“…those who hopefully wait for Me will not be put to shame.”
(Isaiah 49:23)

When the days seem long and hard.
When the nights appear ever more dark.
When the heart carries wounds that do not want to heal
When the mind is weary from fighting hard to overcome fear
When worries and cares try to tangle and bind the feet
Then lift up eyes and let the Word of God speak
Look to the skies and the heavens great display
Know that on the clouds the Lord will come in holy array
Recall His promises and remember His might
Let grace take over and faith’s power be greater than sight
Hope is the anchor that reaches deep within the veil
Love is the hook that snatches from every worldly hell
God is the victor His Spirit will prevail
The Son the redeemer will rule without fail
Justice and mercy and righteousness soon abound
Life and peace a gift for all who in Christ are found
Until that day when enemies fall under the Savior’s reign
Hopefully wait knowing that none in Him will be ashamed
Do not grow weary of doing good or let times make faint
Persevere, endure, patiently press on in the midst of wait
Greater is He who lives within than he who lives without
Stand firm in the Lord and in His truth never doubt
He is coming and will rescue and will make all wrongs right
Lean into Him and rest knowing His own He holds tight
~ NLHV

As I completed my study in 1 Samuel I thought of the main things that I learned through this historical book that contained the end of an era and the beginning of another in the nation of Israel. There were three main topics that the Lord focused in on me as I studied each week:

1. The character of God
2. Prayer
3. Obedience

The three are all related to one another and depend on one another. When we begin to understand the character of God we will see our lives change in the area of prayer and obedience. We will go through seasons in this life that are flat out difficult and we might find it hard to pray… even feel it is a vain pursuit, but that is a lie. When we understand the character of God it makes it a lie easier to defeat.

We might go through times when we are being instructed in a way that doesn’t make sense to us, and God will call us to trust and obey. There will come times in life when we will question our “need” for obedience and what exactly obeying looks like in our present situation. Knowing the character of God will help us make the right decision.

As I thought on all that the Lord has been teaching me and reminding me of through this time in His Word, I wrote this poem:

Crawling To Mount Zion

My God You are good

My soul knows this very well

At times my heart deceives me

Tries to make me doubt that You are there

Yet only so far will You allow the lie to go

You never cease to reach and touch me through Your Word

Your truth never fails to open blinded eyes

Your light penetrates the places where darkness tries to hide

When this world makes us weary

When this life makes us weep

Your grace never fails completely sufficient to be

Your mercies new each morning do renew our strength

Your everlasting lovingkindness help us when we’re deplete

My eyes lift up and look to the glory that I know

If I have to crawl on bloody hands and bleeding knees

To Mount Zion I will go

To Your cross my sweet Jesus

To my Savior and my Lord

You endured great hate and persevered until death

So I shall keep crawling until I breathe my last breathe

Though the world thought it over in truth it just began

For the grave could not hold You, death was not the end

What looked like defeat was victory finally won

Hope is fulfilled for those that trust in the Son

It was finished and begun all in one event

Though this world bring me trouble

Though fallen mankind bring me pain

Though the prince of darkness bid me, come his way

Though this flesh try and tempt me to deny Your sweet name

No weapon formed against me can prosper

For I am hidden in Your grace

My soul in despair might fall from time to time

Yet hope in You my Father will always see I rise

To God be the glory for You are good indeed

I will trust in Your Word and by it let You lead

Not to the left nor to the right shall I ever turn

For Your truth lights my path and I will not be detoured

I am looking for Your promise to my home away from here

And while I travel onward I will trust You through my fear

My prayers I will offer as Your face I do seek

Knowing that You hear me and Your arms are not too short to reach

Whether I stand tall and strong or am crawling small and weak

I know that You are with me and my purpose You will see complete

I wrote this poem for my mother and put it on this picture that my youngest daughter drew two years ago when our family began a walk into the hardest journey that our Lord has ever placed us on. I share it today for anyone else who needs to remember that the Lord is with you and that in Him you have all the courage that you need to face whatever is before you.

Courage

Crossing into a season that one never expected to see
Opens doors of fear and doubt that were hidden within the soul deep
Under this life’s trials and tribulations one can easily crumble beneath
Raise me up my Jesus and gift me with Your strength
Amaze me with Your grace that You promised sufficient to be
Ground me in Your Word, let Your Holy Spirit speak
Everlasting Father, Mighty God, and Prince of Peace…
my Wonderful Counselor, my courage for today I ask You to be

~ nlhv

Hope

He alone provides our peace
Opens our hearts, gives light to our eyes
Patiently He calls, awaits our pause
Engaging us here in the depths of our souls

Hear is voice so still so sweet
On bended knee hear Him speak
Praise His name with lips of thanks
Enter His gates with feet of dance

Hope in Him for our God is great
Order your steps to walk in His ways
Prove His Word with each step of faith
Exalt His name for His wondrous grace

Happy are all who call on His name
Our joy is full our sins erased
Placed as far as the east from west
Eternally secure in Christ is our rest

Hills may come yet even mountains flee
Ordered by Him obey even the wind and sea
Picture Him now in His glorious light
Ever sovereign on His brides behalf He fights

How beautiful my Savior- why in we He delights
Often we fail Him yet He softens His eyes
Purposed are we to be conformed into Him
Engraved on His heart to finish what He begins

Help is found in trusting His Word
Obedience to Him is the fruit He seeks
Pleasing to Him is the surrender to His will
Everlasting lovingkindness in Him be still

~ NLHV

I bow before You, I lay at Your feet
My dear Saviour to my ears do speak
Fill my heart with Your heart
Consume my spirit with Your Own
May the cares of this world fade to black
And might I into Your arms collapse

Breathe Your breath upon me
Surround me in the warmth of Your breeze
Like the wind, is Your Spirit
Oh Father blow upon me
Cover me fully by the strength of Your hands
Lift me up by Your arm that before You I might stand

Wash me clean by the washing of Your word
Purify me with hyssup dipped in the ashes of the heifer
May the praise of my lips and the offerings of my heart
Be as a soothing aroma to You that by my sins we not be apart
I wait for You Lord, my Father I wait
Oh how I long, so long, to behold Your face

Forgive my iniquity, the trespasses of Your law
I cling to Your promises, I cling to Your cross
Oh Father I desire to do Your will
I lay my life down and before You I am still
I know that I am nothing more than dust
So into Your hands I place all my trust

Your love is everlasting and Your compassion knows no bounds
Your mercies are ever enduring may the trumpet over the burnt offerings and peace offerings sound
Might I be reminded that You are the Lord my God
And as You live all the earth will be filled with Your glory
As Your glory filled the tabernacle at the bottom of Sinai
Fill me with Your glory until upon my face You shine

You are my God, it is the glory of Your name I seek
That every tribe, every tongue, every nation would bow at Your feet
I am but a jar of clay, nothing of myself
You are my potter and I rest upon Your shelf
If Your presence does not go with me, then do not move me from my place
But if You go, I’ll go, toward Your will I’ll set my face
But now, just now, I seek and I wait…

I wrote this in February 2008 while studying through the book of Deuteronomy..

I wrote this after studying through the book of the Romans several years ago… 

In Christ alone my hope’s secure
No fear is found, my future is sure
Once a fool, believing a lie
Walking in ignorance, yet professing to be wise
Once a slave to my lust
And a deceitful heart I could not trust
Was once filled with filth and hid in the dark
Until I turned toward the Light and righteousness my God by faith did impart
I tried on my own to keep all the rules
On the outside played along I knew what was approved
My life adjusted to the crowd I was in
A different face, different character for family and friend
I knew what was right, knew what was true
I just couldn’t get it, but could point a finger at you
Oh but of this struggle I grew weary and tired
And finally my God to Your Christ I did cry
My Jesus I had been told that You had died for me
Bore my sins on that cross atop of Calvary
Your blood had been poured out and spear pierced Your side
But I heard the grave could not hold You and up You did rise
I was told that You were promised from long ago
And then I searched the Scriptures and I saw that it was so
From Adam to Noah to Job to Abraham
My Jesus You were promised the Savior of all man
From Isaac to Jacob to Judah to Moses spread the fame of Your name
My God Your kingdom would come and was promised forever to reign
Through David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, through all the prophets You spoke
You told us of the One that one day all eyes will behold
And at the right time, my Jesus, while helpless in our sin
You died for all the ungodly who seek to be free and desire to live
Through one man’s disobedience all mankind did fall
Sin came, death reigned, and spread through the world, spread to all
Yet through One Man’s obedience, One Man’s righteous act
Sin was cleansed, death defeated, those who will believe no longer are under wrath
Before God justified by faith in His Christ
Grace obtained, and in my heart God’s love poured in, His hope now I have
I rejoice in everything, whether good, whether bad
Knowing He is with me and all has passed through His hands
Saved from well-deserved wrath, once dead now alive
An enemy before, now in Christ reconciled
Glory, Hallelujah, praise to Your name
Glory, Hallelujah, thank You Jesus for the sacrifice made
Glory, Hallelujah, worthy are You the Lamb who was slain
Glory, Hallelujah, because of Christ my sin God forgave
Glory, Hallelujah, in Christ I am free, no longer am I sin’s slave
Glory, Hallelujah, my Jesus You are King and in my life You shall reign
Glory, Hallelujah, all praises to Your name

Lost in thought, lost in His eyes,
Dreaming of the day I’ll throw off this disguise
Watching the clouds drift slowly by
Listening and watching for my Knight to arrive
Drifting away from the weight of this world
Eagerly anticipating my freedom unfurled
Oh to dance with my arms open wide
Singing and shouting to the Love of my life
To twirl and to trust as a child understands
To walk in a faith that is able to move mountains
To swim in a sea of forgiveness freely gave
To be firmly established upon the Rock that never caves
Throw off all inhibitions, all chains destroyed
No cords encompassed, no locks on the door
Cast all cares away, all fears to the depths
No burdens bore, no worries felt

Oh this world how captivating it is
The serpant’s a charmer he does persist
Forsake he says, forsake your first love
Forget His voice, ignore His shove
No need to give all, what you’ve gave is enough
Your His, you are, no need to fanatically rush
Stay a while enjoy this place, after all life is short
No need for these pleasures for you to abort
Isn’t God good, doesn’t He want happiness
Then come says the serpant, with me dance
I’ll twirl you and spin you and give you a high
Keep your eyes on my world for soon enough you will die
Come fill your plate with the things of this world
Don’t you know when you go these will be no more
No regrets I promise after all would I lie
Would he lie? Would he lie? I ask you twice.

Forsake? No! Forsake my first love ?
My Savior, my Life, draw me unto You from above.
Fill me anew, afresh from Your heart
Pour down Your Spirit, Your truth do impart
Flood my mind and my soul with Your joy abound
Make me drunk with Your passion, I am Your renown
I shall shout I shall sing I shall declare Your praise
Lift high, lift high, Thy banner I raise
I run this race, I shall run till the end
For Jesus, my Lord, has also callen me friend
I love You I do, I love You so
My Jesus teach me, into Your image might me You mold
Into your hands I fall, into your arms I rest
Encompass me Father, let me inhale Your breath
Fill my lungs with Your life, my mouth with Your song
Oh my Father, it is here, in You that forever I belong

written May 2009…

“If you fall down in a land of peace, 
How will you do in the thicket of the Jordan?” 
Jeremiah 12:5

If I fall in a land of peace
If I crumble in the face of the free
How shall I stand in a day of battle
How shall I reign victorious over my enemy

If I can not stand at attention in obedience to my call
When there is no war raging have I ever stood at all.
If I can not live the truth in the protection of this peace
Then how shall I fare when a weapon of hate is pulled on me

If I stumble in this day of priviledged liberty
Will I stand when shackles for the gospel are placed on me
If I shrink back at the fear of the loss of approval of man
If my life is threatened how shall I believe I could stand

If I fall in a land of peace
How will I do in the thicket of the war
If I can not stand strong against an enemy already defeated
How shall I win against an enemy that is still yet to come

If I truly am a soldier enlisted and secured
If I lay down and sleep in the hour of still
If I put up my armor and remove my shoes
If I take off my helmet and lay down my shield
If my breastplate is placed on a shelf
My sword sheaved and dicarded
I am already defeated though the battle be not started

The day of peace is not for leisure
The time of freedom is not for play
The hour is for training so that I will not be ashamed
So whether in the thicket of the Jordan or safe in Jerusalem’s walls
I shall stand, stand firm, by Your grace never shall I fall.

I wrote this in November 2009…