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Snowboardingmom
Registered user
Username: Snowboardingmom
Post Number: 146
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, July 30, 2006 - 8:09 am: |     |
I heard a song the other day (Praise You In This Storm by Casting Crowns), that I've heard many times before, but for some reason, never really "heard" it. I shared it with a friend who is going through a hard time right now; and it seems appropriate to share it here as well. I think all of us, at sometime in our life understand that feeling of hoping God would "step in and save the day", only to find it's still raining. My favorite part of the song is "every tear I've cried, You hold in your hand, You never left my side, and though my heart is torn, I will praise You in this storm".
Like Jess so beautifully said, God is with us through those dark tunnels, surrounding us with His words, and with His promises. And although we can BARELY hear Him whisper through the rain, "I'm with you", we find that He IS there, and most importantly, worthy to be praised even through the storms.
Lyrics:
I was sure by now, God You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it's still raining
as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.
Chorus:
And I'll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are
no matter where I am
and every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
I remember when I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to You
and raised me up again
my strength is almost gone how can I carry on
if I can't find You
and as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away
Chorus
I lift my eyes unto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth
I lift my eyes unto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth
I'm praying for you guys. God is sovereign over everything...
Grace |
Seekr777
Registered user
Username: Seekr777
Post Number: 560
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, July 30, 2006 - 9:14 am: | |
I've already sent this to some of you who I have email address' for. I don't believe in "spaming" but there are times when I just must share something with friends.
I must continually remember to stay focussed on HIM and not on the hurts from a church or friends etc.
I'm in a time right NOW where it would be very easy to surrender to discouragement but my Savior has promised to be my ALL and COMPLETE covering. When I'm in His hands I have the assurance of Him covering my past, present, and future with His righteousness and peace. I can stand assured of my life in HIM.
I must stay focussed on HIM and not the past or future ! ! !
Richard
rtruitt@mac.com
-------------------------------
MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST
THE DISCIPLINE OF DISILLUSIONMENT
July 30, 2006
Jesus did not commit Himself unto them for He knew what
was in man.
John 2:24-25
Disillusionment means that there are no more false judgments in life.
To be undeceived by disillusionment may leave us cynical and unkindly
severe in our judgment of others, but the disillusionment which comes
from God brings us to the place where we see men and women as they
really are, and yet there is no cynicism, we have no stinging, bitter
things to say. Many of the cruel things in life spring from the fact
that we suffer from illusions. We are not true to one another as
facts; we are true only to our ideas of one another. Everything is
either delightful and fine, or mean and dastardly, according to our
idea.
The refusal to be disillusioned is the cause of much of the suffering
in human life. It works in this way - if we love a human being and do
not love God, we demand of him every perfection and every rectitude,
and when we do not get it we become cruel and vindictive; we are
demanding of a human being that which he or she cannot give. There is
only one Being Who can satisfy the last aching abyss of the human
heart, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Why Our Lord is apparently
so severe regarding every human relationship is because He knows that
every relationship not based on loyalty to Himself will end in
disaster. Our Lord trusted no man, yet He was never suspicious, never
bitter. Our Lord's confidence in God and in what His grace could do
for any man, was so perfect that He despaired of no one. If our trust
is placed in human beings, we shall end in despairing of everyone.
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Jwd
Registered user
Username: Jwd
Post Number: 233
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, July 30, 2006 - 2:21 pm: | |
Grace, those words are comforting. Great! Thanks for sharing.
Richard, for what comfort it may bring, know that you are in my prayers, as is everyone on this forum as a SOP in my prayers.
Grace, I'm not sure if you're familiar with this song or the couple, whose CD's are known as "Secret Garden". Josh Brogan sings this song also, but my wife and I prefer the original by the Secret Garden:
"When I'm down and, oh my soul, so weary:
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.
Chorus: You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up ..... To more than I can be.
There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.
Chorus again.
I wish you could hear the words sung with the beautiful musical arrangement. It's very moving and we are often brought to tears as we listen to it ~ particularly when we apply it to our own life situations and circumstances with their challenges of faithful faith.
Jess |
Cathy2
Registered user
Username: Cathy2
Post Number: 182
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, July 30, 2006 - 6:47 pm: | |
Richard,
Thank you for your post. I needed that one, today.
It reminded me of a saying from a book about loss:
~We cannot trust illusions; we can trust reality~
Jesus was a realist in the best possible way.
In Psalms, too, it says not to trust in Man, but trust in God, alone. That's where it has to start--His reality--then we can trust the trustworthy better; and not be cynical and bitter towards the untrustworthy because we belong to the Living God. Something, I am struggling with at this time--cynical. So I needed that post; I do not want to be that way.
God bless you.
With prayers,
Cathy |
Colleentinker
Registered user
Username: Colleentinker
Post Number: 4400
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, July 30, 2006 - 8:42 pm: | |
Richard, thank you for the Oswald Chambers. That is a particularly meaningful devotional to me. I remember reading it a few years ago and feeling as if I suddenly understood the relationship between fantasy/denial and reality/truth. It's trueóliving in an illusion instead of in truth results in great disillusionment, pain, anger, cynicism, and inconsolable grief. If we are willing to know truth, we actually anchor ourselves in Jesus instead of in our wishes for others to meet our needs.
As long as we have unrealistic hopes for other people instead of having our hopes in God alone, we put unfair pressure on them and we set ourselves up for disappointment.
Melissa, I remember feeling much as you describe feeling right now as your son is gone. I had to learn (it happened slowly) that I had to give our sons to God. I was powerless to protect them all the time, and at any rate, I couldn't fix the hurts in their hearts. I had to release them to God and learn to trust Him. I also had to learn to thank Him for whatever it was He was doing in them, even if I couldn't see it.
I also have had to learn that God's primary calling on me in relationship to my sons is to intercede for them with God. I've had to be willing to be here to mediate His love to them as He showed me howóbut also to pray for them, knowing that God Himself is growing them and is orchestrating their lives according to His sovereign plan. I pray for God to send them Godly mentors and friends and to direct them. I pray Scripture for them, such as Ephe 3:16-19 and 1:16-18.
God will comfort your hearts, Melissa and Cathy and Richard and all of usóand He is holding all our children in His heart. We can trust Him and thank Him for His private work in them that we can't see.
Praying for you...
Colleen |
Agapetos
Registered user
Username: Agapetos
Post Number: 232
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Monday, July 31, 2006 - 1:03 am: | |
Susan,
I'm praying for you. I know what the "never talking to you again" thing is like in family. My brother right now isn't speaking to me. My father isn't speaking to his brothers, either. It seems to be a generational thing, coupled with various forms of abuse.
Your son was sent to Japan? I'm guessing that means the base in Okinawa? I live in Osaka. There aren't any bases around here. There are some near Hiroshima (Iwakuni) and Yokohama (Yokosuka, I think). But anyhow, I'm here and I'm praying for you all.
Love in Christ,
Ramone
P.S. I thought I'd send another song:
quote:Yet I Will Praise
By Andy Park (Vineyard)
I will praise You, Lord my God
Even in my brokenness I will praise You Lord
I will praise You, Lord my God
Even in my desperation I will praise You Lord
And I can't understand all that You allow
I just can't see the reason
But my life is in Your hands, and though I can't see You
I choose to trust You
Even when my heart is torn, I will praise You Lord
Even when I feel deserted, I will praise You Lord
Even in the darkest valley, I will praise You Lord
And when my world is shattered
And it seems all hope is gone
Yet I will praise You Lord
I will trust You, Lord my God
Even in my loneliness I will trust You Lord
I will trust You, Lord my God
Even when I cannot hear You I will trust You Lord
And I will not forget that You hung on a cross
Lord, You bled and died for me
And if I have to suffer I know that You've been there
And I know that You're here now
Even when my heart is torn, I will trust You Lord
Even when I feel deserted, I will trust You Lord
Even in the darkest valley, I will trust You Lord
And when my world is shattered
And it seems all hope is gone
Yet I will trust You Lord
|
Susan_2
Registered user
Username: Susan_2
Post Number: 2268
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 02, 2006 - 10:55 pm: | |
Dear Agapetos, Do you live in Japan? I understand there are not a whole lot of SDA's in Japan, is that so? I think my son will actually be on the submarine for most of the five months he will be gone but the home base will be in Japan although I do not know which one. Have you ever been to Hawaii? It's wonderful over here. It would be even better if I didn't have to sleep in parking lots in the car but even at that I guess if I'm going to be homeless living in a car this is one of the better places to be stuck at. We all sure do carry our burdons. It is comforting for me to know that others have had made it through their sorrows and rough times. I keep each of your special concerns in my prayers. Aloha. |
Agapetos
Registered user
Username: Agapetos
Post Number: 256
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, August 03, 2006 - 11:16 pm: | |
Hi Susan,
Yes, I live in Osaka... kind of in the mid-western part of the main island (the greater area, "Kansai", means "gateway to the west").
There are SDAs in Japan, and the official church numbers look good, but I doubt there are really that many people in church. There's an academy in the boonies of Hiroshima prefecture, and there's a college in Chiba (some distance from Tokyo in the east). There are at least two hospitals I know of---one in Tokyo and another in Kobe. Oh, and I think there's a junior high school in Okinawa somewhere. But I'm not really sure about all these.
Actually, there aren't so many Christians in Japan... the figure cited for years has been "less than 1% of the population", although some recent polling has said maybe it's up to 5 or 6%.
I haven't been to Hawaii yet, but if you're on Oahu, I'm sure you see a lot of Japanese people every day. I complain to my students that when they visit Hawaii, they need to go to the other islands so that they don't speak Japanese the whole time!
About living in a car, I don't know if this will help, but here's part of my story:
quote:I was struggling at university because I knew I was called to His service. I tried going through the pastoral training program, but found that I was learning more outside of class than inside class. Finally one day I decided to quit the program (that day I skipped class to help carry a dear friend's heavy burden, and it was totally worth it! I said, "Lord, if I can do this for anyone else for the rest of my life, my whole life will be worth it!").
I had to leave the dorm and lived homeless for a time on campus, staying on friends' sofas or in the dorm lobby, and once in my car. I didn't know what I'd be eating the next day. I got a job doing interior painting at the university, so that helped me survive, but there were nights I nearly cried myself to sleep because I didn't know where I'd sleep the following night.
Meanwhile I kept looking for the path of training, the path of entry to ministry, etc. And I couldn't find it. Meanwhile I talked to people, prayed with others, went to a prayer meeting on Thursday nights, wrote things by email, and worshipped at random with my friends in unusual places at campus. Yet these things were "side things", right? I kept looking for the beginning of my "main thing".
When I came to visit at the end of September 2001, I visited my financee and lamented with her that I didn't know when we could ever be married and be together (because I didn't know what I was doing!). The next day I was telling my bro RK about that sadness, my uncertainty, and how I was living at university, and RK started laughing. He said in essence, "You're looking for the beginning of your training, but you've already been living like an apostle! You've already been in apostolic training! Look what you've been doing----sharing the faith, praying with others, loving others, waiting on His Spirit, and placing your whole life in His hands! You've been living like Paul for the last six months! You've already been on the 'main path'! Now get married to Yoko and come live here in Japan." Haha, so I had to pray for confirmation about that last part, and well, confirmation came. Yoko and I got married the next day, and I returned four months later to live here for good.
I don't know if that helps or not, but God can bring roses out of ashes. I'm praying for you and your family.
In Jesus,
Ramone |
Mwh
Registered user
Username: Mwh
Post Number: 126
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Friday, August 04, 2006 - 5:24 am: | |
Ramone, great story, I feelt the Spirit moving in me while reading it. Its true ... Jesus really can bring roses out of ashes. What a wonderful picture. |
Colleentinker
Registered user
Username: Colleentinker
Post Number: 4421
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Friday, August 04, 2006 - 3:56 pm: | |
I know that God is faithful. He doesn't keep us from suffering, but He is in the suffering with usóand He provides His means for us to function.
Thanks for your story, Ramone. And Susan, I'm praying for youóalso for reconciliation with your family.
Colleen |
Flyinglady
Registered user
Username: Flyinglady
Post Number: 2721
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Friday, August 04, 2006 - 4:39 pm: | |
Ramone,
Thanks for sharing that part of your story. I needed it today.
Susan, I do remember you and your family in my prayers every day.
I am always awed at how great God is.
Diana |
Susan_2
Registered user
Username: Susan_2
Post Number: 2274
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Friday, August 04, 2006 - 5:19 pm: | |
Ramone, Thanks for sharing your story. Yes, there is a great percentage of the population over here who are Japanese. I hear Japanese spoken a lot. At the Lutheran church I attend we sing the doxology in Japanese. It sound lovely in Japanese. We start the service off with the blowing on the kong. It's a big seashell that the Hawaii'ians blow at the beginning of an important gathering to call everyone to order. I like that the different cultures are incorperated into the service. At McDonald's the menu board is in English and Japanese. You can get chopsticks with your meal at the fast food joints. McDonald's even has a rice, eggs and spam breakfast and pork top roman soup, I guess, to cater to the diet of a lot of the Japanese. When I lived on the Big Island the peoplation was mostly ethnic Hawaiian and white. Honolulu though has a big variety of a lot of different ethnicities. I was surprised at how many Portugese are here. Unlike California I have yet to hear a word of Spanish. Thanks for sharing your story. And, you are correct. The tourists really should try to see more of Hawaii than just this one area. The local airlines offer $29 flights (one way) between Honolulu and the other islands so I would try to encourage checking out more than just this area. The Big Island has the volcano and the other islands have beautiful waterfalls. There is so much beauty here. The rainbows are georgeous! |
Javagirl
Registered user
Username: Javagirl
Post Number: 272
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Friday, August 04, 2006 - 7:56 pm: | |
Grace, did you read my ringtone post on God loves me thread? You must be growing in the prophetic.
Another song that has blessed me:
Navigation: K \ Kutless \ All Who Are Thirsty
All who are thirsty
All who are weak
Come to the fountain
Dip your heart in the stream of life
Let the pain and the sorrow
Be washed away
In the waves of his mercy
As deep cries out to deep (we sing)
Come Lord Jesus come
[repeat 3 times]
Holy Spirit come
[repeat 3 times]
As deep cries out to deep
[repeat 2 times]
Ive learned how deep cries out to deep, and He is faithful to answer that cry. The message of this song heals me more every time I hear it. The phrase of "let the pain and the sorrow, be washed away, in the waves of His mercy....as deep cries out to deep."
I can visualize it, feel it body, mind, spirit. The whole CD is awesome, Strong Tower is a great song for the hurting too. The name of Jesus is a strong tower, the praise in that song is great.
Leigh, where are you? We are talking about songs that move us! LOL
Prayers for you all,
JavaGirl
4excape@bellsouth.net
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Snowboardingmom
Registered user
Username: Snowboardingmom
Post Number: 149
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Friday, August 04, 2006 - 10:26 pm: | |
Hi Lori--No, I didn't read that post about your son's ringtone. I have gotten a little behind on the threads these last couple of weeks. But wow! What an awesome ringtone for your son to have! That's so great! That's just incredible!!
And Jess--missed your earlier post too. Yes, I have heard that song both by Josh Groban and by Selah (actually I have both of those CDs!). I haven't heard the Secret Garden version though.
Since we're on the topic of good praise music -- I just got a great new CD from iTunes. "It's called Sing Over Me: Worship Songs and Lullabies". It was released in stores on August 1. It's all female singers, marketed towards mothers and mothers-to-be. I don't really see it as that, as much as just a great "quiet" and reflective worship CD.
Here is how Nichole Nordeman described the CD:
"These days I associate worship music with a lot of guitars and a large gathering of people singing at the tops of their lungs with their hands in the air. We live in a time when we have a unique opportunity to be very public about our praise. But this record began to draw me back to more quiet and private moments with God. Nobody thinks about worshipping in a rocking chair at 3 am. But this is the reality of motherhood Ö stealing away with God one moment at a time, not so much for the desire of being heard and seen, but more for the rare chance to listen.î
That's how I feel about this CD too. I love the sing-out-loud-can-hardly-contain-myself praise songs, but the quiet moments of praise is awesome too. My favorite songs on the CD are "You are Good" and "May the Words of My Mouth". The arrangements of these songs are beautiful and very prayer-like. |
Snowboardingmom
Registered user
Username: Snowboardingmom
Post Number: 150
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Friday, August 04, 2006 - 11:00 pm: | |
The lyrics to "You are Good" from the CD mentioned above seems to fit in with this thread so I thought I'd post them.
Here they are:
When the sun starts to rise and I open my eyes,
You are good, so good
In the heat of the day with each stone that I lay
You are so good
With every breath I take in
Iíll tell you Iím grateful again
When the moon climbs high
Before each kiss goodnight
You are good
When the road starts to turn
Around each bend Iíve learned
You are good, so good
When somebodyís hand holds me up, helps me stand
You are so good
With every breath I take in
Iíll tell you Iím grateful again
Cause itís more than enough just to know I am loved
And You are good
When itís dark and itís cold
And I canít feel my soul
You are so good
When the world has gone gray
And the rains are here to stay
You are still good
So with every breath I take in
Iíll tell you Iím grateful again
And though the storm may swell
Even then ìIt is Well!î
And You are good
Amen!! No matter what, God is good, and it's "more than enough just to know I am loved"!
Blessings,
Grace |
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