Who would have ever thought that a song or a scripture verse or even a poem could impact a life forever?

I’m living proof and a life changed by powerful, positive encouragement. Words and rhythms have influenced my life for many, many years and I can feel the power of love, joy, and peace radiate from songs, scripture verses, and poems. We are moved by words. Even scripture tells us that life and death are in the power of our tongue. Every word that flows from us matters.

I titled this blog entry, “Made For More”, for good reason. This song recently spoke life to my spirit in a time of life when I was experiencing hardship and desperation. I had never heard the song before. A dear friend introduced it to us one Wednesday night in choir practice at church. Both she and I have experienced loss of family and hardships. Despite the heartaches of life, she and I enter the presence of God when we worship, surrender, and pray. Through it all, we lay all that we have at the feet of Jesus. Just as another song says: “He is our way-maker, our miracle-worker, our promise-keeper, our light in the darkness…our God…that is who He is.” We press on through the struggles, and He sustains, He protects, and He heals. We have seen that wonder-working power in the blood. Hope isn’t lost even in our times of desperation. God is right in the pit with us as he was with Joseph in the Bible when his brothers abandoned him and he was left to fend for himself…all alone…but still, God is greater. God is right with us in every fight of our lives, as he was with young shepherd boy (Anointed King) David who victoriously defeated the nine foot nine inch tall Philistine giant named Goliath. God never leaves us. He never forsakes us. We are loved, comforted, and protected by our Almighty Sovereign God at all times and in every situation. Whatever you may be going through, just speak his name: “Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.”

I am learning in my life that prayer, surrender, obedience, and faith in God are the “secret sauce” ingredients to getting closer towards transformation and miracles. However, we cannot bypass the hardships, the pain, and the difficulties. There is always a wilderness before a promised land. There’s always a cross before a resurrection. There is always a Red Sea needing to be parted by the Great I Am before we can rise up like Lazurus and be made alive again through the power of God’s resurrection power He has gifted to us. We must have faith that is not shaky or uncertain. As we read in the book of James, we must completely believe that God will come through. Pray like you believe that He will answer your prayers. As Hebrews 11:1 states: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.” We usually do not see the miracle until the moment it happens, but God has a perfect time and you can trust that He is faithful to keep every promise He has given to us.

There is a song I grew up hearing at my home church in Georgia. My Pastor’s wife, Mrs. Kathy, would sing, “He’ll Do It Again.” The lyrics state, “You may not know how…you may not know when…but he’ll do it again.” Whatever that “it” is in your life, God is faithful. He will come through. He will meet your needs according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus. That song, “He’ll Do It Again”, was exactly what little Jessica needed to hear when she was six years young and she struggled to learn how to read in first grade after her Mom passed away unexpectedly. On top of that, she got lice bugs in her hair that was “the worst case of a lice infestation” her principal, Mr. Jones, had ever seen. They say when it rains it pours; and my little tiny self was emotionally, physically, and spiritually drained and feeling helpless, hopeless, and all alone despite having a lovely, dear, God-fearing family and church family. Life can knock us down and the enemy will continue hurling darkness without a second thought. Life is hard, but God is greater.

To help me to learn, my family kept me busy reading out loud all of the time. Eventually, I did learn to read and now I love to read. My Uncle Jojo laminated my very first 100 spelling test and I cherish it still. God’s faithful to answer prayers, especially of a hurting little girl. And for those little critters in my hair, my Grandma and Dad cleared my head and everything in the house, ensuring that others did not get infectected. Some of the hardships ended, others endured; but through it all, I experienced the faithfulness of God.

Through the years, I have written songs of God’s faithfulness. I will continue to share His great love and faithfulness as long as I am alive. I have seen His hand time and time again. I am thankful for God’s faithfulness in all of my life and I pray you always remember the goodness of God, too. Reach out and seek him fervently. He is near to the broken-hearted. He saves the crushed in spirit.

Great is thy faithfulness Lord unto me.