Psalm 84
How lovely is Your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty!
My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young— a place near Your altar,
O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.

Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they are ever praising You.
Blessed are those whose strength is in You,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.


As they pass through the Valley of Baca (desert),
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.

They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.

Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty; listen to me, O God of Jacob.
Look upon our shield, O God; look with favor on your anointed one.

Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.

O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in You.

Another summer day has come and gone away
...but I wanna go home
I just wanna go home - Michael Buble

Created for a place I've never known
I've got my heart set on what happens next
I've got my eyes wide, it's not over yet - Switchfoot

To see the Lord, the promise land
That I might see His face and hear Him say,
'Son, welcome home, the war is over' - Shane & Shane

When I finally make it home
When I finally see You face to face
And my tears will fly away - Mercy Me

Lord, sustain me with Your voice
and the choice to walk in truth - Shane & Shane

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks Yours
Everything I am for Your kingdom's cause
As I walk from earth into eternity - Hillsong United

Lord, You have searched me and know me.
You are familiar with all my ways.
You hem me in - before and behind.
Your hand will guide me, Your right hand holds me fast.
The night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to You.
When I awake, I am still with You.
Lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139

It is Nate's birthday today. I miss him... everyday.


With Hope - Steven Curtis Chapman

This is not at all how we thought it was supposed to be
We had so many plans, we had so many dreams
And nothing we can say, and nothing we can do
Can take away the pain, the pain of losing you
And never have I known anything so hard to understand
And never have I questioned more the wisdom of God's plan

And I imagine you where you most wanted to be
Seeing all your dreams come true 'cause now you're home
And now you're free

We have this hope as an anchor
'Cause we believe that everything God promised us is true
There's a place by God's grace where we'll see your face again

We wait with hope
We ache with hope
We hold on with hope

For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty Savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.
Zephaniah 3:17


I have questioned God's presence from the moment the accident happened. The confusion and emotions continue to wrestle with the truths I have known my whole life. The seeming contradictions are painful. He is mighty to save, but He didn't save. He delights in giving us the desires of our hearts, my heart is broken. He is our refuge and strength, yet I feel vulnerable and weak. He is peace, but fear and insecurities abound. So confusing. So unsettling. And I find myself wondering if God even knows.

These last weeks I have been more intentional in talking with God about His promised presence. I thought about the aspects of this valley that seem to hold true to God's promises. The peace and refuge of this 'home', despite its aching emptiness. The close and constant company of my families (both of them) and friends, despite the hated incompleteness. The gentle embrace of words and songs; although often tear inducing, I am so desperate for their truth. And mostly, the unsuspected strength, and ultimately grace, to make it from the beginning of another day, all the way to the end. My battling heart does feel His presence. Regardless of the turmoil, God is near. His presence is undeniable.


Henri Nouwen - Turn My Mourning Into Dancing

"No, hope does not come from positive predictions about the state of the world, anymore than does faith. Nor does hope depend on the ups and downs of our life's particulars. Hope rather has to do with God. We have hope and joy in our faith because we believe that, while the world in which we live is shrouded in darkness, God has overcome the world. 'In the world,' said Jesus, 'you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!' (John 16:33) We follow One who is not limited or defeated by the world's sufferings. Hope does not mean that we will avoid or be able to ignore suffering, of course. The surprise we experience in hope, then, is not that, unexpectedly, things turn out better than expected. For even when they do not, we can still live with a keen hope. The basis of our hope has to do with the One who is stronger than life and suffering. Faith opens us up to God's sustaining, healing presence."

"And all I know is that I find rest in You.
Your grace is all I need." - Hillsong United

After weeks filled with despair, my soul has once again found rest. Rest in the strong, yet gentle embrace of my Father. His grace and truth is all I need.

Hope - Nancy Guthrie
"'How do you do this?' I asked her, wondering how I would get through that day and keep facing the days to come. Caroline knew what it was like to bury someone she loved. Her answer to my desperate question was simple: 'Manna.' She explained that just as the children of Israel were dependent on God to provide manna to sustain them every day while they wandered in the wilderness, I had to depend on God to give me the manna I needed every day to sustain me. I needed the nourishment that comes from the hand of God, the words of truth that come from the mouth of God."

The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.
We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only,
who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14

Shane Hipps - Mars Hill Sermon - Spirituality of the Cellphone
"The immense power of presence. The immense power of location. The fundamental truth of the gospel. The Word became flesh. This is the ultimate meaning of the incarnation. Of all the world religions there is only one in which Jesus, God came down in the form of Jesus and became one of us, to be with us. Emmanuel, God with us. The ultimate expression of God's love in world is to be with, to be present, to be incarnate."

"The greatest love that anyone could ever know,
That overcame the cross and grave to find my soul.
You are the voice that called the universe to be,
You are the whisper in my heart that speaks to me.
And till I see You face to face and grace amazing takes me home,
I'll trust in You." - Hillsong United

"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 54:10


Kathryn Scott - I Belong

Not hardship, nor hunger, no pain or depth of sorrow
Not weakness, nor failure, no broken dream or promise
Nothing can take me from Your great love
Forever this truth remains

I belong, I belong to You
I belong, I belong to You
Forever and forever I belong
Forever


O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven or on earth - You who keep Your covenant of love with Your servants.
2 Chronicles 6:14