Winds of Change

Can you feel the pains of life?
Wrapped around you like they're chains
Restricting all your dreams
Do you wonder if there is a way?
A way to set you free
Set you free

So tell me all your dreams
Tell me all your fears
and what you're longing for the most
It's not another way
That'll end up the same
for it's under my control

Do you feel the winds of change
Soon this weight will fall away
And take you to a place
Only found through these winds of change
A breeze that's new and free
New and free

So tell me all your dreams
Tell me all your fears
and what you're longing for the most
It's not another way
That'll end up the same
for it's under my control

I'll be the one who you can cry to
The one who will give you wings
I will give you wings
Someday we'll sail away
Mounted up on wings like eagles
We will run and will not fade away

So tell me all your dreams
Tell me all your fears
and what you're longing for the most
It's not another way
That'll end up the same
for it's under my control

I'll be the one who you can cry to
The one who will give you wings
I will give you wings
The one who will give you wings
I will give you wings
to set you free
The one who will give you wings
I will give you wings
to set you free
The one who will give you wings

"Winds of Change" by Kutless

Prayer

I am very tired right now, but I'm also restless. I feel like there is something I need to say; something that needs to be expressed, but I'm not sure what it is.

Prayer has been on my mind a lot lately. I pray frequently because talking to my God is important. He is the "Lover of my soul," shouldn't I speak to Him? But there's a struggle within me. I know that He hears me because I've heard His response. I know that He sometimes grants my requests because I've seen Him do it.

However, I don't understand it. Does he do what I ask Him to only when He was already going to do it? Do my petitions change His mind? If so, how does that work? If God is timeless and unchanging, how does my prayer affect what He's doing? How does my prayer affect the things and people I pray for?

I'm not doubting here, I'm just wondering... how?

Maybe this is something I'll never understand this side of Heaven.

⁷ "Ask, and God will give to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you. ⁸ Yes, everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened.

⁹ "If your children ask for bread, which of you would give them a stone? ¹⁰ Or if your children ask for a fish, would you give them a snake? ¹¹ Even though you are bad, you know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him!

- Matthew 7:7-11 NCV -

²¹Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. ²²If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

- Matthew 21:21-22 NIV -


Same story as last quote, but a different book, and a different translation:

²³ I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, 'Go, fall into the sea.' And if you have no doubts in your mind and believe that what you say will happen, God will do it for you.²⁴ So I tell you to believe that you have received the things you ask for in prayer, and God will give them to you.

- Mark 11:23-24 NCV -

²⁴ Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy will be the fullest possible joy.

- John 16:24 NCV -

Scarlet

If I was your love
I would love only you.
I'd lay at this altar,
give all I am,
all that is true.

This old scarlet letter
won't keep me from holding you.
And there is nothing you can do.
Nothing you do.

For love I have scaled
the face of these kingdom walls.
So let down your hair,
let our kiss make fools of them all.

This old scarlet letter
won't keep me from holding you.
And there is nothing you can do.
Nothing you do.

"Scarlet" by Jars of Clay

My Introduction to the Sacred Romance

Hello. I haven't made a real entry in a while, and seeing as I had a new "follower" (Hello Aubrey; however did you find my blog?) I thought I'd make a quick one now.

I've been reading this great book called The Sacred Romance, it's written by Brent Curtis and John Eldredge. It's a book about the Great Story (or "the Sacred Romance") behind every one of our lives; ultimately, it's a book about God's passionate love and desire for us.

Most of us will agree that our lives are stories. They have some kind of plot (even if we don't know what it is), main characters, moments that makes us want to weep with sorrow, and moments that make us want to jump for joy.

What kind of story is this, though? Is it a love story? Is it a war story? Could it be both? Is it a tragedy? Is it some kind of modern comedy? Is it a fairy-tale?

Where can we find the answers to these questions? If we look at the whole thing, taken together, we can find the answers in the Bible. The Sacred Romance shows us how.

I highly recommend you take a look at the book. These podcasts are also excellent.

Imperfection

You're worth so much
it'll never be enough
to see what you have to give
how beautiful you are
yet seem so far
from everything you're wanting to be
wanting to be

Tears falling down again
tears falling down

You fall on your knees
you beg
you plead
"Can I be somebody else
for all the times I hate myself?"
your failures devour
your heart in every hour
you're drowning in your imperfection

You mean so much
that heaven would touch
the face of humankind for you
how special you are
revel in your day
you're fearfully and wonderfully made
wonderfully made

Tears fallin' down again
come and let the healing begin

You fall on your knees
you beg
you plead
"Can I be somebody else
for all the times I hate myself?"
your failures devour
your heart in every hour
you're drowning in your imperfection

You're worth so much
so easily crushed
wanna' be like everyone else
no one escapes
every breath we take
dealing with our own skeletons
skeletons

You fall on your knees
you beg
you plead
"Can I be somebody else
for all the times I hate myself?"
your failures devour
your heart in every hour
you're drowning in your imperfection

Won't you believe it?
won't you believe it?
all the things I see in you?

You're not the only one
you're not the only one
trading in imperfection

"Imperfection" by Skillet