Love it!!

Oh, I have connected so many things from tonight's bible study that I just had to share. If not for you dear friends, then as a reminder for myself in times to come. We are currently doing Beth Moore's Stepping Up. It's a study on the Psalms of Ascent (Ps. 120-134). I just love it when God allows His Words to pour into my life and quench the dry and dusty places. And it has happened for me this week!

Psalm 121: 1-2
I raise my eyes toward the mountains.
Where will my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
PS - this will be our Hide the Word for this week.

If we look at this Psalm in its context as a journey to the Holy city of Jerusalem for one of the 3 feasts celebrated, we see the Psalmist in a weary state. His journey is long, he is wearing down, and he's not sure what lies ahead.

vs. 3-8 continue to reassure our exhausted traveler that God is our Protector. He is our shelter. He will keep us from harm and protect us now and forever.

One thing Beth talked about tonight was the difference between thinking a song is beautiful and memorizing its words, yet remaining completely unaffected by it's message. A song that has touched me over and over this week is Yours by Steven Curtis Chapman. Please pay close attention to the last verse in this song. This verse was added after Steven and his wife suffered the tremendous loss of their daughter in a tragic accident.



I've walked the valley of death's shadow
So deep and dark that I could barely breathe
I've had to let go of more than I could bear
And questioned everything that I believe
But still even here
in this great darkness
A comfort and hope come breaking through
As I can say in life or death
God we belong to you

One of the questions that we were challenged with this week during study was "what ways can God help you that others simply can not?" Think about that for a minute.

God knows our unknowns. He is in control. He can give hope and comfort in the worst of circumstances. He knows what will greet us on the other side of that mountain top. He knows the dangers and sorrows awaiting us in the valley. But I can take rest in the fact that everything is His. He has it all in the palm of His hand and He is in control.

One last thing that God has spoken to me about is in Hosea 2:14-15.

"Therefore I am now going to allure her;
I will lead her into the desert
and speak tenderly to her.

There I will give her back her vineyards,
and will make the Valley of Achor ^a]">[a] a door of hope.
There she will sing ^b]">[b] as in the days of her youth,
as in the day she came up out of Egypt.

David LOVES music. He always has. I remember listening to praise music while I was carrying him and I think he had his own little dance floor in there. It never failed to make him move. And he is my little singer. This morning as I was getting him in the van to go to school, I was just feeling the lack of caffeine. I was almost down right cranky. Well, all of a sudden, he starts to sing: I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart! Where? Down in my heart! Where? Down in my heart. I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart! Where? Down in my heart to stay. And I'm so happy, so very happy, I've got the love of Jesus in my heart. And I'm so happy, so very happy, I've got the love of Jesus in my heart!

My heart just began to burst! My mood was immediately lightened and joy flooded my soul. My 4 year old was teaching me what it means to have true joy in Christ and to wake up with praise on my lips! We sang all the way to school. Later in the day he was in the bathroom of all places and began singing the same song as loud as he could. We as adults may not all take it to such extremes as a four year old boy, but again he reminded me that I can praise Him at all times, in all places. No matter our circumstances he is worthy of our praise!

I can promise you beloved, that your faith will be tested. Your journey will be rocky and your next step uncertain. But God is constant. He is your protector. He is your shelter. He will lead you through and rejoice with you on the other side. In the mean time, sing a song of praise! Even if you're in the potty!!