An Excerpt to Ponder

Short of the gospel of Christ,this is the greatest love story ever told.Have you ever witnessed this kind of love? I have seen glimpses of it.It exists throughout the church.But nothing truly parallels the story of Hosea and the heavenly story behind it. This is a holy love.Gomer was committed to her own desires.She looked everywhere to be filled.Hosea was committed to being a reflection of the Divine Husband.He knew it was impossible to satisfy his wife's lusts, but he kept wooing her,imploring her to turn away from her own desires and find satisfaction in marital love.Finally, he redeemed her.He bought her back.
What was all this like for Hosea?We don't really know.It had to be a painful life,filled with shame and grief,but Hosea does not offer his personal reflections.What he reports is that he simply submitted to his Lord and obeyed.
What has this been like for our Holy God?In contrast to Hosea, God has given us a profound insight into his own heart.It can be found in Hosea 11.But before considering the heart of God for his people,consider how unprecedented it is for anyone to publicly share his or her deepest feelings in the midst of unrequited love.Isn't it humiliating when people know that you are the passionate pursuer who is not even recognized by the one being pursued?You feel like a fool.God,however,opens himself to us in one of the most dramatic passages in the Bible.
In the passage that follows, remember that we ourselves are Ephraim; we are Israel.


How can I give you up,Ephraim?
How can I hand you over,Isreal?
How can I treat you like Adamah?
How can I make you like Zeboiim?
My heart is changed within me;
all my compassion is aroused.
I will not carry out my fierce anger,
nor will I devastate Ephraim again.
For I am God,and not man --
the Holy One among you.
I will not come in wrath.(Hos 11:8-9)

God begins by posing a question,"How can I give you up?"Then he gives an immediate answer, "I cannot!It is impossible.You are mine."God says he will not treat his rebellious people in the same way he allowed two sister cities of Sodom to be destroyed.(Deut 29:23)
Now notice the word "changed".It is the word God uses to describe his own heart,"My heart is changed within me."This word is rarely used in the Bible as a description of someone's emotional experience.Instead,it is often used to describe the overthrow and destruction of a city. As such, when used to describe emotional experiences, it connotes something gut-wrenching. God is saying that his insides are in turmoil on behalf of his people.This is not so much God's talking about the pain of betrayal as it is God's revealing his intense compassion for his people.It reveals the depth of his desire to bring his people back to himself.
Does this surprise you? It does me.I still sometimes get the sense that God barely let me slip in the door of his kingdom.The good folks are already in.I made it because God had to let me in. I have professed faith in Jesus as risen Lord and Christ, and therefore, God didn't have a choice.
Yet God did have a choice,and he chose to love us with a passionate, faithful love.The reason I occasionally doubt is that I am thinking that God is like us - or like me.If Gomer were my wife, my instinct would be to let her go and say "Good riddance".I would want to cut my losses and avoid the humiliation of pursuing someone who ignored me.But the passage says that God is not like me.God is God,not a man."If we are faithless, he will remain faithful,for he cannot disown himself."(2 Tim 2:13)Moreover, this is not a stoic faithfulness.It is vulnerable and passionate. It is a faithfulness so instense that God describes it as tearing at his insides.
From this you can understand how misguided it is to judge God from the perspective of what we would do in a situation.The temporal and sinful is never the standard for the holy.If we judge by our own experience,we will assume that God will eventually get fed up with us and leave us naked in the slave market. But God says to us,"I am God, and not man - the Holy One among you.I will not come in wrath."
What restrained his wrath, especially considering that God is Holy Love and Holy Justice?The reason he did not come in wrath was that his holy justice was anticipating the time when Jesus would become the slave for us.He would take the shame and rejection that was rightfully our own. In its place,he would completely forgive and justify us.Even more, he would glorify us. (Rom 8:30) He would exalt us.
God looks at his creation from the perspective of the consummation.From that vantage point he sees what his Gomer will be.She will be a radiant bride, honoured and glorified. She will be presented before God's glorious presence without fault, and she will be received by him with great joy.(Jude 24)If God is passionate about pursuing an adulterous wife, you can be certain that there will be great celebration,laughter,and joy when his wife is glorified and in his presence forever.
---- excerpt taken from "When People are big and God is small" by Edward T. Welch available at amazon.com

A Rose

The praire rose is one of my favorite flowers.Found plentifully along roads and the unculivated fields of the praires, it is both delicate and hardy.When I was 8 I lived in a little village named Roseile, that even had a giant metal sculpture of this pretty flower.In case you wanted to know, the rosebuds are edible. :P

Day by Day

Day by day, and with each passing moment,
Strength I find, to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment,
I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.
He Whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best—
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Every day, the Lord Himself is near me
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me,
He Whose Name is Counselor and Pow’r.
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
“As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,”
This the pledge to me He made.

Help me then in every tribulation
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith’s sweet consolation
Offered me within Thy holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E’er to take, as from a father’s hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
Till I reach the promised land.

http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Day_by_Day/hifi/

If You Could Only See Me Now

Our prayers have all been answered.I finally arrived.
The healing that had been delayed has now been realized.
No one's in a hurry.There's no schedule to keep.
We're all enjoying Jesus,just sitting at His feet.

If you could see me now,I'm walking streets of gold.
If you could see me now,I'm standing strong and whole.
If you could see me now, you'd know I've seen His face.
If you could see me now, you'd know the pain is erased.
You wouldn't want me to ever leave this place,
If you could only see me now.

My light and temporary trials have worked out for my good,
To know it brought Him glory where I misunderstood.
Though we've had our sorrows ,they can never compare.
What Jesus has in store for us,no language can share.

You wouldn't want me to ever leave this perfect place
If you could only see me now
If you could see me now
If you could only see me now
-----------------------------------------------------------

The passing of Keith from this life to the next brings a strange mixture of sorrow and happiness.
It's a joy and a comfort to know that he is in a perfect place, where he will never again suffer great pain, never again battle his sinful nature, never again shed tears.Yet there's also a deep sadness at the thought of such a special person leaving us behind.
Keith had great faith in his God, deep love for others, and a heart that wanted to exalt his Jesus.I believe that even in his short time with us, he made a lasting impact in the hearts and lives of many people.As time wears on and the sharp edge of pain dulls slightly, let us in looking back to remember him,always remember to look for God's hand in this.

Wear the Crown

The 'Wear the Crown' conference put on by Voice of the Martyrs was,in my estimation, well put together.
The speakers came from a wide range of backgrounds,dialect,experience, and slants.That to me was one of the greatest things - to hear from all over the world, in various languages, their personal stories and work.
Bill Drake was also a great asset,with his heartfelt worship leading and own personal testimony of God's grace leading him to humility and surrender.
Various VOM leaders and partners in the ministry and conference also spoke, and their humility, excitment,and drive were apparent.
A good number of volunteers also did an excellent job of making everything run smoothly and seamlessly.
It would be remiss not to mention 'Housekeeping Details' as the announcer delivered these rather boring details with wit and humour, with the effect of his annoucements providing the 'light relief' for the day.
It would be hard to put into words the effect this weekend has had on me.I think though,that I thought more in those three days than I usually do in a week!Rather than bore you with all the details of everything we did that weekend, I'll just touch on those things that left a spiritual impact on me.
Friday night the conference got off to a great start with Bill Drake leading some worship songs to get everyone's minds and hearts focused on the right things.That in itself was an experience - listening to over 1000 people sing!
We then heard straight from the mouths of those persecuted, of beatings,raids,torture and imprisonment in 'free' China.It brought tears to my eyes and a feeling of shame,especially when as a woman I could only imagine the pain of humiliation the women were made to feel in prison.
Yet on the other hand it was very encouraging to hear that God has not forgotten China.No, He is very much at work there,and the Communists' oppression only serves to strengthen the growth of the Gospel.Let them try their hardest to put out its' flame! They are fighting against the hand of God and their efforts are fruitless....and the evidence shows it.
Next was Columbia, and hearing this speakers' accounts reminded us again that God really does have a sense of humour!He had many fascinating stories of God working,and even using seeming bad situations to produce good.
Probably one of the most striking, was when he had a burden and desire for someone to take the gospel to the guerillas,so he began praying that God would send someone.One day he defended a friend by grabbing a gun and shooting the guerilla bent on kiling him.Though this fast action spared the man's life, it resulted in this missionary being kidnapped and tied to a tree by the guerillas.Standing there,and realizing the dangerous predicament he was in,he began praying and asking God why He had allowed this to happen.God replied simply that He was answering his prayer to send someone to the guerillas!
We all laughed at that,and praised God when he told of personally befriending his enemies and even seeing some repent and get saved.Listening to story after story of God's intervention and insights into His humour,filled my heart with wonder at and praise of Him,yet also challenged me as to why I didn't trust Him more completely with every part of my life.
Next (after the announcer reminded everyone to pick up their children lest they return with crew cuts the next day) was question and answer time with the speakers.For this they split up to different rooms or buildings around the campus,so Steven and I followed the crowd to where they led us. :P This resulted in a happy,chatty( read noisy) crowd, who quieted down to ask questions of the Columbian missionary.
Then back to the main auditorium for a 'concert' led by Bill Drake.Never having been to something like that, it was quite the experience for me,especially with the way Southerners really 'get into' the music.Overall though I liked it, it left an impression on me,and was encouraging and uplifting yet also convicting.Songs like what they sung,really get you to thinking if you truly worship God as you should..can you really mean the words as you sing them?
Saturday..I can't remember the names of all the countries represented, or many of the very sad stories recounted.Even so it left its mark.Often it was hard to hold back tears in response to the pain,the tragedy,the raw evil,the heartrenching agony that even children were made to endure. Yet even in all that there was something that stood out - God was still in control.He knew what He was doing,and used the persecution of His children for their good and other's benefit. It was awesome to see that..a confirmation that even in bad He is there.
Another thing that stood out was the faith of these Christians.I didn't hear one account of complaining,fear or bitterness.In fact, they welcomed it! and rejoiced in it! Fathom that, weak North America, if you will.Their response to the greatest tests, makes my fear of people's response, seem so petty and foolish.These Christians boldly proclaim Christ with the reality of death facing them - and I only have to worry about a little mockery and I have a hard time opening my mouth??Something is wrong somewhere.
After lunch we heard from Nigeria and Iran.Their stories were particularily painful and yet also triumphant.I can't describe how all that made me feel,but it was a combination of deep sorrow,pain,guilt and shame.The afternoon break came at a good time because I just lost it.I didn't even care that people were looking at me wondering what was up,the tears had to come. All of this left me feeling very sad,serious,and pensive.
For supper break neither of us felt like eating so we went to a park instead.The quiet, peaceful setting helped to sort thru thoughts that were feeling overwhelming.Praying too..wondering,God what do you want me to do because of this?
Back for the evening session..which wasn't quite as painful as the afternoon one.For the question and answer session we went to listen to a very intriguing speaker from North Korea.His deep love for God,his passion for the work,and his burden for his country combined with his great personality all made him a fascinating speaker.
Eventually all the thoughts and emotions were overwhelming again so I escaped to the outdoors.The beautiful campus grounds made a great setting for reflection and prayer.Then my friend and I shared our thoughts and reflections on the day which made a fitting ending to a painful,soulsearching,and yet awesome day.
I will end this here,or else I will write a story instead of a short summary of the effect of the conference.
So, in conclusion,I don't intend to allow myself to forget the impression it made on me.I want it to be,as Steven said, a lifechanging event.A great way to keep it so is to get personally involved, and read biographies of missionaries.I am right now reading of Jim Elliot and it is already proving to be a powerful book,which I will make a summary of for you all when I am done. :P

Hometown Sunset

And to think that this scene was snapped about a hundred feet from my house..doesn't God make the prettiest art?

Banff Trip

Yep those are mountains folks.And this here snapshot of 'em was taken pretty near the top of Sulfur Mountain.Ain't that somethin'? :P

Wait on the Lord

Waiting on Him
--------------------------
"Wait" is the answer I got when I prayed about something.So wait I will try and do.But what exactly is 'waiting'? What does it mean when we wait for something? I thought I would look up a bunch of verses about waiting and see what I could learn,and this is the result:

Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;they shall mount up with wings as eagles;they shall run,and not be weary; and they shall walk,and not faint.

He promises that if we wait upon Him He will give us strength.We as humans have limited strength, we run down, run out, and get weary.But He,as the everlasting God, faints not nor is weary (vs. 28),there is no limit to His power and strength.If we wait upon and trust in Him we receive His strength.

Psalm 25:5 Lead me in thy truth,and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation;on thee do I wait all the day.

Here David is praying and asking God to teach him and lead him.David is waiting patiently upon God for His help. He knows that as God is His Saviour and Creator, he should come to the Lord for help and guidance.He realizes that without God's direction to the truth he as a human could easily be lead astray.

Psalm 27:14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage,and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait,I say, on the Lord.

This verse tells us in no uncertain terms that we need to wait on God.Instead of fretting and worrying and trying to solve everything ourselves, we need to learn to relax and trust in Him.What does that mean exactly?How does a person trust in God? I think one could do a long study just about that, but I believe it means to believe in His promises and His character.Trust means having faith in someone to do what they have said they would.When I trust in God, I stop trying to figure out everything myself, I stop trying to solve all my problems with my human intellect.Instead, I turn to Him and admit I can't do this on my own - that I need His help.I claim His promises to lead,guide,and strengthen me...and then I set myself to being humble and in submission to Him and His leading. So I think the waiting commanded here is largely made up of trusting.

Psalm 62:5 My soul,wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.

That's a pretty powerful statement - only wait on God.Verse 6 tells us why: "He only is my rock and my salvation : he is my defence; I shall not be moved." Basically, we should only trust and wait on God,because of Who He is.I should not trust in anything else but Him.I think also, hope is in the context of this verse. David's expectation, his hope, is from God.Why would I want to wait on or trust anyone else but God? Who else is like Him?

Psalm 130:5 I wait for the Lord,my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.

Again in this verse hope and waiting are connected.If I trust in God, I will wait on Him,and if I wait on Him I will hope in Him.I will have faith that He will fulfill His promise to strengthen and guide me.My hope and faith is sure, because it is built upon the trueness and stability of God's character itself.

Lamentations 3:25 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him,to the soul that seeketh him.

Here we see the blessings of waiting on God.Yet another promise of something He will do.God delights when we put our faith and trust in Him.It is pleasing to Him when we learn to depend on Him.I believe one reason for that is,because of Who He is,He should have our focus, our respect, our faith. When we don't trust in or respect Him we are saying by our actions that we will not honour Him the way He as God should be honoured and revered.He delights when we wait on Him for it is then that we are giving Him the honour He is due.

Psalm 40:1- 4 I waited patiently for the Lord;and he inclined unto me,and heard my cry.He brought me up also out of an horrible pit,out of the miry clay,and set my feet upon a rock,and established my goings.And he hath put a new song in my mouth,even praise unto our God: many shall see it,and fear,and shall trust in the Lord.Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust,and respecteth not the proud,nor such as turn aside to lies.

Yes,God does answer our prayers,and fulfills all His promises.Let us be like David and praise Him for Who He is and what He has done.

Reflections

I've been online about a year now, so I thought I would make a list of various people I've met and what I've learned from them.Sorry in advance if I leave anyone out.These are kinda in order of acquaintance..

Greg(twoormore) - one of the first I met on worthy.You are one of the few godly men I know.We don't talk much anymore,but thankyou for those months that we did.You were one of many online people God has used to pull me close to Him again.

Laura(northernprincess) - You're a great friend to me.Thankyou for your bubbly personality,honesty,and understanding.We really do relate well,and I can always count on you for a hug or listening ear.One thing I've learned from you is what I've missed by not having a group of Christian young people to hang out with. I've learned about relationships and friendships from you too.Also, thanks for being part of my education in silliness. :P

Ron a.k.a. Ronnie(Ronald) - Hey big brother, thanks for being the much-needed comic relief.I've learned much about diversity and other doctrinal beliefs from you.You are a good example of faithfulness in marriage, of responsibility,and of the type of music NOT to listen to.Lol,jk.

Beth(hippolaughamus) - Ah Beth,you've taught me more than anyone how to lighten up and laugh.I've also gained valuable insight into how it is to live in less than perfect family situations.I admire your upbeat personality and determination.

Jade - Jadey, I couldnt say in one paragraph what a blessing and help you've been to me.I've learned soo much about so many different things thru your insights and advice.Thru all those trials and problems and situations you were a welcome support,listening ear,and well of advice.You have many qualities that I want to have also as a Christian and maybe even future wife.

Ad - You are definitely one of my most unique friends and I mean that in a good way. I'm still not sure how you managed to put up with me for a year lol.Hmm well lol, I've learned about patience,trusting God,dependability,and stead-fastness thru talking with you.There've been a couple rough times but you know what, they served to show me how I react to things and where my strengths and weaknesses are.Thanks for being such a great friend Ad, you also have been one of those God used to change me.

Dan - You are the key God used to change my thinking on some deep and very important doctrines.Thru all those serious talks of sin,doubts,and God; as I watched you sort thru all of this I couldnt help but see God's hand in that. I cried when you told me you got saved.I was so delighted...that just made my week. It was also one of the last events leading up to me changing my thinking.I dont think you know the joy it was to watch your newfound delight in God grow along with your desire to learn.And then something happened..and now I wonder how your walk is and what you are learning.Thru all this I've learned to depend on God more and myself less.A lesson I seem to continually need to relearn...

Rd (Rebekah David) - You are, to me, one of the great examples of a graceful and godly woman.Always your focus is on Him,even in the trials.You always have an encouraging word or thought.So Rd,what I've learned from you is that I want to imitate you.

David(managod) - You to are one of those that God used majorly in my life.One of the best friends I've ever had,I've learned soo much from you.At just the time I needed it the most,we met and my walk with Him hasnt been the same.All the good,and the rough times to, had a big impact on my spiritual life.Thankyou for pushing me to make things right, and pushing me to get busy and accomplish something.Thanks for your humour,listening ear,and most of all for not being afraid to point out things either in you or me that needed working on.

Peaches - You are another sweet sister in Him.I love your personality,and most of all I love your heart for Him.He will enable you to do great things - just watch!

Nicole(jfreak6484) - Wow I miss the talks with you and David.What a blast we had! Such lighthearted innocent banter was a welcome relief from the problems and stresses we all were going thru. You have such a sweet spirit, and I hope you are happy with that fiancee who is NOT blampinen.:P

Brandon(blampinen) - Now I know what the stubborn determined American guy looks like,lol.You have got to be one of the most confident people I have ever met,and I think that's what I've learned from you...confidence.And also, that it is possible to be good friends even when rarely agreeing.:P I expect to hear that once you get out of the airforce you do go on and experience everything on that list of things..and I want at least a sentence about me in your book,lol.J/k

Dustin - Aw dustin you've also been a big influence on me.Thru talking to you I've learned to work on my patience, compassion,understanding,and love.You've given me a deep understanding of what its like to live your type of life..the type I've never had to experience. I've learned not to take things for granted,and to truly appreciate what I've been blessed with. It thrilled me so much that you got saved Dustin, I pray that He will change you into a confident, strong,loving person who uses his past hurts and pain to reach out to others. I know He can do that with you and I think He will.

Yuce - Definitely one of the biggest influences in my life this past year.I dont think it was fluke timing that you came along right when I had all those questions about doctrines.No, I think it was God who orchestrated our meeting and my dealing with Dan at the same time.Thanks so much for the great talks we had.Not only did I learn much of calvinism from you, I also gained insight into another culture and a different view on the world and the future.I have no doubt God will use you for Him - you have so much potential.

Art - Again, I gained more insight into different lifestyles and the various reasons for them from you.I appreciated your gentlemanly ways and quiet humor when we used to talk. And by the way, I think Brandon still has yet to return your mind. :P

Shylah - Yes, another fellow canuck!Honey, I want you to know I respect your ambition and drive even in the face of obstacles.You have been gifted with a lot of great talent and I know you will find a way to use it for His glory.

Steven - Yes, that crazy tornado guy. :P You impress me much with your humble attitude and desire to serve God.I believe He has a great purpose and plan for you and that He will make it clear to you as you go along the way.I've learned a lot from you of what it really means to serve God.Thanks for the godly example.

ILJ - Aw, another big brother in Him.You're really a blessing to me,both in example in facing trials and problems; and in your honest advice and views.Thanks for being there ILJ, and thanks for caring.

Sir(Seraph) - One of my favorite people, you are. :) You have such a sweet,quiet but firm, personality.Thanks for being an example of a great Christian lady, you are more an influence than you know.

Terry (papaT) - Ah yes, the guy who's addicted to coffee.Well I will convince you to switch to chocolate one of these days.:P You're a good friend T, thanks for listening, and believing in me.

Kyle - Hmm, the crazy IT guy who could open my cd drive lol.Well I think you are nuts to live in America when you could live in Canada but..you're a good friend, and I respect the way you've handled some recent situations.I know that in His time, God will work it out for good and you may even see His hand in it.

Lyle a.k.a. lizzle - My goofy friend from Wyoming. :P You're fun to talk to,and most of all encouraging.I most always learn something when talking to you.. thanks for all the prayers.

Phew.Well I'm sure I missed people seeing as how its late and there are a lot of you lol.Sometimes its good to think back and reflect on the impact others have had on you,and realize the impact you may have on them whether for good or bad. I've probably spent too many hours on here, but this online stuff has not been a total waste of time.I have learned so much thru it, met so many diverse and varied people,explored many things,learned tons,realized things,and most important of all, seen my relationship with God grow thru all of this. Truly He does use everything for our good.

Decisions

Feb 14, 2006
-----------------------------------
Decisions

Seeing as how its been almost a month since I last posted I suppose it is time for more thoughts and reflections.
The trials and troubles that prompted my last post are still there.They have not been resolved, in fact some have only gotten worse.There've been more lows than highs..and for a while I found myself once again struggling with depression.Now, I am.......not on the mountain top...still in the valley.. but closer to God,and that makes the valley greener and the trials lighter.
Each time I get tired of doing things myself and hand the worry and stress over, and start once again to depend on Him...I wonder why I ever try to do it alone.It's been a gradual realization..but I have come to see that we are often given the wrong impression of the Christian life.It is not a one time deal where we, at some emotional low, surrender totally to God and from then on depend on Him without question. Rather, it is a continual, never ending process of yielding to His control, and dying to self.Let me tell you - that can be hard! :P And so, I see that the reason I so often attempt to do it myself is because at that point I am not willing to yield control.At that moment I more desire my own way than the smile of God.......and that should be a sobering thought.
Yet now, with my focus once again on the right Person the future holds great promise.As the song says I am "kind of homesick for a country, to which I've never been before.No sad goodbyes will there be spoken, for time won't matter anymore."I long for and wish I was already in heaven. But God wants me here now, so I need to turn my attention to serving Him.These are exciting days to be doing that, for 'signs of the times are appearing everywhere..I can almost hear the trumpet..' and we know that Christ's return is imminent.Aren't you ready for that day??
God has been working in me a lot lately, and bringing enthusiastic people into my life to stir me up and get me motivated.Sometimes, all the trouble and misery I see in the world can get discouraging.It makes me feel like any effort is wasted, so I give up.Then God comes along and gives me a wake up call.He tells me I'm His child and I need to get busy doing what He's commanded me to do.
Right now I am having to make a lot of decisions about the future and what direction I should take.I only want to seek and know clearly what His will is for my life.I want to set myself to getting closer to God, that I would be able to discern what He wants and not choose the wrong thing.In the next few months I will have had to decide..and then take the leap of faith and trust and just go!
Our God is an awesome God, and there is nothing better than serving Him in whatever capacity He has placed us.

Just Like His Love

Jan 18, 2006
---------------------------------------
Its Just Like His Great Love

The past couple weeks have been rather stressful and discouraging.I've slipped and fallen many times,but God was always there to pick me up.Sometimes thru the words of a true friend, a verse, or even a song.And this old song says it very well...

Sometimes the clouds of trouble bedim the sky above,
I cannot see my Savior's face, I doubt His wondrous love.
But He, from heaven's mercy seat,beholding my despair
In pity bursts the clouds between,and shows me He is there

One day,flipping through the hymnal and playing random songs I came across this one.I could relate so well to this and the other verses.It brought me to tears to think that inspite of my complaining,lack of trust, and frequent failing, He was always there with a tender hand to lift me back up. God really is a good God.