When Nothing Else Could Help

Something happened last week that stopped me dead in my tracks.  I had an encounter with the Lord that left the tiny hairs on the back of my neck standing at attention.  This is a story that starts out very sad, but ends with Christ's Triumphant Saving power!
Last week a very dear friend to me lost a very dear friend to her.  After a long battle with depression her friend took his own life.  He tied 70lb wieghts onto each of  his ankles and jumped into a lake.
I was so troubled at the thought of someone killing their own body.  It seemed like such an aweful victory for the enemy.
The morning of the funeral I was about to start reading my Bible. I was asking the Lord to comfort my friend and her friend's family.  I have been reading Acts in my morning study.  I flipped around trying to figure out where I should read, but Acts just didn't feel right.  Right about that time Rusty came in and told me he needed me to run to town to pick up a few things for our Cafe.  I knew I needed to jump in the shower and that I no longer had time to sit and sip my coffee and ready my Bible.  I could feel the Lord telling me if I would be obedient and read just one chapter He would make time for me to get everything else done as well.
I decided I wanted to read a chapter in Psalms.  I opened right to Psalm 34 and 35.  I decided to read chapter 34.  When I got to verse 18 I read, "The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart."
I stopped right then and texted my friend that verse and told her I would be praying for her and her friend's
family.  I finished reading the rest of the chapter and then began to get me and Bella ready for our busy day.  I was fixing Bell some cereal when  I began to sing Love Lifted Me.  I asked Bella if she liked this song.  She said "no."  I told her, "I think the Holy Spirit gave me this song to sing."  It felt like I was singing it from my heart.  AS SOON AS I recognized the song was from the Lord I began to not only sing the words but SEE the words played out in a beautiful drama.
"I was sinking deep from sin, far from the peaceful shore.  Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more. BUT the Master of the Sea heard my despairing cry, from the waters lifted me, Now Safe Am I."
I called my friend immediately and told her the song God had placed in my heart.  I told her it was as if a bolt of lightening had gone off in my house when I recognized where the song came from.  She said she had just received my text and that Psalm 34 was in her friend's obituary.
I know the Lord draws near to those with a broken heart becuase His Word tells us He does.  I know the Lord gave me a song to sing because I chose to spend time with Him.  I know the Lord wants to use each one of us if we will be a "willing vessel."  I know the Lord has the power to save anyone, even in thier deepest darkest hour. 
God replaced a terrifying scene from my heart and mind.  A scene where a young man felt there was nothing to save him from all his sadness.  A scene where a young man threw himself into to a lake,"sinking to rise no more."
That scene is now replaced with the triumphant ending. An ending where The Master of the Sea, hears a despairing cry.  Bends down from Heaven, lifts this sweet soul from the waters, like a father lifts his baby from a crib, and for the first time this young man smiles into the face of his Saviour and says, "Now safe am I."  Praise the Lord for meeting us exactly where we are!  Be encouraged and Obedient TODAY!

My Very First Blog

Praise the Lord, O my soul!  While I live I will praise the Lord; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. (Ps.146:1,2)
Today is November the 11th.  What a perfect time to start a Blog of Praise and Thanksgiving.  The Lord has blessed me with a life full of wonder!  It's a wonder my husband and I found eachother.  It's a wonder that God gave us the same heart...Beating for "the least of these."  It's a wonder the Lord brought my children from different parts of the world and placed them safely in our home.  What wonderful God!  
I cried out to the Lord several years ago.  He heard me and gave me this promise..."HE maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be A Joful Mother Of Children, praise ye the Lord."  (Ps. 113:9)   
I hope this Blog will be a place of encouragement and maybe even entertainment to all who read it! 
"HE has done Great things!  Bless HIS Holy Name!"