Blessed

I have been drenched in tears much of the last two days.  Normally our life is peaceful and predictable, with the occasional upset coming from children who are tired, not feeling well, or are simply not getting their way.  But these last 12 days have seen ailing family members, loved ones struggling with untreated mental illness, suffering children, fathers abandoning their families, heartache over the inability to make everything better, and then learning of the death of my own father.  Our hearts have felt so heavy.

I ran some errands with Luke this afternoon and listened to K-Love between stops.  I still cannot believe the songs they played while I was listening.  So perfectly timed.

How Great is Our God
I Refuse
Who Will Love Me For Me?

I sure do love these reminders and promises.

When I got home from errands, I found that my friend had emailed Psalm 46 to me.  I read it with fresh eyes and ears today.

¹ God is our refuge and strength,
   an ever-present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
   and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam
   and the mountains quake with their surging.^[c]
 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
   the holy place where the Most High dwells.
⁵ God is within her, she will not fall;
   God will help her at break of day.
⁶ Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
   he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
 ⁷ The LORD Almighty is with us;
   the God of Jacob is our fortress.
 ⁸ Come and see what the LORD has done,
   the desolations he has brought on the earth.
⁹ He makes wars cease
   to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
   he burns the shields^[d] with fire.
¹⁰ He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
   I will be exalted among the nations,
   I will be exalted in the earth.”
 ¹¹ The LORD Almighty is with us;
   the God of Jacob is our fortress.

I am so grateful for God's overwhelming provision in every sense of the word.  He makes - and keeps - life-sustaining promises.  He pours out his love and mercy on me every moment of every day.  And He has gifted me with an abundance of incredible relationships.  Although I have seen what feels like the earth giving way and mountains crumbling into the sea, I am well aware of how tremendously blessed I am.  For the Lord is with me!  God is my fortress.