Thursday
Now and then I press play on my Nano and a song comes up that literally penetrates my soul, like today.
It hasn’t been a very good day for reasons I refuse to go into; my life, my problems.
I listened to this song from a band called
Casting Crowns
Ironically, I first heard the band while sitting in the car (station surfing) waiting for Pamela to come out of church a few Sundays ago.
The Man upstairs definitely
has a plan for me.
My soul is tired, as am I. But that’s okay.
Enjoy the lyrics.
I feel I could have written them myself.
And though I’m not a big God guy, these words spoke to me tonight.
I’ve included no hyperlinks to buy anything.
You’re on your own if you really want to hear the tune.
And it’s real nice stuff. It’s Toad the Wet Sprocket meets God, or something like that.
For anyone worried about the deeper implications of this post, I’m fine.
I have my one and only and the wonderful Man upstairs.
They both try like hell to keep me sane, a tough job.
I think I’m in very good hands. For now . . .
*EAST TO WEST
Here I am Lord and I’m drowning
In your sea of forgetfulness
The chains of yesterday surround me
I yearn for peace and rest
I don’t want to end up where you found me
And it echoes in my mind
Keeps me awake tonight
I know you’ve cast my sins as far
As the East is from the West
And I stand before you now
As though I’ve never sinned
but today
I feel like I’m just one mistake away
From you leaving me this way
Jesus can you show me
Just how far the East is from the West
Cause I can’t bear to see the man I’ve been
Come rising up in me again
In the arms of your mercy, I find rest
Cause you know just how far the East is from the West
From one scarred hand to the other
I start the day, the war begins
And less reminding of my sin
Time and time again
Your truth is drowned out by the storm I’m in
Today I feel like I’m just one mistake away
From you leaving me this way
Jesus can you show me
Just how far the East is from the West
Cause I can’t bear to see the man I’ve been
Come rising up in me again
In the arms of your mercy I find rest
Cause you know just how far the East is from the West
From one scarred hand to the other
I know you’ve washed me white
Turned my darkness into light
I need your peace to get me through
To get me through this night
I can’t live by what I feel
But by the truth your word reveals
I’m not holding on to you
But your holding on to me
Your holding on to me
Jesus, you know just how far
The East is from the West
I don’t have to see the man I’ve been
Come rising up in me again
In the arms of your mercy I find rest
Cause you know just how far the East is from the West
From one scarred hand to the other
~m
Sometimes it helps to just get on your knees and pray, turn it all over to the man upstairs and let him handle it. It’s amazing how much of a load that takes of a mortals shoulders.
it always helps when you can see the things that mean the most michael…in some ways i’ve always been able to do that, but in other more complicated areas i’ve struggled many, many times….
the 5th line of the first verse struck a chord…all of them are quite meaningful, but that one jumped out at me
We all get like this. The great thing about music, and I think you already know this, is that it sometimes leads us to a place that we didn’t realize we needed to go…
Anyway, I’ve been doing this with a Christian singer Jeremy Camp. Songs like ‘Understand’ and ‘Take You Back’. Have you heard those?
kim
We have a “positive hits” station here in DC, and I listen to it with the babies a lot. Casting Crowns is one of my faves, and this song particularly is one that always gets me in the gut when it comes on.
Sometimes songs can hit that place in us that nothing else really can.
I hope all will be okay.
“As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed
our transgressions from us.
Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.
For He Himself knows our frame:
He is mindful that we are but dust.
As for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
When the wind has passed over it, it is no more;
and its place acknowledges it no longer.
But the lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting
on those who fear Him,
And His righteousness to children’s children….”
Psalm 103:11-17
Great posting brother! I just downloaded the song from Itunes…..Wow….
Thank you!!!
See you at L.J’s….
Eliud
The most encouraging thing to me is knowing that my life has been weaved together by God. Everything happens for a reason. I may never know the reason(s), but just the fact that someone has them already worked out, and that they are in my best interest and not to harm me… That’s a powerful and peace-invoking idea.
Thank you for sharing this. Posts like these are beautiful.
Just keep on. Tomorrow is always a new day!
I was listening to Way FM as I was working in my office a few minutes ago. East to West came on and, as always, it brings a flood of feelings. I felt the need to view the lyrics and I went to Google. And there was your post. I don’t know anymore of what you are going through than you do of my troubles. Life is tough. However, God cares. I was going through similar trials just three-and-a-half years ago. I don’t know why this stuff happens but I am trusting Him. I’m not giving up. I am just giving it all to Him. I find peace through music. Just like before, one particular song has become a prayer that I pray often. It is a beautiful song that soothes my soul. I wish you peace as well.
All in His time… Keep the faith!
>>>Kevin
Power of Your Love Lyrics
Rebecca St. James
Lord I come to You
Let my heart be changed, renewed
Flowing from the grace
That I’ve found in You
And Lord I’ve come to know
The weaknesses I see in me
Will be stripped away
By the power of Your love
Hold me close
Let Your love surround me
Bring me near
Draw me to Your side
And as I wait
I’ll rise up like an eagle
And I will soar with You
Your spirit leads me on
By the Power of Your love
Lord unveil my eyes
Let me see you face to face
The knowledge of Your love
As you live in me
And Lord renew my mind
As Your will unfolds in my life
In living every day
By the Power of Your love
Hold me close
Let Your love surround me
Bring me near
Draw me to Your side
And as I wait
I’ll rise up like an eagle
And I will soar with You
Your Spirit leads me on
By the power of Your love
(Draw me close
Hold me near
Draw me closer
Hold me near
You draw me close to You
And never let me go)
And as I wait
I’ll rise up like the eagle
And I will soar with You
Your spirit leads me on
By the power of Your love
By the power of Your love
(Draw me close
Hold me near)
Michael,
I decided not to reply back to you in our personal e-mail conversations. But I did want to give an update. I will share here in case it may offer hope to others out there who might be struggling.
I went back and re-read your last message to me. That last part is hard for me to grip right now (They say God never gives you more than you can handle. I just wish he didn’t trust me so much).
On the evening of 10/29/2007, just two days after you wrote that and I read it, I lost almost everything in my life… my family, my home, all of my belongings. I lost it at the end of a super day at work, school, helping a friend and a beautiful communion with God at the Garden of Prayer that I frequent in the evening.
It’s been a tough week since the event happenned. I have re-read Job and Psalms and am trying to figure out what I am missing. I feel that my heart is right. I talk to God all the time and the tribulations persist.
Don’t get me wrong… I have not given up. I have had my arguments with God. I am a good person. I believe that perhaps He has plucked me from a situation to protect me. I don’t know why, but I believe it to be true.
I am clinging to Exodus 14:14 which says to let God fight the fight and just be at peace. It’s hard with the waiting and trusting thing. There is a battle waging out there and I’m caught in the middle.
I heard a few things over the last few days that seem to help:
Tribulation brings perserverance.
Perserverance brings character.
Character brings hope.
Hope is the achor and grasps what I cannot see.
——————
The same sun that melts wax, hardens the clay.
The same rain that drowns the rat, grows the hay.
>>Kevin
Update for any who may want to know whether I crashed and burned. Close, but no, I am more alive than ever.
The dark side has lost this round. Fast-forward to 11/28/2007. I was totally vindicated. God has brought things to light that had been hiding in the shadows for years. Now they are out in the open. Resolutions are now able to happen.
God cares. I really believe that because the last 30 days have been tough and he led me through it. I have my good health, I have a great support group even here in this corner. have a few belongings and a place to stay with the hope of bouncing back. I have a good job. So much to be thankful for but most of all I am thankful for the hope that there is in a God who cares about even me. There have been so many miracles that have happenned in the last 30 days that have brought me to where I am now.
Sure there is pain and there is a long process to follow until things are near like they were. But I am on a path with a guide who is watching for me and will lead me to a better place. I believe that I’m just being tempered for future great things.
I’m good!
>>Kevin