With the combination of being pregnant and having missed three months of church, I seem to be more emotional at church than normal. This weekend at church we sang “Your Love Is Deep,” a song I’ve only sung at Young Life activities and haven’t heard in years. I opened my mouth to sing and immediately had tears in my eyes. I was remembering my Wisconsin Young Lifers, picturing sitting around the campfire singing with them, or hiking through the mountains in Colorado. I pictured their faces from freshman year, so young and full of excitement.

We probably sang that song 200 times during their four years of high school. But of all songs we could have sung that many times, Your Love Is Deep is a good one. Now those high schoolers are out of college! Some are married, some have children, they’re starting their own careers in the real world. I wonder, was spending four years of high school with them enough? When they were in high school I wanted them to know they aren’t alone. Yes, I’ll walk with them and try to be an example they can follow. But more importantly I wanted them to know the One who loves them so deeply, He gave His Son for them. The One who is always with them, and will never move to Illinois to get married. The One whose grace covers every mistake they’ve made. The One who will meet them where they’re at, wipe away their sins, and give them a fresh start.

Your love is deep
Your love is high
Your love is long
Your love is wide

Deeper than my view of grace
Higher than this worldly place
Longer than the road I travel
Wider than the gap You filled

Thank You Lord that Your love is greater than we could ever imagine. When we are struggling, or lonely, or afraid, help us turn to You and remember Your love is deep.

You’ve probably heard the song Trouble by Ray LaMontagne, a popular song choice on American Idol. It’s also been in this Travelers’ Insurance commerical. Watch the commercial before reading on.

The poor dog can’t find a safe place to hide his bone. My new nephew-dog Tucker knows how he feels. Every time Tucker hides his bone, my four year old neice takes the bone out of it’s hiding spot. It’s a fun game to her… but I’m not sure Tucker feels the same way.

Do you ever feel like there’s no safe place to leave your prized possession? Or no safe place to leave your concerns about your family, your job, what people think of you? Do you feel like your trouble has been “dogging your soul since the day you were born” or like “worry won’t leave your mind alone“? Has it gotten to the point where “worry feels like you’re only friend“? Maybe you think worry is just part of your nature, it’s who you are, it’s what people expect of you. If you didn’t worry, who would?

I think intertwined with worry is control, maybe a fear of losing control. I don’t know about you, but I’m certainly in control of my life. Everything works out exactly how I’ve planned… yeah right! The truth is I’m not in control and, hate to break it to you, but you’re not in control either. Sure there are some things we can control, like our attitudes and actions. But what happens in our lives is, for the most part, not in our ability to control even if we wanted to.

People worry about their jobs – what if I lose my job, then how will I provide for my family? People worry about their families – what if my kids get sick? what if my husbdand dies suddenly? what if my kids get bullied? what if my kid is the bully? People can worry about anything and everything, from what seems like a big issue to what seems like nothing at all. It’s a slippery slope, once you start to worry, and before you know it fear controls your life.

“Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?… But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:25-34

It’s not our job to worry. It’s our job to realize God has everything under control. Next time you’re tempted to worry about work or family or if you’ll find a parking spot at the mall, pray. Turn your worry and your fear into faith by choosing to believe God and trust Him.

“This is they day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

Most of the time when we hear this verse it’s a happy, cheerful time. You say it with excitement as you think of the great things God has done. But what if it’s the worst day of your life?

On a day of tragedy, death of a loved one, diagnosis from a doctor that you weren’t expecting, natural disasters … the verse is still true. Do you rejoice in those days? The Lord still made them and we still have reason to be glad.

It’s not easy to rejoice and be glad on the worst day of our lives. But it’s a choice. Often when we choose to do something our feelings follow. Rejoicing may not make your worst day turn into a happy cheerful time, but it will bring you peace and a reassurance that no matter what is happening in your life God is still in control and worthy of our praise.

In May I started working on a song that would express this. A song that as you sing it would help you choose to praise even in challenging times. I haven’t completed verses but here’s the chorus:

This is the day You have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
This is the day You have made
I will rejoice, I will rejoice
For You’ve shown me love
You’ve shown me grace
You’ve guided me in Your ways
I will rejoice, this is Your day