therstblog

Lord i stand before you once again

im so glad that i know you understand
i done everything i know how to do
and as usual i end up crying out to you
i tried so hard to do my best
but i dont feel like i’ll make it through this test
i cant remember feeling so much pain
and my tears keep falling like the pouring rain
i try to force myself to wear a smile but its just not there
this pain im feeling deep inside my heart seems so unfair
it really feels like i wont make it through another day
so i stand before you with a broken heart and all i can say is
precious Lord please
take my hand
(do you know what im talking about out there)
(please Lord)
help me stand (help me to stand,please help me now)

see i cant front Lord standing here today

cause i stumbled here there along the way

im praying even as i sing this song Lord
for my breakthrough i hope it wont be to long
i try to force myself to wear a smile but its just not there
this pain im feeling deep down inside my heart seem so unfair
this time i feel like i wont make it through another day
so i come before you with a broken heart and all i can say is
precious Lord ehhh….
take my hand
(would you do that,would you please do that for me)
(lead me on,lead me on
help me stand (help me to stand,help me to stand)
deep down i know you will come through
thats why im reaching,reaching out to you

cause i need to feel your loving arms again

and when i feel your loving touch thats when
i’ll be ok,i will be ok i will make it it you take my hand
take my hand (repeat 3x’s)

Lead:
lead me on lead me on Lord
i wont make it without you Jesus
i wont make it without you

Choir:
hold me (repeat 2x’s)

Lead:
hold me (please hold me)
cause im standing here and i need your touch

Choir:
take my hand (repeat 3x’s)

Lead:
i wont make it another day
cause i tried it my way
but these tears keep falling
and this pain keeps growing
hold me

Choir:
hold me (repeat)

Lead:
and if i know your holding me then i can count on this
i know my breakthrough is on the way

Choir:
breakthrough

Lead:
i can rest assure
with tears in my eyes
i can stand my ground
and i can say hold me Jesus
help me Jesus
hear it is
say it like you mean it yeah like you mean it
my situation might still be the same
but im counting on you
i know you’ll come through i know you will
gotta say yes

Choir:
yes (repeat till end)

Lead:
my flesh will say yes
my tears will say yes
my heart will say yes
my change is on the way
and your change is on the way
breakthrough,breakthrough

Fred Hammond- “Take My Hand”, *emphasis mine

A really cool trending topic popped up on Twitter yesterday & I had to jump in, hence the hashtag(#) in the title of today’s post!!

Before I go too far into this post let me say that I in no way shape form or fashion have “mastered” the art of love (my wife would vouch for this), but I know HE who has & is the very same love we all seek, we all need & the we all at some point attempt to unpack in our lives. We will get to that soon enough!

It was just amazing to search through twitter and see what others thought love was or is. Some were funny, most were honest & some were even scary. Scary because it seemed to revolve solely around them.

One thing I know for certain is that love is SELFLESS!! it has to be or it isn’t love! It becomes perverted, twisted & manipulative if & when the motives of love are selfish or seek to serve self! I speak with authority because I have been here, I have dine this very thing & I have hurt those who love my most!

#itslove when you know that person may never change for you, but you accept(with your own set limits) them as they are & support growth in thier life. #itslove when you know tomorrow might not come so today, no matter the beef has to be special. #itslove when you give & give & give & give & never expect anything in return!

#itslove when you lay down your life. #itslove when you give up your promise or most treasured thing/person to see someone elses life changed. #itslove when you in obedience take the punishment & death sentence for someone else. #itslove when you sit & wait with arms wide open for thier return no matter how many times they say no or ignore your calls, warnings, advice or love. #itslove when no matter how low you’ve sunk or how bad you’ve become or how filthy your life is or how jacked up you are you are still accepted, valued & treasured.

Do you know love? Do you know the selfless love described in the paragraph above?

There is only one love people. We all want it, live for it, need it, do really STUPID & heart wrenching stuff to try and get, yet the whole time He’s been THERE, right where you are, right where you need Him to be…

This post ended up in a place I originally had no intention of going… I just followed!

I love you, but more importantly He(Jesus-so noone is confused) loves you!!!

imagine, you’re tending sheep, your brothers in a line up as an old dude with a horn of oil examines each of the brothers only to have not found the next king of isreal…

now imagine, you smell like sheep, your tired & you’re called to this posthumous line up. the old guy comes to you and says you are the next King of isreal?

what the heck??

and for several years after this proclimation you are still not king, yet you serve the king.

you defeat a giant and save your country, the people love you, yet you’re still NOT king!!

here’s my point, David, like Jeremiah & many others before & after him, there WAS A PROCESS!!

we cannot, as much as I want to, skip through the process. we cannot select what parts we want to go through and which we don’t.

process hurts, it’s uncomfortable & often it is never as attractive as the vision or finish line, but we MUST endure… we MUST walk through the fire… we MUST learn about ourselves… we MUST not abort the process!!

The news of finding out your bringing new life in the world is both exciting and flat out scary… And before the rumors start, no Esther is not pregnant, I am!!!

What?? No, I don’t have some “organ” condition that allows me to physically give birth, but spiritually my womb is with child!!

Have I been here before, yes! I have been pregnant with vision, with dreams, with hope for the city of Atlanta & old fourth ward. But…

I have also suffered miscarraiges & have aborted the very same seed I carry now! I have fallen on my face & repented before God & know that I have been forgiven!

I am expecting!!! And with eager anticipation I KNOW this process of pain, morning sickness, sleepless nights & lack of comfort is a MUST!

The next 10 months, ladies I know you feel me, are going to be filled with amazing revelation, with power, with pain & jubilation!!

Please pray for the birth of these dreams, the vision that God has given me for the city. Please pray for my family as God stretches me & that I will be first the leader & pastor of my family! Please pray that no weapon formed against the seed growing inside of me grow full term!!

I AM EXPECTING!!!

Why? Who? What? Why? I hope to be able to answer these questions over the next several days… My hope is that you read, search your heart, pray, are challenged & COMMIT to joining us as a financial partner in fulfilling the dream that God has given us for Old Fourth Ward & the city of Atlanta! WE NEED YOU! YES, YOU!

Why?

Because of the 14 plus thousand residents that call Historic Old Fourth Ward, O4W, home 80% do NOT attend church regularly, if at all!!

Because 80% comes to over 11,000 people, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, teachers, CEO’s, friends, neighbors, nurses that would spend an ETERNITY in Hell! If that don’t move you then I’m not sure what will.

Because we are not simply starting a church, but our DESIRE & PRAYER is to build, transform a community with Christ as the HEAD. to be an example for other communities that call Atlanta home.

Because O4W is an extremely diverse community which gives a great chance to create a church/ community that resembles Heaven!

As missionaries it is our responsibility to BE a part of this community, to BE good neighbors, to BE the LIGHT, to BE the church & to BE THE ONLY JESUS THAT OUR NEIGHBORS MAY EVER KNOW! and in order to do that WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Pray about it. Then GO!

Imagine what two less Starbucks fixes a week, one less lunch out a week or drink or two less at the bar or club could do for us, the future of peculiarplace, this community and the Kingdom of God!!

Click the donate button below and become a weekly, monthly partner or simply give a one time donation that would assist us in doing the work of the ministry God is birthing in us!

I thank you and my family thanks you!