Trust God in Every Detail of Your Life

Psalm 40:2 - He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.

Jeremiah 17:7 - "Blessed is the man who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord."

Romans 8:28 - And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

I Peter 2:9 - But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 

Dear God, thank You for drawing me up out of the miry bog and setting my feet upon the rock so I can stand. Thank You for working things together for my good even when I may not understand what. You are doing. In Jesus' Name, Amen!

Your Love Never Fails by Newsboys (YouTube)

Nothing can separate 

Even if I run away

Your love never fails

I know I still make mistakes

You have new mercy for me every day

'Cause Your love never fails

You stay the same through the ages

Your love never changes

There may pain in the night 

But joy comes in the morning

The wind is strong and the water's deep

I'm not alone here in these open seas

'Cause Your love never fails 

The chasm is far too wide

I never though I'd reach the other side

But Your live never fails

You stay the same through the ages

Your love never changes

There may be pain in the night

But joy comes in the morning

And when the oceans rage

I don't have to be afraid

Because I know that You love me

Your love never fails

You make all things work together for my good

You make all things work together for my good

You stay the same through the ages 

Your love never changes

There may be pain in the night

But joy comes in the morning

And when the oceans rage

I don't have to be afraid

Because I know that You live me

Your live never fails

Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, oh oh

'Cause your love never fails

Search for Me

Jeremiah 29:13-14 - You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

Jeremiah 29:13 (ICB) - You will search for men and when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me!

John 10:27 - My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

Romans 8:28 - And we know that all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Dear God, I am looking forward to finding You today. Whether in the laughter or the crying, the birds singing or the crickets chirping, the peace and the calm of the day or the storm of the night, I look forward to You. Thank You. In Jesus's Name, Amen!

Your Love Never Fails by Newsboys (YouTube) 

Nothing can separate 

Even if I run away

Your love never fails

I know I still make mistakes

You have new mercy for me everyday

Cause Your love never fails

You stay the same through the ages

Your love never changes

There may be pain in the night

But joy comes in the morning

And when the oceans rage

I don't have to be afraid

Because I know that You love me

Your love never fails

The wind is strong and the water's deep

But I'm not alone here in these open seas

Cause Your love never fails

The chasm is far too wide

I never thought I'd reach the other side

But Your love never fails 

You make all things work together for my good

You make all things work together for my good

Don't Get Stuck

John 14:6-7 - Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."

Romans 8:28 - And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

I Peter 5:6-7 - Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Dear God, show me the way, the truth, and the life. Help me get unstuck. Help me not be resentful or angry. Help me make good choices. Thank You. In Jesus' Name, Amen!

Your Love Never Fails by Newsboys (YouTube)

Nothing can separate

Even if I run away

Your love never fails

I know I still make mistakes

You have new mercy for me every day

Cause Your love never fails

You stay the same through the ages

Your love never changes

There may be pain in the night

But joy comes in the morning

And when the oceans rage

I don't have to be afraid

Because I know that You love me

Your love never fails

The wind is strong and the water's deep

But I'm not alone here in these open seas

Cause Your love never fails

The chasm is far too wide

I never thought I'd reach the other side

But Your love never fails

You make all things work together for my good

You make all things work together for my good

It's Your Choice

Psalm 141:8 - But my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord; in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless.

Colossians 2:6-7 - Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Colossians 2:6-7 (ICB) - As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so continue to live in him. Keep your roots deep in him and have your lives built on him. Be strong in the faith, just as you were taught. And always be thankful.

I Peter 5:6-11 - Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Dear God, for me trust doesn't get any easier. I am trying to trust You right now with regard to the matter of Tom and what his church did wrong. I am trying to trust that I will hear something from the presbytery and trying to trust that You gave them wisdom to step in. But trust is so hard, especially when Tom reminded me of why I cannot seem to trust anyone. And I want to be thankful to You God, but it is so hard when everything around me seems to not be going quite the way I would hope. And some of those things are turning out to be a lot trickier than what they should be. But God, here is my heart today. Please answer my deepest prayers today. Thank You. In Jesus' Name, Amen!

God's Not Dead by Newsboys (YouTube)

Let love explode and bring the dead to life

A love so bold

To see a revolution somehow

Let love explode and bring the dead to life

A love so bold 

To bring a revolution somehow

Now I'm lost in Your freedom

In this world I'll overcome

My God's not dead

He's surely alive

He's living on the inside

Roaring like a lion 

God's not dead 

He's surely alive

He's living on the inside

Roaring like a lion

He's roaring He's roaring He's roaring like a lion

Let hope arise and make the darkness hide

My faith is dead I need a resurrection somehow

Now I'm lost in Your freedom

In this world I'll overcome

My God's not dead 

He's surely alive 

He's living on the inside

Roaring like a lion 

God's not dead 

He's surely alive

He's living on the inside

Roaring like a lion

He's roaring He's roaring He's roaring like a lion

He's roaring He's roaring

Let Heaven roar and fire fall

Come shake the ground

With the sound of revival 

(x3)

My God's not dead

He's surely alive

He's living on the inside 

Roaring like a lion

God's not dead 

He's surely alive

He's living on the inside

Roaring like a lion

God's not dead

He's surely alive

He's living on the inside

Roaring like a lion

God's not dead

He's surely alive

He's living on the inside

Roaring like a lion

He's roaring He's roaring He's roaring like a lion (x2)

Roaring like a lion

Don't Be Distracted

Psalm 42:11 - Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

Romans 8:28 - And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Dear God, All I ask today is that You prepare the hearts of the people at presbytery who will be determining what needs to be done with regard to Tom Patton and that church. It really does make me sad that he willfully ignore the fact that I was being bullied and abused. And it hurts more that he became a bully and an abuser. It hurts that he believed and spread lies about me. It makes me angry that he has been allowed to just get away with it. It makes me sad that he refuses to seek peace and restoration which reflects on his character more than anything else. If the marks of a true Christian include those two key things, then he is not a Christian and can no longer serve in his capacity. As sad it may make me feel, it is the reality. God, I want to believe that You will work all this out for the good, but it is hard. Tom always said he had my best interest in mind and at heart yet when the time came where that was most needed to be proven and for the most grace to be exercised, he failed miserably. I have been told that if an offense is minor enough to try to overlook it, but what Tom did is nothing minor and it cannot be overlooked and should not be overlooked either. He has to be called under accountability for what he did. They have to be called under accountability for what they did. And I am hoping and praying and struggling to trust that You will make sure they are brought under accountability. That is what would be good, not just for me, but for everyone. Because sadly, it turns out that I really am not the only one who has been hurt or bullied or abused or neglected or adversely impacted by their actions. Many people have been. And sadly, those people, like me, have been accused of many things and been made out to be the sole offender and the bad person when that simply isn't true at all. They have bullies in their midst and those bullies have corrupted them, and a corrupt church is not a church at all. Apparently You do not take kindly to corrupt churches either. But today, I am going to try to refocus and exchange my anxiety for Your peace and Your comfort, okay, God? In Jesus' Name, Amen!

Your Love Never Fails by Newsboys (YouTube)

Nothing can separate

Even if I run away

Your love never fails

I know I still make mistakes

You have new mercy for me everyday

Cause your love never fails

You stay the same through the ages

Your love never changes

There may be pain in the night

But joy comes in the morning

And when the oceans rage

I don't have to be afraid

Because I know that You love me

Your love never fails

The wind is strong and the water's deep

But I'm not alone here in these open seas

Cause Your love never fails

The chasm is far too wide

I never thought I'd reach the other side

But Your love never fails

You make all things work together for my good

You make all things work together for my good

StadiumFest Part 2

Aside from some lady claiming to be a Christian complaining about noise on the StadiumFest Facebook page (wah!!), tonight was awesome!! By the way, in defense of the event staff, Spain Park is the most centrally located venue in the Birmingham area. The Hoover mayor was there and Hoover police was there as well. And no noise ordinance laws were violated. So the woman complaining won't change anything. God still used the contemporary Christian "noise" as she called it in a "neighborhood."

She actually had the gall to assume I'd complain if a rap artist was in my "neighborhood." Nope. Because if I know about it as was the case with her knowing about StadiumFest, I have options. Stay home and complain or attend or make other plans.

StadiumFest is like the Christian version of Alabaster CityFest. Every year, CityFest diverts traffic and I can hear it if I go outside at my house. But rather than complain, I can either go or I can make other plans.

I'm laughing at the fact she has complained on their page and complained and argued on every post defending the event and praising God for what was done through this one channel!

Anyway, Britt Nicole was awesome. A little hot from the warm Alabama temperatures today but still awesome. I don't know many of her songs though, but she performed "Gold," of which Nickelodeon has been airing the video. Favorite line: "You're worth more than gold."

I wasn't very interested in the acts that followed although I did enjoy Crowder's performance of "I'll Fly Away."

Newsboys? I was up there close with the crowd! They did old favorites like "He Reigns" as well as new favorites like "God's Not Dead." They really rocked it!

And let me remind you that contemporary Christian music is just as much a channel for God's voice as grandma's old Southern gospel hymnal music. It happens to be more appealing to the younger audiences (guessing the 50 and under crowd although a much older man screamed louder than me!).

Anyway, I will actually do one more post to follow because I need to get some sleep so I can go to Sunday school and hopefully church in the morning!

StadiumFest Part 1

I have to say Jamie-Grace was the best so far. I couldn't stay past her set tonight. Apparently hay showed up around the scene and I had a reaction. But she performed several great songs off her CD, including God Girl, Hold Me, and With You. She also shared a little about how she struggles with ADD and Tourette's as well as anxiety. For me, this hit home as I have my own challenges to learn to overcome. One of the most recent diagnoses was the autism (which you can now see some videos that demonstrate the episodic meltdowns on my YouTube channel. I decided to get really real in them.).

Tomorrow, I return to StadiumFest to help in the children's area (although if I react too badly to the hay, we may have to get creative and reassign me somehow). Britt Nicole and Newsboys are my two artists tomorrow that I look forward to seeing.

One thing I want to note is how the event is not the most sensory friendly, and I will either do a vlog or a blog post about sensory friendly next week.

So meltdowns. It has been a frustrating week all around. I've not been feeling too well (sinuses again), allergies, weather changes, traffic and road construction, a friend and the fact that I'm frustrated he has yet to answer a couple of questions I've actually had the past two weeks, who so far has just been all "stop with the drama," still no answers though, VR related stuff and being called "unwilling," which was a misjudgment of unable due to recurring infections. But I committed the other day to capturing some of the meltdowns and stims so people can get a better idea of what those are like.

Oh, and yes, at concert events, you'll often find me on my feet moving to the music, singing, and flapping or tapping. But at church, if the music isn't upbeat enough (translation: if the music is what my grandmother would have sang in the 1950s), I'm too understimulated and likely to be found slapping myself or trying hard not to vocally stim). Again, more about that next week as well.

I do look forward though to posting more tomorrow after StadiumFest.