Jeremiah 15:16

"When Your Words came, I ate them up;
they were my joy and my heart's delight,
for I bear Your name, O Lord God Almighty!"

Amen! Lord, Let it be so!

Make Me Aware (Zephaniah 3:17)

I wrote about our first song, and the events leading up to and surrounding it, in this post ~ Glory to God Who is Able

Every time I sing it or hear it, I am brought back to that place of absolute awe and astonishment of what God has done and is continuing to do! May He continue to make us more and more aware of Him every single day!

Make Me Aware

Verse 1:
I’ve been trying to fix things on my own,
Feeling desperate and alone.
If only I’d be still enough
To see that He alone is God
All my help comes from the Lord

Chorus:
The Lord my God is always with me
He is mighty to save
He will take great delight in me
He rejoices over me
With His singing
And He quiets me with His amazing love
Lord, Make me aware
Make me aware of you

Verse 2:
How could a God so powerful,
Choose to love and delight in me
Such knowledge is too wonderful,
Too great to comprehend
It's almost more than I can bear.

Chorus:
The Lord my God is always with me
He is mighty to save
He will take great delight in me
He rejoices over me
with His singing
And He quiets me with His amazing love
Lord, Make me aware
Make me aware of you

Bridge:
I’m desperate to hear You singing
I long feel Your presence
Lord, help me be still,
help me to trust,
help me to always be aware
to be aware of You

Final Chorus:
You my God are always with me
You’re mighty to save.
You will take great delight in me
You rejoice over me with Your singing
And You quiet me with Your amazing love
Lord, make me aware, Make me aware,
Make me aware of You

Holding Court

I've been convicted...it's not fun, it doesn't feel good, it hurts my heart deeply...but I am SO thankful for it! I am so thankful that I have a God who loves and cares for me enough to discipline me, to get my heart back on track!
Proverbs 3:11-12,"My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in."
Revelation 3:19,"Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent."

For the last couple of months, I have been preparing to "hold court" regarding a certain situation. When the opportunities arose, I have happily been "gathering evidence" for the prosecution. Mentally, I have prepared a line of questioning for the "accused" and a even came up with some ideas for a "closing argument" if such a need for one came about. I have been anticipating the time when court would finally be "in-session" and the guilty would be charged and their sentences handed down. I have been enraged that the parties in question have shown so little care for what they have done, the lies they have told, and the blatant disrespect they continue to exhibit. I have felt right in my anger and my judgment.
Today, I was convicted....
It is not my place to "hold court". I have been wrong in my attitude. I have been wrong in my desire to see them "pay" for what they are doing. WRONG! I have no right to have that kind of attitude! No right to look at their faults and their mess-ups, without first taking a long hard look at my own. Where is my love, my compassion, my genuine concern for the direction they are headed? Because up til now...my concern has not been for them and the path they are going down, but instead on making sure they were brought to justice. I can't do that anymore! God looks at my sin no different! My sin is just as ugly and appalling to Him.
Now that said, I don't condone their actions...but I'm done condemning the person. I don't love what they are doing, but I am going to love them. The same God who looks down at their sin and hates it, hates mine too. The same Blood that spilled for my sins, spilled for theirs too. The same forgiving and gracious God who loves me unconditionally, loves them too. The same God of love who loves me so boldly, commands me to love others in the same way.
John 13:34,"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another."
1 Corinthians 13:1-3,"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing."
I choose love! I am choosing to love them as Christ would! It's not going to be easy, or like a light-switch. It's going to have to be an intentional act on my part. It doesn't just happen, that's why God reminds us so many times throughout Scripture to love one another. I have to make that choice for myself. I know that the Lord will help me! He who calls me is FAITHFUL!
When and if a intervention is necessary, it must come with an attitude of Christ-like love, with intentions carefully weighed against the holy and perfect example of Jesus Christ Himself!

Unbelievable Thankfulness

For the next couple of days...or weeks, depending on how fast I write and what kind of time I have...I want to tell you a little bit about each song that the Lord has given us and what He taught us in the process of writing the song. Each one has it's own story, it's own inspiration, it's own lesson to be learned! The Lord has taught me SO much in this process and He is continuing to do so! He has promised that "He who began a good work in me will complete it!" I am so thankful...unbelievably thankful...that He is choosing to do this thing in my life. He didn't have to, but He is and I am forever grateful! I wish that there were better, more eloquent words to say than simply Thank you, but there's not and I can't say it enough! I am so undeserving, so unworthy, SOOOOO imperfect, so unqualified...but praise be to Him! Through Him and the blood of His precious Son, I am worthy and qualified. Still not deserving or perfect, but He is in the process of sanctifying me, a process that won't be complete until I see Jesus face to face! I'm so thankful for grace! So thankful that I haven't gotten what I deserve, that He is restoring to me the years that the locusts have eaten! Thank you, Lord! Thank you!!!