Tag: Faith

O Death, Where is your sting?

Today is my Uncle Steven Carl Hicks’ first heavenly birthday. He entered eternal rest Aug.28, 2021.

Today in church we sang these words from an opening song
“Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with Him again
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave
Oh death! Where is your sting?
Oh hell! Where is your victory?”

As I sang tears streamed down my face as I both grieved my Uncle’s death and rejoiced in the truth of this song. In these tears I had simultaneously much needed pent up grief released and yes also joy.

Later during the service we sang the hymn, “Come Thou Fount”

The tears constantly flowed as I sang the words of this hymn we sang at my Grandma Arlene’s memorial. You see it was at this very memorial Unc stood up before his family and proclaimed fervently the truth that is proclaimed in that hymn. He knew this truth. It transformed him. His life changed dramatically and he yearned for all of his family to have this same hope and joy.

So today it felt as if Uncle Stevie, and Grandma (Memaw) , my two faith giants were smiling from heaven while I sang out through tears and sometimes choked through this resounding truth:

“Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wandering from the fold of God
He to rescue me from danger
Interposed His precious blood

Oh, that day when freed from sinning
I shall see Thy lovely face
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace

Come my Lord, no longer tarry
Take my ransomed soul away
Send Thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless days

Oh, to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be
Let Thy goodness like a fetter
Bind my wandering heart to Thee

Prone to wander, Lord I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here’s my heart, oh take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts above
Here’s my heart
Oh take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts above”

And as if God through His tender, comforting Holy Spirit reached into the recesses of my grieving heart and said, “I know it hurts sweet Shelly and I am here.”

Advent Prayer

It took an extra day, but I finally decided upon my Advent reading for this year. I chose this work of Malcolm Guite and look forward to diving in and see how the Lord chooses to teach me through this work. However, before I dive in I must offer up my own Advent prayer.

My advent prayer-
Most Holy Lord, I wait for you. As I wait I pray that you would return me to my first love of Christ Jesus. Awaken my soul as parts of it have lain dormant in the harsh cold of life, loss, and out of mere survival instinct in a season of tumultuous tempests. Yet now the fog has lifted, the waters are not raging ,though they are not fully calm. My soul had a little respite. It was a long hard stormy season, but you have sent your dove with the olive branch saying to me “come out. It is safe. The greatest of the storm is passed for now and there is work to do. ” Rebuilding and building and planting and sowing. Lord as I wait show me what fields are mine to tend as you know I am an eager worker and aim to please so when I am committed I tend to take on more than you would have me do which leads to weariness and limits my fruitfulness. You do not intend me to be complacent or slothful or stagnant and yet you do not intend me to bear a burden too great. I do not know my limits. I underestimate and overestimate my abilities. Maker of my soul, you know. Grant me O Lord the wisdom to discern which is my field to tend and strengthen me to get busy about your work so that I may by your grace cooperate and assist in your kingdom building. What a great God you are! You do not need us for your work, but so sweetly invite us into it so that we may grow and be fruitful.
Lord as I enter this season of reflection, slowing, contemplation, and penitence make your will for my life quite clear. Lord I seek you. Assist me with thy grace to seek you with my whole heart, mind, and soul.

In the powerful name of our risen Lord and Savior Y’shua, Emmanuel- Amen

Waiting for Rescue

The people were hoping to be restored, rescued, and redeemed. Their expectations were for a warrior who with might and power would overcome and free them from the temporal confines of daily life under Roman rule. Their Lord promised redemption, but his picture of what this rescue had an eternal perspective. He chose instead meekness and a sacrificial love.

We are restrained by time and a life of points of time in a linear movement. Our Creator is outside of space and time. Therefore His answer to our problem , prayer, or petition may have an eternal perspective. Let us lay down our expectations and be open to an answer that has eternal implications.

HOPE

Rise Up!

He calls us out of the grave

He calls us out of the chains

Whatever it is that holds you down

God’s gonna free you right now

Rise up!

Dry bones

Death lost its hold on you

Rise up!

Lost soul

You’re gonna be made new

Rise up!

Weary soul

He’s gonna carry you through

Rise up!

Come Home!

The Father is waiting with open arms

The pain of this world weighs you down

Darkness encroaches all around

The loss and the trials and all the unknowns

It all looks familiar, but it’s not home

Hang on to hope

It’s almost dawn

It feels like forever

But it won’t be long

Here come the Son

He’s gonna lead us home

We’re going to sing out in One song

So Rise Up!

Let us rejoice

Rise Up!

In one voice

Rise up!

Sing songs in the night

Morning is nigh

Gonna dance and sing

Rise up!

Jesus is King!!!

Rise up!

Here comes the Son

Declaring the truth

Death’s overcome

LOVE won!

Waiting

Waiting rooms are never my favorite. I have spent many times in waiting rooms for various reasons. The most profound memories in waiting rooms were for major medical issues with loved ones. Thankfully this time I am only waiting for a my daughter to have a minor diagnostic procedure. She was brave getting her IV. She is not a fan of hospitals and even stated her fear of needles. So I am proud of her.

The nurses are phenomenal as always and as God would have it our nurse Kristen today is not only awesome at starting IVs while calming Kyra with conversation whe learned she knows and is friends with a few of our Legacy people and her church meets at Legacy.

Legacy is the Christian school my daughter has attended since kindergarten and my husband teaches history there.

So as I sit in this waiting room and I entrust my daughter to the hands of healthcare colleagues. I feel almost helpless. I am reminded I am not trusting then alone our Lord is there with her even when I cannot be. A valuable lesson to recall in this season of life for our girl.

We are doing the test to find answers to a collection of vague synptoms ongoing since 2018 but worsening in the past year or so. The blood work is fine, bu our daughter does not feel fine. So we are thankful all the major stuff so far has checked out but we pray for answers so she can feel overall healthy again. Currently this work up includes POTS (postural Orthostatic Tachycardia syndrome) as a possible diagnosis. There are so many variables and this is one of a few tests. But for now I pray and wait…

I am thankful for an unusually quick appointment with the Cardiac Electrophysiologist. I am thankful for a pretty quick appointment to have this TILT test. I am thankful for a kind and very competent nurse thay also happens to know some of our favorite lovely people.

Seeing the glimpses of the Great Conductor as the symphony unfolds instills peace as we pray and wait for answers.

True Lies

Wisdom is wealth
Yet we are tied
to a device
Don’t think twice
About what you believe
Open up and take

the headline we feed
Don’t dig deep
Cause You’ll lose sleep
The World enslaves us
Lies about the One who made us
Because the lies they crave us
Feed off rebellion and naivete
Don’t you believe in what I say
It’s not likeable anyway
Gotta further separate
Truth from lies
Blur the lines
You’ll be fine
If you march in place
Don’t you think
Don’t you seek
I will tell you what to believe
We’re all numb
No pain, but dumb
Beat the drum
Just don’t sing out
What life’s about
Cause if you believe in love
Then you’re weak
Cause real love cost you everything
But its return is exponential
It’s providential
Your true potential
Is not wrapped in chains
It doesn’t blame
It doesn’t lie
It doesn’t cut you down to size
It gives you freedom
At a small price
See the sacrifice
Has been made
It only costs you faith

Stilling Away

Lord I pray,

let my heart not forget,


You placed the stars in the sky


From chaos you made order


In my mind and soul you will do the same.


Lord, quiet my soul, still my heart


In time alone with you, I find peace


As the day speeds up, and life takes place


Let me not be consumed by the world’s chaos


Help me take pauses and seek your face


My Lord, my refuge, my rest, my strength


Quiet my soul, let me not forget


To surrender it all to you.


Lord, I surrender

Sideline

I’ve been coasting

Half awake, half asleep

Space ghosting

Thought I was okay

Cause I still believed

Life’s been quaking

Illness, disease, death

Heart breaking

But I saw the sun

Behind every cloud

If I’m not fully awake

I’m not fully alive

There are times to sleep

Times to retreat

Times to heal and hide

But that time can’t last

Forever

Gotta get back in the light

Time to step forward

Back into the sunshine

If you’re sleeping

You’re not leading

Time to get back into the fight

You’re no longer bleeding

the scars won’t fade

But that pain that made them

Will be the impetus

To take on the charge

Now let’s charge that hill

Stake that claim

Lives are at stake

This is not a game

Victory is won

But you gotta step into it

Now who you gonna bring along with you

Cause this journey is yours

But it’s not meant to walk alone

And every beat of your heart is calling you home

So wake up

Start walking

Speak up

Start talking

You have a lot of fight left

You have lot of work to do

Gotta finish this race

Gotta see it through

Prayer for the Persecuted

It’s easier to turnthe channel;

it’s easier to turn my head

seeing the evil manifest

among the living and the dead.


Lord hear our cry!

Lord, hear our prayers.

Our brothers and sisters are crying

Their hearts are breaking, their children dying

From empathy to guilt, my soul keeps stirring

Hurting for their plight and so grateful for mine

LORD, what I have I take for granted

Lord, what I fear
They are living out.

It’s easier to drown it out

But you equip us for hard

It matters not what makes sense

it’s a matter of the heart

You call us to bear one another’s burdens and pain

Lord give our brothers your peace

Lord keep us on our knees

Praying. …

Hope is alive

Death was defeated

Evil will not have the final say

But until you return or call us home

Let your peace transcend the pain