my new favorite song…

As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength.  Psalm 138:3

The Lord will work out his plans for my life-for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.  Don’t abandon me, for you made me.  Psalm 138:8

So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees.  Hebrews 12:12

I love music!  Have I already said that?  There are so many songs that have ministered to my soul over the last several months..some new, some I’ve known forever.   The lyrics from many of my favorites speak of God’s promises, His truths… that come straight from God’s Word.

 So as I listen and praise Him through song, I begin to be less consumed with my suffering and drawn into the very presence of Jesus, who is the Healer of my soul.  As I sing the words of these songs my focus shifts: from feeling hopeless, to seeing more clearly the cross….where my Hope is found.  One of the things I look forward to during the week is worshiping at our church.  This time of fellowship is a renewal for my heart and strengthens me for this journey.  I find some of the purest joy while singing at church and magnifying Him with others.  

Last Sunday we sang a song that was familiar and one that spoke truth over my life.  However, as we left church, for the life of me I could not remember enough words or the melody to find it in i-tunes.  I know this sounds crazy..and my forgetfulness is a WHOLE different issue that seems to be more and more frequent these days~so frustrating!!  Anyway, we talked about it several times that afternoon and maybe even some the next day.  I really wanted to add it to our playlist of songs that we love listening to….but to no avail!  

Here is where Jesus comes in… and I just love it!!  After such a difficult day Wednesday, being the last day of school etc and not sleeping very well, I woke Thursday morning  with these words running through my head, “I will rise, as Christ was raised to life, now in Him I live”…not only did I recognize these words as being the song from last Sunday, but I even had the melody which allowed me to remember more of the words, which helped me to figure out the name of the song!!!  It was partly a moment of complete satisfaction, being able to remember something I could not think of a few days earlier, but more than that, the words “I will rise” literally determined the rest of my day.  I got out of bed knowing that God had heard my cry for relief the night before, and He was going to be ENOUGH…AGAIN!!!  

I have played this song over and over…shouting it at the top of my lungs, with hands raised high.  So, don’t mind me…but when I get a personal word from the King of the Universe I don’t take it lightly!!  With this encouragement I was able to successfully clean out my room at school that day (which I had been worried to face, as it seemed to be another event that made this reality more ‘real’)  and also say some very hard goodbyes to some very special people.  

So thankful for God’s faithfulness through this storm and His promise not to abandon us!  I know I have some very hard days ahead..even as I sit alone in the quiet looking through pictures from past summer vacations my heart aches and I am made very much aware that this journey, our summer, will be difficult.  I am trusting that as my heart grows faint, my hands become tired, and my legs become weak,  that His grace WILL BE sufficient.

One of my most favorite pictures!!!  

Beneath the Waters (I Will Rise)

(click the link above to hear song)

This is my revelation

Christ Jesus crucified

Salvation through repentance
At the cross on which He died

Now hear my absolution
Forgiveness for my sin
And I sink beneath the waters
That Christ was buried in
I will rise, I will rise
As Christ was raised to life
Now in Him, now in Him
I live

I stand a new creation
Baptized in blood and fire
No fear of condemnation
By faith I’m justified
I will rise, I will rise
As Christ was raised to life
Now in Him, now in Him
I live

I rise as You are risen
Declare Your rule and reign
My life confess Your Lordship
And glorify Your Name
Your Word it stands eternal
Your Kingdom knows no end
Your praise goes on forever
An on and on again

No power can stand against You
No curse assault Your throne
No one can steal Your glory
For it is Yours alone
I stand to sing Your praises
I stand to testify
For I was dead in my sin

But now I rise, I will rise
As Christ was raised to life
Now in Him, now in Him
I live