Speechless

Remember I shared a while back that God has been providing for my plane fares for every trip I've taken to Phoenix since Dan has been there? Get ready to be speechless...

God did prompt someone to pay for part of my airfare for this week's trip. So it looked like I would be paying for the other half plus car rental for the first time, which didn't bother me one bit, after all, it's all God's money anyway and I planned to pay off the credit card in payments over the next few months, so no problem.

Yesterday, out of the blue, I was given a card and inside...you guessed it...the remaining amount needed to complete the payment for the airfare AND rental car.

As Stephen Curtis Chapman writes so eloquently, I am speechless.

Click here to hear Stephen sing the song (you will navigate away from this page, when you get there fast forward to song #2, you can always click "back" to return here)

Speechless
My words fall like drops of rain.
My lips are like clouds.
I've said so many things, trying to figure you out.
As mercy opens my eyes, my words are stolen away.
At this breathtaking view of your grace...

And I am Speechless
I'm astonished and amazed
I am silenced by your wondrous grace.
You have saved me
You have raised me from the grave.
And I am Speechless
In your presence now.
I'm astounded as I wonder how
You have shown us the love that leaves us speechless.

So what kind of love can this be
That will trade heaven's throne for a cross
To think that you still celebrate
For finding just one who was lost.
To know you rejoice over this
The God of this whole universe.
It's a story too great for words...

We are speechless
Oh how great is the love
The Father has lavished upon us,
That we should be called the sons and daughters of God

We are speechless
We stand in awe of your mercy
You have saved us(from the grave)
We are speechless



Debbie

I choose to live in the truth

The video above is from GodTube, a Christian version of YouTube. Enjoy this powerful video featuring my new favorite song from Casting Crowns "The Voice of Truth".

When my emotions go haywire, when my feelings point to the downward spiral of depression...I choose to live in the truth. Depression is not who I am. And as a Christian, Jesus gives me the power to choose how I will think and act, and I choose Jesus ("...the way, the truth, and the life..." John 14:6). And because I choose to live in God's truth, I can put one foot in front of the other, I can face the day with hope, I can have the abundant life Jesus promised (John 10:10).

An example: lately it has been hard to talk to Dan on the phone. He shakes so bad now from the muscle tremors and cramping that he can only hold the phone for a short time, so our daily phone conversations last about a minute with a quick hello, how are you doing, and I love you. Our daily cell phone calls during my drive home from work have been my lifeline to him, and now being unable to really talk to him and hear his voice and his heart, I am filled with sadness and longing for my best friend and lover. So rather than live in the dark place of depression as in the past, God is teaching me to live in the truth:

* I am not my sadness

* I visualize my sadness, my depression, almost as another "person", separate from who I am

* When depression tells me to live in the sadness, I can choose to live in the truth

* The truth is:

> Dan is living with his parents, 10 minutes from Mayo, and is well taken care of by familyand a compassionate team of doctors
> Dan's health (while fragile, painful, and anger-producing) is out of my control
> I am living in Hawaii, with my mom (one of my very best friends, by the way), and we arewell taken care of by our church family and many friends.
> I have 2 amazing Godly bosses which I am proud to also call friends, loving merciful co-workers who inspire me and keep me laughing.
> I personally know the One who created the universe, and He has our lives in His hands
> It's ok to experience feelings of all kinds, feelings are not right or wrong, they just are; but I don't live there (ok, yes I do live there once in a while, but I'm trying hard to move out of there)

So, enjoy the video and song above, and live in the truth!

Living in some kind of crazy grace,
Debbie