I still believe...

I will praise the Lord with all my heart.

Great are your works; everyone who meditates on them is filled with joy.

Help me to remember your wonders.

Lord, you are gracious and compassionate.

You always provide and remember your covenant forever.

You have shown me the power of your works..

The works of your hands are faithful and just;

all of your precepts are trustworthy.

They are steadfast forever and ever, done in faithfulness and uprightness.

To you belongs eternal praise!!!

You raise me up...

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.

There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.

You raise me up... To more than I can be.

Really??????????

God,

Everything about the situation just feels so helpless.
I have put everything I can into it.
I've Loved, I've Waited, I've had Self-Control, I've resisted temptation.
I've rejoiced, i've cried, i've prayed, i've pleaded, i've fasted, i've screamed.
I've been happy, sad, content, at peace, furious, confused, mad.
What else can I do?



It feels like my prayers have been useless.
Like my cries weren't heard and my plea's were ignored.
Have you forgotten your promise to me?
Did I do something wrong?
Am I supposed to just give up?



I've relinquished any control I had over the situation.
I don't even desire to control it anymore.
I've completely given the situation to you.
What else am I supposed to do?


Is victory coming?
Were your promises true?
Do your plans change?

I've believed and had faith, Lord.
I've acknowledged and submitted.
I've listened, I've questioned, I've asked, I've sought.

When will the harvest time come?
When is the season of joy going to arrive?
I'm tired, i'm exhausted.
I'm holding on to your promises with everything I have.
But it seems like this trial is going to never end.

Are the tears, pain, and fear going to end?
Are the burdens going to become lighter?
Until that day, I'm holding on to you Lord.

Though my soul is troubled, I am trying not to lose heart.

Am I not good enough?
Am I doing something wrong?
Is it impossible for you, God, to rebuild trust?
Is it impossible for you, God, to redeem?

Are his ears unable to hear your voice?
Are his eyes unable to see your will?
Is his mind controlled by the Father of Lies?
Is his heart hardened to your will?
Has he given up on your promises?

Is his resisting your guidance and your spirit?
Does he not have faith in your name?
Does he not believe in a God of Resurrection, a God who brings things back to life, a God who rises from the dead, a God who does the impossible?
Does he not believe in grace and compassion?

Am I stupid?
Should I give up on Love?
Is that even possible?

Well some words for you my friend...

Don't give up on love and throw it all away.
Don't give up on love and let it fall away.
When did it become so easy to run from your pain?
Don't give up on love and throw it all away.

I heard you say you can't change a stubborn heart.
I can relate 'cause that's how I feel when I talk with you.

But, Why should it take losing everything to realize it might be time to change?
Your restless heart won't win
'cause you take but you don't give.
And you'll keep moving on until you learn what love is.

I know because I've been there....

Do you believe our God is faithful!?! THEN PROVE IT!!!!
Do you believe our God is the Redeemer!?!! THEN PROVE IT!!!!
Do you believe that God keeps his promises!?! THEN PROVE IT!!!!
Do you believe that God is a God of Reconciliation!?! THEN PROVE IT!!!!
Do you believe that you can trust in our God!?! THEN PROVE IT!!!!
Do you believe that your God is faithful!?! THEN PROVE IT!!!!
Do you believe that God loves you as much as his own child!?! THEN PROVE IT!!!!

Don't claim to believe in this God with your words and deny him with your actions!!!! All you're doing his hurting yourselves and others.

Get a grip! Realize what you're doing and TRUST!

In Between

But it’s the time in between, That I fall down to my knees. Waiting on what You'll bring. And the things that I can't see. I know my song’s incomplete. So Still I'll sing in the time in between....

Good-bye

Oh Father,

What have I done? Falling in Love.... I feel so stupid to think it was really going to happen.

My life isn't some fairytale. I don't live in some movie. Dreams just don't really matter. Wishes rarely come true. Who was I to think mine would?

I'm not mad Lord. I'm not really sad either. I suppose I always knew it would happen this way. Some people just don't get to have their dreams come true.

And ya know what God? I'm not bitter either! Because I have you! You are my true love. My "one and only." And if I end up having no one in the world except you... I'm okay with that.

Thank You for always being there for me and never letting me down.


Yours Truly,
-Ariel

The greatest discovery of all time

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." -Matthew 7:7

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." -Jeremiah 29:13

"You do not have, because you do not ask God." -James 4:2

Lord, I cannot handle this alone. I've hit the wall for the thirty-second time and I need you!

"Oh what peace we often forfeit,
Oh what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry,
Everything to God in prayer."

E.M. Bounds wrote:

"Prayer ought to enter into the spiritual habits, but it ceases to be prayer when it is carried on by habit only.... Desire gives fervor to prayer. The soul cannot be listless when some great desire fixes and inflames it.... Strong desires make strong prayers....

The neglect of prayer is the fearful token of dead spiritual desires. The soul has turned away from God when desires after him no longer presses it into the closet. There can be no true praying with desire."

if the times are as bad as we say they are.... If the darkness in our world is growing heaver by the moment.... If we are facing spiritual battles in our own homes and churches.... Then we are foolish not to turn to the One who supplies unlimited grace and power. He is our only source. We are crazy to ignore him.

In times of trouble.... PRAY. In times of distress.... PRAY. In times of joy.... PRAY. In times of fear.... PRAY. In times of anxiety.... PRAY. In times of pain.... PRAY. In times of confusion.... PRAY. In times of uncertainty.... PRAY. In times of brokenness.... PRAY. In times of healing.... PRAY. In times of weeping.... PRAY. In times of mourning.... PRAY. In times of silence.... PRAY. In times of laughter.... PRAY. In times of love.... PRAY. In times of hate.... PRAY.

Satan's main strategy with God's people has always been to whisper, "Don't call, don't ask, don't depend on God to do great things. You'll get along fine if you just rely on your own cleverness and energy." The truth of the matter is that the devil is not terribly frightened of our own human efforts and credentials. But he knows his kingdom will be damaged when we lift up our hearts to God.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Prayer. Just pray and God will intervene. "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and grace to help us in our time of need." -Hebrews 4:16

A time to wait....

I have come to the realization that you can never make somebody else receive love, you can never make somebody else know something or understand something. You can never try to sway them one way or the other because even if they do for a little while they will always go back. You can never try to manipulate or convince. The only thing you can control is yourself.

After much thought... I am okay with that.

Why?

Because although I am weak in my own patience and self-control and although I may be overcome by fear... I have the Spirit if the Lord in me and in all of my weaknesses he makes me strong.

Everyone experiences times of waiting... but enjoy the season that you are in. Just because God says "Not Yet" doesn't mean you should run in either direction. It just means you sit and wait for him where you are at. God will fight the battle for you! He is faithful and is always with you! Don't spend this season of your life looking forward in expectation of something. Being single isn't a time to wait to be married, its a time to be single and learn what God wants you to learn while your there! Being married isn't a time to wait to become pregnant, it's a time to be married and learn what God wants you to learn while you are there! Being in college isn't a time that you have to endure to get to your career, it's a time to be in college and learn what God wants you to learn while you are there! Live in this moment!

IN TIMES OF WAITING

Detours are not a time to shut down. They're not what we expected or wanted, but God can use them to make all the difference in our journey if we make the best of them and don't give in to discouragement or cynicism. (Behave during times of waiting like you are fulfilling God's plan during that time).

Detours are temporary. To us, God's timing and methods often look strane and meandering, but He'll get us to our destination if we trust him to do things his way.


Stop looking at whether or not you can do this and instead, think about whether or not God can do it.

Remember that obedience doesn't guarantee quick results.

We should put up with pain and inconvience for the sake of long-term results. (For example, you put up with pain and suffering after a surgury so that you will have better long-term health).

"Almost" & "Not Yet" does not mean "Never!"

The fact that God takes a long time to accomplish His purposes does not mean he lacks the power or will.

The destination isn't the only thing that matters.

Waiting is part of your calling; not just a preparation for it.

Pay attention to each season of life before moving to the next.

Remember what God has done in your past... make this a regular part of your worship.

Take your station: the Lord will fight your battle for you. (Exod. 14:13-14)

Trust him is not passivity.

Don't get into the pattern of: (1) Restlessness, because this leads to (2) Complaining, which will lead to (3) Disobedience, which leads to (4) A longer journey.

Don't let impatience, lust, and desire overwhelm our determination to wait on God and follow His leading.