Wednesday, May 30, 2012

From a singing heart!

It is officially summer break and even though I have a to-do list a mile long I am thouroughly enjoying sleeping in til 7:45 or 8 and then making breakfast and spending some quality time in the Word.  Most days when I have to be at work by 6:45am this time is cut to 15 or 20 minutes but lately I have been able to spend as much time as I desire. 

So this morning, I made my coffee and breakfast and sat down at the dining room table with my Bible and Bible study book... did my study and then spent some time listening to the Lord.  Those whispers we have been talking about.  One of the verses that really stuck out to me this morning is "His banner over me is love".  I almost felt like a school girl... the first time she realizes that a boy likes her and walks around with her head in the clouds saying "he loves me!".  I know this sounds silly but that is what my heart was doing this morning.... "he loves me!  The king of the universe loves ME!" 

At the end of my quiet time, I spent some time in worship as that is an outlet for my heart to express what God is doing in there.  The song "How can I keep from Singing" by Chris Tomlin has been playing over and over in my mind so I pulled it up on you tube and sang along.  Thankfully God desires "a joyful noise" from our hearts.  The lyrics just seem to say what has been on my heart and mind for the past couple of months... Jesus is the rock that I have been clinging to in the midst of the storms.  I know I can sing despite my circumstances because I KNOW my Savior is right by my side.  It is such a great feeling... it just makes my heart want to sing!

"How Can I Keep From Singing"

There is an endless song
Echoes in my soul
I hear the music ring

And though the storms may come
I am holding on
To the rock I cling

How can I keep from singing Your praise
How can I ever say enough
How amazing is Your love
How can I keep from shouting Your name
I know I am loved by the King
And it makes my heart want to sing

I will lift my eyes
In the darkest night
For I know my Savior lives

And I will walk with You
Knowing You'll see me through
And sing the songs You give

I can sing in the troubled times
Sing when I win
I can sing when I lose my step
And fall down again
I can sing 'cause You pick me up
Sing 'cause You're there
I can sing 'cause You hear me, Lord
When I call to You in prayer
I can sing with my last breath
Sing for I know
That I'll sing with the angels
And the saints around the throne

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Loved by the King

"For I am loved by the King and it makes my heart want to sing.  How can I keep from singing your praise... how can I ever say enough how amazing is your love."

Lately I have been working through a Bible study entitled "Falling in love with Jesus".  It is based on the premise that God loves us so much that he pursues us like a groom pursues his bride to be.  One of the verses that has really touched my heart...

"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over your with singing." Zephaniah 3:17

God is truly might to save us out of the depths of despair... out of anxiety... out of depression... out of bad situations.  Sometimes he allows us to go through these situations so that we can truly see the need we have for a Savior. 

In this world that is dark and full of pain, we have a King that loves us... He rejoices over us with singing.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Pondering

It has been almost a month since I last posted here... I haven't been doing much writing as I have had no strength or motivation to do this...

The past month to month and a half has been ... well... tough to say the least.  I would definitely categorize it as a valley... probably more like the dried up river bed in the middle of the valley.  Definitely the closet thing that I have had to hitting rock bottom.  Anyway... at the moment after some medical advice and the body of Christ.coming along side... I am slowly but surely treking up the mountain again.  This visual imagery made me realize something in my pondering tonight...

When we go through a valley, the climb to get to the top again is even more spectacular because you are so thankful for the things you didn't see in the valley and the friends that come along side to join you in the journey! 

I am thinking of a trek up a mountain that I took not too long ago... walking up Mt. Sinai...standing at the bottom looking up.... it was daunting not knowing where to even start and where we were going to finish up... but with a local guide and friends by my side we started the journey.  As we started to ascend the views of the surrounding area was breathtaking... the way the sun and shadows played on the mountainous terrain... something I would not have seen had I stayed in the valley.  Yes the climb to the top was exhausting and for days after excruciating...  it was well worth each step that put us at the top to watch the sun set over the Sinai and realize that great Biblical characters walked here before me. 

God is truly teaching me that through Him ALL things are possible.  When we can't do it, He comes alongside and carries us through.  The body of Christ is supposed to work together and lift those members of the body up... my family here on Molokai has been amazing through this time.