Faith Not Fear

My God is so good! I was struggling a bit earlier today with my faithful vs. fearful goal for the year but the Lord was so encouraging. He knows how this child of His struggles!! :-/ Just now I was checking my friend Angela's blog and this post was like God speaking directly to me through her voice. It was incredible! It was tailor-made for me! Exactly how I have felt lately and just WOW! :-) Thank you, God, for guiding me to Angela's blog! I only found it about a week ago, if that, but already I feel as if she is going to be a dear friend in my life. Indeed she is already such an encouragement! I love her already!

Other ways God encouraged me today ... as soon as I got in the car the song was about walking by faith not fear (ahhhhh! How did He know? ;-)) and then the KLOVE verse of the day was Philippians 4:6 & 7.

6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.


Two of my favorite verses in times like these!

Then the next song spoke to my heart as well. It was like God was speaking to me through the radio. :-) Here are the two songs I heard. (I made bold the parts that were especially meaningful.) I really listened to the lyrics and they were very comforting. God knows my needs, He remembers I am dust and He graciously reaches down to me where I'm at ... to speak to my heart. He didn't promise a life without pain, but He promised to be with us. He is there every step. I'm not forsaken. I am trusting in Him now.

I'm gonna walk by faith, not by sight 'Cause I can't see straight in the broad daylight I'm gonna walk by faith, not by fear 'Cause I believe in the One who brought me here I'm standing on the edge of whatever Whatever He has planned for me My next step will be measured With confidence in the unseen Like dancing on the edge of forever I have nothing left to lose Flying free as a feather A vagabond in beautiful shoes I'm moving through this great unknown With faith beneath my feet I take the road invisible But I know Jesus goes with me Oh, I believe, I believe Because You gave Yourself to me And I have nothing left to fear 'Cause I see it's You who brought me here Though the road ahead is not quite clear Still I know the way

--"Walk by Faith," by Out of the Grey

HERE I AM

Sometimes your calling, comes in dream
Sometimes in comes in the Spirit's breeze,
You reach for the deepest part of me,
And call out for the things of eternity.

But I'm a man, of dust and stains,
You move in me, so I can say,

CHORUS:
Here I am, Lord send me,
All of my life, I make an offering,
Here I am, Lord send me,
Somehow my story, Is part of your plan,
Here I am

When setbacks and failures, and upset plans,
Test my faith and leave me with empty hands,
Are you not the closest when it's hardest to stand?
I know that you will finish what you began.

These broken parts you redeem,
Become the song, that I can sing
(chorus)

Overwhelmed by the thought of my weakness,
And the fear that I'll fail you in the end,
In this mess, I'm just one of the pieces,
I can't put this together but you can.

Thank you, Lord, for your encouragement & faithfulness to me.