Jon Foreman - Your Love Is Strong

Heavenly Father
You always amaze me
Let your kingdom come
In my world and in my life
You give me the food I need
To live through the day
And forgive me as I forgive
The people that wronged me
Lead me far from temptation
Deliver me from the evil one

I look out the window
The birds are composing
Not a note is out of tune
Or out of place
I look at the meadow
And stare at the flowers
Better dressed than any girl
On her wedding day

So why do I worry?
Why do I freak out?
God knows what I need
You know what I need

Chorus (3x):
Your love is
Your love is
Your love is strong

The kingdom of the heavens
Is now advancing
Invade my heart
Invade this broken town
The kingdom of the heavens
Is buried treasure
Will you sell yourself
To buy the one you've found?

Two things you told me
That you are strong
And you love me
Yes, you love me

(Chorus 3x)

Our God in heaven
Hallowed be
Thy name above all names
Your kingdom come
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven
Give us today our daily bread
Forgive us wicked sinners
Lead us far away from our vices
And deliver us from these prisons

Peace and pain

I recently made the impossibly hard decision to give my horse Wilbur to my friend Shelly. This decision had a long approach, a long runway, and a quick take off.

I have had two wonderful horses for five years now and as Caspian grew into the great horse he has become, it became more and more apparent that I just didn't need two horses, financially or logistically.

Caspian has grown into my "go-to" horse and Wilbur was getting less and less attention. Shelly bought her dream farm last Fall and now has the perfect facility to take Wilbur on. While the makings of this decision were a long time coming (2+ years), the actual execution was quick and painful.

I've learned through this that you can have complete peace surrounding a decision and still have deep accompanying pain. Peace and pain do co-exist, and together they produce a strange mix of hope and hurt.

awe-filled obedience

The fear of the Lord is awe-filled obedience to the Holy One, who has only to look at us to dissolve us but who instead has loved us and given himself for us. It is to put pleasing him before any other concern in our lives, being fully aware that our relationship to him is the only factor in life that will determine our destiny.

God will be a force in our lives in one way or another. He will either be a positive force or a negative one. He cannot be avoided. Either he will be the sanctuary we rest in secure from everything the world can throw at us, or he will be the thing we keep stumbling over.

John Oswalt, NIV Application Commentary

Decisions

Jess figuring out her next career move.

The only one jumping

Remember this post?

My sweet family members did it again: we all agree to do something and I'm the only one gullible enough to actually do it.

A year of being thrifty

journals restocked.

tempted

to falsely date a blog entry for December, so I have my consecutive months running. But alas, I won't. This will go down as the first time in this blog's history where I missed a month. Bummer.

A year of being thrifty

Books: four free ebooks by Beth Moore

Never forget

In the hustle and bustle of just daily life, I remember to pause and not forget.

Never forgotten, always missed, and I'm thankful for witnesses who have gone before.

Christian...

Christian, are you living like this is true? Does this truth cause a stir? If no, question yourself why and pursue that answer to the fullest extent, to its root.

What would it look like for you to "come awake, come awake!" or "fix your eyes on the cross" or "run to him who showed great love" and "stand in the light".

Let no one caught in sin remain
Inside the lie of inward shame
We fix our eyes upon the cross
And run to him who showed great love
And bled for us
Freely you bled, for us

Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave!

Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with him again
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave!

Beneath the weight of all our sin
You bow to none but heavens will
No scheme of hell, no scoffer's crown
No burden great can hold you down
In strength you reign
Forever let your church proclaim

Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave

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?
Oh Church! Come stand in the light!
The glory of God has defeated the night!

Oh death! Where is your sting?
Oh hell! Where is your victory?
Oh Church! Come stand in the light!
Our God is not dead, he's alive! he's alive!

Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave
Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with him again
Come awake, come awake!
Come and rise up from the grave

Rise up from the grave...

by Matt Maher