"The dreamer's just a vessel..."

"The River" -Garth Brooks

You know a dream is like a river
Ever changing as it flows
And the dreamer's just the vessel
That must follow where it goes
Trying to learn from what's behind you
And never knowing what's in store
Makes each day a constant battle
Just to stay between the shores.

(chorus)
And I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
I'll never reach my destination
If I never try
So I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry.

Too many times we stand aside
And let the waters slip away
'Til what we put off 'til tomorrow
Has now become today
So don't you sit upon the shoreline
And say you're satisfied
Choose to chance the rapids
And dare to dance the tide.

And I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
I'll never reach my destination
If I never try
So I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry.

And there's bound to be rough waters
And I know I'll take some falls
But with the good Lord as my captain
I can make it through them all.

Yes I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
I'll never reach my destination
If I never try
So I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry.

Yes, I will sail my vessel
'Til the river runs dry
'Til the river runs dry.

As a child, when I would sing this song, I always thought the lyric "vessel" was "my best"... I kind of like my 4 year old self's version better even 20 years later. "I will sail my best, till the river runs dry"

Advent

In this time of Advent, I play one of my favorite Christmas songs and think of all the babies that have changed everything in my life;

The foster babies

(Ciara, Cordelia, Devontae, Kiara, Alyah, Kuran, Brandon)

 The 7

The hundreds of children I have held from daycare and babysitting

Guatemala babies

Isabella

Miracle babies 

The babies that never made it earthside

I think of the babies of the future that will pass from my hands into their mother's as they take their first breath

I think of the babies that will someday be mine, the ones I will carry in my womb and in my heart

I think of that baby, born in a stable, wrapped in cloths, whose birth was attended by the angels.

I am reminded, that my God knows exactly what makes me tick, how to get my attention, how to teach me, how to remind me I am loved. 

A baby changes everything...

Theme song of the month...

"And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back, so shake him off!"

Music Speaks when words fail…

So take my hands if they won’t give, and take my life so I can lift you.
Take my eyes if they’re on me, please take my heart and make it bleed.
Take all this up to a hill and crucify the king of will
Till all I have runs down my face and I’m a wretch who’s drowning in your grace

–AWH

 

Hates the sound that goodbyes make.
She prays one day she'll find someone to need her.
She swears that there's no difference,
Between the lies and compliments.
It's all the same if everybody leaves her.

-JM

I was a hungry child
A dried up river
I was a burned out forest
And no one could do anything for me
But You put food in my body
Water in my dry bed
And to my blackened branches,
You brought the springtime
Green of a new life
And nothing is impossible
For You

 

I am trying to understand
How to walk this weary land
Make straight the paths that crookedly lie
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine
When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave Your hands

-JJ Heller

We live in the shadow of the fall
But the cross says these are all
Places where grace is soon to be so amazing
It may be unfulfilled
It may be unrestored
But when anything that's shattered is laid before the Lord
Just watch and see
It will not be unredeemed

-Selah

Try and do the best you can
Hold on and let Him hold your hand
And go on and fall into the arms of Jesus
Oh, lift your head it's gonna end
God's right there
Even when you just can't feel Him
I promise you that He still cares
'Cause if He started this work in your life
He will be faithful to complete it
If only you believe it
He knows how much it hurts
And I'm sure that He's gonna help you get through

-Mandisa

And I've gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use

-Francesca Battistelli

A little too much time on your hand
So many things pressing your heart
Now you're caught up in a brain storm
And the winds are tearing you apart
And what matter the most now
Shouldn't matter at all
You forgot who's holding you up
And He won't let you fall
Who's in control of your life
And knows better than you ever will
Who tells you time and again
Hush and be still
It's time to recognize
That your answer in His eyes
Where the river flows If you'll just
Free your mind
And the peace of God will follow
Just give yourself a little time
Don't worry 'bout tomorrow
Don't you know that His joy is your strength
Can you fathom it
Peace beyond your understanding
When you gonna grab a hold of it
Cause you're life's not your own
You can't do it alone
There is a remedy if you will let go

-Ayiesha Woods

****look for a house tour post this weekend!****

JJ Heller kind of month

Beautiful the mess we are...

Here is Mercy...

Each year, the week before Spring Break. The chapel CD is released. This year's edition is tiled "Here is Mercy" (A track written by Joshua Banner) It is a different kind of CD then in the previous years. It still speaks and portrays the vision of the college: Growing World Christians in the Soil of Hope, however, this one feels different. Maybe it is because of David and Emma. Maybe because of the past year's events. Maybe, maybe, it is because this is what we need...

Besides my favorite Kwake Yesu and Desert Song...

Oh You Bring (hillsong)

VERSE 1:
Oh You bring hope to the hopeless
And light to those in the darkness
And death to life
Now I'm alive
Oh You give peace to the restless
And joy to homes that are broken
I see You now
In You I'm found

CHORUS:
And You opened the door for me
And You laid down
Your life to set me free
All that I am will serve You Lord
And You opened my eyes to see
All the wonder and awe of Christ in me
Jesus You're everything I need

VERSE 2:
Oh You fill those who are empty
And rescue those in the valley
And through it all You calm my soul
Oh You find me in my weakness
And heal the wounds of my heartache
I worship You in spirit and truth

BRIDGE:
All honour
All glory
All praise to You

Your Hands...

I have unanswered prayers
I have trouble I wish wasn't there
And I have asked a thousand ways
That You would take my pain away
That You would take my pain away

I am trying to understand
How to walk this weary land
Make straight the paths that crookedly lie

Oh Lord, before these feet of mine

Oh Lord, before these feet of mine

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking


I never leave Your hands


When You walked upon the Earth
You healed the broken, lost, and hurt
I know You hate to see me cry
One day You will set all things right
Yea, one day You will set all things right

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking


I never leave Your hands

Your hands
Your hands that shape the world
Are holding me, they hold me still
Your hands that shape the world
Are holding me, they hold me still

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave You when...

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave...


I never leave Your hands

JJ Heller

Refine me Lord through the flames

The Desert Song

Verse 1:
This is my prayer in the desert
And all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in the hunger in me
My God is a God who provides

Verse 2:
And this is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved
Of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flames

Chorus:
And I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon forged against me shall remain

I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

Verse 3:
And this is my prayer in the battle
And triumph is still on it's way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I'll stand

Bridge:
All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

Verse 4:
This is my prayer in the harvest
When favor and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be empited again
The seed I've recieved I will sow

Song of the week...

Stumble After You

Would I smile if I was broken? Would I dance on crippled feet?
Would I fall too far behind again, or run a race I know I can’t complete?
Would I give if I had nothing, and could I love the ugly me?
Would I try so hard to be so strong, when I know that all I am is weak,
All I am is weak . . .
Would I clench my fist, fall down and scream at all I cannot do?
Or dry my eyes and crawl back to my feet,
And stumble after you.
Would I grin in my embarrassment, and would I laugh when the joke is me?
Could I look you in the eyes still, when my crippled legs are all that I can see,
All that I can see . . .
So take my hands if they won’t give, and take my life so I can lift you.
Take my eyes if they’re on me, please take my heart and make it bleed.
Take all this up to a hill and crucify the king of will
Till all I have runs down my face and I’m a wretch who’s drowning in your grace.

E is doing great. She is in 1st Grade. She is working hard to walk without her walker. She still uses it but not in the house. After years of Doctors, much testing and suggested diagnoses' the doctors settled that E has Spinal Cerebellar Ataxia. The great news is that they cannot figure her out. She defies all odds. So God prevails always. Her confession has always been, "I walk in Jesus name!" and sure enough he answers her prayers a day at a time. ~Amy H.

May we all learn to Stumble after the Lord in our daily struggles...
Whether we battle not feeling smart enough, pretty enough, worthy enough, connected enough, thin enough, thick enough, struggle for meaningful relationships, struggle against physical ailments, imperfections, spiritual weakness, shyness, fear, everyone battles something...

let's stumble together...

I smell tulips and rotting...

The school year is coming to an end. *Heavy Sigh* I am so relieved! It has been a year of much. Much fun, much hope, much prayer, much praise, much sorrow, much pain, much searching, much finding, much, much, much. I am blessed to have much...maybe too much.

I am in one of those moods of reflection, pondering holiness...lifting my eyes to the cloud filled skys...

Lift Up Your Eyes ~Rich Hopkins

400 years we've waited for you to come and deliver us

from this mud and clayand this slavery

the promise you made to our father is ready to be fulfilled

for we're broken and bleeding needing a Savior

Lift up your eyes of Israel

Look the skies he's calling

the Savior is near

redemption is here

today is the day you're saved

and everyday we're waiting hoping to see your redemption

to be taken away from this miserable place

the whips at our back keep us moving

and sorrow has covered our face

and our legs give out,

and we're trying to shout to you

Lift up your eyes of Israel

Look the skies he's calling

the Savior is near redemption is here

today is the day you're saved

take away the shame and disgrace

lift us up out of this place

let us see your face

Lift up your eyes of Israel

Look the skies he's calling

the Savior is near

redemption is here

today is the day you're saved