August 2016 – Walking on Water

Again by Jessie Clark Funk

Again
I’ve wrestled with demons and darkness.
I’ve wrestled with what has been lost.
I carry this crushing weight on my shoulders
And try not to think of the cost.

It’s more than a single decision.
It’s giving up part of myself.
It’s something I simply can’t do on my own
So I’m pleading with You for Your help.

Chorus-
Again and again
I’ve asked myself why.
I don’t think that I have any tears left to cry.
My soul is so tired and I’m longing for rest.
I’m giving my all and I’m doing my best.
It hurts to move on from the place I am in.

But You understand where I’ve been
And You reassure me it’s time to start over
Again.

I’m finally ready to listen.
I’m finally ready to hear,
Struggling to get a place You can reach me,
Where peace can speak louder than fear.

I can’t see the end of the story.
There’s no way to know how it ends.
For now I let go and I trust You to lead me
And show my heart where to begin.

Repeat Chorus

All of the pain and confusion I’m going through
I’m turning it over to You,
Willing to trust it’s the right thing to do.

Repeat Chorus

Beautiful Heartbreak by Hillary Weeks

I had it all mapped out in front of me
Knew just where I wanted to go
But life decided to change my plans
And I found a mountain in the middle of my road
I knew there was no way to move it
So I searched for a way around
Broken-hearted I started climbing
And at the top I found

Every fear, every doubt, all the pain I went through
Was the price that I paid to see this view
Now that I’m here I would never trade
The grace that I feel and the faith that I find
Through the bittersweet tears and the sleepless nights
I used to pray He’d take it all away
But instead it became
A beautiful heartbreak

I never dreamed my heart would make it
And I thought about turning around
But Heaven has shown me miracles
I never would have seen from the ground
Now I take the rain with the sunshine
Cause there’s one thing that I know
He picks up the pieces
Along each broken road

Healer

Sometimes He Lets it Rain

Sometimes He Lets it Rain sung by Katherine Nelson

She sees the storm clouds gather
The sky is turning cold and gray
She knows that something’s coming
When she starts to feel this way
She pleads for intervention
But heaven offers no relief
And she would understand if she could only see that

Sometimes He lets it rain
He lets the fierce winds blow
Sometimes it takes a storm
To lead a heart where it can grow
He can move mountains of grief
And oceans of pain
But sometimes he lets it rain

When her heart surrenders
To the Master in control
Her spirit learns the lessons of the tempest in her soul
When it’s no longer raging
She can see how far she’s come
Through the wisdom and the mercy of the Son

(Tyler Castleton/ Staci Peters)
Vocal: Kathryn Nelson

How Firm a Foundation

There is so much insight and conviction in the hymn “How Firm a Foundation.”  It is a song that reminds us that there will be “deep water” and “fiery trials” in this life, but that if we build our faith on the foundation of Jesus Christ, we “need not be dismayed,” for he will “strengthen [us], help [us], and cause [us] to stand, upheld by [His] righteous, omnipotent hand.”
How Firm a Foundation
How firm a foundation, ye Saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in his excellent word!
What more can he say than to you he hath said,
Who unto the Savior, who unto the Savior,
Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?
*
 In ev’ry condition–in sickness, in health,
In poverty’s vale or abounding in wealth,
At home or abroad, on the land or the sea–
As thy days may demand, as thy days may demand,
As thy days may demand, so thy succor shall be.
*
 Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, upheld by my righteous,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
*
 When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not thee o’erflow,
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee, and sanctify to thee,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
*
 When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply.
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, thy dross to consume,
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.
*
 The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, I’ll never, no never,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!
         
Text: Attr. to Robert Keen, ca. 1787. Included in the first LDS hymnbook, 1835.
Music: Attr. to J. Ellis, ca. 1889

Tell Your Heart to Beat Again

The writer tells the story behind the song:

Tell You Heart to Beat Again, sung by Danny Gokey

You’re shattered
Like you’ve never been before
The life you knew
In a thousand pieces on the floor
And words fall short in times like these
When this world drives you to your knees
You think you’re never gonna get back
To the you that used to be

Tell your heart to beat again
Close your eyes and breathe it in
Let the shadows fall away
Step into the light of grace
Yesterday’s a closing door
You don’t live there anymore
Say goodbye to where you’ve been
And tell your heart to beat again

Beginning
Just let that word wash over you
It’s alright now
Love’s healing hands have pulled you through
So get back up, take step one
Leave the darkness, feel the sun
‘Cause your story’s far from over
And your journey’s just begun

Let every heartbreak
And every scar
Be a picture that reminds you
Who has carried you this far
‘Cause love sees farther than you ever could
In this moment heaven’s working
Everything for your good

Oh, so tell your heart to beat again

Let it Go by Demi Lovato

LET IT GO

Let it go, let it go
Can’t hold it back anymore
Let it go, let it go
Turn my back and slam the door

The snow glows white on the mountain tonight,
Not a footprint to be seen.
A kingdom of isolation and it looks like I’m the queen.
The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside.
Couldn’t keep it in, Heaven knows I tried.

Don’t let them in, don’t let them see,
Be the good girl you always have to be.
Conceal, don’t feel, don’t let them know.
Well, now they know.

Let it go, let it go
Can’t hold it back anymore
Let it go, let it go
Turn my back and slam the door
And here I stand and here I’ll stay
Let it go, let it go
The cold never bothered me anyway

It’s funny how some distance makes everything seem small
And the fears that once controlled me can’t get to me at all.
Up here in the cold thin air I finally can breathe.
I know I left a life behind but I’m too relieved to grieve.

Let it go, let it go
Can’t hold it back anymore
Let it go, let it go
Turn my back and slam the door
And here I stand, and here I’ll stay
Let it go, let it go
The cold never bothered me anyway

Standing frozen
In the life I’ve chosen.
You won’t find me.
The past is all behind me
Buried in the snow.

Let it go, let it go
Can’t hold it back anymore
Let it go, let it go
Turn my back and slam the door
And here I stand, and here I’ll stay
Let it go, let it go
The cold never bothered me anyway, yeah, whoa
(Na na, na na, na na na na na) [x4]
Let it go yeah
Na, na.
Here I stand.
Let it go, let it go, oh
Let it go.

Brave by Idina Menzel

I think this video is very symbolic of the healing process of unravelling the layers of emotions, thoughts, expectations and beliefs after the loss of a love relationship:

BRAVE

Don’t know just where I’m going
And tomorrow, it’s a little overwhelming
And the air is cold
And I’m not the same anymore
I’ve been running in your direction
For to long now
I’ve lost my own reflection
And I can’t look down
If you’re not there to catch me when I fall

If this is the moment I stand here on my own
If this is my rite of passage that somehow leads me home
I might be afraid
But it’s my turn to be brave
If this is the last chance before we say goodbye
At least it’s the first day of the rest of my life
I can’t be afraid
Cause it’s my turn to be brave

All along all I ever wanted, was to be the light
When your life was daunting
But I can’t see mine
When I feel as though you’re pushing me away
Well who’s to blame, are we making the right choices
Cause we can’t be sure if we’re hearing our own voices
As we close the door even though we are so desperate to stay

And I might still cry
And I might still bleed
These thorns in my side
This heart on my sleeve
And lightening may strike
This ground at my feet
And I might still crash
But I still believe

This is the moment I stand here all alone
With everything I have inside, everything I own
I might be afraid
But it’s my turn to be brave
If this is the last time before we say goodbye
At least it’s the first day of the rest of my life
I can’t be afraid
Cause it’s my turn to be brave

Just Be Held by Casting Crowns

“Just Be Held”

Hold it all together
Everybody needs you strong
But life hits you out of nowhere
And barely leaves you holding onAnd when you’re tired of fighting
Chained by your control
There’s freedom in surrender
Lay it down and let it goSo when you’re on your knees and answers seem so far away
You’re not alone, stop holding on and just be held
Your world’s not falling apart, it’s falling into place
I’m on the throne, stop holding on and just be held
Just be held, just be heldIf your eyes are on the storm
You’ll wonder if I love you still
But if your eyes are on the cross
You’ll know I always have and I always will

And not a tear is wasted
In time, you’ll understand
I’m painting beauty with the ashes
Your life is in My hands

So when you’re on your knees and answers seem so far away
You’re not alone, stop holding on and just be held
Your worlds not falling apart, its falling into place
I’m on the throne, stop holding on and just be held
Just be held, just be held

Lift your hands, lift your eyes
In the storm is where you’ll find Me
And where you are, I’ll hold your heart
I’ll hold your heart
Come to Me, find your rest
In the arms of the God who won’t let go

(stop holding on and just be held)
Just be held, just be held, just be held, just be held

Anyway

motherteresa

It Gets Better

Don't You Quit

It Gets Better

This old world can be cruel sometimes
When you’re looking for answers
You can’t seem to find
No one understands what you’re going through…

Oh, I know, it can get lonely out there
When you feel like nobody cares
Well you look around thinking:
“If they only knew…”

Well, I do.

I’ve felt the chill of this world cut down to the bone
I’ve walked many a mile down this road on my own
I’ve been through hell on my knees–
Come face to face with the devil
And I know that it’s hard to believe…
But, it gets better.

Time is a healer but we can’t see how
When you’re caught in the moment
And the hurting is now
We don’t wanna see that maybe somethings
Weren’t meant to figure out

This old world can be cruel sometimes
When you’re looking for answers
Well just keep in mind
Know you’re not alone
We’re all trying to find our way through this life.