One word

Well, here we are again! Last Monday I promised you an opportunity to praise and worship with me today. I hope that after listening to today's song selection you'll feel that I made good on that promise...

No matter how many times I listen to this song, I still feel carried straight to the Throne. I don't have a video to go along with the music - I'm sorry for that. The only videos were recorded live and the sound quality just isn't there. And I've had to go about sharing this song a little differently...fingers crossed that it works!

When you click the link below, a new window will pop up. Click on the "play" button next to the CD cover. That will open up a playlist of songs from the CD to the right. The song I'm featuring today is Track #7. Just click on it and it will open up the player.

**Remember to scroll down and pause my player before clicking the link**

Are you ready? It's worship time!













Holy ~ Matt Gilman


My family has a lot to be grateful for this past week. My Mom took her first steps in more than a month on Friday. Now granted, they were of the shaky, weak-kneed variety while being fully supported by me...but still, they were steps! I've had her up for a few hours each day this weekend and she's looking and sounding so much better. Matthew and I agreed in faith yesterday that I would have her to the sun porch in a week! So please, keep praying because as you can see, God is answering in a mighty way! Hallelujah!

"For the Mighty One has done great things for me; and Holy is His name." Luke 1:49

May God Bless America

Today is a momentous day for our Nation. Every four years we Americans have the opportunity to elect a new leader - someone we believe to be the best person to lead us all forward. At just before noon today, our new President, Barack Obama will be sworn into office. Whether he was our "choice" for the job or not when we cast our vote in November, he was chosen. And now our job is to keep him covered in prayer as he does his job for us all.

Father, I ask that Your Hand be always on this Presidency. Keep Mr. Obama and his family safe from harm. Guide his decisions so that he walks always in Your will as he leads our Nation. May he be a shining example of faith in You and may he seek You in all things. Please bless our country, Lord, and stir in us a hunger for revival in our land. And may that revival begin with our newly elected President. I ask these things in Jesus' holy name. Amen.


**Please scroll down and pause my player before clicking the link below**

America's Song

Better days a'coming?

This past week has been horrendous. I think that would be an appropriate description. But...yesterday I felt a glimmer of hope. Thank you all so much for your prayers and please - keep lifting my Mom up because I'm hoping that better days are around the corner!

I feel like I'm always on the road - my folks live about 26 miles from me each way - so I'm grateful for K-LOVE on my radio! Although I've 'heard' this song countless times, the other day I really listened to it. And I tucked it away in my memory for this week's Music Monday song. You have no idea what an accomplishment that was (that I actually remembered!!)...

I hope you enjoy it and feel the same sense of encouragement that I did. **Remember to scroll down and pause my player before clicking the link.**









By My Side ~ Tenth Avenue North

"No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you." Joshua 1:5

I already have a song in mind for next Monday...I'm excited about it! I think you'll love it, so get ready to praise and worship with me a week from today!! May each and every one of you be richly blessed this week...

We have not...

because we ask not. That's what we're told in James 4:2.

So, bearing that in mind, I'm going to be very specific in asking for your prayers for my Mom.

She is not eating or drinking much at all. She especially needs protein at this time, but as I said, her intake is minimal. She has been home from the hospital for 15 days now and she has made little to no progress. She is still bedbound and is getting weaker rather than stronger. She does not seem motivated to want to "do the work" it will take to regain the level (or near to) of independence that she had prior to her hospitalization.

I have had a couple of "talks" with her over the last two days. I asked her if she was content to be in bed. No. I asked her if she wanted to resume the life she had before she got sick. Yes, definitely. I explained that if that is the case, it is up to her to get there. Other people (my Dad, the physical therapist, me) can only do but so much...I told her that it means doing things she may not want to do - eat, drink, participate in her therapy; that those are the things that will get her better.

She says she understands. I think she needs some Divine intervention and motivation. And that's where your prayers come in. Will you take this to the Throne with me? My Mom's name is Josie. I am grateful...

"Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you." Mark 11:24

Good stuff

While my Mom was napping yesterday, I spent time in His Word. As always, I found exactly what I needed...

"I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!' The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord." Lamentations 3:20-26

"For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love. For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow." Lamentations 3:31-33

"Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name." Psalm 103:1

Yesterday was a hard day. Lots of emotional issues to wade through. I don't know where I'd be without God. I really, really don't. How do people do this without the Lord?? I'm so thankful I'll never have to find out! Thank you, Jesus, for loving me even (especially!) when I'm unlovable!

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

This is mine...what's yours?

It's that time again. Monday. The promise of a new week before us...

My days have been filled with caring for my Mom. Progress is marked in teeny tiny baby steps. She began therapy on Thursday. Right before the therapist arrived, it appears she suffered a small stroke. Her speech and swallow have been affected. Still, she is making progress and we're grateful for every day. This is the woman they told us would not leave the hospital so every minute is a gift and I thank you all for the lovely comments and most welcome prayers for her!

Since it's Monday, I've got a song for you! Somehow you knew that though, didn't you?!

I love this song. I know, I know...but I really love this song. So much so, that's it's been my ringtone for several years now. Today, I'd like to share it with you. And remind you that He's there for you no matter the circumstance you find yourself in.

**Remember to scroll down and pause my player before clicking the link**









Cry Out to Jesus ~ Third Day

Cry Out To Jesus - Third Day (2005)

**Lyrics**

To everyone who's lost someone they love
Long before it was their time.
You feel like the days you had were not enough
When you said goodbye.

And to all of the people with burdens and pains
Keepin' you back from your life.
You believe that there's nothing
And there is no one who can make it right.

There is hope for the helpless, rest for the weary,
And love for the broken hearts.
There is grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are.

Cry out to Jesus. Cry out to Jesus.

For the marriage that's struggling just to hang on
They lost all of their faith in love.
And they've done all they can to make it right again
Still it's not enough.

For the ones who can't break the addictions and chains
You try to give up but you come back again.
Just remember that you're not alone
In your shame and your suffering.

There is hope for the helpless, rest for the weary,
And love for the broken hearts.
There is grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are.

Cry out to Jesus.

When you're lonely and it feels like the whole world is falling on you
You just reach out, you just cry out to Jesus

Cry to Jesus.

To the widow who suffers from being alone,
Wipin' the tears from her eyes.
For the children around the world without a home,
Say a prayer tonight.

There is hope for the helpless, rest for the weary,
And love for the broken hearts.
There is grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing
That meets you wherever you are.
There is hope for the helpless, rest for the weary,
And love for the broken hearts.
There is grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing
That meets you wherever you are.

Cry out to Jesus. Cry out to Jesus.

Cry out to Jesus. Cry out to Jesus.

"To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 1:2-3

Thank you, Father, for those gifts - grace, forgiveness, mercy, healing - as I begin this week. I know I'll be crying out to You...and I know You'll answer.

My grace is sufficient for thee

That's how my favorite Scripture verse starts out. It is a verse that brings me great comfort. It may have taken a while, but I hope those words brought Paul great comfort as well as he prayed and prayed (and prayed!) for his affliction to be taken away...

"And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
2 Corinthians 12:9

As I was driving to my parent's home after church on Sunday, I was thinking about my blog and how little attention it's gotten with all that's been going on in my life. As always, when I'm in my car, K-LOVE was on the radio and they were airing a little piece by an artist on one of his songs. The theme was - you guessed it - God's grace! The artist said that no matter what is going on in our lives, whatever dark spot we may be in, we can always praise and give thanks because of the gift of grace. Amen! Where would any of us be without grace? Unredeemed and lost...

I decided then and there to make that artist's song the selection for Music Monday this week. And I love the opportunity to share my favorite Scripture verse with you! I'd love it if you'd share your favorite verse with me in return!

On a positive personal note ~ my Mom had an awesome day yesterday! Totally lucid from start to finish. She ate a bit better and is able to swallow all her medications now rather than me having to crush them and hide them in pudding or applesauce. Her pain is under better control as well. Physical therapy begins on Thursday at which time she will have gone almost 3 weeks in bed, but her cardiologist wanted her on strict cardiac rest to allow this aortic hematoma to begin resolving as much as possible. We're prayerful that it will. She was in good spirits today. To God be ALL the glory! Thank you my brothers and sisters for keeping her lifted in prayer. I love watching the power of those prayers in action!

And now...on to the music! **Remember to scroll down and pause my player before clicking the link!**










Your Grace is Enough ~ Matt Maher