt and fear.

Guide my feet towards Your will,
By Your Spirit, Lord, please do fill

My heart with why You’ve created me,
To worship You, to forever be

A servant of the Everlasting King;
For You, oh Lord, are why I sing!

A Time, Place, and Season

Despite our mistakes still we run towards You,
On this race, oh Lord, which You have called us to.

You give us life with a purpose,
And shape us as You see fit.
Who can surpass Your will–
How You have intricately made it?

Who can truly grasp Your every understanding?
To all You have given a time, place and season.
All life You have made with a purpose–
Though not one can perceive Your every reason.

You see beyond our past and future;
You are the Beginning and the End.
You are our Shepherd and our Father,
Forever our King, Savior and Friend.

By You

By Your Name, the sick are healed,
The very least are made great,
And the weak ones You have lifted up as leaders.

By Your mercy, those who are bound are set free.
You were pierced for our transgressions–
It is by Your blood You bore our shame.

By Your grace, we are given a new life.
Where we are deserving of death,
You have blessed us with every spiritual blessing.

By Your love, we are given a new hope that no other can satisfy;
You alone can fulfill are heart’s desire.

Not One Like You

You, oh Lord, are my foundation.
I will not be taken from You,
For You cannot be moved.

The kings of this world do not reign forever,
And the earth itself will come to it’s end,
But You, the Creator, will forever stand.

You see what was, what is, and what is to come.
You have been, You are, and forever will be–
There is not one like You!

At Your Kingdom

You, oh Lord, are my Master,
The One who created me with a purpose.
You gave me life that I might fulfill Your calling.

I long to follow You and Your ways–
To be a living sacrifice.
You, oh God, are my heart’s desire!

It is by Your Spirit my strength is renewed every morning;
The enemy cannot take hold of me,
For it is You who surrounds me.

At Your feet I will ever praise You,
For Your Kingdom shall not pass away–
Where there is no darkness and evil has no place to rest–
There I will forever be!

Already Won

Earnestly we seek You,
Longing to do Your will–not our own.

Troubles come, but we know You are on our side.

You have not forgotten us nor forsaken us;
You, oh God, are faithful.

We need not be afraid–who can prevail against us?

You stand before us in victory,
For the battle has already been won!

My Redeemer

Lord, You are my foundation;
The Rock that I am standing on.

It is You that holds me upright;
You bring peace to my soul.

I was enchained, but You have set me free.
I was broken, but You have restored me.

Who am I, that by Your blood You have purified my soul?
Who am I, that You have shown me grace?

You, oh Lord, are my Redeemer!

You Reign Over All

You are my Lord, oh God Almighty!

You reign over all that is seen and unseen,
What is dark and what is light,
What is good and what is evil.

There is not one who stands over You,
Not one can overpower You;
No, not one can hold You back!

Who can compare to Your matchless love?
Who can extend beyond Your mercy?
Who can exceed Your endless grace?

There is not one greater than You, oh Lord my God!

You Know My Name

Who can stand over You, oh Lord?
Who can overpower Your throne?

You, oh God, are Lord over all.
Yet by Your suffering You have given me hope;
By Your blood You have given me new life.

What is this grace You have shown me?
Beside You, I am as a speck that is here and then gone,
Yet You know my name!

I Will Remain

I am no longer lost,
for You have found me.
I am no longer in chains,
for You have set me free.

Never will I thirst,
for You have planted me by the water.
I will not fall,
because You have restored my strength.

I will not fear,
for You are my God.
With You as my Cornerstone,
I will remain.

God’s Grace

Today has been one of those days of just feeling incredibly weak. As I picked up my journal and Bible for my “quiet time,” a picture came to mind of a young girl. One who was noticeably malnourished with a look of fear, hunger, and defeat.

Then there was a King. She bowed down before Him, afraid to look into His face. He then stepped down from His throne. He gave her food and water, restoring her strength. He clothed her with armor and placed a sword in her hand. He lifted her chin, looked her in the eyes and restored her hope. All He did was purely grace. With relentless love He gave.

I then realized I was that girl. Humbling yet reassuring. God is my King who gives me hope. He knows when I am hungry and gives me food. He knows when I’m thirsty and He gives me a drink. He knows when I’m weak and restores my strength. He gives me hope. With His relentless love He shows His grace. It’s SO easy to take these things for granted!

Worthy of Praise

Make my heart right before You, oh God,
Make my heart right!

If all that is seen by the human eye is beautiful but the inside is filthy,
Of what value is it’s beauty?

Surely it’d be better for the filthiness to be exposed,
So that I, in humility, may be made holy.

Purify my soul and all that is within me,
That Your Name may be proclaimed to those who have not heard or understood it.

May You, oh Lord, be praised in every city and on every mountain top;
You alone are worthy to be praised!

Your Perfect Will

Who has the eyes to see as You see,
Or the wisdom by which You understand?

Time is in Your hands and eternity at Your feet;
Nothing can contain You.

You know our hearts beyond what we can comprehend;
You alone can cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

You know our every thought;
You renew our minds so that we may know Your perfect will.

You Alone

You alone know the perfect Way.
You perceive what is good and right,
What is just and what is holy.

In Your foundation is set a house that will stand;
No wind or storm can cause its walls to fall.

Your Way is narrow, but straight;
There are valleys, but Your Light shines even in the darkest nights.

Your presence never fails–
Always You are with us.
Your throne is high above all the earth:
You reign from everlasting to everlasting.

Who can break the chains of death?
Who is worthy to offer forgiveness and make us holy?

You alone, oh Lord!

Sand to Glass

This photo is of sand magnified about 300x. I find it quite fascinating. Making glass from sand makes a whole lot more sense to me now!

It made me think of how God can make us into something that seems next to impossible from our perspective, but He knows what we’re made of and how we can reach our full potential!

The One Who Has Found Me

I seek You through the darkest nights and You give me rest;
When I become anxious You bring peace to my soul.

When I can no longer stand,
You restore my strength;
Though trial surrounds me,
You hold me upright.

You guide me by day and instruct me through the night;
By Your Spirit You give me strength,
And by Your Word You continue to guide me.

I was lost, but still You sought after me;
All glory to Your name, oh Lord, the One who has found me!

My Shelter

You make my heart new every morning,
Renewing my strength;
By hope that is found in You alone I continue forward.

You are my Shelter in every storm and my Shepherd when I have gone astray;
You find me and carry me to where I belong.

You have set Your way ahead of me;
It is in Your steps I long to follow all the days of my life.

Be Our God

Be our God, and we will be Your people.
Be our Father, and we will be Your sons and daughters.
Be our King, and we will be Your servants.
Reign over us Lord, that we, Your sheep, may follow You.

No Greater Satisfaction

You give a joy that cannot be snatched away.
Surely, nothing can take the place of Your love–
There is no greater satisfaction!

You light a fire within that cannot be put out;
Yes, Your Light overcomes every darkness!

Your hope never fades;
You renew our strength every morning.

Thirst No More

Lead my every step, oh God.
Daily I long to walk in Your ways;
You light the way ahead of me so I do not dwell in darkness.

Take every part of me–
Be my Master, that I may serve You all the days of my life.
I was lost, but You have found me.
I was thirsty, but I will thirst no more.

How can I ever praise You enough?
Surely, I cannot…
Your Name is great;
Day and night You are worthy to be praised!

Where Would I Be?

Lord, do not let me be afraid.
You make me strong despite my weaknesses;
You sustain me through every trial.

Have You yet to fail me?

There is more than I can carry, but still I stand.
Because of You, there is not more than I can bear;
The weight is lifted, and You give me rest.

Where would I be without You, oh God?

Truly Blessed

Be my Guide, Lord;
The center of my thoughts and actions.
Who can better lead than the One who knows the Beginning and End?

You made my very being—
Knowing me better than I know myself.
You know my very purpose;
You have created me and called me by name.

You supply my every need,
Giving me strength when I am weak and hope when all seems hopeless.
There is not one more faithful than You, my God,
Not one more trustworthy.

I fall, and still You pick me up.
I doubt, and still You remain faithful.
I wander, and You make my way straight.
I become broken, and You piece me back together again.

How can I ever be deserving? Surely, I cannot.
Yet still Your mercies are new every morning.
By Your endless love and grace I am truly blessed.

Made Free

Lead me, Lord, in the way I should go, and I will walk in it.
In every trial and hardship, Your strength will sustain me.

It is by Your grace that I have found life,
By Your mercy that I have been made free.

Be My Love

Be my Love, oh Lord;
All of me is Yours.
Guide my every step;
By Your Spirit my strength is renewed.

Lead my life, oh Lord;
May every part of my being be in constant surrender to You–
Not living for my selfish desires, but for Your perfect will.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Do not be confirmed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” – Romans 12:2

God Knows Best

I feel like I’m learning, slowly but surely, as I ask God daily to guide me that it’s not gonna be a one-day breakthrough where I suddenly have things all figured out. Looking back, the more I realize just how silly it is that I’ve ever thought that!

No matter where we’re at in life, there won’t be a single day that we will know exactly what will happen, what God wants us to do, what the response will be, how we should react, etc. We simply will never have all the answers. But God will.

So I guess what I’m getting at is no matter what your struggles, decisions, confusion, situation—whatever—God is the answer. It comes down to 2 things:

1. Seeking Him.
2. Trusting Him.

This is certainly not always easy (I’m particularly challenged on trusting as I tend to be rather self-reliant) but it is definitely healthy. I have found when I get to a more “comfortable” lifestyle things go downhill fast. I simply don’t know what is best…but God does.

Something Beautiful

Oh Lord,
Your light shines all the more in our darkest days.
Your glory is better seen by our humility;
It is our desire that Your strength be manifested by our weaknesses.
How we yearn for Your craftmanship to be seen by our broken pieces being shaped into something beautiful!

He Holds Me

Though the ground moves,
The Lord stands firm.

The whole earth may shake,
But He cannot be moved.

He is the Rock that I am standing on;
I walk with Him and He holds me steady.

Forgiven

Oh Lord, what mercy and grace You have shown me!

Where I have stumbled, You have held me up;
Where I have gone to the left or the right, You have made my way straight.

Out of love, You have corrected me;
By Your mercy, I have been made clean.

Where would I be without You, my God?
It is by Your blood alone that I have been forgiven!

In His Presence

Open my eyes, that I may see Your glory.

Touch my lips, that I may taste and see that You are good.

Open my ears, that I may hear Your voice.

Overwhelm my spirit, that I may know You are within me.

Make me weak, that Your strength will be magnified.

Soften my heart, that I may become more like You.

God Alone

You are the Rock that I am standing on,
The Foundation of my heart’s desires.

You are the Strength that prevails through every tumult,
The Fire that burns through every storm.

Who can stand against the Creator of Life?
Time and Eternity are in the hands of God alone.

Above The Human Mind

How can one possibly understand all You have done and Your every desire?
Not one human being has the mind of You, oh God!
It is simply not possible.

How can a creation understand its Creator?
You are far above what the human mind can grasp.

You are beyond what the human eye can see, the touch of a finger can sense, and the hearing of an ear can understand.

You are greater than even the wise can comprehend…how great You are, oh Lord!

Your Thoughts My Thoughts

May Your dreams become my dreams,
And Your thoughts my thoughts.
May Your desire become the craving of my very soul,
And my life reflect the glory of Your name–
Yet who can understand it?

You Never Fail Me

You give me strength to function despite my weaknesses.

You make Your desires possible despite my failures.

You keep me focused on You despite all other distractions.

You cause my faith to grow despite my doubts.

You are my Victory in every battle, my Healer in every brokenness, and my Redeemer in every failure.

You are my God who never fails me!

Victory In Every Challenge

No matter how poor on this earth we may be, we can always be rich in Christ.
No matter how physically weak, we can be made spiritually strong.
No matter how physically hungry, we can become filled by the spiritual food that comes from God alone–a satisfaction only He can bring.

No matter the physical suffering, we can have a joy from Christ alone that not one on this earth can snatch away.
The Lord alone can bring us comfort in any distress,
Strength in every weakness,
Victory in every challenge–
An eternal hope that not one can cut short!

Eternal Joy (and surgery update!!!)

Direct my vision, Lord;
You know what I need to see and what I do not need to see.
Open my ears to words of truth,
That they may be carefully taken to heart.
Guide my every step so that I walk steadfastly in all Your ways,
Not of worldly pleasure that fades away,
But with an eternal joy that is only found in You.

Epilepsy surgery update:
So, sorry to all I’ve been quite behind on things as of late. After months of waiting in quite anticipation, I finally had my 6th, and what we greatly hope to be last, brain surgery. (July 3rd, last week) It went quite well, and was by far the least painful surgery I’ve ever had. (Laser ablation, removal of my left hippocampus) So far I’m doing quite well, no seizures, and hope to start physical therapy soon to get more in shape in addition to slowly decreasing all the medications I’ve been on for years now. (Which have done well at decreasing seizures for the most part, but have required max doses and have had lots of side effects…especially excited to stop them!) I am quite excited. Thanks all for your prayers…I’m quite excited to see where God will be leading me in the years ahead! 🙂

Your Blood and Righteousness

Guide my heart and mind, oh Lord,
My thoughts that turn into actions,
And my attitude that affects the fruit of my work.
May they all be built on nothing less than Your blood and righteousness.

A Blessing

To each of us a blessing is given,
As we also are called to be a blessing;
Not kept within ourselves,
But shared in love as Christ manifested His love toward us by His death–
Yes, even to this we are called.

From this, a new life springs forth that is an eternal hope–
A blessing that does not fade away.

A More Excellent Way

Let me not hold back any gift that You have given, but follow,
As You have called us to administer our gifts in a way that is honorable to You.

You have blessed us, and as we share, You bless us all the more.
We become satisfied with little,
But behold, You have a more excellent way!

Loving Sacrifice

What is given by the Lord is not to be taken by the hand of the enemy;
Neither are His blessings for our own happiness–
No, but for the joy of giving.

Our gifts, time, possessions, and opportunities are not to be withheld;
Rather, given as a loving sacrifice as Christ also gave for us.

So Much Greater

Oh Lord, that I not only have hope,
But remain confident.
I see possibilities,
But what You see is so much greater!

What is seen in the spiritual realm cannot be seen by what stands on Earth alone;
The mysteries of all Your works cannot be fully understood.

What is made by the human hand becomes diminished,
But the work of Your own hands cannot be stopped.

True Life

Guide us in the studying of Your Word.
Not just for knowledge, but understanding.
Not understanding alone, but for living.
Not only for living, but also taken to heart.
Breathe Your Word into our spirits so that we may follow Your ways.

Cleanse our hearts from what is evil and selfish,
Bringing us to true life with what is good and honorable to You.

Beginning and End Alone

You bring good from every challenge;
Growth comes through every pain.

Does suffering come without reason?
Is every reason made known to all?

In the restrictions of time all cause is not found;
The Beginning and End alone can fully understand.

The Mysteries Therein

Above all else, You are my desire.
You are the reason for my being,
The passion of my very soul.

I seek You in earnest–
What greater treasure is there to be found than You, Creator of life and time, and all the mysteries therein?

I Accept His Purpose

Lord, use my every moment.
Take my hands and set them to the task for which they were made.

Were my hands meant to be idle?
Was I intricately designed to be lazy?
Surely not.

As I accept this gift of life from the Lord,
I accept His purpose.
How can they be separated?

Every Hour Has Meaning

Time–a value that can be had or wasted away,
Taken to its greatest advantage or allowed to slip by.

Every hour has a meaning of its own,
A purpose that varies from one hour to the next.

It can be spent to build one another up,
Or falsely accuse.

To humbly show grace,
Or stand proud only to fall on our faces.

To lovingly forgive,
Or be resentful.

A life of sacrifice–
Time can have no greater meaning than this.

One who surrenders all is truly blessed;
Those who live selfishly will never be satisfied.

One Step At A Time

There are so many things I hope to do one day–and they’re good things–but too often I think of it as one day -voila- there I’ll be! Well, realistically, I don’t think that’s quite how God works.

For years now, I have felt led to just plain help people. Especially those with special needs, to the point that I’d like to one day go overseas and help longterm. It has only been in the last 2 months that it ever crossed my mind to just start with one. (I tend to learn things the hard way) I came across a ministry called Compassion where you can support a child while also getting to know them by writing. It’s not like volunteering at an orphanage, but it’s a start. (Compassion.com, if you’re interested)

If we just open our eyes, He will put people right in front of us who need His love and compassion. Family members, neighbors, coworkers, elderly who never have visitors at the nursing home nearby, etc.

I feel like it’s something we all need to work on:

Starting where we’re at and moving forward…one step at a time.

I’m still learning, and if one day I do make it overseas, I’ll still be learning then too.

I want to remind everyone that we don’t just jump from point A to point B. We have to take it one step at a time. I urge you–find a way to serve in your community–there is nothing more rewarding! (Who knows where God will take you next!)