storms

It's always storming somewhere...
While some enjoy peace and the glow of sunshine... others are enduring hailstorms.

There is endless pain everywhere.  As Pastor and I try to partner in ministry through prayer across the miles my heart is BROKEN... my spirit grieves.

Just in our little region we pray for miraculous healing over..
addicted ones...
dying ones...
abandoned ones...
the poor...
the lost...
the distraught...
the broken...

tears pour...
cries ring...
hearts aching... everywhere...

I had to take this one to my Daddy today.  The Author of all things good... I needed to see His heart.  I needed to hear His voice.

The land of ache threatens to swallow hole... my anchor must be sure.

Slammed doors can make for crooked hope...

It must be firmly mounted.

What I received from the asking was... "yes... the brokenness is big, but I am  BIGGER..."

The storms are real...
I don't ignore them... but I don't stand in agreement with them either.

We are called to be intercessors...
The root of intercession is love.  As my root grows so are my groans... I must remember... intercessory is a gift meant to be given back.

I am not meant to keep the ache stirred from supernatural affections... they are to be returned in prayer.

Today... my Spirit moans... and pleads...
Out of love...  I sing with Andy Cherry:

Rise with a shout,
Cry out our God's alive
Rise holy fire, 
Burn bright, burn bright
Rise with a shout,
Cry out for freedom
Rise church, arise
Our God's alive


Reigning on His throne
Drawing ever close
Giving us this hope
He'll never let us go
Oh, death has been defeated
Jesus Christ, Redeemer
Conquered hell and freed us
Forever we are saved


Rise with a shout,
Cry out our God's alive
Rise holy fire, 
Burn bright, burn bright
Rise with a shout,
Cry out for freedom
Rise church, arise
Our God's alive

He alone can save us
He will not forsake us
He remains forever,
Our savior

See Him reign in power
Stronger than our failures
Always and forever,
Our savior

Savior... 

From all storms... all deaths. 

Often perched in silence... His costly red offered and fills our death-filled branches.

The song I hear Him singing through His own tears is LOVE... 

Not only God of the Grieving... but also THE tear catcher.

In the midst of the storms that bring death and destruction He brings reconstruction.

In more than 12,775 days of walking this earth I have weathered some pretty catastrophic winds and...

I can honestly say...

He never stops doing me good.

Our focus must be on The Calmer... not on the storms themselves.

And as a church we must rise with a shout and offer our prayers of ache... trusting that they are powerful and effective. 

Press in and pray on...

"Rise Holy fire burn bright, burn bright!"