Category: Hymns

As We Walk Through a Desert Place, We Will Praise

When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;

Do we live in a desert place at this time? With a breeze of heat, discouragement, and pressures all around.

Let’s open God’s Word for a present help. Let’s ask the Holy Spirit as rushing wind to blow through our being. And let’s put on a garment of praise and take off our heavy attire.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it” Isaiah 30:21.

“Walk in my Word. Breathe in your dry bones, My Spirit and life,” God ministers to my weary heart through His Spirit alive in me. I must receive it. And I will . . .

because,

I can wake up from a night’s sleep completely discouraged. Before my feet touch the ground, I have to put off garments of discouragement and put on faith.

The battle begins before I get out of bed in the morning!

Remember the word to Your servant, Upon which You have caused me to hope.  This is my comfort in my affliction, For Your word has given me life. Psalm 119:49,50 are my kick out of bed to face a day with faith not dreariness.

This world is not my home. I have to remember that. God’s Word is a complete guide to all my needs, this moment and for all my days. My problem is, I must walk in the Truth of the God’s Word and be filled with His Spirit.

“Wake up, sleeper,
    rise from the dead,
    and Christ will shine on you.”

 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:14,15.

This is my intro to a heart of praise.

“Wake up and rise. Allow Christ to shine on you.” I have a choice to do this or not. Am I to look at the desert terrain or the heavenly sky of hope?

Life giving counsel from God’s Word exhorts:

 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 

 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, . . . Ephesians 5 continues to instruct me in the way I must go for peace and joy in this day:

 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. 

Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, (Ephesians 5:17-19).

Am I moaning my dry prayers to the Lord? Yes. But can I sing a refreshing hymn of comfort as well?

Yes. Today, from 1905, Cevilla D. Martin’s Eye on the Sparrow. Let’s speak, (or sing) it aloud. Yes, aloud:

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Refrain:
I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Now it makes sense. The Word of God must be obeyed. We can’t only read God’s Word on the page, we must act on what it speaks to me and you.

So today, I will think on a theme of hope. Speak a psalm or hymn.

Jesus is my portion. A constant Friend is He. His eye is on this sparrow. I know He’s watching me.

That’s how I can:

 Always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

No matter what the circumstances might be, whether we are on a dry and tough trail, His Word is comfort and refreshing, as a drink of life to me:

“Comfort, Comfort my people, speak kindly to the people of Jerusalem. Tell them that their time of warfare is ended…This is a voice of a man who calls out:
“Prepare in the desert the way of the Lord. Make the road in the dry lands straight for our God . . . ” Isaiah 40 1-3.



 

Our Hope In God Will Not Be Shaken. Be Still My Soul.

The Word of God. Hymns. Music Therapy. God’s help and comfort for us right NOW.

In a shattered world, where do we find real, living, powerful, present comfort? The Bible tells us in Psalm 119, our comfort comes from the Word of life.

When we have no words to pray, Psalm 119 provides the prayers:

Deal bountifully with Your servant,
That I may live and keep Your word.
 Open my eyes, that I may see
Wondrous things from Your law.
I am a stranger in the earth;
Do not hide Your commandments from me.
My soul breaks with longing
For Your judgments at all times.
You rebuke the proud—the cursed,
Who stray from Your commandments.
Remove from me reproach and contempt,
For I have kept Your testimonies.
Princes also sit and speak against me,
But Your servant meditates on Your statutes.
 Your testimonies also are my delight
And my counselors Psalm 119:17-24.

Yes, God is not silent. He speaks. His Word shows us the way.

Do we desire to be children of light in a dark place? What do we do?

Ephesians 5: 18-20 gives us instruction:

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now is time to speak aloud truth. The Bible says, “Thy Word is truth,” John 17:17. We either believe this or not. God gives us choice. He sees each man’s heart, even if mankind thinks he’s his own person not needing Jesus.

He, (Jesus) came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God John 1:11-13.

Who is born of God? Those who believe in His name. What can we proclaim as true about Him regarding our lives today? Speak aloud Be Still My Soul by Kathrina von Schlegel:

Be Still my Soul, the Lord is on thy side. Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain. Leave to thy God to order and provide,

In every change, He faithful will remain.

Be still my soul, thy best and heavenly friend, Through thorny ways, leads to a joyful end . . . Be Still My Soul

Be still, my soul! for God will undertake
to guide the future surely as the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence, let nothing shake;
all now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul! the waves and winds still know
the voice  who ruled them while He dwelt below. 

Maybe our hope and our confidence is shaken a bit, but we will not be greatly shaken. We will choose this minute, and move about by the power of the Spirit of God to know Him more and be still. 

Rejoicing always, praying without ceasing, and in everything giving thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for us. ( 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.)

Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth” Psalm 46:10.

Are we on God’s side? 

He’s on our side. 

He will guide the future.

 Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
and all is darkened in the vale of tears,
then shall you better know his love, his heart,
who comes to soothe your sorrow and your fears.

Do we have His love? His hope?

 God’s heart beats with constant love for us. He doesn’t change. His ways are unsearchable. Do we believe in Jesus?

Be still, my soul: the hour is hast’ning on
when we shall be forever with the Lord,
when disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.


Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past,
all safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. James 4:8a.

 May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ -2 Thessalonians 3:5.

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with . . .  singing.
—Zephaniah 3:17

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.
—2 Corinthians 4:17-18

Our hope is our faith in a true and living God. 

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them – 1 John 4:16. 

You, me, we can trust Him always.

The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
—Romans 8:18.

Music Therapy of the Hymn Be Still My Soul and Psalm 18 is provided to meditate on God’s Promises. He alone is true to His Word: 

You O LORD, keep my lamp burning. My God turns my darkness into light. With Your help I can advance against a troop, and with my God I can scale a wall. As for God, His way is perfect. The word of the Lord is flawless and He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him. For who is God beside the Lord? And who is a Rock except our God? Psalm 18: 28, 29, 30, 31.

“Where the darkness is the deepest, there the light shines the brightest.” C H Spurgeon.

Are we choosing man’s enlightenment above the Lord’s report for our light?

What we believe can cost us the destiny of our eternal life: And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, Hebrews 9:27.

The Bible teaches that we are simply passing through the life we live on this planet, and then . . . our eternal destiny. This is a matter of choice on our part. The LORD God is a gentleman. He gives us choice.

However, what does the Word of God say? Do we have curiosity? What if the report of man is faulty? Are we journeying on a Dead End?

“I don’t believe Christians, they’re all hypocrites,” might be the response. But what about believing God, the Creator of every living thing in this Universe? Will we believe Him? What is His report?

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad 2 Corinthains 5:10.

The Bible proclaims this as truth.

And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil John 3:19.

Is this truth?

The Prophet Isaiah asks plainly,

 Who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? Isaiah 53:1.

The arm of the Lord has been revealed to anyone who has ears to hear. Nine hundred twenty-two times is repeated the phrase, “He who has ears, let him hear.” 

Parables were told by Jesus. A parable of the seed falling on different soils, . . . And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” Luke 8:8.

Gardeners understand good soil. Do we have ears to hear?

Hearers of the Word of God are likened to those who build their house on a solid foundation. Who would think to build their house on the sand?

Yet, are we choosing to build our eternal destiny on man’s word above the Word of God?

Jesus says, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 

The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 

 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 2

The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash” Matthew 7:24-27.

Is this a day of deep darkness? Is there no light to see? Are we willing to open the light of God’s Word? The arm of the Lord is revealed to all who will hear:

” . . . when we see Him,

There is no beauty that we should desire Him.
He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him Isaiah 53: 2-3.

Jesus knows this is each of us, yet His arm is held out still.

Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted Isaiah 53: 4.

Does Jesus carry my sorrows?

Do I care for my own pleasures and desires above the holy requirements of God? Sin separates me from His holy presence . . . Does this not break my heart?

But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;


The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.


All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all Isaiah 4-6.

We’ve all gone astray.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us Romans 8:5.

Jesus. Prays. For. Us.

Because He poured out His soul unto death,
And He was numbered with the transgressors,
And He bore the sin of many,
And made intercession for the transgressors Isaiah 53:14.

Do I believe the LORD’s revelation of love to me?

This is what matter most in the life of each and every living soul.

Do we turn on the light of His Word? Jesus stands at the door of our heart. Do we open up to Him today?

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me Revelation 3:20.

As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion” Hebrews 3:15.

“For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast” Ephesians 2:8-9.

Thro’ death into life everlasting,
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion–
For more than conqu’rors we are!

His Word shall not fail you–He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!


Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

In any present darkness, a breath to praise brings the Lord’s presence of light.

“Be still my soul, the Lord is in thy side. Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain. Leave to thy God to order and provide. In every change, He faithfully will remain.

Be still my soul, thy best and heavenly friend, through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.”(Hymn, Be Still My Soul by Katharina von Schlegel).

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, My God, my strength, in whom I will trust . . .

He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support.

He brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me . . . For who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?

It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect . . . The LORD lives! Blessed be my Rock!

It is God who avenges me . . . Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD . . . And sing praises to Your name” Psalm 18.

I recorded Be Still My Soul with portions of Psalm 18 in the midst of my cancer battle 10 years ago. Bald, sick from chemo, weak, anxious about finances, and school lessons and schedules, kid’s health, etc., yet speaking and singing hymns was God’s living and breathing therapy for me.

He lifted me. The LORD God, Creator of the heavens and earth and everything in it held me up. The prayers of family and the saints far and wide were heard by the Lord.

His hand was on our family. He gave exceptional gifts to my kids. God was faithful, (even in my faithlessness at times). What a gracious, compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in mercy and forgiveness, (Ex. 34:6,7).

Yes, I believe God’s Word. He touched me physically, emotionally, and spiritually and kept me during a very dark time, and continues each and every day continuing.

“I LOVE the LORD, because He has heard My voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live . . . ” Psalm 116:1,2.

And of my days, there will be no end. All because of Jesus taking all my failure on the cross. He forgives me. He cleansed me. He gives me hope today. He is risen, and He continually raises me up and rescues me.

And He stretches His arms out and offers this to all who will believe. “Yes, Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief. Increase my faith.”

If there is one person this blesses, it’s enough for me -Toni

“Thou art near.” Help us remember this.

“Thou art near; yes, Lord, I feel it, . . .

Oh, but we don’t feel Him near at times. So, we keep reading as if reaching for the lifeguard’s rescue buoy.

“Thou art near where’er I move, And though sense would fain conceal it, Faith oft whispers it to love.

When our mind swirls with thoughts that pull us down, devotions to God, hymns, spiritual songs, and Scripture act as a lifeguard that has put out a float.

This poem was found in my Spurgeon’s Devotional Bible. The reading on page 256 was highlighted with Scripture: “Thou shalt guide me with they counsel.”

The devotional of 1 Samuel 23 tells of David, banished from worship, persecuted in his own country, with King Saul of Israel out to kill him. But enemies of his homeland came to invade. Should he fight and protect the people?

“David enquired of the LORD.” 1 Samuel 23:2, “And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.”

His men were afraid.

“Then David enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand” 1 Samueal 23:4.

Who did David listen to? The fearful men or the LORD? David turned to God for his direction.

Today, we all need counsel from the Lord, but the voice of men is loud. Will we pray? Will we be still to listen. Each of these are doing hard things!

“Dear Lord, guide us with Your counsel. Help us through the darkness of this day. Enlighten our path, show us Your way!”

As Holy comfort, this old poem sings:

Then, my soul, since God doth love thee, Faint not, droop not, do not fear; Though his heaven is high above thee, He himself is ever near!”

He will hear the prayers of His people. He will answer. Do we know the Lord? His character, His name? We’re as sheep, we forget so quickly. We need old phrases to call faith back again:

Not what I am, O Lord, but what Thou art;
That, that alone, can be my soul’s true rest;
Thy love, not mine, bids fear and doubt depart,
And stills the tempest of my tossing breast.

It is Thy perfect love that casts out fear;
I know the voice that speaks the It is I,
And in these well-known words of heavenly cheer
I hear the joy that bids each sorrow fly. By the Lord’s Love by Horatius Bonar (1808-1889).

Let’s promise ourselves to make God’s Word well known. That we might rise above anything that comes to steal His peace from our hearts and minds.

Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail;

But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever Psalm 73:25,26.

May a prayer written over a hundred years ago be fresh on our lips today:

’Tis what I know of Thee, my Lord and God,
That fills my soul with peace, my lips with song;
Thou art my health, my joy, my staff, my rod;
Leaning on Thee, in weakness I am strong.

More of Thyself, Oh, show me, hour by hour;
More of Thy glory, O my God and Lord;
More of Thyself in all Thy grace and power;
More of Thy love and truth, Incarnate Word.

In Jesus’ name. Amen, and amen.

Who is praying with me?

Help for the Restless Spirit: Be Still My Soul / Psalm 18

Music therapy, vibration of strings to move fretful waters of heart and mind plus the reading of God’s Word = rest, refreshment, revelation, revival.

When we draw near to God, He will draw near to us.

Take 3 minutes to meditate in a hymn and a psalm and discover the transforming hope and help of the Lord. He abides in our praise. Praise Him actively, today.

I write this for myself. I pray there is someone else that will be renewed in spirit and mind this day by actively meditating on the great and precious promises of God through these gems of the past:

When the restlessness of mind, body, and spirit overwhelms, there is power in the hymns and psalms. Be Still My Soul & Psalm 18 are heart and mind transforming.

This is recorded for one purpose alone, therapy. Do you know someone who might be feeling alone? Restless? Confused? Overwhelmed?

Consider sharing this meditation of hymn and psalm.

Be renewed, now. Meditating on the word and God’s truth rescues us.

Psalm 18.

I will love You, O Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.

4 The pangs of death surrounded me,
And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid.
5 The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.
6 In my distress I called upon the Lord,
And cried out to my God;
He heard my voice from His temple,
And my cry came before Him, even to His ears.

7 Then the earth shook and trembled;
The foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken,
Because He was angry.
8 Smoke went up from His nostrils,
And devouring fire from His mouth;
Coals were kindled by it.
9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down
With darkness under His feet.
10 And He rode upon a cherub, and flew;
He flew upon the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness His secret place;
His canopy around Him was dark waters
And thick clouds of the skies.
12 From the brightness before Him,
His thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire.

13 The Lord thundered from heaven,
And the Most High uttered His voice,
Hailstones and coals of fire.
14 He sent out His arrows and scattered [e]the foe,
Lightnings in abundance, and He vanquished them.
15 Then the channels of the sea were seen,
The foundations of the world were uncovered
At Your rebuke, O Lord,
At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.

16 He sent from above, He took me;
He drew me out of many waters.
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy,
From those who hated me,
For they were too strong for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
But the Lord was my support.
19 He also brought me out into a broad place;
He delivered me because He delighted in me.

20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the cleanness of my hands
He has recompensed me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord,
And have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all His judgments were before me,
And I did not put away His statutes from me.
23 I was also blameless before Him,
And I kept myself from my iniquity.
24 Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
According to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.

25 With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful;
With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless;
26 With the pure You will show Yourself pure;
And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd.
27 For You will save the humble people,
But will bring down haughty looks.

28 For You will light my lamp;
The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.
29 For by You I can run against a troop,
By my God I can leap over a wall.
30 As for God, His way is perfect;
The word of the Lord is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

31 For who is God, except the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength,
And makes my way perfect.
33 He makes my feet like the feet of deer,
And sets me on my high places.
34 He teaches my hands to make war,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

35 You have also given me the shield of Your salvation;
Your right hand has held me up,
Your gentleness has made me great.
36 You enlarged my path under me,
So my feet did not slip.

37 I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them;
Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed.
38 I have wounded them,
So that they could not rise;
They have fallen under my feet.
39 For You have armed me with strength for the battle;
You have [i]subdued under me those who rose up against me.
40 You have also given me the necks of my enemies,
So that I destroyed those who hated me.
41 They cried out, but there was none to save;
Even to the Lord, but He did not answer them.
42 Then I beat them as fine as the dust before the wind;
I cast them out like dirt in the streets.

43 You have delivered me from the strivings of the people;
You have made me the head of the [j]nations;
A people I have not known shall serve me.
44 As soon as they hear of me they obey me;
The foreigners [k]submit to me.
45 The foreigners fade away,
And come frightened from their hideouts.

46 The Lord lives!
Blessed be my Rock!
Let the God of my salvation be exalted.
47 It is God who avenges me,
And subdues the peoples under me;
48 He delivers me from my enemies.
You also lift me up above those who rise against me;
You have delivered me from the violent man.
49 Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles,
And sing praises to Your name.

50 Great deliverance He gives to His king,
And shows mercy to His anointed,
To David and his descendants forevermore.

“Today, today.” I hear Jesus call. Let’s hear His voice and take hold of all He is, (our Everything), and actively give Him praise that we might celebrate the victories He has for us, now and forever.

A walk with a hymn brings out a deep prayer within . . .

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide; The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;

When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, oh abide with me. Henry F. Lyte 1847.

Spoken aloud, as on an evening walk, though sitting in one place, with the Creator of the Universe, there comes a release of tension and a new focus of heart.

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day; Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away; Change and decay in all around I see— O Thou who chagest not, abide with me.

Loved ones in hospitals left alone, parents in nursing homes without family visits. Children unable to unite with friends. Teachers give virtual lessons in separated spaces. Ministers labor to unite hearts to hope. Grief and loss are endured in separation. Energy turns to weariness quickly, . . . Change and decay in all around I see—

O Thou who chagest not, abide with me.

We raise our hearts to be rescued and lifted. We cry aloud with amplified meaning,

“Abide with us . . . Remain with me. Lodge by my side. Dwell right here. Continue to stay, endure by my side, stay in my sight, encamp around me!”

We cry out these age-old words,

I need Thy presence every passing hour;
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s pow’r?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

And when we’re still, completely surrendered, as a seed in the ground who breaks down and dies, . . .

life unseen develops within, a calm, a comfort, . . . beyond understanding. And ears open and hearts receive, as a mist of the morning, God’s refreshing news:

Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the Lord,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
 He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
 But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint Isaiah 40:28-31.

Transformation happens. Nothing changes, save the heart and mind.  

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, . . . Hebrews 4:12.

This hymn is our prayer:

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness;
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.

We pray for the lonely, the elderly, the sick, our communities, our families, let’s pray for ourselves.

He. Is. The Vine.

Let’s open ourselves to His love and ask Him to abide. Grace sufficient is found in Him. Water, light, bread, the Way. Let’s pray these old words and receive the victory found at the cross. His pardon, His cleansing, His filling, His grace.

There is no fear in love. We can boldly proclaim, in Jesus name:

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies;
Heav’n’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me. Henry F. Lyte, 1847.

So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand Isaiah 41:10.

Transformed. Renewed. All the while, Change and decay in all around I see—

we will pray,

O Thou who chagest not, abide with me.

Offering a Prayer of Hope: Be Thou My Vision

Do you have great desire to pray for the hurting around you? 

“Teach us to pray,” the disciples asked of Jesus.

Jesus gave them example in Matthew 6:9-13, to give God reverence due His name, to ask of needs, of forgiveness, deliverance, and proclamation of His glory in what we call the Lord’s Prayer. 

And we’re encouraged to “Pray continually,” in 1 Thessalonians, 5:17.

How can we do this?

Today, I am praying for many needs, far and near. We have many prayer needs.

Join me in praying a hymn and meditating on it’s rich thought through the day?

The hymn,

Be Thou My Vision. Perhaps one of the oldest recorded hymns in history, dated as early as 8th Century BC.

“Be Thou My Vision, O Lord of my heart;

Naught be all else to me, save that thou art;

Thou my best thought by day or by night,

Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.”

These words bring to our mind, Your Word, Lord,  “You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all of your heart.” Jer. 29:13.

We’re seeking You, Lord God. For many general, as well as specific prayers and needs.

You’re our best thought, day or night. You’re our present help, (Psalm 46:1).

Be thou my Wisdom, and thou my true Word;

I ever with thee and thou with me Lord;

Thou my Great Father, and I thy true son,

Thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.

Softly and tenderly, O God, You comfort, because You are with us, and we lift many hurting and broken hearts specifically to You. 

Cover the hurting and broken under the shadow of Your wings, (Psalm 91).

I will never leave you nor forsake you. Hebrews 13:5.

And, 

The LORD is my helper; I will not fear . . .  Hebrews 13:6.

Cover the weak with your truth.

Be thou my Battle-shield, Sword for my fight,

Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my delight;

Thou my soul’s shelter, Thou my High Tower,

Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my Power.

We have little strength, be our High Tower.

In brokenness, Jesus, comfort the downcast with Your presence.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise;

Thou mine inheritance, now and always;

Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,

High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.

Yes, the treasure of Your Word, dear Lord reminds us of Your great love, now . . . 

You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever (Psalm 16:11).

Yes, forever. 

High King of Heaven, my victory won,

May I reach heaven’s joys, bright heaven’s Sun!

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,

Still be my Vision, O Ruler of All.

We recite a hymn, which speaks our heart, even broken and sad. 

Heart of my own heart, 

whatever befall,

Still be my Vision, 

O Ruler of All.

In Your Name, Jesus we lift our prayers,

Amen.”

Getting in Spiritual Shape

It’s not how we start but how we finish. Now that’s the hard part. We start getting in shape and thinking of healthy new beginnings, but continuing in it is the struggle.

Exercising our spiritual is as much, if not more important than our physical.

Tests have proved this. Reports have come out and science has proven that attitudes of faith bring about hope in our minds and help us to better function and maintain good health.

In the midst of heavy concerns in this world, how can we remain hopeful and thankful?

The Word of God is a safe and reliable refuge of comfort. God’s Word reminds us immediately of His faithfulness and truth, which in turn nourishes us with increased faith and new strength to hope, and even greater, to love.

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come 1 Timothy 4:8.

Daily time in the Word changes us.

It seems, many years ago, Isaac Watts struggled with a title to one of his hymns or spiritual songs. It is found to be Hymn 73: Doubts Scattered; or, Spiritual Joy Restored.

How wonderfully expressive is the immediate change of heart and mind when our ears hear what the Spirit says to us. Our Doubts are scattered. Our spiritual joy restored:

Darkness and doubts had veil’d my mind,
And drown’d my head in tears,
Till sovereign grace with shining rays
Dispell’d my gloomy fears.

O what immortal joys I felt,
And raptures all divine,
When Jesus told me, I was his,
And my Beloved mine.

In vain the tempter frights my soul,
And breaks my peace in vain,
One glimpse, dear Saviour, of thy face,
Revives my joys again. Doubts scattered; or, Spiritual joy restored by Isaac Watts.

For God so loves me and you that He gave.

God gives.

Presently. Jesus loves.


God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him John 3:17.

He chose me. And He chose you too. And today, we choose Jesus. Because He first loved us, each individually.

So today, I nourish my heart, soul, and mind with a work-out in 1 John 4:1-12:

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us 1 John 4:1-12.

This is a spiritual work-out of 12 rich bites of 1 John 4.

We’re changed because today, we could hear Jesus say, “I was his,
And my Beloved mine.“

O For Grace to Trust Him More

The taste of sweet treats I challenge myself to put away, and as a new year begins, I pray instead for increased craving for the promises of God.

For motivation, I open the Amplified Word.

“Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied” Matthew 5:6.

Who doesn’t want to be joyful and nourished by God’s goodness? Well, maybe some, but if God tells us how to be blessed, I want  to know more of Him and His Word.

This brings to mind an old hymn: ‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus. Just to take Him at His word. Just to rest upon His promise. Just to Know, “Thus saith the Lord.”

Today’s news is hard. Storms are brewing. Yet, if I take delight in the sweet, precious Word of God, and remember what saith the Lord, then I have no reason to fear, because I’m reminded the best truth of all, that God is with me.

Even if I “walk through the valley of the shadow of death,” in our hard, demanding days, when I choose to draw near to God, He promises to draw near to me.

“Oh how sweet to trust in Jesus. Just to trust His cleansing blood, and in simple faith to plunge me ‘neath the healing, cleansing flood.”

Spending a little time in God’s Word and thinking on this related hymn, I’m reminded that, “In Him we live and move and have our being” Acts 17:28.

He surrounds me.

I can rest upon His promises.

Strengthen the feeble hands,
    steady the knees that give way;
 say to those with fearful hearts,
    “Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
    he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
    he will come to save you” Isaiah 35:3,4.

My mind and heart are not strengthened by excess of anything, except perhaps, the Word of God and the reading of the hymns.

Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace.

Taking hold of God’s provision, life and rest, and joy and peace, is most satisfying. ‘Tis so sweet. This is how we can be blessed. Yes?

I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.

Oh, to know, “Thus saith the Lord!”

 “Blessed [anticipating God’s presence, spiritually mature] are the pure in heart [those with integrity, moral courage, and godly character], for they will see God.

 “Blessed [spiritually calm with life-joy in God’s favor] are the makers and maintainers of peace, for they will [express His character and] be called the sons of God.

Oh for grace to trust Him more.

“Mary had a Baby. Yes, Lord . . . “

It’s Christmastime. The music changes. Suddenly Jesus’s name is heard in Department Stores, and it’s acceptable. Christmas Carols, children’s voices, the sound of music is everywhere.

Today, I pull out an ol’ gospel spiritual Mary Had a Baby, Yes, Lord.

Little ones light up singing this tune.

You might remember the song. It has a sweet, childlike simplicity, yet it births some  deep, important thoughts for the soul:

Mary had a baby, yes, Lord,
Mary had a baby, yes my Lord,
Mary had a baby, yes Lord,
People keep a-comin’ an’ the train done gone.

There’s a natural flow to the words even if the true melody is unknown.  

There was a lot going on then. And there’s a lot going on now. This story isn’t only about the past, this story is about today, this very moment. This story is for now.

Mary had a baby, yes, Lord.

This is a good excuse to open up the Scripture’s pages and read the story stright from the Bible:

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire.

So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. And Joseph also went up . . . out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to . . . Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, Luke 2: 1,4.

A lot of people began coming to town. And the song brings it all to mind, the atmosphere of that place and time.

The people keep a comin, . . . 

There’s traveling here and there, for everyone. Days are busy. We, like they, are  occupied with important things. We’re counting on many things.

Does this song bring about urgency?

What’s all this about the train done gone?

Is there a train we might miss?

The kids sing: 

What did she name Him? Yes Lord?
What did she name Him, yes my Lord,
What did she name Him, Yes, Lord,  . . .

There must be something about that name. 

And the Bible let’s us know that God gave a title along with a name. There’s something special about this Baby of Mary:

A virgin shall be with Child and they shall call His name, Immanuel (Matthew 1:23). 

Immanuel, God . . . with . . . us. 

There’s so much to do, no time to be still, so, . . .

The people keep-a-coming, and the train done gone.

Have I missed something? Do I even realize something’s missing? Do we miss the Everything?

God’s Word tells the story in Luke 2, famously:

So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

‘Mary had a baby, Yes Lord . . .

What did she name Him? Yes,  my Lord . . .

‘She named Him King Jesus, Yes Lord,

Named Him King Jesus, Yes, my Lord. 

Wrapped him in swaddlin’, Yes Lord.

the people keep a coming but the train done gone.”

Wrapped in rags? A King wrapped in poor ol’ rags. “No room in the Inn, but you can have the barn?”

What’s going on in this ol’ gospel song?

A cold, smelly cave where the animals all stay? Is this the story that we read every year.

God has come down to be with us, the Immanuel has come down. But who even knows? 

Is this a picture of my very own heart? Am I going to miss what’s most important? Concerned about the gifts I’m going to give, or not able to give? Am I allowing other expectations fill my mind?

Is the train done gone? 

Not if I can make the choice, each new day, even, moment by moment at times.

Though the terrain be rough, (as it was for Mary and Joseph), though there’s no room in the traditional sense, no Inn, or culturally acceptable dwelling places, . . .

perhaps the barn door, smelly and raw, of a broken spirit toward God, and a heartfelt prayer, “Lord, I’m desperate for You. Change me that I might overcome every trial as You did, and have grace and mercy as a gift to give.”

This Babe left all His glory of heaven to be born in a barn . . . for me, for every person in the whole entire world to be Savior, our Forgiver, our Redeemer.

‘Mary had a baby, Yes Lord. The glory train is here now. Can I see it?

What’s my choice?

I’m getting on. And again, each new morning.

It’s my choice to choose Love before the opportunity’s gone, but I can’t do it alone.

What should we do? I will take His hand and trust He’ll help me make the step.

The Scripture says, 

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold,

an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid, Luke 2:8.

And the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.” 

“Take my hand. Don’t be afraid. Trust Me. I am enough.”

My mail might not bring good news. The doctor’s report might not have good news, but Jesus, He has brought news of great joy for me, and all people of the world.

Jesus is bread. Jesus is light. Jesus is my Good Shepherd, my living water, the bright and morning star. Jesus is my peace, your peace, the Prince of Peace.

He has broken down every wall. He is our everything.

I must turn aside, from the mainstream flow of traffic, and step right up. And with each new day, never let this train pass me by.

“She named Him King Jesus, Yes Lord!”

She named Him King Jesus,

“Yes my Lord.” 

I choose to make Him King. Let’s get on that train, step by step, minute by minute.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever would believe in Him . . . 

should not perish  . . .

but have everlasting life, John 3:16.

When it feels like a sacrifice to praise, praise anyway.

Is life so heavy that the song in our heart is gone? In this day and age, between pressing schedules, unbelievable news reports, and sudden moments of loss, a song is the last thing on our mind.

Even so, the Bible encourages:

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. Hebrews 13:15

Through Jesus, trust in Him and His sacrifice for us, we are encouraged to offer to God a sacrifice of praise, continually.

Hymns are a great help to learn to praise. Everything created praises, according to All creatures of our God and King:

All creatures of our God and King, 
lift up your voice and with us sing 
alleluia, alleluia! (Paraphrase, William H. Draper. Author, St. Frances of Assisi, 1225).

Yes, the sun lifts its voice daily, the moon gives glory to God as the hymn brings melody to stir up heavy hearts with visions of hope and power:
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
thou silver moon with softer gleam,
O praise him, O praise him,
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

We see these beauties everyday. They lift our eyes up above our earthly thoughts. This hymn ignites new direction of thought, vertical instead of horizontal.

From the weight of cares to praise to God. He is able to help in time of need.

We don’t have to be in church to worship God. We can praise God anywhere, but, there is added riches to efforts and investment of time when we come into the Lord’s house in a community, and

offer a sacrifice of praise.

We don’t always “feel” like praising God. Everyone walks through the doors of God’s house with individual pains and struggles, but a sacrifice of praise changes everything, especially . . . me.

Science has now proven the human brain functions in a more complete capacity when the thoughts and meditations are pleasant.

Praise to God brings supernatural change. The Creator of the Universe is near in our praise, that’s powerful.

We can praise God easily when things are going right, but can we praise before God “parts the Red Sea,” so to speak?

And when we make effort and sacrifice time to go to church, there is reward we don’t always see and don’t comprehend. God is found in hearts that seek Him. He draws near when we draw near to Him.

In church, the focus (should be) and is God. Not the other stuff that tries to take our thoughts, critique, distractions, etc.

He is the One who is able to do all things. Even if the song is not to our liking, we can make the willing choice to read it, speak it, and hear the truths.

With an open and willing mind, our hearts begin to see the common ground in the old hymn and admire it’s care to invoke praise through the trials:
Thou rushing wind that art so strong, 
ye clouds that sail in heav’n along, 
O praise him, alleluia! 

Yes, the winds are strong, the clouds are dark, God is greater and knows all things. O praise Him. Praise Him still.

Maybe, this is what, “be as a child means.” Children trust. Children believe.

And children are praisers. With their bright morning smiles and joyful eyes. With their energy and excitement, children bring praise.

The song of a child is pure and clear, much like the next verse speaking of the glorious sound of water:

Thou flowing water, pure and clear, 
make music for thy Lord to hear, 
alleluia, alleluia!

Everything gives praise, even warm fires and their glow, the hymn reminds that we watch praise to God wherever we go:
Thou fire so masterful and bright, 
that givest man both warmth and light, 
O praise him, O praise him, 
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! 

What if the masses stopped to praise? Would we be a different people? Oh, wouldn’t God be pleased?

What would it look like if we would praise God more? Would we put down pointing fingers?

And all ye men of tender heart,
forgiving others, take your part,
O sing ye, alleluia!
Ye who long pain and sorrow bear,
praise God and on him cast your care,
O praise him, O praise him,
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Alleluia, God alone can change the heart.

God alone is near and able to comfort sufficiently, those with a broken heart.

It’s a season to give praise to God and join all creation whose already singing. Perhaps one heart at a time, tuned up and praising more, we will witness a changed culture. A culture that returns to walk through the doors of God’s glorious house , worship Him in humbleness, . . .

Let all things their Creator bless,
and worship him in humbleness,
O praise him, alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
and praise the Spirit, three in one. 

This is how the world will be turned upside down, when His people offer a sacrifice of praise, in season, . . . and out.

O praise him, O praise him, 
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!




Source: Trinity Psalter Hymnal #248

Give a Gift of Song, With or Without Singing

December has begun, and people are . . . not all jolly. How do we overcome and move forward when life is filled with loss,

or sickness, or falls,

and pressures, and messes,

and great amount of cares?

Is there a rescue place? Well, those who believe in God take comfort in spending time and thinking on His love and sufficient gift in His Son.

But what about when the song is gone when the holiday season has begun? Like a tire gone flat? Where’s the lift?

I’m telling you, it’s in the hymn-book! One that’s opened and read aloud that is.

This is the one-stringed guitar that I play, so-to-speak: the hymnal has amazing power. But my favorite of all time are Robert J. Morgan’s Then Sings My Soul editions. 

I brought one of the editions into the infusion room many years ago when I was undergoing chemotherapy. The cancer patients in close vicinity to my voice were lifted immediately by the hymns and the stories of the writers. 

We were changed. A deep joy, courage, and most important, hope returned to our sick bodies.

Many were reminded that God’s gracious love never left their side, even though they had nothing to do with Him for long and past years.

Yesterday, I was thinking of my elderly neighbor while I was able to be at church on Dec. 1. She’s unable to get to church because of many reasons, and struggling in many ways. 

Thank you Robert. J. Morgan, for writing Then Sings My Soul Special Edition. I scooped up this book and went on my way to pay a short visit to my neighbor.

Coffee came first, but then pages were opened:

His Eye is on the Sparrow by Civilla D. Martin, 1905.

The Scripture of choice for this hymn was, “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will” Matthew 10:29.

Always to the left was the hymn, to the right, a story. With no melody at all, just the words of the hymn read aloud, “Why should I feel discouraged? Why should the shadows come? Why should my heart be lonely And long for heaven and home.

When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He: His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me . . . “

Yes, it’s true, the Word has been told us, “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”) Matthew 1;23.

Isn’t this one of the most precious promises of God?
My eyes scroll up for verse 2 with anticipation of the thoughts: “Whenever I am tempted, Whenever clouds arise, When song gives place to sighing, When hope within me dies,

I draw the closer to Him; From care He sets me free; His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me . . . “

Hope is restored with the speaking, (or singing, if you choose) of a hymn. Change comes. The promises of God fill the mind instead of troubles and pain. For example,

“. . . God has chosen to make known . . .  the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

And then my eyes roamed to Morgan’s writing in regards to this hymn by Civilla Durfee Martin, and I was reminded of other verses regarding God’s faithfulness within this theme:

“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will” Matthew 10:29.

“Do not fear . . . you are of more value than many sparrows” Luke 12:7.

What a wonderful gift this book is to me over and over again. Perhaps, this year the most meaningful gift you might give yourself, or others, is a Robert J. Morgan’s, Then Sings my Soul edition.

We’ll Understand It Better By and By

 


Hard times for Charles A. Tindley, a prominent, but persecuted American-African in the 1850’s, proved to move his pen to write, not in anger or hate, but in faith and love:

“We are often tossed and driv’n on the restless sea of time, rolling clouds and howling tempests oft succeed a bright sunshine;

In that land of perfect day, when the mists have rolled away, We will understand it better by and by. By and by.”

C. Tindley didn’t point a blaming finger, he didn’t ask the question why? He sought instead the Lord and His ways, and wrote a song, that we sing today,

By and by when the morning comes, . . . We’ll tell the story how we’ve over-come; And we’ll understand it better by and by, by and by.”

Mr. Tindley was a man of faith. How can we have an overcoming faith? The Word of God is our sword and help. Jesus said to the people, 

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world John 16: 33.

We might not understand all the trial and pain we endure now, but with eyes up, we ask, where’s my help coming from?

Our help comes form the Lord who made heaven and earth Psalm 121: 1,2.

And the Lord gives us a trusting faith and we sing, “We will understand it better by and by. By and by.”

“Trials dark on ev’ry hand, and we cannot understand, All the ways that God would lead us to that blessed promised land;

But He’ll guide us with His eye, and we’ll follow till we die, We will understand it better by and by, by and by.”

Eyes fixed on Him and minds and hearts in His Word, this is a recipe for faith, every time.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good Romans 12:21.

For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith 1 John 5:4.

The song and the Word create inner courage to those who believe. Charles Tindley’s response to pain and hurt speaks loud today. He over-came.

And we will over-come too.

But you, Lord, are a shield around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high Psalm 3:3.

Step by step, eyes on the Lord, This man is a witness, among many for us, let us proclaim together, 

“We’ve over-come; And we’ll understand it better by and by, by and by.”

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us Hebrews 12:1.

When the saints of God are gathered home, we’ll tell the story of how we’ve over-come; And we’ll understand it better by and by, by and by.”

For you, for me, and all the trials we live through and see, we’ll understand it better, by and by, and in the meantime, we’ll keep trusting God for each new sunrise. 

We’ll Understand it Better By and By , Charles A. Tindley, 1905.

Baby needs sleep? Chemo’s hit hard? Sleepless times? Music Therapy in Sleepy Hymns by me

Quite honestly, music is therapy, and sometimes, simple affords a loveliness that perfect and professional can’t find.

I have opportunity to encourage and teach children and adults to learn and play an instrument daily. There’s nothing like the challenge to make something beautiful that comes from our own hands and heart. The enemy to this challenge is perfectionism.

Perfectionism paralyzes. I love when children and adults play and sing with joy, accepting where they are at the moment.

I’m thankful I have the freedom to pick up an instrument and bring sound and vibration to my scattered mind.

At this moment, I share, and there will come one more professional and skilled, but today, for a weary soul, I pray this will bring a moment of peace, calm, and restful sleep. That is my prayer.

To God be the glory. He can make all things beautiful in His time,

Toni