I'll Stand By You

Tonight I bought a song that Carrie Underwood recorded for people to buy on iTunes for proceeds to go to the Idol Gives Back charity. I was listening to the song and I really felt God talking to me through the WHOLE song. Then I was reminded that this song was in the prayer room at Youth Councils and that God spoke to me then through that same song. He brought me those memories back when I was sorting through some old papers and I found the letter I wrote at Youth Councils when I was in there, and that song was written on the top. Many months later it was sung on American Idol by one of the contestants, and then by Carrie most recently. The lyrics are SO powerful it brought me to tears. God wants to stand by me through EVERYTHING. He will NEVER walk away from us. When others walk out of our lives, he is still there through it all. He will NEVER leave me.

Deuteronomy 31:8 says " The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."

Here are the lyrics to it. I pray that God speaks to you through this song and brings to you the place I am at. It feels wonderful to feel loved:

I'll Stand By You
by the Pretenders

Oh, Why you look so sad?
Tears are in your eyes.
Come on and come to me now.
Don't be ashamed to cry,
Let me see you through,
Cause I've seen the dark side too.
When the night falls on you,
You don't know what to do,
Nothing you confess,
could make me love you less.

I'll stand by you.
I'll stand by you.
Won't let nobody hurt you,
I'll stand by you.

So,
If you're mad, get mad.
Don't hold it all inside,
Come on and talk to me now.
hey, what you've got to hide?
I get angry too,
Well I'm a lot like you.
When you're standing at the crossroads,
Don't know which path to choose,
Let me come along.
Cause even if you are wrong...

I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
Take me in into your darkest hour
And I'll never desert you
I'll stand by you
And when,
When the night falls on you baby
You're feeling all alone
Walking all on your own

I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
Take me in into your darkest hour
And I'll never desert you
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I`ll stand by you.

As I was listening to this song, God was speaking to me and showing me scriptures that prove that this song is words straight from His mouth:

Psalm 91 (The entire chapter is about His protection over us)

John 15:18 "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first."

Hebrews 13:8 "So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

1 John 1:9 " If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

Matthew 19:14 " Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

American Idol Gives Back

The last two nights I watched American Idol and I was hit really hard with conviction. This week's theme was "Hope and Compassion" or something like that, so the top 6 sang songs of hope and what not. Blake Lewis is my favourite, and he sang a classic song "Imagine" by John Lennon, and it brought me to tears. That song is so beautiful and the way he sang it was beautiful. Here are some lyrics that hit me:

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world 

I learned that 1 child dies of Malaria every 30 seconds, when a cure costs 2 dollars for a pack of medicine to cure 4 people.

It costs 1.50 per child to eat lunch at their schools, but they can't even afford that.

The amount of money in ice cream that North America eats could feed the WHOLE world.

Startling eh? I was hit very hard when I watched tonight's results show. It was a two hour special and they kept phone lines open to donate. They showed many stories about different families in America AND Africa who are in poverty. They showed the victims from Hurricane Katrina, who are living in trailers (which was only supposed to be temporary). People in Africa are dying because they can't get the medicine they need to get better. Simon Cowell and Ryan Seacrest took a trip over there and they tried to help many people to get better, but 2 people passed away because they were just too far gone.

This sickens me. Our continent is rich enough to eat all this food and everything, but yet people over seas are going hungry? It doesn't make sense. There is an "epidemic" of obesity in America and Canada because they eat too much, but yet people overseas are so malnutritioned because they eat cornmeal only...thats the only thing they eat ever. It doesn't seem fair. We have so many luxuries and we take them for granted, meanwhile people overseas don't have a lot.

Thats my rant for tonight. Comments are welcomed as always. Speak out against poverty! Make a change! Be grateful for what you have because there are people all over the world who are worse off than you are.

Venting...

I apologize in advance, but this stuff needs to come out and there was no other way to get this out because it might be how other people are feeling, so I thought I would post.....

Have you ever felt that you don't have the support from your own church? I am feeling that quite strongly at the church I attend on Sunday nights. I don't feel that I have support from that congregation. Except for maybe 1 or 2 people and thats it. I don't feel that other people are approachable to talk to to ask for prayer or stuff like that because they go off in a group and chat...so I wouldn't want to break up the fun, either that or people are getting prayer and are busy... For instance, tonight.... well..today...some crazy things happened and have kinda been shocking for me and it sucks a lot, and I was upset.... I was praying and wanted to talk to someone about it and ask them to pray over me, but anyone who I thought of talking to had their own issues to deal with and I didn't want to burden them with my stuff (I didn't think it was fair to) or they were busy with their group of friends, so I didn't want to intrude.

The church is supposed to help people are they not? The church is supposed to be supportive of every member are they not? I have tried my best to help people, and many people know that I support them and pray for them and pray with them and all that. But when I am feeling overwhelmed and drained and tired and feeling just plain crappy, does anyone come and ask if they can pray over me or even ask if I want to talk about it? No... What ever happened to things happening mutually? I don't feel that I should have to go down to the mercy seat to get prayer, I don't feel that I have to necessarily make that step because some people (i feel) abuse that just to get people to pray with them and get attention...SOME people..not all... and I don't want to be looked at as just wanting attention. I just want to know that someone in my own church actually cares enough to ask if I am ok if I don't look like I am ok...

Ok venting done..

Counting my Blessings

Tonight was such a huge blessing and something I really needed. Today marks the 2 year anniversary of my good friend's death from Breast Cancer, I actually thought I was going to be upset about it and what not, but it turned out that I wasn't, and today was filled with blessings.

I have been dealing with a couple friends who I am having to act as a counselor to and its stressing me out. But tonight at dance I was able to forget all of that and just dance and boy was I having a GREAT time. I didn't think I would like the Hustle, it was a dance that originated in the 70's (way before my time) and it sorta got phased out, but we are doing it in dance class. I am getting that more than the West Coast Swing steps. West Coast Swing is the hardest dance to learn and many people have told me that. I am sticking with it though. But the Hustle, oh man it is just so much fun. When West Coast Swing was over they played one song of that to dance to and then one song of Hustle to warm up. I thought I did pretty well with it. It was so amazing to dance and feel like I was understanding and actually looking good doing it LOL. So much fun. I did that during the warm up and then I stay for a few songs after the lessons are over because my bus doesn't come til 35 minutes after class ends. I was struggling with the pivet turns, but I think I ended up getting it at the end! YAY!

Anyways..that wasn't really what I was going to blog about... but that was actually a blessing, being able to understand the moves! Woot! Anyways... When we were on the bus it was starting to rain (on the way TO dance) and then by the time we got there it was POURING..like...not just raining..it was POURING. Angel and I were a little anxious about that because we both didn't have umbrellas so ya... We prayed that it would stop by the end, and when dance class was over and we walk outside it had stopped fully. It was that refreshing smell of after the rain. Beautiful.

And about the 2 year anniversary. I chose not to be sad and I have lit my candle that I got from Avon (that donated 100% to Breast Cancer research) currently. The glow reminds me to thank God that I am healthy and to thank God for Janis' life.

God has a plan for my life and I am going to wait and see what he has in store for me. On Sunday my life verse was spoken again (yes Karyn, i did notice that LOL) and it reminded me of this. Not knowing is such a blessing actually, not having control is a good thing because then we don't have to worry about it or stress about it. It's very exciting but also scary not knowing what is ahead, but bring it on LORD!

Thank you God for that blessing and the many blessings you continue to give to me and my friends' in their lives. I love you! Thank you for giving me patience to deal with those two friends as well because you know that without you I would have lost my patience and said something I shouldn't have. Thank you for continuing to teach my daily what I need to do and thank you for unveiling your plan for my life day to day.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

Feeling Unworthy?

If u were looking for an inspiring blog lately, sorry..but these things are on my mind, and thats what a blog is for right?

Have you ever had those moments where you don't feel worthy enough to enter God's presence? I felt like that last week at a worship night. With the song "Take me into the holy of holies" (thats not the title.. i cant remember the title) But it was like "wow... i don't feel worthy enough to be in his presence. Do I want him to take me to that place if I don't feel I should be there?"

I think the simple answer is yes, Satan tries to tell us that we are unworthy all the time, but we need to fight that off and enter God's presence. We need to focus on God and let him speak truth to us instead of giving into the lies that Satan tells us....

That is all...

Good night