The God Who Sees

She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her:

“You are the God who sees me.”

For she said,

“I have now seen the One who sees.”

:: genesis 16:13
- photos courtesy of tec petaja photography

the riches of {Your love} will always be enough

A song I just cannot stop singing today or get out of my mind. A song that ironically I have heard in the wee hours of the morning on the way to medical appointments or the late hours of the afternoon coming home from it all, the cry of my heart to the One who alone is worthy, "my heart will sing, no other name... Jesus, Jesus..."

(It won't let me embed the official video and version I love way better, so here's the link to that one, and I'll post my backup below ;)

You are good, You are good / When there's nothing good in me
You are love, You are love / On display for all to see
You are light, You are light / When the darkness closes in
You are hope, You are hope /You have covered all my sin

You are peace, You are peace / When my fear is crippling
You are true, You are true / Even in my wandering
You are joy, You are joy / You're the reason that I sing
You are life, You are life / In You death has lost its sting

Oh, I’m running to Your arms,
I’m running to Your arms
The riches of Your love
Will always be enough
Nothing compares to Your embrace
Light of the world forever reign

You are more, You are more / Than my words will ever say
You are Lord, You are Lord / All creation will proclaim
You are here, You are here / In Your presence I'm made whole
You are God, You are God / Of all else I'm letting go

My heart will sing
no other Name
Jesus, Jesus

Lyrics: "Forever Reign" by Hillsong;
Photo courtesy of Tec Peteja Photography

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"

{And, You reach for me...}

"...With a love that quiets all my fears..."

   
    Yes, He himself
     is our
  peace.

                          [ ephesians 2:14 ]

- photo courtesy of tec petaja photography; song lyrics by peter furler

.: He blesses His people with peace :.

the lord gives strength to his people,

the lord blesses his people with peace.

for with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.

[ psalm 29:11, 36:9 ]

- photo by tec petaja photography

There is a river ...

... whose streams make glad the city of God,

the place where the Most High dwells.

God is within her, she will not fall;

God will help her at break of day.

Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

:: psalm 46:4-7, 10-11

- photo courtesy of tec petaja photography