psalm 62

my soul finds rest in God alone
my salvation comes from him
he alone is my rock and my salvation
he is my fortress
i shall never be shaken.

by meredith andrews.

i search for love
when the night came and it closed in
i was alone
but You found me where I was hiding
and though i'll never ever be the same
it was the sweetest voice that called my name
singing

"you're not alone
for I am here
let Me wipe away every fear
my love I've never left your side
I have seen you through the darkest night
and I'm the one that's loved you all your life
all of your life"

you cry yourself to sleep
cause the hurt is real
and the pain cuts deep
all hope seems lost
with heartache your closest friend
and everyone else long gone

you've had to face the music on your own
but there is a sweeter song that calls you home
sayin'

"you're not alone
for I am here
let Me wipe away your every tear
my love I've never left your side
I have seen you through the darkest nights
and I'm the one that's love you all your life
all your life

faithful and true...forever
for My love will carry you....

you're not alone
for I...I am here
let me wipe away every fear
my love I've never left your side
I have seen you through your darkest nights
your darkest nights
and I'm the one that's loved you all your life
all of your life"

for an aching heart

you O Lord are my strength and my shield
my fortress
the one who lifts my weary head
my comforter, my rock
my water when i thirst in the desert
you are my safety and my delight
my stronghold
with your loving arms wrapped tightly around my trembling frame
you love me
you rejoice over me
you lavish me with gifts
you are my healer, my great physician
the one who knows all things
you hold me gently in your hand
and protect me under your wings
you touch my chin and tilt it upward, not to the ground
you wipe the thousands and thousands of tears
and keep them safe in a bottle for your own glory
you are my teacher when i am foolish
my guide when i am lost
and my hope when i so desperately want to despair
you relieve the fears and worries that knock at my heart's door
you argue my salvation before the throne
and take the pain and the sin that shouldve been mine
you are my rest, my peace, my satisfaction
you cover me with grace and mercy
you calm my anxious thoughts
and still my restless soul
you are my defense, my help, my wisdom
you are my leader, my deliverer, and my king
yes, O Lord, you are my joy.


H

tears

why
when you so desperately want to say no
do all the tears
and heartache
and pain
culminate into a yes?
knowing that they might never leave you
and yet you still say yes?


H

honey to a weary heart

as i read through 34 chapters of the book of Psalms tonight, these are some verses which the Lord is using to revive my aching heart. thank you, Father, for the comfort your Word brings.

9.1 "i will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; i will tell of all Your wonders."

13.5-6 "but i have trusted in Your lovingkindess; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. i will sing to the LORD, because He has dealt bountifully with me."

16.1-2 "preserve me, o God, for i take refuge in You. i said to the LORD, 'You are my Lord; i have no good besides You.' "

16.7-9 "i will bless the LORD who has counseled me; indeed, my mind instructs me in the night. i have set the LORD continually before me; because He is at my right hand, i will not be shaken. therefore, my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will dwell securely."

18.1-3 "i love You, o LORD, my strength. the LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom i take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. i call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and i am saved from my enemies."

21.2-5 "o my God, i cry by day, but You do not answer; and by night, but i have no rest. yet You are holy, o You who are enthroned upon the praises of israel. in You our fathers trusted; they trusted and You delivered them. to You they cried out and were delivered. in You they trusted and were not disappointed."

25.4,9,11 "make me know Your ways, o LORD; teach me Your paths...He leads the humble in justice, and He teaches the humble His way...for Your name's sake, o LORD, pardon my iniquity, for it is great."

27.8-9 "when You said, 'seek My face,' my heart said to You, 'Your face, o LORD, i shall seek.' do not hide Your face from me, do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; do not abandon me nor forsake me, o God of my salvation!"

30.2 "o LORD my God, i cried to You for help, and You healed me."

34.4 "i sought the LORD, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears."

fall

i watch the irony of it all,
as my favorite season mirrors the emotions inside.
tonight,
i needed more than enough breaths of fresh air
to make it from the front door to the car,
so i took a walk.
in so doing, i happened upon a wooden man,
his many thin arms this way and that,
his coloring quite gone, but for a few red & orange leaves.
though i didn't stay and chat,
i'll admit i took a second glance at him,
and inside i felt a part of those unseen leaves
which, by now, had disappeared from view.
falling are the emotions that tangle inside me,
like a plate of limp spaghetti noodles.
my vigor and valor have ceased to lead
at the foremost of battle lines.
and as the old man's fingers fall,
they foreshadow the dawning of winter,
but
my certain hope
is that winter will break forth
into beautiful, vibrant spring.


H

what is white

white is the slow and soft music that plays

as she steps into the melody
with glass slippers and enchanted chiffon
not knowing
not understanding
the silent tears
and confused contentment

white is the rose of sweet surrender

as she pours out all she has into
that dance
fearful of when the notes will die out
yet hoping, begging, praying for its arrival...


H

simply love you.

Seems that life's become so complicated
I don't think it was meant to be this way
I find myself so distracted
Caught up in the chaos of your day

When did I stop asking for your wisdom?
As if your words were meant for someone else
Why do I choose to second-guess you?
Oh I only frustrate and confuse myself

I just wanna love you, Simply love you
The way it used to be
When you love was new to me
I just wanna love you, simply love you
To hear what you say and live every day
Like you asked me to
I just wanna simply love you

Many times you spoke of us as children
Childhood seems to me so long ago
You say i can trust you like I did then
If I give you my hand then you'll lead me home

Oh...to fall on my knees
With the freshest belief
Stirred once again with the story
of how you loved me


--ginny owens

exhausted

oh Lord, my Savior, please grant me strength this night and again when the sun rises twice more. you are my refuge and my deliverer, my God in whom i am secure. thank you for the promise of a new body someday that will never fail or tire or become worn out. keep my eyes looking upward, not inward, i pray.


H

the battle.

"Prepare for war!"

It was early in the morning when battle cries rang throughout the camp, as the confident military general passed through the tents in Gilgal. This had been an eventful week already, but he knew the most difficult part lay ahead, and it was up to him to rally the troops yet again.

Jericho hadn't been so bad as their first victory. In fact, it seemed so simple, looking back now--marching around the city and shouting for victory, which undoubtedly came only from YHWH. Ai? Well, because of Achan's thievery within the spoils of Jericho, the nation had lost its first men in battle! And 36 of them, at that! The general sighed, half-wishing the consequences of someone else's actions didn't have to affect the whole nation.

From Ai, he had led them across the central part of Israel, taking the cities of the hill country--what a beautiful land this was! Joshua took a mental break, recalling back to when he and Caleb had first sneaked in as spies. It was even better than those areas which they had observed back then, forty years ago, and it was promised to them and to their descendants....incredible.

"Sir!" a young officer called, jolting Joshua from his reverie. "King Jabin of Hazor is moving south towards our camp. They say he's about a day's journey from us, at the waters of Merom."

"Thank you. You may go," the general nodded.

"And sir...with him are three other kings of the north, as well as many armies. To be quite honest, sir, it looks like as many people as the sand on the seashore."

"Have you been to the seashore, young man?" Joshua slightly raised one eyebrow.

"Well...uh...no sir, but that's what I've been told." The officer looked down, shifting his sword sheath nervously.

Joshua nodded again. "Then I suggest you remind yourself what our God told Abraham about sand and the seashore. He wouldn't bring us all the way here to let us be defeated by a few small armies now, would He? That is all. You may go."

The young man disappeared quickly, and Joshua's thoughts turned once more to the past few weeks. Central campaign had been successful, southern campaign was mind-blowing, the way God had miraculously given them victory over the Amorites. He still couldn't believe how long that day had actually lasted, and how none of his own men had been pelted by the gigantic hailstones from the sky.

Well, all that was left was the north. And though he had full confidence that God would bring another victory for the nation, a small tinge of fear rested in the back of his mind. What if another person in the camp had sinned, and their encounter with King Jabin would prove its results? And how would God show His power this time? Joshua himself knew of the large flat-lands of this part of the country, and had also seen glimpses of the massive chariots that dominated the northern territory. How could an army of foot soldiers go against these giants and walk away successful?

Upon reaching the edge of the camp, Joshua motioned for the other soldiers with him to make final preparations for the upcoming battle. The strength in his voice masked the fear in his heart, and once he was alone, he dropped on one knee, putting his head in his hands.

"My Lord," he whispered softly, "Who am I, that you should have me lead this nation? I am no Moses, but I am your servant. Let your name be honored, my Lord."

A voice as true as his own skin answered back, with all the courage and strength which Joshua felt lacking inside.

"Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow at this time I will deliver all of them slain before Israel; you shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire."

That was it. And yet, that was all that was needed. Joshua stood to his feet with a new determination and peace, ready at last for the northern campaign.

It was early in the morning, again, as the men began their march from Gilgal. Leaving the women and children behind was the hardest part of all, but their general had assured them of YHWH's hand of protection this day and those to follow.

So Joshua and all the people of war with him came upon the Canaanites suddenly by the waters of Merom, and attacked them. The LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, so that they defeated them, and they struck them until no survivor was left. Joshua did to them as the LORD had told him; he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire. Then Joshua turned back at that time, and captured Hazor and struck its king with the sword; for Hazor formerly was the head of all these kingdoms. Joshua captured all the cities of these kings, and all their kings, and he struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed them, just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded. So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD had spoken to Moses, and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. Thus the land had rest from war.


H