Psalm 46

This morning when I woke up, I felt led to read Psalm 46. I have been blessed by it and hope to thoughtfully meditate on it all through the day. I pray it will bless you as well

1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
Selah

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.

5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.

6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

8 Come and see the works of the LORD,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
he burns the shields [b] with fire.

10 "BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."

11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

Psalm 46 (NIV) Capitals and italics mine.

Father today I thank you for pressure, I thank you for deadlines and submission dates. I thank you because they all work to reveal the strength that you have given me. I thank you because they help me to realise that it's never been about me but about you working through me. I thank you because it teaches me to be still and know that you are God. Be exalted through me O lord in Jesus name.

Trials don't come to kill, they come to reveal...

My new song!

Wonderful, Magnificent God
I am in awe of your wonder
I bask in your splendour
You alone are God
For there is no like you
You have put a new song in my mouth
A song of praise and thanksgiving
A song of testimony
For indeed the Lord has been in the midst of us
and He has shown Himself to be mighty
For while I was crying
God was working
While I wondering
God was working
While I was worrying
God was working
Even now God is working
Working on my behalf
On yours too
The One who can never leave me or forsake me
He has put a big smile on my face
He is the joy of my salvation
My banner
I am His chiquitita
His beautiful bride
He has made me glad
He has made me very glad

Never allow the enemy steal praise from your lips, never allow the enemy to steal your worship. Encourage yourself in the Lord, He will give you a new song. I'm singing my own.

Remain blessed and highly favoured. 2008 continues to remain our year of UNCOMMON TESTIMONY. Remember before uncommon testimony usually comes uncommon challenges but the Lord is your strength. Receive your joy back. I've got mine and I'm celebrating!

Untitled

Trying to laugh
but I can't laugh
Trying to cry
but the tears aren't coming
Trying to tell you how I feel
but I can't speak
Trying to find the light at the end of the tunnel
but I can't see
Trying to make sense of it all
but it just isn't coming together
Trying to reach for you
but I can't find you
Trying alternatives
but nothing compares
So
I'm not laughing or crying
I'm not speaking or seeing
I'm not looking or compromising
I'm knowing
Knowing my God
Knowing His promises
Knowing His way
Knowing His will
Knowing He lives in me
Knowing He makes all things beautiful in His time
Knowing He loves me
Knowing....
I'm no longer trying, I'm KNOWING
For I must know to BELIEVE

He will come and save you

Today I am grateful for Bob Fitts and Gary Sandler who wrote this song in 1995. Here I am meditating on and encouraging myself with the words on the 17th of November 2008. Ahh, the words that God has given you, they know no boundaries, no colour, no gender, they will definitely minister to those that the Lord has intended for you to minister to.

This is my testimony this morning. Father, I call upon your name, you said in this world there would be tribulation but I should be of good cheer for you have overcome the world. You said you are the one who saves me, those who know their God are strong and do exploits. I have been tired, weak and afraid. I have made myself sick with worry but now I choose to encourage myself in your word, to encourage myself in your truth that as I commit my plans into your hand, you will make them succeed. You are my strength, my song and my hope so I'm giving it another shot. Thank you Jesus.


Say to those who are fearful hearted
Do not be afraid
The Lord your God will come
And with His mighty arm
When you call on His Name
He will come and save you

Chorus:
He will come and save you
He will come and save you
Say to the weary one
Your God will surely come
He will come and save you
He will come and save you
Lift up your eyes to Him
You will arise again
He will come and save you

Say those who are broken hearted
Do not lose your faith
The Lord your God will come
And with His loving hand
When you call on His Name
He will surely come


He is our refuge in the day of trouble
He is our shelter in the time of storm
He is our tower in the day of sorrow
Our fortress in the time of war

Amen.

Bob Fitts, Gary Sandler (1995) Integrity's Hosanna Music

..pondering

Chiquitita, tell me whats wrong
You're enchained by your own sorrow
In your eyes there is no hope for tomorrow
How I hate to see you like this
There is no way you can deny it
I can see that you're oh so sad, so quiet

Chiquitita, tell me the truth
I'm a shoulder you can cry on
Your best friend, I'm the one you must rely on
You were always sure of yourself
Now I see youve broken a feather
I hope we can patch it up together

Chiquitita, you and I know
How the heartaches come and they go and the scars they're leaving
You'll be dancing once again and the pain will end
You will have no time for grieving
Chiquitita, you and I cry
But the sun is still in the sky and shining above you
Let me hear you sing once more like you did beforeSing a new song, chiquitita
Try once more like you did before
Sing a new song, chiquitita

So the walls came tumbling down
And your loves a blown out candle
All is gone and it seems too hard to handle
Chiquitita, tell me the truth
There is no way you can deny it
I see that youre oh so sad, so quiet

Chiquitita, you and I know
How the heartaches come and they go and the scars they're leaving
Youll be dancing once again and the pain will end
You will have no time for grieving
Chiquitita, you and I cry
But the sun is still in the sky and shining above you
Let me hear you sing once more like you did before
Sing a new song, chiquitita
Try once more like you did before
Sing a new song, chiquitita
Try once more like you did before
Sing a new song, chiquitita

Lyrics to Chiquitita by Abba

The words are by Abba but when this song came up on my Ipod this week it could really have been God speaking to me, He is my Sun that is still in the sky and shining above me so I'll try and sing a new song....

Remain blessed, 2008 continues to remain our year of uncommon testimonies. So believe God is with you even when it doesn't look so.

Love is...(Part II)

Love is hard work. Sometimes we make the assumption that because we love people, all that it takes to keep our relationships (I use this term loosely)will come to us naturally. That has not been my experience.It is against the nature of the natural man to put the needs of another person over yours.

Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs 1st Corinthians 13

Erm, although this bit of my Bible is highlighted, I know I've not really been living it out because I don't know about you but I find it hard especially the not easily angered part and not keeping a record of wrongs! I've come to realise that love is more than something I feel, it's something I do. Like they say, love is a verb!

Love may involve time in the gym staying in shape, it may mean forgiving someone who has hurt you deeply, it may mean learning how to cook a specific meal in a specific way (this applies to both boys and girls!!), it may mean patiently waiting while she decides whether gold or silver accessories are more appropriate. It may mean learning how to put the toilet seat down (or back up?). It may involve retraining your hands to squeeze the toothpaste from the end of the tube or realising that it doesn't really matter!

Love sometimes means letting go of my pride and admitting I don't have it all together and seeking counsel. Love involves commitment, digging my heels in and saying though there might be some better people out there, I believe you are the best for me. The grass may seem greener on the other side but it's because the people on the other side of the fence put in the work to sow, water, fertilise and weed the lawn and I'm willing to do what it takes to make this green as well. A beautiful garden does not happen by accident, it takes a lot of hard work, determination, consistency and maturity.

Especially maturity..when i was a child, i TALKED like a child, i THOUGHT like a child, i REASONED like a child. When I became a MAN (or WOMAN), I put my childish ways behind me (1st Corinthians 13:11 NIV. Love is hard work but God gives us the grace. The fruit of the Spirit is love (Galatians 5:22) and God will teach us what we need to do but more especially who we need to be.

This post just seems to be here, there and everywhere but I am trusting God for restoration in the area of relationships, whether between husband and wife, mother and daughter, fathers and son. Let there be love shared amongst us, it may be hard but there is no life without love!

Remain blessed. 2008 continues to remain our year of UNCOMMON TESTIMONIES.

I am still here...

Thanking God
Praising God
Smiling
Laughing
Crying
Quiet
Noisy
Withdrawn
Outgoing
Thinking
Meditating
Rejoicing
Wondering
Forgiving
Being forgiven
Lonely sometimes
but never alone
yet through it all..
it's so good to know that
Someone loves me
every day, hour, minute and second
He's holding me
therefore I AM STILL HERE...