I love the way that your heart breaks
With every injustice and deadly fate
I love that you're never satisfied
With face value wisdom and happy lies

Maybe today, take the time to ask God to make you more sensitive.

Ask Him to reveal His heart to you.

Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.  ( Romans 12:15 )

When I don't fit in and I don't feel like I belong anywhere
When I don't measure up to much in this life
Oh, I'm a treasure in the arms of Christ

Why is it so easy to feel out of place in this world? It is easy to look around and feel like everyone around us knows exactly who they are and where they're going. Everyone else seems to have it all together. But the truth is that nobody actually has it all figured out. Those people who have all the right clothes, and the right car, and the right house, and the perfect kids, they are in the same boat as you. Scratch the surface and youâll find they have the same insecurities and problems that you do. They think you have it all together too.

But Christ is the great equalizer. As Sanctus Real said, "When I don't fit in, I'm a treasure in the arms of Christ." When you follow Christ, your problems don't go away. You don't instantly figure out the meaning of life or get a bigger bank account. But knowing that you are somebody to Someone so powerful can change your outlook. Knowing Him allows you to see others differently, and to not judge yourself against them so harshly. And more importantly it allows you to be honest about who you are, your problems, and your fears, because you know that Heâs not going to leave you or abandon you because of them. And that allows you to reach out to others out of your brokenness, which will ultimately bring you, and them, healing and strength.

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.  ( Philippians 3:8-14 )

I tried my way It always ends up being a mistake
But Youâre right when You say
That You set the time for the plans You make
I never thought that I could ever learn to let it go
Somehow its better when I follow in the paths You show

All too often we make our own plans, set out on the path, and then when we get into trouble, or things don't work out like we thought they would, we throw our hands up and ask God to rescue us. What He's probably thinking is, "I'll help you, but this wasn't where I wanted you in the first place."

Instead if we ask God to guide our decisions and plans on the front end, we might not end up in trouble, or at least we'll know that where we're headed is exactly where He wants us to be. And where He wants us to be is always better than anything we could ever want on our own.

You can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail.  ( Proverbs 19:21 )

If you gotta start somewhere why not here
If you gotta start sometime why not now
If we gotta start somewhere I say here
If we gotta start sometime I say now

You know that there's something you need to do. There's something that you want to do. You feel like you're supposed to do something. Regardless of what it is, there's always a reason not to do it. It will take too much time, too much money. It is scary. I could get hurt. I could fail. But if God is asking you to do something, now's the time to do it.

You can continue to make excuses about why you can't, but you will probably miss out on something amazing. And your excuses may be real and valid, but if God has asked you to do something He will make it possible. He will provide everything you need to make it happen. All you need to do is trust Him and take that step.

But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.  ( Psalm 56:3 )

God, I'm getting tired of the way I feel
When I would rather be alive

How are you feeling right now? Happy, sad, lonely, content, frustrated, loved, lonely, busy, empty . . .

There are so many emotions that we cycle through on a given day, based on what's happening in our lives, to our family, to our friends. If you're feeling happy, generally life is good. But there are days when we feel empty.

When we feel empty we feel disconnected from everything and everyone around us. We barely feel like we're living. We're simply passing through life. When you feel that way it's hard to see a way out. Sometimes it just takes time. Sometimes it takes a change, big or small. Sometimes it takes another person to help pull us out. But always prayer can help. Prayer brings you closer to God, no matter how you're feeling. And he can help fill the emptiness.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.  ( Romans 5:3-6 )

I will swim in the deep 'cause You'll be next to me
You're in the eye of the storm and the calm of the sea
You're never out of reach

Are you afraid? Afraid of taking risks? Afraid of the future, of what might happen, of what won't happen? Do you look at the world and have no idea where you belong or what you should be doing? Do you sense God leading you in a direction, but to get there feels like jumping into the deep waters of the ocean without a life jacket? You're not alone.

Everyone has felt that way, or will feel that way, at some point in life. Taking risks is scary. The future can be scary because you don't know what lies ahead. Feeling like you don't fit in is scary. Following God can be scary, because sometimes he asks you to do something that you don't understand or feel ready for. But you're not alone.

God is with you. The ultimate provider is with you. He provides peace and wisdom, guidance, understanding. He will direct your path and give you everything that you need to go on the journey.

I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid.  ( John 14:27 )

Castles they might crumble
Dreams may not come true
But you are never all alone
Because I will always
Always love you

You’ve probably heard it from your parents a million times: “I love you.” Those three words carry so much meaning behind them. They mean things like “I’ll protect you,” “I’ll forgive you,” and “I’ll be there for you.” Because we’re created in the image of a loving, caring God, it only makes sense that parents would express the kind of love that God expresses for each of us.

This song is about a parent’s love for a new child, but think about this: God loves you in an even deeper and more significant way than any human parent ever could. How comforting it is to know that we are so loved by our perfect heavenly Father, who created us to be his own children and to live in his love.


“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”  ( Matthew 7:9-11 )

One tear in the driving rain
One voice in the sea of pain
Could the maker of the stars,
Hear the sound of my breaking heart?
One life, that's all I am

Do you ever feel like you're bothering God? Why? When you go to him with a prayer, a desire, a need, why do you feel like you are imposing on His time? Because He's GOD! Because He has a whole universe to run, and if I had a whole universe to run, I probably wouldn't have the time to listen to little prayers.
I only have a house to run and can barely listen to everyone in my life, let alone everyone on the planet. But that's why He's God, and we're not. He not only has the time to listen to you, but He wants to listen to you. He would drop everything He had to in order to listen to you and hear what you have to say. He thinks that there is nowhere better to be than listening to your wants, desires, and needs.

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.  ( Hebrews 4:16 )

There could never be a more beautiful you
Don't buy the lies, disguises, and hoops they make you jump through
You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do
So there could never be a more beautiful you

What do you think of yourself ? How do you see yourself ? Do you see your talents and abilities, or do you just see the things that you lack ? Sure, there are days that we all feel a little down about ourselves. Days that we see the good and talent in others and wish we were as good as them. But even on those days, we need to ask, "Who told you that?"

That's the ultimate question. Who told you that you weren't good enough, talented enough? Because whoever "they" are, they are lying to you. You are an incredible person. And you are unique. You are you. Only you have the gifts, talents, and abilities that you have. And only you can do the things that God created you to do. So why continue to compare yourself with people who were created for something completely different?

Today, choose to be who God wants you to be. Be proud of who you are and what you can do.

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.  ( 1 Peter 4:10-11 )

So what are you waiting for?
What do you have to lose?
Your insecurities try to alter you
You know you're made for more
So don't be afraid to move
Your faith is all it takes in you
You can walk on the water too

The title of John Ortberg's book says it all :

If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat.

What it means is that you can either sit in the boat, watching the amazing things that God is doing through others, or you can choose to be one of those people. There's safety and comfort inside the boat, but that's not where God is working, and that's not where He's doing things.

So often we choose to sit back because we believe that we will fail, or think that He can't use us. But it's ok to stumble on your way out of the boat, it's even ok to lose faith and start to sink. Peter did too. But when Peter started to sink, Jesus grabbed him and pulled him back up to the surface. God wasn't going to let Peter drown, and he wont let you fail just because you make a mistake or take a wrong step.

The point of getting out of the boat is that you're following Him, even when it's scary, even when you feel like it's not possible to walk on water. You still follow Him.

But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.  ( Matthew 14:27-33 )

All the earth together declares
Glory in the highest to You, Lord
All the earth will sing Your praise
The moon and stars, the sun and rain

God's presence is everywhere. Evidence of His greatness is all around you. All you have to do is look and see it. It's possible to go through everyday and miss it, but if you open your eyes and your heart, you will recognize His majesty everywhere.

• In the sunrise and sunset. How He has timed everything to be perfect, and made it beautiful.
• In rain and snow. How he provides for us in such simple ways.
• In fields of crops and flowers. Giving us beauty and fulfilling our needs.
• In dogs, cats and other pets. Providing unquestionable companionship when we feel like people let us down.
• In friends and family who are our support and speak truth to us.
• In the moon and stars. He placed each one in their place and knows how many there are, and that tells about God's greatness. But yet He still knows who you are and cares for you.

Take a look around and see how many things in your life show how great and loving God is. And praise Him.

How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in him should ponder them. Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty. His righteousness never fails. He causes us to remember his wonderful works. How gracious and merciful is our Lord.  ( Psalm 111:2-4 )

If you gotta start somewhere why not here
If you gotta start sometime why not now
If we gotta start somewhere I say here
If we gotta start sometime I say now

You know that there's something you need to do. There's something that you want to do. You feel like you're supposed to do something. Regardless of what it is, there's always a reason not to do it. It will take too much time, too much money. It is scary. I could get hurt. I could fail. But if God is asking you to do something, now's the time to do it.

You can continue to make excuses about why you can't, but you will probably miss out on something amazing. And your excuses may be real and valid, but if God has asked you to do something He will make it possible. He will provide everything you need to make it happen. All you need to do is trust Him and take that step.

But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.  ( Psalm 56:3 )

I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
With a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain, there is healing
In your name I find meaning
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on
I'm barely holdin' on to you

We just finished the "happiest time of the year", but did you know that scientists say that January 24th is the saddest day of the year, and it's right around the corner.
They say it's a combination of factors such as the weather, realization of holiday debt, breaking New Year's resolutions and no vacation in the near future. So chances are that you're feeling a little down, a little hopeless. You may feel like crawling back into bed and hiding.
But even when you feel that way, any time of the year, God is right there. In the midst of all the saddness, disappointment and pain that you may be feeling, you can still have hope. If you keep holding on to God, even if you're barely holding on, He will continue to give you strength and courage to face the next day. He will give you hope so you can walk into the next circumstance and face the next storm.

Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.  ( Isaiah 40:28-29 )

Heaven is a place
Where the tears on every face
Will be wiped away
Oh, And I can’t wait to go,
But for now it’s enough to know
This is only temporary

Have you ever stubbed your toe? It’s amazing how much pain can shoot through your body in a split second when that toe connects with the corner of the couch or the kitchen table. We shout and jump up and down, waiting for the pain to subside—and it does. The pain we experience from a stubbed toe hurts a lot at first, but fades quickly.

Not so is much of the other pain in our lives; the emotional and relational pain we encounter can be crippling at times. We cry out to God, asking for the pain to be taken away. And sometimes, it seems as though our cries go unheard. But how comforting to know that the pain isn’t forever. What we struggle with here on earth is only temporary. One day we’ll be in the arms of our loving Savior as he wipes away our tears. How wonderful to imagine that eternal life—a life with no pain.

For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.  ( 2 Corinthians 5:1-2 )

I keep on chasing the wrong things
and coming up empty

What do you want from your life? What does the world tell you that you need? The best house, a great car, the perfect family, money to do everything you want, incredible vacations? But will any of those things truly satisfy you? Will you finally be happy when you take that trip to Hawaii, or buy the new Mercedes?

God says that it is possible to gain everything you ever wanted—house, car, family, money—but lose yourself in the process. You end up chasing after material things that you can lose in a second, and forget who you are. But if you chase after God, the things that He cares about, and the things He wants for you, He promises an abundant, fulfilling life. You may not get the Mercedes, but God promises more.

If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?  ( Luke 9:24-25 )

All of my plans, all of my dreams,
I lay them down before Your feet
All of my time, all that was mine,
I now submit to Your design
Cause You are the one who can make my life complete
You are the one who can give light to my feet
You are the on

Remember, as you enter the busiest time of the year, searching for the perfect gift (or hoping that you’ll receive the perfect gift), that God sent Jesus as the ultimate gift for our lives. It is through Jesus that we are made complete and get all that we need.

As you celebrate Jesus’ birth this year, remember to thank God for the best gift you’ve ever received.

And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God.* And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life.  ( 1 John 5:20 )

And I won't give up
Cause you mean that much,
No matter what you are going through.
I've waited this long,
My love is stronger than forever,
Strong enough to keep loving you

Imagine that God penned those words in a letter to you. What are you going through? Why is God waiting for you? What’s keeping you from reaching out for his love?

When you feel like giving up, look up. God is there, waiting for you. His love is always there for you. You only need to accept it.


I hear the tumult of the raging seas
as your waves and surging tides sweep over me.
But each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me,
and through each night I sing his songs,
praying to God who gives me life.  ( Psalm 42:7-8 )

I can't sleep I can't eat
If I give them what they want then
Will they just let me be
Who I am I'm not like them
I'm sick of nodding my head at the things that I can't stand

What do you do when you see something happening that you don't agree with or think is wrong? What would you like to think you would do? Usually these are two different things. We so often don't do what we would like to do, even if it's the right thing to do. Often we don't do anything; we just stand back and don't get involved, mostly because we are afraid of standing up and standing out.

We fear being seen as different. But God has called us to be different! We are not supposed to be like the rest of this world, but to be transformed by the power of God's love. We have been called to something bigger than ourselves; we are supposed to shine God's light everywhere. Sometimes that means that we are seen as different.

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice, tthe kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.  ( Romans 12:1-2 )

I know the journey seems so long
You feel you're walking on your own
But there has never been a step
Where you've walked out all alone

You've probably read the story "Footprints" by Mary Stevenson. And whether you think the poem is wonderful, or wonderfully cheesy, its message is true. Everyone is going to go through a hardship, or two, or twenty. Each time it feels like the circumstances are overwhelming and it goes on forever. And worst of all, if feels like you’re standing out there alone.

But the truth is that God never leaves us. When we get close to our breaking point, he promises to hold us and carry us the distance until we can stand on our own again.

Footprints by Mary Stevenson

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky. In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints; other times there was one only.

This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow, or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord, "You promised me, Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?"

The Lord replied, "When you saw only one set of footprints, my child, it was then that I carried you."

When you go through deep waters,
I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you.  ( Isaiah 43:2 )

Oh but human being
We all need to quit
Being inhumane

You probably learned the golden rule as a child: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” So often we take that verse and reword to say, “Do unto others as they do unto you.” We justify our actions because others treated us badly first. But God wants us to treat others the way we want to be treated before they do anything to us. He also wants us to treat others the way we want to be treated after others treat us unkindly.

As we strive to be more like Jesus, we need to make the traits and characteristics that he taught us more a part of our everyday lives. Jesus was kind, gracious, understanding, and patient. But how often do we treat those around us with those qualities? Today, make a list of the ways you wish others would treat you, and then strive to do the same

Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it.  ( 1 Peter 3:9 )

Drag me out of the burning disaster
That is my foolish pride

What is it you’re struggling with right now? Jealousy, anger, greed, laziness, lying, impatience? Chances are that the root of your problem is pride. Pride causes all sorts of problems in our lives. Not only does it lead to arrogance, but it also prevents us from asking for help when we need it. When we are unwilling to ask for help, we end up relying on ourselves, which leads to more problems than it solves.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.  ( Ephesians 4:31-32 )

Today I found myself
After searching all these years
And the man that I saw,
He wasn't at all who I thought he'd be
I was lost when you found me here
And I was broken beyond repair
Then you came along and you sang your song over me.

Maybe what you ate for breakfast or where you parked won’t matter tomorrow, but some of our decisions can have lasting effects. Some will affect not only us, but those around us. Some decisions can either bring us closer to God or take us further away. And if you make enough decisions that take you away from God, eventually you will have stepped so far away from who you were supposed to be that you might not recognize yourself or like who you’ve become.

So as you go through your thousands of decisions large and small today, ask God to help you make wise ones—choices that draw you closer to him and to who he wants you to be. He’s ready and willing to guide you through his Word, his Spirit, and his Church.

Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life.  ( Deuteronomy 30:19-20 )

I need a hero to save my life
A hero 'll save me just in time

Have you ever seen a good superhero movie? What happens? The heroine gets kidnapped or caught in a very dangerous situation with the bad guys, and the superhero swoops in at just the right moment to rescue her. Have you ever felt like the heroine, standing on the edge of a cliff, just waiting for someone to come and save you?

Sometimes it feels like God plays the part of a superhero. Sometimes we walk into dangerous situations, sometimes bad things happen to us, but he allows us to go just so far. He allows us to get to the point where all we can do is rely on him. But we find out that instead of swooping in at the last second, he was really there all the time. When we were standing on the cliff, he had his hand on our back, holding us up until it was the right time for him to fix the situation.

Though I am surrounded by troubles,
you will protect me from the anger of my enemies
You reach out your hand,
and the power of your right hand saves me.
The Lord will work out his plans for my life—
for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.
Don’t abandon me, for you made me.  ( Psalm 138:7-8 )

Progress, I confess, is way overdue
I get caught up in the things that I've held onto

When God wants to change us, oftentimes we keep putting him off. We say that we’re fine just the way we are. That we don’t have the time or energy to work through everything right now, but one day we will. We claim that we can do it on our own. But the truth is, when God wants to work on you and in you, he is the perfect one to do it, and there is no better time than now. You could probably continue the way you are, but you could also allow God to change you into a better person more equipped to do his work. What is it that God wants to do in you today?



In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ( 2 Peter 1:5-8 )

I guess we're all one phone call
from our knees

Life is good. You have great friends, a happy family. School or work is going well. And then in one phone call, everything changes. Someone dies, someone leaves, someone gets sick, you lose your job.

What do you do? Who do you depend on? Who do you call when life falls apart? Do you have friends that will be there for you? If you don’t know the answer, God may be directing you to find a community. God didn’t design us to live in isolation; he wants us to live our lives with other people. People we can rely on and call when life gets hard.

If you don’t have that yet, ask God to begin showing you and opening you up to those relationships. And remember, real relationships can be hard and messy and take time. But if you put in the effort, you will also reap the benefits.


Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. ( Galatians 6:2 )

Life hits us all in waves
So just do your best to try
Yeah, it's okay if you fear
And it's okay if you cry

Imagine that you’re on a boat--not a big boat, a little rowboat--and you’re out in the middle of the sea. The sky has gotten dark and the wind is blowing. The rain starts and the wind gets stronger. The lightning begins and its flashes provide the only light you have for seeing ahead. The waves are crashing all around you, threatening to tip your little boat. How are you feeling? You’re cold and uncomfortable. You’re probably scared and wondering what’s going to happen next.

Now think back to times in your life when you felt out of control. When you had no idea what was going to happen next, and you couldn’t see what was coming. When you felt alone and uncomfortable. Chances are, something was happening that threatened to destroy your life. It was probably one of the hardest things you’ve ever been through.

We’ve all been there. All of us. Everyone has had times when they felt like they were in the middle of a ferocious storm. When you’re in the middle of it, you feel beaten down and crushed, but that’s okay. Storms, whatever kind they may be, are hard to get through. They are scary and exhausting. And while God tells us that He’ll be with us in the midst of the storm, it’s still okay to be afraid. He has given us people to help us through the storms. Lean on God’s Word and on people around you to give you strength and comfort when you’re going through a hard time. You don’t have to do it alone.


He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.
Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday. ( Psalm 91:4-6 )

Your Word is clear
I’ve got to believe it

A math teacher who gave a pop quiz reminded the class to read the instructions first. The quiz was a difficult string of calculations on a single number. But before most students got past the second step, one student got up, gave his paper to the teacher, and walked out.
He was the only one who read the instruction at the top of the page: "Ignore everything else, sign your name, and you may leave."

As Christians we need to read the instructions—the Bible. Many people don’t bother with God’s Word. Yet all they accomplish is to make life difficult, or even worse, they misunderstand the character and nature of God.

David gives us this encouragement: "The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living." ( Psalm 19:8 , NLT ) God word has a clear plan for life. Have you read the instructions?

I've been calling for years and years and years and years
And you never left me no messages
You never sent me no letters

Have you ever prayed to God but received no answer? Most people would say yes. Or at the very least, we remember times when didn’t get the answer we were looking for. We really wanted and expected God to answer our prayer the way we wanted at the exact moment we prayed it. Sounds a little silly when you look at it that way, doesn’t it?

But God knows exactly what he’s doing, even when we don’t think he does. Our view is so limited, compared with God’s. All we can see is right now, or the near future, and all we know is that right now I have this problem, or this need, and I need it fixed. But God sees the bigger picture. He knows everything that led up to our current circumstances, as well as how it’s going to play out in the future. He sees all the people involved, many of whom we don’t know, and he knows what’s ultimately best for us.

He always answers prayers, but sometimes he says, “No,” and sometimes he says, “Not yet” or “Not that way.” But He always answers.


Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. ( Philippians 4:6-7 )

Still wonderin' why I m here.
Still wrestling with my fear
But oh . . . He's up to something,
And the farther out I go,
I've seen enough to know
that I'm not here for nothin'
He's up to somethin'

You were born with a purpose and a plan. God had big plans for you. He wanted to use you as part of his plan--and he still does!

Maybe you’ve abandoned his plan for your life; it’s not too late to go back. Maybe you feel like you’re not accomplishing anything following him; continue to be faithful. Maybe you think you’re doing amazing things for God; remember to stay humble. We are all part of God’s master plan. None of us knows where that will take us or how long the journey will be, but God promises an adventure. Maybe your adventure will take you to the other side of the world to a forgotten village where you will minister to the forgotten people of the world. Or maybe you will live in a suburban home and raise three kids. Either would be an adventure. Both could be part of God’s plan. Continue to seek out his plan for your life and prepare for the adventure of a lifetime.



Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. of the joy him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. ( Hebrews 12:1-2 )

Well I found a list of flaws
That I saw in myself and other people
And I threw it away because
Bon Voyage

Why is it so easy to look at ourselves in the mirror and only see the flaws? To look over our week and only see the things that we failed at? Why do we see mistakes and faults in others so easily? Why can't we see ourselves and each other the way God sees us?

God doesn't see us as a pile of failures; he sees the perfection of Jesus living in us. He knows that even with our shortcomings and flaws, we are still his children. And when we begin to see ourselves the way God sees us, amazing things can happen.

We begin to live as the child of God that he has called us to be. We can speak truth and give grace because we are covered in it ourselves. We can love readily, because that's the way God loves. We become more accepting of others because we know that God accepted us even though we were his enemies.


Either way, Christ's love controls us. We believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! ( 2 Corinthians 5:14-17 )

I'm not my own
I've been carried by You
All my life

How many people could say to you, "I've known you all your life"? Probably not very many—maybe your parents, an older sibling, a few family friends. And even fewer people—maybe only one person, your mother—could say they knew you before you were born. Of course, God also says that he has cared for you and carried you from before you were born. He's always had a reason for making you and a plan to make your life significant, even when you didn’t believe or trust him. He promises to take care of you forever—and he's definitely the only one who can say that!


I have cared for you since you were born.
Yes, I carried you before you were born.
I will be your God throughout your lifetime—
until your hair is white with age.
I made you, and I will care for you.
I will carry you along and save you. ( Isaiah 46:3-4 )

This might hurt, it's not safe
But I know that I've gotta make a change
I don't care if I break,
At least I'll be feeling something

Are you in a rut? Do you feel like you’re just going through the motions every day? Are you numb to the world around you? It’s easy to get so busy that you forget or don’t notice what’s going on around you. Everything around you is moving, but you feel like you’re standing still, unable to react to anything. And it’s usually in these moments that we feel the need to do something different.

We want to change something, just so that something in our life changes; so that we can begin to feel something—anything. Our actions become desperate. But taking desperate measures is not always the best move. Sometimes what we want to do is dangerous, and might even have the potential to ruin our lives. So be sure that whatever you do to get rid of the numbness and stir up your life is in line with what God would want for you. God doesn’t want you to do anything harmful or destructive to yourself or to those around you. Seek God first, take action second


O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
where there is no water. ( Psalm 63:1 )

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but I believe
You're up to something bigger than me

Becoming the person that God wants you to be is a process. It takes time and willingness. And when God begins working in you, it can feel like you’ve been put into a giant blender and everything is getting mixed up.

It can feel like your life is in total chaos and you have no idea which way to go. But God knows what he’s doing. And he’s doing everything for your good. So when you feel all mixed up and don’t understand, trust that he’s up to something big. He’s making you into the person he wants you to be.

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” ( Isaiah 55:8-9 )

This life begins,
And then it ends
And I do the best that I can,
But I don't know how long it'll last

“Life is short.” You hear it all the time, reminding you to take advantage of today. And while it may not always feel like life is short, God agrees with the statement.

None of us are promised tomorrow. You have no guarantee that you’ll still be here tomorrow, next week, next month, or next year. That’s why you need to live every moment as if it could be your last. Tell the people you love that you love them. Show Christ to the world every minute you can. Don’t let anger or hurt feelings get in the way of relationships. You never know when you’ll get a chance to make things right, so do it right now.


Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” ( James 4:13-15 )

Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face

Are you a people-pleaser? Do you always try to make other people happy? Sometimes we believe that our worth and acceptance from others depends on making sure that they are happy, and more specifically, happy with us. We go to great lengths to try to please them. And all too often we also do that with God.

We do “good” things; we don’t do “bad” things—all in the hope of making God happier with us, in order to earn his love and acceptance. But the truth is that there is nothing you can do, good or bad, to make him happy, to make him love you more. The way to make God happy is to simply have faith in him—in who he is and what he is doing. By trusting in him and seeking after him, you give him joy.


It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. ( Hebrews 11:6 )

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me your heart for the once forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see

So often we look at the world without really seeing it. We go about our daily life without noticing those around us who may be hurting. But what would happen if we began to really see the people around us? To see their hurt and joy and pain? We would be seeing with God's eyes.

When you begin to look at people the way that God does, you see that we are all hurt, broken, and in need of love. You begin to see the real needs around you. And when you are looking with God's eyes, you feel compelled to help. You may not be able to help everyone, but you can certainly help someone. You may not have money, but you might have time, stuff, or skills. Ask God to show you the world through his eyes, and how you can begin to help his people.


[Jesus said,] "'For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.' Then these righteous ones will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'" ( Matthew 25:35-40 )

I'm letting go
Of the life I planned for me
And my dreams
I'm losing control
Of my destiny
Feels like I'm falling and that's what it's like to believe
So I'm letting go

When you choose to believe in God and make him the center of your life, you make the decision to let him guide you. You are telling God that you want his dreams, desires, and goals for your life, not your own. It's like handing over your dearest possessions and trusting that the person you give them to will make something even greater out of them than what they already are. But there is always the nagging worry that they might ruin them too. And that is why faith can be terrifying.

Our culture tells people that you can't trust anyone but yourself and that you should run after your dreams, even if it means stomping on others along the way. But God has better dreams than we can possibly imagine. He promises that he will take our desires and make them into something far more valuable and beautiful than we can ever imagine. You may not always understand where he is leading you, but he promises that he will take care of you.


The Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you." ( Psalm 32:8 )

And it feels like I've got to give you
10 good reasons why
You still love me every time
10 good reasons
I deserve forgiveness every night
10 good reasons why
You still love me when I
I ain't got no reason why

How often do you recognize that you're not living up to God's expectations? Maybe you feel like you need to do enough good things throughout the day to even out the bad things you did yesterday. You feel this crazy need to act good enough so that you deserve your salvation.

But the truth is that there is nothing you can do to earn salvation. Nothing. You can't do enough good deeds, because even after the best effort you still won't be perfect. But don't despair! Salvation and grace are God's free gifts to you. FREE!! Even though you can never pay him back, he still accepts you because of Jesus' sacrifice. All you can do is keep running after God and his plan for you every day. That's all he asks of you.


And since it is through God's kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.
( Romans 11:6 )

Take me back so I can see
The way that love was meant to be

Our society has so many different definitions and expectations of love. There’s friendship love. There’s romantic movie love, where everything is perfect and there are fireworks and birds singing. But we rarely see an example of true, unconditional, and selfless love.

By remembering how God loves us, we can get a sense of how we are supposed to love each other. God loves us regardless of our faults and failures. He loves us when we don’t love Him. If we could love those around us the way God loves us, our relationships would improve. Begin to love the way that God does and watch your life change.


Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. ( John 4:7-12 )

The darkness must precede the dawn
Wait with me here till the sunrise
Wait, your night will soon fade out

Life gets hard. Bad things happen. When your world falls apart, it feels like you are living in darkness. You see no end to the pain. But God promises that he is with you, and that the light will return and the pain will subside.

He will carry you through the darkness, and when the sun comes out, he will give you renewed joy. Although you may feel like you can’t make it through this, remember that God is bigger than your circumstances and that this too will pass.



We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed ( 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 )

I keep on chasing the wrong things
and coming up empty

What do you want from your life? What does the world tell you that you need? The best house, a great car, the perfect family, money to do everything you want, incredible vacations? But will any of those things truly satisfy you? Will you finally be happy when you take that trip to Hawaii, or buy the new Mercedes?

God says that it is possible to gain everything you ever wanted—house, car, family, money—but lose yourself in the process. You end up chasing after material things that you can lose in a second, and forget who you are. But if you chase after God, the things that He cares about, and the things He wants for you, He promises an abundant, fulfilling life. You may not get the Mercedes, but God promises more.


If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed? ( Luke 9:24-25 )

Are you thirsty, standing in the rain?

When we pray to God and ask for something, often we are asking him to answer it a specific way within a specific time frame. And that is an easy way to become frustrated with God. You can feel like he’s not paying attention and not listening to you. But really we’re the ones not paying attention.

Just because God doesn’t answer a prayer the way we want, when we want him to, doesn’t mean that he didn’t answer the prayer. He always answers. Sometimes we don’t see it because we are busy looking for something different. When we are thirsty, we might be looking for a glass of water, but miss that God has given us the rain. Sometimes answers to prayer come in ways we wouldn’t have imagined. Watch for God to answer prayers in unexpected ways, and try to notice when He does.

I will answer them before they even call to me
While they are still talking about their needs,
I will go ahead and answer their prayers! ( Isaiah 65:24 )

You always hide behind yourself
You walk a lonely road with no one’s help
I hate to break the news
You’re headed for a fall

Our society has created a culture of individuals. Each in our own little world, we can go to work, come home, open the garage door, go straight from the car into the house, check e-mail, order food online, and watch television. It is possible to go through an entire day without speaking with another person. We have become very isolated.

But what do we do when our world turns upside-down? If we’ve isolated ourselves, we discover we have no one to turn to. If you try to walk through the world alone, and on your own strength, eventually your legs will get tired and you’ll have no one to lean on. We were created to have, and thus we crave, authentic relationships. God wants us to surround ourselves with others who will help support us and whom we can support, through both good and bad times. If you realize you’re not a part of that kind of support system, work at building one. And if you already have those people around you, continue to invest in them.


Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! ( Romans 12:15-16 )

I’m letting go
Of the life I planned for me
And my dreams
I’m losing control
Of my destiny
Feels like I’m falling and that’s what it’s like to believe
So I’m letting go

When you choose to believe in God and make him the center of your life, you make the decision to let him guide you. You are telling God that you want his dreams, desires, and goals for your life, not your own. It’s like handing over your dearest possessions and trusting that the person you give them to will make something even greater out of them than what they already are. But there is always the nagging worry, “What if he doesn’t do what I wanted with them?” And that is why faith can be terrifying.

Our culture tells people that faith is useless and that you should run after your dreams, even if it means stomping on others along the way. But God’s plans are better than we can possibly imagine. He promises that he will take our desires and make them into something far more valuable and beautiful than we can ever imagine. You may not always understand where he is leading you, but he promises that he will lovingly take care of you.


The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
I will advise you and watch over you. ( Psalm 32:8 )

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me your heart for the once forgotten

So often we look at the world without really seeing it. We go about our daily life without noticing those around us who may be hurting. But what would happen if we began to really see the people around us? To see their hurt and joy and pain? We would be seeing with God’s eyes.

When you begin to look at people the way that God does, you see that we are all hurt, broken, and in need of love. You begin to see the real needs around you. And when you are looking with God’s eyes, you feel compelled to help. You may not be able to help everyone, but you can certainly help someone. You may not have money, but you might have time, stuff, or skills. Ask God to show you the world through his eyes and to teach you how you can begin to help his people.

For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me. Then these righteous ones will reply, “Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?” And the King will say, “I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!” ( Matthew 25:35-40 )

I don't even have the words to pray

Have you ever sat down to pray, and didn’t know what to say? How do you pray when you’re angry with God? When circumstances are so out of control that you don’t even know what to ask for? Thankfully, God has given us the gift of His Holy Spirit.

When we don’t know what to pray for, the Spirit will speak to God for us. God knows our hearts and minds, and exactly what we are going through. So even if you sit in silence and throw your hands in the air because you don’t know what to do, or if you just cry or scream, God hears you. He understands and knows exactly what you need.

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers harmony with God’s own will. ( Romans 8:26-27 )

Make me rest my head and take a breath or two

Life is busy—work, school, practice, games, spending time with family and friends. By the end of the day you collapse into bed completely exhausted, wondering where the time went. You awake the next day with another “to do” list and start all over again.

But we need to rest. There is a reason that one of God’s Ten Commandments was to observe the Sabbath. God knew that without a command to rest, we never would. God knows that we need time to sit quietly and relax. So take some time this week, even if it is only an hour, and rest. You might even find that by taking that time, you will get more done.


For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. ( Hebrews 4:10 )

Father God, I am clay in your hands
Help me to stay that way through all life’s demands

As children, we are moldable and soft. We are unmarred by life’s circumstances. But as we get older, we walk through trouble and begin to put on armor. We harden to the world around us, convinced that if we can crawl into our shell, bad things will not be able to touch us. But God wants to break our shell and make us soft again, so that he can mold us into the people he created us to be.

It is easy to shut out the world, but rather than allowing trials and circumstances to harden us, we need to allow them to press in and help mold and shape us. God can use our struggles and our experiences, good and bad, to make us into the people that He wants us to be. It will not be easy—it might even be painful—but it will be worth it.


Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. ( 1 Peter 4:12-13 )

Why do we break the promises we make?
Are we living for ourselves?

Remember how important a promise was to you when you were little? If a parent promised ice cream after dinner, you expected your cookie-dough ice cream in a waffle cone. If a friend promised to keep a secret, you trusted that she wouldn’t tell a soul. At a certain point in our lives, promises sometimes become less important than the people involved in them. We decide to put ourselves and our desires before the people we care about—the people we make promises to.

Today, take a few minutes to think about the people in your life, and the promises you’ve made. Maybe you told a friend you’d be there to help, but you’ve avoided them lately because you’re too busy to help. Or maybe you said you’d pray for someone but stopped praying for them when sleep became more important to you. Whatever they are, look at the promises you’ve made and decide today if you’re going to keep living for yourself, or if you’re going to keep that important promise to the person you care about.

"Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends. Those who despise flagrant sinners, and honor the faithful followers of the Lord, and keep their romises even when it hurts. Those who lend money without charging interest, and who annot be bribed to lie about the innocent. Such people will stand firm forever." ( Psalm 15:3-5 )

I wanna live like today
Could be my last day
To give all I have
Before it’s too late
Goodbye to all the
Fear and doubt ’cause this
Love is what life is all about

To live like today is your last day sounds scary. What if you were to die tomorrow? Would you have regrets about things you had, or hadn’t, done? Would you have said everything you wanted to say to the people in your life? You may be putting those things off because you’re afraid to do them . . .

If you live each day as Jesus did, you’ll have no reason to fear. Living like Jesus means that your words and deeds are governed by the perfect love of God. You’ll love others more, and in return, you’ll feel the love of God in your own life—so you’ll have no need to be afraid of what lies ahead.

And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. ( 1 John 4:17-18a )

I may seem crazy
Or painfully shy
And these scars wouldn't be so hidden
If you would just look me in the eye

They surround us. People who are looking for acceptance. But we may see them and just notice their funky hair, or the clothing that we may not “approve” of. Or we may not think they are attractive enough. Or maybe they have tattoos or piercings. Or maybe we don’t notice them at all. There are so many things that can stop us from talking to them. But the truth is: we are those people.

We all need love and acceptance. We all want people to understand us and care about us. We all need to reach outside of our comfort zones to touch those that may seem different and to show God’s love, grace and kindness. God’s love extends past our outer appearances, past first impressions. If we all start looking at each other through God’s eyes, we will begin to see our similarities instead of our differences, and find the acceptance we are searching for.

Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory. ( Romans 15:7 )

I found my way around
To forgiving you
Some time ago
But I never got to tell you so

People hurt us: friends, family, strangers. All of us have been hurt, emotionally, physically, spiritually. But what do you do with that hurt? You can bear a grudge and hang on to it. Or you can forgive.

Forgiveness can be one of the hardest things to do. It goes against our human nature. Our tendency is to want revenge; to want those who hurt us to suffer the way we have. But God says that forgiveness is better. That forgiveness provides us with freedom. If you are struggling with forgiving someone, pray to God to give you the strength to move past the hurt, anger, and bitterness so that you can be filled with peace.


Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends. ( Proverbs 17:9 )

We've all been there, we're walking down the same road
So don’t be scared, you're not out there on your own

When you’re going through a hard time, it’s easy to feel alone. You feel like you don’t have anyone to turn to. You feel like no one would understand your situation or how you’re feeling.

But even if nobody on earth understands what you are going through, Jesus does. The Bible says that Jesus experienced all of the same feelings that we do. He was betrayed, suffered, was lonely. Pray that Jesus would guide you and comfort you. And trust that he knows and understands exactly what you are going through.


So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. ( Hebrews 4:14-16 )

Cause we're all guilty of the same things
We think the thoughts whether or not we see them through
And I know that I have been forgiven
And I just hope you can forgive me too

We all mess up. Everyone makes mistakes. We all have thoughts of doing something wrong. Sometimes we act on those thoughts. This is all part of being human.

But often we judge others because of their mistakes. We believe that what others do is worse than anything we have ever done, and so we condemn them for it. But the truth is, all mistakes separate us from God. So rather than judge someone based on what they have done, love them and show them grace, because that’s what you will want when you mess up.



You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. ( Romans 2:1 )

Even when the tears are falling
When I find I fear the calling
You remind me
Words You've spoken over my life
Promises I've yet to see
You comfort me

At times following God’s plan is really hard. You may find yourself down on your knees, crying out, because you have no idea what you’re doing or where God is leading you. But God never promised that following his plan would be easy. In fact, he says that it will be filled with trials and hardship. But he also says that it will be worth it, and that he knows what he is doing.

His plan for you involves a better life than you can possibly imagine. That may be hard to believe when you feel like you’re wandering around in darkness searching for the light switch, but continue to trust in God. He will continue to lead you. Everything he takes you through will be for good and to shine his light out into the world.


"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me." ( Jeremiah 29:11-13 )

I don't need a miracle to believe

You can’t see the air, but you know it’s there every time you take a breath. You probably haven’t seen your heart, but you can feel it beating. You can’t touch the wind, but you can hear it rustling leaves.

It’s the same way with God. You can’t see him, touch him or hear him, but you can see the affects of him. You can see him in the beauty of the world he created. You can hear him in the pure laughter of a small child. It is hard to trust what you can’t see, but sometimes you have to trust in what you can’t see based on what you can.

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. ( Psalm 19:1-2 )

I focused on the score, but I could never win

Do you think of God as a big scorekeeper who is up in heaven keeping tabs on everything that you do and putting marks on a tally sheet? He’s not. Does God care whether you are doing good things or bad things? Yes. But he is not keeping score. What you do has nothing to do with whether you will go to heaven or how much (or if) God loves you.

There is nothing you can do to “win” your way into heaven. You are not that good. The only way you can get to heaven is by putting your faith and trust in Jesus. That’s it. There is no amount of good deeds that you can do that will balance out all of the bad stuff you have done. The only thing that can erase all of the stuff that you have done is the blood of Jesus.

And God loves you. Not because you do good things. Not even because you love him. He loves you even if you don’t believe he exists. He loves you because you are his creation. You are his child.


God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. ( Ephesians 2:8-9 )

You are loved completely
You mean everything to me
You will always be here with me

Sometimes we just need to be reminded of who we really are. We all have days when we feel useless, unloved, forgotten, alone, insignificant . . . but it helps to hear God’s heart for us.

Read those lyrics again, slowly. You are loved completely. You mean everything to me. You will always be here with me.

Maybe you know someone who needs to hear those words from God today. You can be the one to remind them, because you also know how it feels when you forget who you really are.


No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.
My body rests in safety.
For you will not leave my soul among the dead
or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.
You will show me the way of life,
granting me the joy of your presence
and the pleasures of living with you forever. ( Psalm 16:9-11 )

I lie here lifeless in this cocoon
Shedding my skin cause I'm ready to
I wanna break out
I found a way out
I don’t believe that it's gotta be this way

What kind of skin are you currently living in? Are you stuck inside skin that is robbing you of life? Is your skin simply a mask to keep people from seeing the real you? What will it take for you to shed your skin and start again?

You don’t have to stay stuck where you are—living the life you’re living. God wants to transform you. He doesn’t want you trapped in the skin that is holding you in. He wants you to be the beautiful, new creation he desires for you to be. But you have to let God transform you. Are you willing to step out of the cocoon and shed your skin?


And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. ( Romans 12:1-2 )

Your Word leaves us with no excuse

the paths we choose make us who we are

Before you chose to walk the path that leads to eternal life, what was your identity? How did you see yourself? How did others see you?

Now that you’ve chosen to walk the path of life, you have become one of God’s people. What does it mean to you that your identity is as a child of God? How do you see yourself differently than before you chose this path? How do others see you now? Are you living like one of God’s people?

As you go through your day today, reflect on who God is helping you become as you walk his path.


Once you had no identity as a people;
now you are God’s people.
Once you received no mercy;
now you have received God’s mercy. ( 1 Peter 2:10 )

Maybe if we would pray a little more
Then maybe we would stop livin’ in fear of the storm

Remember when you were little and you got scared in the middle of the night? Whether it was a bad dream, a storm outside your window, or the monster in your closet, something could scare you until you would lie frozen in your bed, hoping that someone would come in and rescue you. When you finally had the courage to yell out to your parents, they’d come in and comfort you, reminding you that you’re safe.

When something in your life paralyzes you with fear, and that intimidating person or task has you stuck and feeling powerless, yell out to God. He will come to your side and remind you that he’s with you and that you’re safe. He’ll give you the strength you need to face any challenge.

I am losing all hope;
I am paralyzed with fear.
I remember the days of old.
I ponder all your great works
and think about what you have done.
I lift my hands to you in prayer.
I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain. Psalm 143:4-6

Calloused and bruised
dazed and confused
My Spirit is left wanting something more
Than my selfish hopes
and my selfish dreams

It’s easy to keep working towards the things we want for ourselves. We have ambition and goals, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But at some point, we come to realize that what we’re striving after isn’t really giving us the life we’re looking for. We’re still feeling empty—wanting more.

Remember that the Giver of Life is the only source of everlasting joy and fulfillment. When you’re feeling empty, turn to Jesus and ask to be filled with the things that will not waste away and leave you longing for more.


We all come to the end of our lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day we were born. We can’t take our riches with us. Ecclesiastes 5:15

And I won’t give up
Cause you mean that much
No matter what you are going through
I’ve waited this long
My love is stronger than forever
Strong enough to keep loving you

Imagine that God penned those words in a letter to you. What is it that you’re going through? Why is God waiting for you? What’s keeping you from reaching out for his love?

When you feel like giving up, look up. God is there, waiting for you. His love is always there for you. You need only to accept it.

I hear the tumult of the raging seas
as your waves and surging tides sweep over me.
But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me,
and through each night I sing his songs,
praying to God who gives me life. Psalm 42:7-8

No one told me
How bad I need you
But I somehow arrived
To that conclusion all by myself
And I want
All you have to offer
So I offer myself and I’ll just give until there’s nothing else

They say that life is about give and take. But in this world, you can give until you’re empty and nothing will fill you up. We often find ourselves giving ourselves to something we think we need, or that we think will give us something in return, but we end up tired, empty, and alone.

When you give your life to Jesus, you find that when you’ve given everything you have, he’s there to fill you up again. You begin to realize how much you needed him all along. Jesus is able to meet your every need, and he’ll never leave you empty and alone.


The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. John 10:10

I’m listening
It’s deafening
This silence in the dark
I need your sound
To come and drown
The static in my heart
When everything is wrong
I hear your song
It’s like you’re here with me

Do you ever just turn everything off and listen to the silence? Turn off the iPod, the TV, the computer, and what do you hear? A lot of times when it’s quiet outside of us, the sounds in our own mind can become deafening. We hear everything that’s going on in our heart and mind, and sometimes it’s just too much to bear, so we turn our music or movies back on to drown it out.

But what if you turned everything off for just a few minutes and listened for Jesus? He’s there, and he’s speaking to your heart, but you can’t hear him over the noise you’ve created in your life. When you are finally able to silence the world around you, what do you hear Jesus saying to you?


Then Jesus said, "Let's go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile." He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn't even have time to eat. Mark 6:31

There’s so much more this is not the end
It’s all in your hands don’t throw it away
A beautiful life with so much to give
The image of God underneath your skin

When you look at yourself, who do you see? Do you see the person who seems to be screwing everything up, or do you see the person God is continually picking up from the dirt? Do you see the person who is afraid to really live, or do you see the person God created to live a life of abundance?

When you think of God, what comes to mind? Loving, forgiving, merciful, passionate, holy . . . these are words that describe the image of God—the same image that he created you in. Imagine if you could see the image of God when you look in the mirror. How would you look at yourself? Who would you see staring back at you?

For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. ( 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 )

On the road marked with suffering
Though there’s pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

You’ve probably heard the story of Abraham in the Bible. His son Isaac was the child who God promised would be the father of Abraham’s descendants. And now God asked for Isaac’s life. Imagine how difficult each step would have been for Abraham?

We don’t know much about what Abraham felt at this time, but the Bible makes it clear what he did. He trusted God’s promise. Abraham believed that God could go so far as to raise Isaac from the dead to keep His promise.

Despite how he felt, Abraham obeyed. And when Isaac was on the altar, God said, "Do not hurt the boy in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God" ( Genesis 22:12 ). God will keep His promises, no matter what.

You see a mountain
I hear a promise – it’s never more than we can take
Well it ain't over, 'til it's over
We can learn from our mistakes

What mountains do you see in your life? What things seem insurmountable? When you’re standing at the base of a mountain, it’s hard to comprehend what it looks like from the top. The rocks and trees tower over you, making you feel small and insignificant. But we know that whatever is in our way, whatever we’re struggling with, God is with us. When we look up at that mountain that seems so treacherous, we see that God is there. He will not let us stumble; he will give us the help we need.

Psalm 121:1-3

“I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth!He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber.”

They say they're sorry, well what are they sorry for?
How can they possibly know what I'm going through?
I feel like no one's ever had to deal with the pain that I'm dealing with right now.

How many times have you felt completely alone—like no one else could possibly understand what you’re feeling? When we’re in pain, there never seem to be any words to help us, even when people mean well. But we have a God who loves us enough to listen to our pain. He doesn’t offer pat answers or try to pacify us with what we want to hear. Instead, he hangs onto our every word; he even knows what we are saying when we can’t find the words. When you’re feeling alone, like nobody else understands what you’re dealing with, go to the One who is always listening and who will bring you comfort.

Psalm 5:1-3

“O LORD, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you. Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.”

Someone loves you even when you don’t think so.
Don’t you know you got me and Jesus by your side.
Through the fight you will never be alone on your own,
you got me and Jesus.

Have you ever been in a crowded room and felt as if you were the only one there? You’re not the only one! We’ve all had times when we feel extreme loneliness, even when there are people all around us.

It’s at those times that you have to look inside, because Jesus is there with you through it all. The great thing is that once you become aware of the presence of God, you suddenly are able to see people who love you as well. God’s presence opens our eyes and clears our minds to help us see our reality in a new light.

Next time you’re in a crowded room, look around. You may not be feeling alone, but maybe there’s someone there who does. Maybe you can be there for them and be Jesus to them.


And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. ( Matthew 28:20 )

I’m a drifter out on a dead-end road,
Trying to find my way back home to get to you.

Have you ever been gone from home for a long time? Maybe on vacation, or at summer camp, or away at school? There’s something comforting about coming home after being away. You are able to return to the things that are familiar, comfortable, and safe. You come back to your own bed and your own things, and remember what it was like before you left.

The same is true with God. God is our home, and has been for all time. God is the place we can return to after we’ve been away, and it will still feel like home. In that home we are loved, we are safe, we are cared for, and we are provided for. Even if we’ve been gone for a really long time, or even if we’ve ventured down paths that took us in the wrong direction, God is always waiting at home for us to return.

Psalm 90:1-2

“LORD, through all the generations
you have been our home!
Before the mountains were born,
before you gave birth to the earth and the world,
from beginning to end, you are God.”

I was made to love you,
I was made to find you,
I was made just for you,
Made to adore you.
I was made to love
And be loved by you

Have you ever stopped to think about how and why you were made? We all know the “birds and the bees” answer, but do you know God’s answer for you?

God knew you before you were even created. God was waiting for your arrival with more anticipation than your own mother and father. This is because God created you for love: for you to love God and to be loved by God.

Deep in our hearts we cry out for God’s love—even when we don’t know it. And the best part is, God’s love is always there, ready for us to receive it whenever we’re ready.

Call out today for God’s love. Ask that your heart would overflow with love from the One who created you with a purpose.

I want to be in the light
As you are in the light

Are you afraid of the dark? You should be. When it comes to matters of spiritual lightness and darkness, there are no points for bravery if you choose to dwell in the dark.

That’s why Jesus came. "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it" ( John 1:5 ).

Christ is on a mission to save everyone from the darkness that will kill them. Give your life to Christ, the light, and he will show you life.

Even when I don't see, I still believe

I'll bet there are dozens of things that you believe in that you don't necessarily see. Just the fact that you watch TV or surf the Internet says that you are trusting in hundreds of people you will never meet to provide the content you want.

If you can believe in the producers and directors of your favorite shows, why not the Creator of the universe? We have no problem accepting that some person has developed our favorite website, but how can we look at our world and say "no one made this"?

Our reason makes it clear that the world didn't create itself and our Bible tells us that this Creator loves us. " Though you do not see him, you trust him…your reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls" ( 1 Peter 1:9-10 , NLT).

If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place

It doesn't matter how beautiful the view is or how peaceful the surroundings: If it's not home, it just doesn't feel right.

The type of homesickness MercyMe sings about is something every Christian experiences at some point. It's a longing for that place of eternal rest, where "He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain" ( Revelation 21:4 ).

While we are here on earth we'll grow tired as daily struggles take their toll and long for heaven. Take comfort in the fact we haven't been forgotten. Even now He is preparing heaven for the day when He can personally usher us into our new home ( John 14:2 ).

Took awhile to see all the love that's around me
Through the highs and lows there's a truth that I've known
And it's You

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that God is there. Especially when things don’t seem to be going our way and the road is rough. But when we turn around and look back on the journey we’ve taken, we can usually point to where God was along the way. We see the “bad” things as places where God had us slow down, or even stop, so we could see what he was up to. We notice the “good” things that may have just blended into the scenery the first time down that path.

When we stop to notice where God is, suddenly we find that he is everywhere. And when we slow down enough to notice, we can even feel his love more strongly. This week, slow down. Stop if you need to. And look for God on your path.


Psalm 13:5-6
But I trust in your unfailing love.
I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
I will sing to the Lord
because he is good to me.

I hope you stare just long enough to see
The heart that's beating here inside of me
Beyond all the things you may think you know
I'm just a kid trying to make it home, that's it

Remember those “magic eye” pictures from a few years back? You stared at the poster until you could see what was really there… It didn’t work for everyone. Some people could glance at that poster outside the store in the mall and immediately see a boat on a lake, while others would stand for what seemed like hours trying to figure it out.

People aren’t that different. Sometimes you can look at someone and see what’s going on inside. Other people have their real stuff tucked so deep that you couldn’t find it if you looked for hours. But there’s something there. Inside everyone is a struggle, a dream, a purpose… And you’ll only find out if you stare long enough to see.

Colossians 3:2-4
Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

When no one else cares where I’ve been
You run to me with outstretched arms

One of Jesus’ most memorable parables is that of the prodigal son. The younger son in the parable demands his share of the estate from his father and then goes off to distant lands and spends it all.

With no money, no friends, and nothing to eat, the son makes his way to a farm where he is hired to tend the pigs. He soon decides that he would be better off as a slave in his father’s house than to live like this.

Walking home, he had his speech all prepared. But, "while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him" ( Luke 15:20 , NLT).

That’s our God, standing, waiting to run to you and forget the past. Have you come home?

So stand in the rain
Stand your ground
Stand up when it's all crashing down
You stand in the rain
You won't drown

When we're kids, we love to play in the rain. Splashing in puddles, dancing under umbrellas. The rain is cooling and refreshing. But somehow, as we get older, the rain becomes synonymous with bad, gray, dreary things. Why is that?

God created rain to be life giving. When you're facing a storm of problems, or trouble seems to be pouring down on you, try to look for the new life that can come from that. It's often in the midst of our trial and tribulations that God helps us learn something new and become someone even better than we were before. Next time you feel like it's crashing down on you, strap on some boots and jump around in the puddles!

I am not just a man, vastly lost in this worldLost in a Sea of Faces.

Most people would agree with the statement "God loves you." Where we might disagree is with the word "you." Does this mean me personally? Or is the more general "you" as in "how are you guys doing." Be assured that when God says He loves you, He is looking straight at you personally.Psalm 139 tells of the incredible amount of attention our God gives us: "O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my every thought when far away" ( Psalm 139 : 1-2 ) .Take time today to look for the ways that God is personally communicating with you. Anything that makes you think of God should remind you that He’s thinking of you.

Thank You for the cross
Thank You for the cross
Thank You for the cross, my friend

If there’s one thing you learn from the Bible, make it this: "Christ has been raised from the dead. He has become the first of a great harvest of those who will be raised to life again" ( 1 Corinthians 15:20 , NLT). The cross is at once the most tragic and most beautiful symbol of our faith. Without it we would have suffered the death our sins require. But Christ rose to life, and will raise anyone who believes in him to eternal life.Thank you for the cross.

But if I lose this life
I know I’ll find it in you

Actually we all do this in small ways every day. Every time you put down your book to go help out with the yard work, every time you refrain saying something you know would be insulting, every time you think of another person’s needs before your own, you’re giving up a little of your life.

When we listen to and obey the Word of God, we are giving up our life to him, and in return, he has promised a life we greater than we could ever imagine.

But I know that You’re guiding me
And the best is yet to come

Psalm 23 is one of those Bible passages that you may have repeated many times in Sunday school.

Consider these excerpts:
"The LORD is my shepherd; I have everything I need" (v. 1 NLT).

"I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me" (v. 4 NLT).

"Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever" (v.6 NLT).

It’s great how direct this psalm is, especially verse six: "All the days of my life," it says. Suddenly the future isn’t so bleak, my shepherd walks with me. Because of that we know that as good as today was, we haven’t seen anything yet.

You reached down and saved me
You parted the sea so I could breathe

This WAY-FM song sounds a lot like a passage in the Bible. Here are a few excerpts from 2 Samuel 22 (NLT):

" The waves of death surrounded me; the floods of destruction swept over me " (5).
"The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death itself stared me in the face " (6).
" I called to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry reached his ears" (7).
"Then the earth quaked and trembled…. Glowing coals flamed forth from him" (8-9).
"A great brightness shone before him, and bolts of lightning blazed forth" (13).
" Then at the command of the LORD ,at the blast of his breath, the bottom of the sea could be seen" (16).
"He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters" (17).

You’re my ever-present help in time of need

There’s a TV advertisement for a roadside-assistance company that guarantees 24-hour support. These commercials feature a recording of an actual call to the company after, say, a flat tire or an accident. The operator taking the call is calm and reassuring and offers to stay on the line until help arrives.

That’s great for when something happens to your car, but what about when something happens in your life? Not to fear: God has been offering "roadside assistance" since the beginning of time.

"God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble" (Psalm 46:1, NLT). All we have to do is ask. Just getting through a "normal" day can be a mess, to say nothing of when disaster strikes. But it’s comforting to know that God never sleeps and is always ready to help with anything.