Joy and Strength (Christian life and music)

I don't relate at all to those "picture perfect" posts I see on social media. My life is messy.  Oh, my home is clean!  But life itself is messy. There are spiritual battles daily. There seems to be little respite some days. There are surprise attacks from the enemy.  I get blind-sided.  Then I beat myself up for not responding in the Spirit. I take on way more than I should and I struggle with keeping a good attitude. It's easy for me to have pity parties, and just give in to discouragement.   Why can't I just do something about my messes, you may ask? God. That's the short answer. Oh believe me, I have tried.  I pray, fast, cry out to God, stand on His promises.  But since my life is not my own - hasn't been for over 30 years now - but belongs to Christ, I don't call the shots.  He does. This means that my life, with all of its messiness, is panning out exactly as Christ has ordained.  And no matter how hard it may be for me, He is Lord over all of i

  I wrote this song shortly after 911.  Can you believe it's been 20 years?   This song is perfect for our times now - a reminder to run to Christ when world events baffle and disturb us.   He provides peace. He provides reassurance. He reminds me that He is in absolute control and that He knows exactly what He is doing. We need never fear when we belong to Jesus. We need only stay close to Him and He will protect, provide, and heal. He delivers. He restores. He mends. No other place or person in the world can give us what Jesus does.  Won't you come to Him today? Lord Jesus, You are the One I run to.  You are the One who's there for me.  Thank You for this awesome and wonderful truth, Lord Jesus.  I love You.  Please stay close to Me not only in times of distress or disturbance, but always.  Please give me more of Your wisdom in all things, Lord.  Thank You that I can trust You even when things don't make sense to me.  In Your Name I pray.  Amen.

I read the first part of Psalm 62 this morning and was reminded of something.  My soul's rest comes from the Lord.  Oh I may need to get more sleep, which refreshes my body.  It feels good when my body feels rested. But my soul - my mind, will, and emotions - finds rest in God alone.  The Psalmist was spot on!  Unlike the other ways I try to find rest, only the Lord can provide the rest I really need.  Rest that brings me comfort and peace.  Rest that is untouchable by outer circumstances and stresses.  This is the rest I truly crave! Sometimes, I go to YouTube or other social media to find rest.  Really?! What am I hoping to find anyway?  A new recipe, a new song, show, or interview on YouTube, or even a sermon there, or a new idea on Pinterest - do any of these provide rest for my soul?  Not really.  So though I think I am relaxing when I look at these things, what I'm really looking for is escape or distraction.   When I'm weary and tired, I should simply be .  More like

  A song for you today.  Be blessed! (sorry for the short entry today - internet down this morning!)

I wrote this song, "Seek the Lord," way back in 2001.  We still had our Steinway grand then.  Oh how I miss it.  How we came to sell it - that's for another blog entry! A friend once told me that my music was "for a time."  I never questioned what she meant by that, but I had a feeling that my music was for a hurting time, for those who are hurting inside.   I bring words of comfort and direction in my music.  And not everyone is in a "bad" place emotionally, spiritually, or in life.  So I have often felt that most people wouldn't "get" my music, be able to relate. But I would say the whole world is pretty much in a bad way these days with this pandemic affecting all of us. Maybe now is the time for this song.  Oh it has been there for a while and "spoke" to those who needed it before this time, I imagine. But I felt led to "re-release" it here for you all today.  Right now.  In this moment. For such a time as this. Wh