Sometimes you’re in the valley. . .

Hope in expectancy:

I have had times where I have asked, “Why am I here?”

There are two different issues—one, to know, “God is with me,” and another being the reality that, “I am with God.”

There are times where we know God is with us, that God is with us in our weakness (see 2 Corinthians 12:9, Where Paul quotes what God has said to him, “My power is made perfect in weakness.”).

Think of the times saints of old have experienced God being with them in jail, for example, like John Bunyan and the classic he penned, Pilgrim’s Progress, while serving time in jail for boldly preaching the gospel.

I wrote this prayer while being in a place I did not want to be, but it represents my lifting up my soul to God and seeing Him with me in my weakness. . . .

Valley Prayer

Here in this valley, here in this desert, I’m missing my friends, missing what’s familiar . . .

But now I’m looking to You, now I’m hoping,

Now I’m trusting in You. . . .

I will wait till You renew me. . . .

Those who never hunger, never get their hunger rewarded.

Here in this desert I find You word: You speak to me;

I am a “captive audience.”

Here all else is apart from me;

But now I’m listening to Your word, Your call. . . .

I long to see the mountain heights again—

The sun reflecting off the snowy peaks. . . .

But I am here now and I know You can see me,

And that is enough.

 

There are times God asks us, “if we are with Him?” This is extraordinarily told in the book of Joshua 5:14-15. Before going to fight for the Promised Land, Joshua encounters a man who says he is not with the Israelites or with their enemies; rather He says He is captain of the Lord of Hosts.

For My Sister

For My Sister . . .

This entry is for my sister, with whom I have shared much.

And I hope she knows how much I care for and admire her. . . .

This is a song I wrote a while back:

You’re My Sister . . .

You’re my sister and you are my friend,

You give me peace when I feel I’m at my end,

You’ve known me since you was only three.

I sing to you ‘cause the music says we’re free. . . .

You’re the one who saw me grow up,

Bashful, afraid, and curious.

You played your violin,

I thought, “Now what’s this screechiness?”

Now of the music that we’ll share, I can only take a peek. . . .

You’re my sister and you are my friend,

You give me hope when I feel I’m at my end,

You’ve seen me, oh-working to achieve,

I sing to you ‘cause you’re an example I believe in. . . .

You’re the one who grew up with me and all the neighbor kids.

We played in lots of back-yards, even Jen’s and our friend Chris’s.

Now the memories that we’ll share I can only take a peek . . .

You’re my sister and you are my friend,

You give me peace when I feel I’m at my end,

You’ve known me since you was only three,

I sing to you ‘cause together we are free, 

We are free . . . Come on let’s be free . . .

————————————————————————————

We grew up thinking we were special, ‘cause we were

Children of a king and queen.

But now we know that no matter how hard we try,

We can’t keep hard times from coming into our lives,

But I’m glad that I can look at a New Day

And a future shared with you. . . .