..i sing for joy in the shadow of your wings..

{psalm 63:7}
{photo courtesy of prokopets studio}

.: life of the beloved :.

Ran into a quote tonight from one of my favorite books. No seriously, like we're talking definitely one of the books in my top five of all time favorite books/books that have most impacted my life and this journey of being/becoming/living as the beloved, and rediscovering it again.

“…from the moment we claim the truth of being the beloved, we are faced with the call to become who we are. becoming the beloved is the great spiritual journey we have to make."

- henri nouwen in life of the beloved;
photo courtesy of prokopets studio

.: I sing in the shadow of your wings :.

A verse that has been speaking to my heart a lot this week,

Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.

{psalm 63:7}

Yes, Father, because You alone are my refuge.
My fortress, my God on whom I can always rely.

- photo courtesy of prokopets studio

I sing for JOY at what your hands have done...

{I sing for JOY at what your hands have done...}

:: psalm 92:4

God has been doing so much lately, SO MUCH, are you kidding me? It is crazy when Friday I sat down and realized and wrote down all that has happened in every front and arena of my life in the last three weeks alone. I simply cannot believe it all and tonight I am thanking and praising and celebrating the One who is faithful. OH so faithful.

Whose faithfulness and goodness is not dependent nor contingent upon my circumstances; our God who is good and who is faithful anyway... even when it doesn't always feel like it.

"My God is a God who provides."

Our God who alone can move the mountains, throw them in the very heart of the sea. The One who alone can part the waters, calm the stormy seas. The One who alone can mend our sinful and broken hearts. Bring healing and restoration to our hearts, to our relationships, to our lives. 

"Our God is a God who provides."

“And, I will bring praise, I will bring praise... no weapon formed against me shall remain.
I will rejoice, I will declare, God is my victory, and He is here...”

{ "desert song" original by hillsong; natalie grant version }

- photo courtesy of prokopets studio

.: redemption song :.

 "… From the depths of the earth, you will again bring me up...”

You will again and You have. You who says, "I will restore, give you life again."

“...For He who has promised...

is faithful.”

:: psalm 71:20; hebrews 10:23

- photos courtesy of prokopets studio

day 41: day of hope {you will restore...}

Okay, wow. Lots happening, too exhausted in a good way to write more right now, but cannot let this moment slip away, so in the meantime before I have the time and physical and emotional energy to write about more of all that has been happening and been non-stop the last four weeks and last two weeks, and last week, and the last few days ALONE...

Alas, I will unwind tonight with words that have not stopped ringing in my head since I walked out of Target a few hours ago just before they closed at 10.

The second half of a verse my counselor shared with me months ago and one I ran into over the weekend but literally popped into my head out of the blue as I walked out and noticed I just felt lighter. Something was happening. God is moving. Huge, huge chains are continually being broken. I can hear the bells of freedom ringing, squashing my Enemy's jeers.

I heard these words, clear as day and nearly felt as if I had said them out loud, I could hear the sound of my voice come through in my thoughts as if my soul was simply responding to that which I had not even articulated,

“You will restore my life again.”

And as soon as the words came out, this wave washed over me that yes, you WILL restore my life again... just as the beginning of that verse states,

“Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again..." (psalm 71:20)

Or, I love how another version puts it,

"You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth."

Or, another version,

"You have given me many troubles and bad times, but you will give me life again. You will keep me alive..."

Back to the first one,

"You will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth, you will again bring me up."

That is a promise. A certainty. Something I can stake my life on.

Something that will come, is coming... That You WILL restore my life again, You ARE restoring my life again, You give us life, no matter what the circumstances of the season, You will never abandon the work of Your hands.

You will restore... Yes, You will. Yes, You are. Bringing restoration in a way that only my heart can know and see. On the heels of an attack and a battle more harrowing and frightening than anything I have ever experienced and never want to re-live.

Emerging from that place, slowly rising up from the ashes on the shoulders of the One who has carried me through it all, filled with hope, a sense of being alive, awe and a life and energy like never before. One who has literally brought me up form the depths of the earth from the battle and the storms raging wide of the last few days alone, the One who has given me life again after the most intense battle for my heart, battle for my very life.

Yes,

"From the depths of the earth, you will AGAIN bring me up..."

And I just love that word and placement of "again."

It is interesting I mistyped it a second ago and went back up to read the verse and wondered why it looked different from how I originally read it. those words again just hit me as I am typing this. Again speaks to the cry of my heart right now that is in awe at how He repeatedly lifts us up. From the depths, bringing us up, restoring us to life, giving us life... again.

And will do so over and over and over. "But because of the Lord's great love, we are never consumed... His mercies never come to an end. They are NEW... every morning..."

At a loss for words for all that the Lord has done and is doing. At a loss for words, (though I have written many), still processing it all and hope to share and write more soon, yet tonight, words that captured the heart of so much of what the Lord has been doing. In the ways unseen. The ways in which only our heart sees, knows, and recognizes.

The way of the One who alone is faithful.

My God who is a God who provides.

Has the strength to move the mountains.

Calm the storms raging wide.

Give voice to the voiceless.

Rescue and defend those unable to rescue and defend themselves.

Give light in the midst of darkness.

Sight where we cannot see.

The One who alone is Lord.

King.

LORD over all.

“Amazing love... how can it be?

That You my King, would die for me?

Yes, YOU are MY King...”

You are my Jehovah Jireh.

My God whom I deeply love, my God who deeply loves me.

My God of great faithfulness;

my God of true, everlasting love.

All I have to say is thank you. Though those words could never be enough. Yet I will rejoice, I will give thanks I will praise. For with You, my God, is the victory. I just thank you. Thank you.

For all that You are.

“Yet you reach for me,
with a love that quiets all my fears...

And You reach for me,
Like a Father wipes away the tears.”

--

- First photo courtesy of Prokopets Studio; second photo courtesy of Tec Petaja Photography; Lyrics from "Amazing Love (You are my King)" by the Newsboys and Peter Furler's "Reach"

{ now remain in my love }

 

Now remain in my love.

:: John 15:9

--

A sampling of some of my most recent photographers whose work I have fallen in love with and while this post began with the verse and simply ONE picture, there were so many others I could not choose between that speak more than any words I could try to muster up here... images that capture the beauty of love this side of Heaven. Crazy to believe, it is true, as good as it is, it is but a SHADOW of a love that is so much greater. Of the One who tenderly speaks to my heart and whispers, "Now remain, my sweet child, in my love..." Where I can find peace. Life again. Rest. My refuge and my strength; where I can hide there safe in the shelter of Your wings.

 

- Photos courtesy of Prokopets Studio; Only Imagine Photography; Lynsey Tedesco Photography