Do you ever want to question God?

Another one of my favorite songs...one that totally voices what I am feeling at this time in my life:

Lord You seem so far away
A million miles or more it feels today
And though I haven't lost my faith
I must confess right now
That it's hard for me to pray
But I don't know what to say
And I don't know where to start
But as You give the grace
With all that's in my heart

Chorus:
I will sing I will praise
Even in my darkest hour
Through the sorrow and the pain
I will sing I will praise
Lift my hands to honor You
Because Your Word is true
I will sing

Lord it's hard for me to see
All the thoughts and plans You have for me
But I will put my trust in You
Knowing that You died to set me free
But I don't know what to say
And I don't know where to start
But as You give grace
With all that's in my heart

Lord may I leave my life more and more in your hands and trust your will as best for my life! I love you Lord Jesus!

Dealing with Pain

Have you ever had pain in your life? There are so many different kinds of pain, as well as so many different reasons for the pain. Pain can be emotional, physical and mental.
The reason I am writing this is because I am in the middle of a Crohns flareup and think about pain more then I really want to! :) But it also got me thinking that so many people in this world are in pain and it is more then just physical pain. Pain can not always be taken care of with pain killers...and not everyone can understand anothers pain.
However there is one person who can understand everyones pain no matter what kind of pain it is. That person is Jesus Christ. I am thankful that the Lord understands the pain that I go through and the pain that you go through. I am thankful that He is beside me every step of the way...carrying me when I feel like I can not go any further.
This post is not a complaining session...it is to tell you that there is hope for your pain. Cast your care on the Lord and He will care for you. Jesus says, "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:29-30
Go to our Saviour and lean on Him for He will get you through whatever you are facing today!

Heaven

I had to come up with something to write....so I thought...and thought...and even thought. So many different things have been happening in my life that my brain is full of many random thoughts.
It has been busy at work lately. All this business has made me think a lot about death and dying. My heart goes out to the people who are scared to die...I wonder what I will be like when I get to that point in my journey? I know I have the hope and promise of eternal life and going Home to my Heavenly Father which shall be sooo joyful! Yet what is it like to actually die on this earth? What does it feel like physically? Is it the thoughts of what is left behind that can be so tormenting? Is it the thoughts of work left unfinished?
And yet thinking of all those questions ... continues to bring to mind the joy of what Heaven is all about! I would be with the Lord! Wow! You know I really can't wait for that day! I can just imagine how exciting it must have been for the apostle John in writing Revelation talking all about the New Jerusalem. I think of my Grandmother who has crossed the Jordan almost twelve years ago and is now with our Lord...she must be having such an AWESOME time in Heaven! To be with the Lord Jesus, singing with the angels...I cant think of anything more exciting then that! Talk about having something to look forward to!
So is death really that scary? Physically I have no idea...spiritually, I really can't wait!
It brings to mind a song I love to sing "Jerusalem the Golden"! If you have t ime read the lyrics..it will get you excited about the joy of going Home!

In Christ alone....

Do you realize that every day gone by is one day closer to eternity? Are we ready to face our Maker for all that we have done on this earth? You know the Lord speaks through us in many different ways...many times trying to get our attention.
One of the ways the Lord speaks to me is through songs. I love singing and I love music. Often if I feel down and discouraged I put on Worship songs, or I put on a Gaither DVD...and its like the Lord quiets my soul and prepares me to listen to what He has to say to me. Often in our busy world we don't take the time to quietly listen for the voice of God because we are "just too busy"...however that excuse will not work when we meet our Maker. We need to start listening now..."draw near to God and He will draw near to you". "Be still and know that I am God..." Ps 46...yes we need to be still and listen for God is speaking to us.
So again I want to share with you a favorite song of mine...a song where the Lord often speaks to me...In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found;He is my light, my strength, my song;This cornerstone, this solid ground,Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.What heights of love, what depths of peace,When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!My comforter, my all in all—Here in the love of Christ I stand.
In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,Fullness of God in helpless babe!This gift of love and righteousness,Scorned by the ones He came to save.Till on that cross as Jesus died,The wrath of God was satisfied;For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—Here in the death of Christ I live.
There in the ground His body lay,Light of the world by darkness slain;Then bursting forth in glorious day,Up from the grave He rose again!And as He stands in victory,Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;For I am His and He is mine—Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
No guilt in life, no fear in death—This is the pow'r of Christ in me;From life's first cry to final breath,Jesus commands my destiny.No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,Can ever pluck me from His hand;Till He returns or calls me home—Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.

Praise the Lord for our risen Saviour!

Hallelujah!

Have you ever thought about what the resurrection means to you? Have you ever wondered where we would be today if Jesus had not risen from the dead? I was listening to a concert of the Gaithers that was taped in Jerusalem...and one of the songs they sang was "Bethlehem, Galilee, Gethsemane". What an awesome song! Here are the lyrics below...

Bethlehem, He was born there, I believe, I believe
Galilee, Jesus walked there, I believe, I believe
Gethsemane, my Savior prayed there, on Calvary, He died alone
But the tomb, He left there, I believe, I believe, I believe, I believe
Bethlehem, He was born there. There was nothing sacred about that manger in Bethlehem, Jesus could have been born in the best hotel room in the city, if it had been left open for Him. But He wasn't pushy, He still isn't. He moves only into the places we vacate for Him. There was room, that night, only in the stable, so, that's where He was born.
Galilee, Jesus walked there, I believe, I believe
Jesus walked with common men, but there was nothing common about His words, they upset every comfortable ethic. He upset judicial systems when He said, "Love those who hate you." He upset patterns of religion, by declaring that real temples of worship, were in the hearts of believers. He refused to discuss laws and rules governing people's actions, but zeroed in on their thoughts and attitudes instead. If Christ had been a philosopher, they could have debated Him. If He had been a warrior they could have fought Him. Had He been a religionist, they could have ignored Him, as an eccentric, but Christ was love,
what do you do with that?
Gethsemane, my Savior prayed there, on Calvary, He died alone
Gethsemane was agony for Christ. In those dark hours, He cried in desperation, "Father, if it be Your will, let this cup pass from me.", but it wasn't Gods will and Jesus died alone
But the tomb, Jesus left there, I believe, I believe
God could have had Jesus resurrected right from the cross, when no one was around, instead, He arranged a full burial, with grave clothes, a tomb, and even a roman seal, but after three days, conquering death, Jesus walked out free, leaving for all to see, the massive stone rolled away, and the empty tomb
And now, He lives and reigns forever, I believe, I believe
And He prays for us in Heaven, I believe, I believe
And with the ones who've gone before me, I will praise the Prince of Peace!
Hallelujah, hallelujah, I believe, I believe, I believe, I believe!
(Sung by Russ Taff)

When you hear this song sung...it brings forth the power of the cross! This is OUR Saviour, OUR Lord, OUR Creator, OUR King, OUR Father...wow! Do we truly believe?

Dealing with change....

I have been listening to Pastor James McDonald's sermons on "Change"...which by the way are really good. These sermons really made me think how we as human beings have such a hard time with accepting change. This difficulty accepting change really hinders our walk with the Lord, as the Christian life is full of change. I used to think that I did well with change until I moved here to Ottawa and realized how much I disliked change. And yet this change in my life is the will of God to shape and refine who I am. Its a daily struggle to accept this change in my life...but yet the Lord never gives up on me nor does He give up on any of us.
We as Christian's need to be more ready and willing for change in our life so that the Lord can continue His perfect will in our lives. Change draws us closer to Him, shaping, refining our lives and changing the lives of those around us. Sanctification is a daily change in our lives...are we open to that change? David cries out in Psalm 51 "Create in me a clean heart...", that calls for change...are we open to accept that change?
Lets continue to ask the Lord to help us accept the change in our life that He brings to refine us!