Battles

My perceptions have really been altered over night. 

I don't intend to sound boastful or prideful, but, dang, I've overcome a lot....

While looking through hymns last night for comfort, I came across one, Rise My Soul To Watch And Pray... here are verses 3 and 5

Watch! Let not the wicked world

With its lies defeat you

Lest with bold deceptions hurled

It betray and cheat you.

Watch and see

Lest there be

Faithless friends to charm you,

Who but seek to harm you.

But while watching, also pray

To the Lord unceasing.

God protects you day by day,

Strength and faith increasing,

So that still

Mind and will

Shall unite to serve Him

And forever love Him.

Everytime I get up and leave for the day, I have a line up of battles to face. Everyone does. Mine just seem extremely difficult and challenging now. 

But there is one stronger than any battle, who is on my side. With His strength, I can overcome anything. Every day, as I said He has provided, He has also protected me. There are those who seek to harm me, but they haven't caused any permanent damage. God has been faithful. God has been a protector. 

God is faithful. (See 1 Corinthians 1:9). He always provides just what we need. It's so comforting.

I've also realized that each day is a new day, and each day I survive makes me stronger to face the next. As the verse of the hymn says, strength and faith increasing. Each day I get stronger. Each day my faith gets stronger. Each day I realize how faithful God is. 


And tonight, at Praise, the song "You Are On Our Side" by Bethany Dillon was played. I had never heard it before, but WOW, powerful... here are some lyrics...


The orphan clings to Your hand
Singing the song of how he was found
The widow rejoices
For her oppressors are silenced now

You sit at the table with the wounded and the poor
You laugh and share stories with the thief and the whore
When You could just be silent and leave us here to die
Still, You sent Your Son for us
You are on our side

Let’s keep those positives comin’!
-“You’ve been through a lot, but you are becoming one of my role models because you keep soldiering through everything. You amaze me.” (This means especially a lot, because it came from an adult)

- A one on one lunch with great conversation

-Teaching a lesson that went extremely well for my 2^nd grade classroom

-“That lesson plan was great, I need to keep a copy!”

-“Please tell me this isn’t your last day!” (coming from one of my students)

-"There are some people out there who think it's easier to be cruel to a person they don't know what to do with than to love them."

-Pause to reflect during midweek Lenten worship this evening

Thanks God, for being faithful. For protecting me. For helping me win every battle I encounter.