East to West

Okay, this is my new favourite song!

East to West - Casting Crowns

Here I am Lord and I'm drowning
In your sea of forgetfulness
The chains of yesterday surround me
I yearn for peace and rest
I don't want to end up where You found me
And it echoes in my mind
Keeps me awake tonight

I know You've cast my sins as far
As the East is from the West
And I stand before You now as
As though I've never sinned but today
I feel like I'm just one mistake away
From You leaving me this way

Jesus can You show me
Just how far the East is from the West
Cause I can't bear to see the man I've been
Come rising up in me again
In the arms of Your mercy I find rest
Cause You know just how far the East is from the West
From one scarred hand to the other

I start the day the war begins
Endless reminding of my sin
Time and time again
Your truth Is drowned out by the storm I'm in
Today I feel like I'm just one mistake away
From You leaving me this way

Jesus can You show me
Just how far the East is from the West
Cause I can't bear to see the man I've been
Come rising up in me again
In the arms of Your mercy I find rest
Cause you know just how far the East is from the West
From one scarred hand to the other

I know You've washed me white
Turned my darkness into light
I need Your peace to get me through
To get me through this night
I can't live by what I feel
But by the truth Your Word reveals
I'm not holding on to you
But You're holding on to me
You're holding on to me

Jesus, You know just how far
The East is from the West
I don't have to see the man I've been
Rising up in me again
In the arms of your mercy I find rest
(The arms of your mercy I find rest)
Cause You know just how far the East is from the West
From one scarred hand to the other (x2)

(Just how far, the East is from the West) (x3)

From one scarred hand to the other

On Cancer...

It's almost 2:30 in the morning, and I can't sleep. I think it's because I had three big diet cokes with supper and now the caffeine is keeping me buzzed. I'm so tired I can't even think straight!

I've been reading on my other blog about how people have been affected by cancer. It is so horrible. October is breast cancer awareness month, so I've gone pink on my main blog. I shared my story about my dad (you can read it on the link above) and invited people to share their own stories. One lady wrote that she is currently fighting the same cancer my dad had, and has been for three years. It looks like she is a believer from her blog profile. She has children and a husband. She says her prognosis isn't good.

What a horrible disease. It seems so random. How can one person get it and another not? Why does one person survive and another doesn't? The hopelessness of it can seem overwhelming.

Fortunately, there is a God who surpasses all hopelessness and randomness. He is in control and He has a plan. I am thankful that the above woman knows the Lord. Her life won't end when (if) she loses the fight with cancer. I am thankful that my dad came to know the Lord on the day he died so I know that I will see him again. (I'll share that story soon!)

Getting Out of the Food Pit!

Okay, it's been awhile since I posted here, so I'd better get something down! Actually, my devotional/prayer life has been going amazingly well. I made a commitment to get up early (VERY difficult for me!) so I can spend some time in prayer before the boys get up. I can't believe what a difference it makes to just commit the day to the Lord and give thanks for His care before I start the day. What a great God we serve!

I've been reading the Beth Moore book "Get Out of that Pit!" It's amazing! I have several pits that I've allowed myself to fall into (and some I've even climbed into on my own). One of them is the pit of overeating. I use food as entertainment, comfort, all sorts of things. Eating, of course, isn't sinful, but I had allowed food to become too much of an influence in my life. Besides being overweight, another consequence is that I think about food constantly - what am I going to eat next? when can I eat that yummy snack? what should I eat while I watch TV? It was all-consuming. I have tried every diet there is. Nothing works.

Beth has shown me that God is the only One who can get me out of the pit. And amazingly enough, He is pulling me out! I actually don't think about food all the time anymore. I don't feel like eating when I'm not hungry anymore (a miracle!). Beth uses the image of holding onto God's leg while He steps out of the pit. That's what I'm doing - I'm holding on for dear life! And He's climbing out with me!

This seems like a small thing, but it was all-consuming in my life. Food was taking God's place in my heart and mind, and now God is taking back His rightful place. I feel a lot freer now. It is amazing - and I can't wait to see how He pulls me out of the other pits I'm in!