Journey-For-Life

From the depths You called me out

Tear stained pillow neath my head

Buckle up, gird your loins

For a different plan instead

Hesitating, cautious intrigue,

Starlight dancing, Ere romancing

Beckon deeper, onward go

Through the thick and smoky fog I see

The vision

Clouded in confusion

Intrigued me yet to follow

Beckon deeper, onward go

As suns heat burns the fog

Sneaks a peak at

The rocky path revealed below

Beckon deeper, onward go

“Are you sure?” My senses thought

As Doubts begin to grow

“Surely not”, I must conclude,

Seems much too hard to go.

But from within the

Heavenly Host reminded, gently chided,

“Beckon deeper, onward go.”

“But show a sign”, I say,

So I may know

The path I’m on is right

I’ve chosen the right way

Nothing from the echos

Save a distant raven cry

Leaves me restless

Ever doubting

Forks unwinding, intertwining

Make it difficult to see

The end from the beginning

Still the Host sings ever faintly

Beckon deeper, onward go

The vision, once so crisp and clear, now

Obscured by the fog in my mind

Fades as the sunlight dims on a dismal day

Battered about by the waves of despair,

against the current borne back ceaselessly into the past

Delicate sorrow fills my heart, the world as we once knew it, spirals to its fateful end

Ugliness replaces beauty in a world now sterile and cold

Once adorned by loving hearts now flattened by deceit

The lies, imploring action lest they lead to bitter end

Rob us of our freedoms by those we might offend

Take shape and gain momentum

Spin a deceptive web of death;

Death to life and liberty, wistful epithet

The meloncholy whisper of the past that we once knew

The rainbow, now slightly faded, turns a muted, milky hue

It’s arch tries hard to remind me that Your promise is still true

Confounded by the chaos, melts to many shades of blue

I’m going back to the places I’ve never been, missing people I’ve never met

Take me back to the places I’ve never been

To see the faces I’ve never seen

Take me back to Your promises

To where you wanted me to be

The fog it lifts

But The dream

Like the red balloon

Drifts slowly away

it dies

Deflated by the lies

…Missing what I thought I never had

Going back to the places I’ve never been

As the entire world has changed literally within an 8 week period, I find myself thinking about things I loosely been aware of but never really imagined would unfold in my lifetime

I find I cherish my early morning devotional time with the Father more than ever.

I find my mind overwhelmed at times with the amount of information bombarding is at every turn. I can’t view my Facebook feed without seeing friends I’ve had for years literally tearing each other apart for differing views.

I have seen videos and read articles, and seen criticism of conspiracy theorists and the like…

I don’t know what tomorrow holds. I only know that I boldly proclaim the name of Jesus in my life… for me, there is no king but Jesus… and I will serve him boldly forever.

Kings and kingdoms shall all pass away, but there’s something about that name….

Be bold… be ready.

SB

In this dark and sterile world

Full of sorrow, full of woe

A flicker of fire in a dim lit room

Sparks a flame and begins to grow

Dancing safely upon its wick

Stretching upward as it grows

Spreading warmth and light and goodness

That this dismal world may know

From wick to wick it’s reach increases

As each light begins to glow

Spreading light among the darkness

And goodness where it goes

The blaze it fuels a passion

That the world would not have seen

Had this flame remained hidden

Underneath the devils scheme

But empassioned by transformed life

And desire for all to know

The redeeming love of Jesus

Fuels the fire that’s aglow

Let your light burn bright for the world to see

Be bold and take a stance

For the embers ever catching would forever be regretting

If they’d never learned to dance

Let your light shine bright

For all to see the redeeming God of love

Who takes your life and shapes it

for His glory up above

Your wick ignites another

Fans the flame of souls for Thee

And on and on and on it goes

Till darkness has been set free

Let your light shine bright

And ignite the fire that inside each one grows

Till the Light erases darkness

And everybody knows

Let your light burn bright for the world to See

Be bold and take a stance

For the embers ever catching would forever be regretting

If they’d never learned to dance

In the quiet, Lord, You are there.

In the chaos and noise, Lord, You are there.

Open my eyes to see Your beauty today instead of the ugliness of the world

Let my ears hear Your voice louder than all the noise surrounding me, engulfing me.

Let my vision be clear and my motives pure, purify my thoughts, lest I stray from Your love.

Reveal to me Your thoughts, Your vision for my life and all that may be done for You. I give all I am to You.

Cleanse me from the filth that I am. Restore my soul and let me seek only You. Help my focus to be on the things above

Forgive me, Lord, for my confusion. Help me. Pull me to safety.

I am yours.

Father, glorious in Heaven, I bow before Your throne, humbled that You love me and have called me to be Your own. Your mercy is great and overwhelms me at times… to know what I was, and what You’ve allowed me to become… it for anything I have done, save believing in You.

Lord, In the midst of chaos I pray You will reveal Yourself to those who love You… pour out your peace and understanding. I pray You will open our eyes to Tour truth, that Satan would have no authority to confuse Your people… in the midst of this chaos and noise, Lord, let it be Your face we see… Your voice we hear… Yourtruth we believe.

Lord, be gracious to the lost and give them an opportunity to find you. Let all who are seeking find, let all who are listening hear.

Remove from me the dross, purify me like only You can… focus my attention on You and You alone.

Bring healing…. bring wisdom. Bring forgiveness.

Protect us from those who seek to harm… expose the lies, refine the good. Rise up those You’ve called… let us be Yours to make a difference for eternity.

I am Yours, Lord… use me. Equip me for whatever You’ve called. fill my voids with others who can. Build my team…

All I have is Yours…

Amen

SB

Holy Spirit, fill me now… ever fiber of my being, let it be for You. Clean what is filthy, guide me to Your will. Let everything I do bring You glory..

I pray for Your blessing, Lord. You’ be been generous and have already blessed me beyond what I deserve. My prayer is free and clear in Your salvation.

Help me to see what You desire… help me to do what You planned. Pour out Your blessing so that others would be blessed. Remove from me the dross and replace with Your goodness.

Let my song be Yours forever.

Amen

Father God… in Your presence I dwell, in the quietness of morning, your Creation celebrates Your majesty, unaware of the calamity brewing. Your goodness fills me with peace undeniable..

You’re calling us to You… full surrender to Your will. Make us what You want. Mold us to Your image.. remove from us that which isn’t desirable and replace it with Your passion, Your peace.

Expose the truth, let Your love reign supreme in is that we would love those unlovely. Let us hear Your voice above all else and give You our love, beautiful Savior, restorer of my soul.

Let me dwell in Your peace forever.

Amen

God never ceases to amaze me. I know His timing is perfect, and yet there are times when I’m anxious, waiting for something amazing to happen but frustrated that it hasn’t yet.

Those who have followed me long know that a twelve year dream of mine was fulfilled last summer; fulfilled through such an incredible story that it could only have been orchestrated by God. I knew it at the time… and I know it now.

In August, just before my business partner got sick and spent six weeks in the hospital, I heard the inaudible yet unmistakable voice of God ask me, “will you trust me when it gets really bad?” I said, “yes, Lord,”… and I KNEW I was in for some rough water.

Shortly after that, as my friend struggled in the hospital, I had to surrender the care of my friend completely to Jesus. I had to give up control of thinking I could help his doctors, who were stumped, and give complete authority over him to my Lord. Oh, the hours I prayed, begging the Lord to spare his life and grant him fifteen more years as He did the King Hezzekiah. God was gracious and restored my friend…. and even again when he was sick in December and January…

Our fledgling studio continued to grow and new students and instructors came… and then Covid 19. While we continue to offer lessons on line, we’ve lost about half of our students (hopefully they’ll return when this is over) and have cancelled our group workshops.

I know in my head that God will provide but I can’t help feeling a bit anxious about details, as I review our books with our accountant and use my earthly mind to think about how best to react. I know the desires of my heart… and I’ve poured them out to Jesus countless times… and I believe with all my heart that this studio.. this God-given dream was meant to fulfill something… some purpose of God Almighty… only I don’t know what it it…

My deepest desire is to partner with people who share my passion… that the whole world will be able to know the way in which God took me from emotionally frail wreck of a life and transformed me into steadfast faith, passionate child of God. I want everyone to live with that same conviction and experience the power of Gods miracles.

He is indeed still on the throne! And there is coming a day when we will all stand before Him. I’ve been far from perfect… not even good, in fact… but I stand cleansed by the power of the blood that Jesus gave for my salvation. And I want the world to know.

Yesterday, in my Facebook feed, a memory from 2010 reminded me of my journey.

Throughout the day, people commented on my post and encouraged me that they are praying for our business. Last night, I received a message from someone I don’t really know well, although am connected through mutual friends…. Her words of encouragement were accompanied by a video clip from the producer of The Chosen.

The Chosen This video was a reminder that my responsibility is to continue to do what God has called me to do. In the absence of any clear direction otherwise, I am to continue using the studio building that He provided and He will take care of the rest. I am, indeed, trusting that… even if my mind is filled with ideas of creative ways to keep the business afloat…

More importantly than my business, though, is indeed the message that God is giving humanity a chance to seek Him… a chance that will not last forever.

Friends, I’d like for you all to know that God is a God of restoration… whatever you have done, whatever you have been… God can transform you… He is waiting for you to learn to surrender ALL of yourself to Him. Through His word and His Holy Spirit, He will continue to refine you for His purpose… being in the center of the will of God is the only place to be… there’s a storm coming, my friends… we’ve only seen a part… be ready. Give yourself to Him and let Him fulfill His purpose in your life.

Stay safe, my friends. Be blessed

SB

O Lord, be master of my heart, for out of my heart comes my passion. Direct it toward You and You alone.

Reveal Yourself to me, and illuminate each step I take, that it would be for Your glory alone.

Envelop me in a yours shield of protection from harm or despair, and my song be sweet to those who hear.

Remove from me the burdens of darkness and woe, lift me high in Your sight to stand strong in You and You alone.

Let Your creativity flow through me to inspire others to achieve. Shape my thoughts to You and peel away any dross

Open doors and give me the courage to walk through them. In Your Holy name.

Amen