music monday// freefall

if you haven't caught the wind of my not-so-subtle hints, i'm in an in-between season. a transitional period. see, i had plans that were mine. not necessarily what God had planned for me. and what did He do? He came like the hurricane and tore my plans apart. my 'safe', 'comfortable, white-picket-fence-with-a-little-risk-only-during-summer plans. it hurt. i was angry. 

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He has made clear what His blueprint for me for this season and the one ahead is supposed to be. i was overwhelmed by it, still kinda overwhelmed if i should be honest. i love the Lord and all, but i never imagined for me what He's telling me. it's a scary, unknown for me. and i had a choice to force and patch up my plans together or trust and obey His perfect plan for me. as hard as it was and still is, i chose His. i'm still choosing His. cos i know His plans are far better than my wildest dreams. 

not gonna lie, the waiting is hard and sometimes restless, but despite it, or should i say because of it, i have such joy and peace(the kind He offers in philippians 4:6) that i couldn't have imagined to ever have in the situation. i am fighting for my joy like never before and basking in the love of my Father, soaking in all the precious time i get to spend with Him in this special time. i refuse to let my waiting be one wrapped in passiveness. i choose to serve Him and others and worship as i wait. 

and so, here i am, finding myself in a 'be still' season. initially, i didn't know i was supposed to have a waiting season. i thought well, since you've blown my plans apart, Lord, though i don't understand, fine. let's do this, let's start what You have for me to do. and all i get is crickets...i don't know how long this season will draw out, i don't know when He'll have me start doing what He's told me i'll be doing. but i will wait. and trust. i know, i sound kinda vague right now. but in time, i'll fill ya'll in with the juicy details. pinky promise. ;) long story cut short, He has me in a free fall, and i don't know how and when i'm landing. and that's ok.

freefall~ royal tailor

two steps beyond the edge, i can't undo this leap of faith, takes my breath away.

so high above the ground, You've got me hanging in mid air, between here and there

now all i have is You.

i'm not afraid, i know i'm safe. it's a chance but my choice is made.

i'm not alone, You won't let go. and i know through it all, You hold me in the free fall.

if i just believe my eyes, i'd see i should be terrified, but i'm so alive.

i don't know how or when, but i believe that You'll come through.

Lord, i'm trusting You. can't wait to see what You will do.

i'm falling, i'm falling, i'm falling.

You got me falling from the sky with no parachute, thinking i can fly.

but i know it's You who got me up here, no fear, no tears

mind's clear, cause i know You're here. i know You're here.

can't wait to see what You will do.

"but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. they will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." isaiah 40:31

"but as for me, i watch in hope for the Lord, i wait for God my Savior, my God will hear me." micah 7:7

"the One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it." 1 thessalonians 5:24

"trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path." proverbs 3:5-6

"and without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." hebrews 11:6

"...yet he[abraham] did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He promised." romans 4:20

"...and we boast in the hope of the glory of God. not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." romans 5:2-5

"for in this hope we were saved. but hope that is seen is no hope at all. who hopes for what they already have? but if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." romans 8:24-25

so, yeah. am i glad God knocked over my seemingly well-placed cards? absolutely! at first it sucked. like, ugh God, what are you doing?! you're messing my plans! but what a privilege to go on an adventure with the Lord, to get to see the story He originally intended roll out in chapters, beautifully unfold! i know the highest form of holiness is the release of my will to submit to God's will. the legends in the Bible had a waiting season before the ripening of their purpose, and this is mine. i know i've chosen right. so though a lil bit of anxiety plays out in this chapter, that's ok, cos i'm riding on the wings of faith, and i know Love will have the final word. 

sorrow may close the chapter, but the story will end with laughter~ jason gray

has God had you in a free fall season before? how did it go?

xoxo, gen delali.

music monday// He is with you

life. such a little word-a four letter word yet it holds so much. it's up and down, joy and grief, peace and anxiety, a smooth, calm sea and a turbulent, high tide ocean. it ebbs and flows. in the midst of all of these, my anchor, my sure rock, has, is and will continue to be Jesus. the Word in flesh. 

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as i sail through this uncertain sea of life, i hold His promises close to my heart, and i cling to Him for dear Life- the life filled with deep joy even in the most disturbing situation, and the life that awaits me for eternity! He is the anchor of my soul. He is with me and He assures me of it.

 i love this song cos of how it captures snapshots of different kinds of people and what they may be facing.

He is with you~ mandisa

there's a time to live and a time to die,

there's a time to laugh and a time to cry

there's a time for war and a time for peace, 

there's a Hand to hold in the worst of these,

in the worst of these.

He is with you when your faith is dead and you can't even get out of bed

or your husband doesn't kiss you anymore.

He is with you when your baby's gone and your house is still,

and your heart's a stone crying "God, what'd You do that for?"

He is with you.

there's a time for yes and a time for no,

there's a time to be angry and a time to let it go.

there's a time to run and a time to face it.

there is Love to see you through all of this,

through all of this.

He is with you in the conference room when the world is coming down on you

and your wife and kids don't know you anymore.

and He is with you in the ICU when the doctors don't know what to do

and it scares you to the core. He is with you.

we may weep for a time, but joy will come in the morning, the morning light.

He is with you when your kids are grown,

when there's too much space and you feel alone

and you're worried if you've got it right or wrong.

yes, He is with you when you've given up on ever finding your true love,

someone who feels like home. He is with you.

when nothing else is left and you take your final breath, He is with you.

He is with you.

"there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens." ecclesiastes 3:1

"...and surely, I [Jesus] am with you always, to the very end of the age." matthew 28:20

"we have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure..." hebrews 6:19

"the righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them, He delivers them from all their troubles. the Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." psalm 34:17-18

"You are my hiding-place, you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance." psalm 32:7

"be strong and courageous. do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you, He will never leave you nor forsake you." deuteronomy 31:6

"keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.' so we say with confidence, 'the Lord is my helper, i will not be afraid. what can mere mortals do to me?' " hebrews 13:5-6

"but the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." john 14:26

"...weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning." psalm 30:5

whatever you and i may be facing, He is with you, He is with me. He is with us. it's a truth we need to believe especially on the hard days. He promised never to leave or forsake us. He left His Holy Spirit to be with us, remember? all things are working for our good. He is with you, friend. :)

xoxo gen delali.

p.s. apologies for not joining link ups or visiting blogs and leaving sweet msgs lately. my internet connection has been a lil bit of a struggle. connection problems. :/

music monday// let mercy hold you

so, you may be wandering through a season where you've been waiting on the promises God has spoken to your heart. and honestly, it's been a while and you want them to manifest already! and it seems the more you wait, the more it looks like it's taking forever for those precious promises to bloom in your life. i would know, cause He has me waiting for some beautiful things. and sometimes i wish i could wish myself away to where He's promised and be doing what He's told me i'll be doing, and be with the people He said i will be with. but winter must come before spring births a new beginning.

oh, and i know the journey also counts. there's so much lessons He's teaching me along the journey. and they can be such tough lessons. but i know i'm being strengthened and prepared for the next phase which promises to be so beautiful. so for now, i'm gonna take it a day at a time, sing my heart out, turn the weariness into wonderful written art, and keep on praying. i'm being taught patience and trust. 

this song has been a source of comfort for me countless times.

let mercy hold you~ jason crabb

when the road is winding through the darkness 

and the load is heavy as your heart is now, 

and you're full of doubt.

when your prayers are crashing into silence

and you're scared that everything you're crying out is gonna hit the ground.

every night is holding back a sunrise

every storm is shadowing a blue sky.

i know it's hard when there's nothing that you can do

just let mercy hold you.

it's in the midst of knowing that you're helpless

when you're left waiting on the promise

and you don't understand.

so let the valley teach you how to sing

and still believe grace is everything you need.

it's only here, you'll see.

that every night is holding back a sunrise

every storm is shadowing a blue sky.

i know it's hard when there's nothing that you can do

there's a cross reaching to the furthest place

there's a love nothing in the world can change.

in it all, one thing will carry you through

so let mercy hold you.

joy is coming in the morning, you just gotta wait for the dawn to break

joy is coming in the morning, don't lose hope.

"...weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning." psalm 30:5

"the Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer, my God is my rock, in whom i take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." psalm 18:2

"the Lord is my strength and my shield, my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. my heart leaps for joy, and with my song i praise Him." psalm 28:7

"but let all who take refuge in you be glad, let them ever sing for joy. spread your protection over them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You." psalm 5:11

"...do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." nehemiah 8:10

with each waking morning and drifting eve, i know i'm climbing out of the valley to the mountain top. no matter how slow the pace, i will keep on moving in Christ. every day that passes by moves me a little closer to sweet bliss. if you're in a valley waiting on the Lord, be courageous. do not lose hope.

xoxo, gen delali

music monday// well done

i know very well that my life on earth here is a journey, a pilgrimage, a non-competitive race, yet an important marathon still. and there's a prize- eternal, unending number of days in the beautiful presence and light of God in heaven. and sometimes the troubles of this life and its fruitless worldly pursuits try to obliterate, blot out my hope and the precious knowledge of this prize. the cares of this world try to derail me of my purpose as a pilgrim, traveler in this world to show forth the praises of Jesus who called me out of darkness into His marvelous light, to love God and people, to share the Good News of the salvation of Jesus with others through the unique and specific abilities and giftings the Lord has placed in me. 

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and when encouragement to finish this journey well floats to me like a song, and weaves into my heart like a story, i smile and get a new surge of determination to keep moving forward towards my Home. my real, forever home- Heaven. that's what this song brings me- encouragement towards the upward call. and i hope you find it too.

i'm gonna share some words that stuck out to me in the story that goes with the song...(find the video of the story here.)

...and she said, "when i stopped and looked up, all i could see was the fog. but if i could have just seen the land, i think i could have made it. 

to me[moriah], that is a beautiful picture of heaven. so many things that we go through here on earth-all the struggles, all the distractions- it's like a thick fog that's between where we are here and where we're going to be. my prayer and what i'm hoping to do through studying scripture, praying, and seeking the Lord is to cause that fog to slowly lift so i can begin to get a tiny glimpse of what heaven's going to be like. i hope that this song, well done encourages you to put your hope in heaven and to continue to run this race to hear those beautiful words being spoken from afar that, "well done, My good and faithful servant."

well done~ moriah peters

i'm headed down this narrow road, chosen by a few

and all that i know is You told me to follow You.

i'm taking a risk and leaving it all, not knowing what i'll go through

but i'm not alone as long as i follow You.

so when my life's a leap of faith, i can hear You say, well done, well done.

i'm gonna chase You, Lord. i'm gonna show the world Your love, whoa.

i'll run, i'll run. i'm gonna run this race to hear You say well done.

if people walk with me, talk with me, looking for truth

they're gonna find out soon.

if they're following me, then they're gonna follow You.

so let my life speak loud and clear. Lord, i wanna hear, well done, well done.

i'm gonna chase You, Lord. i'm gonna show the world Your love, whoa.

i'll run, i'll run. i'm gonna run this race to hear You say well done.

i'm so glad that i get to serve You, Lord.

You're the only one i'm living for, whoa.

and i'm gonna run straight into Your open arms

i'm gonna follow You with my whole heart, whoa, whoa.

well done, well done.

i'm gonna chase You, Lord. i'm gonna show the world Your love, whoa.

i'll run, i'll run. i'm gonna run this race to hear You say well done.

i'm gonna run this race to hear You say well done.

i'm gonna run this race to hear You say well done.

well done.

"do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." matthew 6:19-21

"enter through the narrow gate. for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. but small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." matthew 7:13-14

" 'His master replied, 'well done, good and faithful servant! you have been faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things. come and share your master's happiness!' " matthew 25:21

"but whatever were gains to me i now consider loss for the sake of Christ. what is more, i consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake i have lost all things. i consider them garbage, that i may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ...but one thing i do: forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, i press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus." philippians 3:7-9;13-14

"do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? run in such a way as to get the prize. everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. they do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last for ever. therefore, i do not run like someone running aimlessly, i do not fight like a boxer beating the air. no, i strike a blow to my body[a daily dying to self-saying no carnal pleasures/sin] and make it my slave[subjecting thoughts and actions to the obedience of Christ] so that after i have preached to others, i myself will not be disqualified for the prize." 1 corinthians 9:24-27

"therefore, since we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. for the joy that was set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." hebrews 12:1-3

i pray that you, yes you, reading this will not lose sight of heaven as you walk with the Lord to accomplish your purpose on this earth. i pray you don't lose hope when life gets messy and hard. i pray you get to fully know the specific talents, abilities and spiritual gifts God has given you, and i pray you choose to use them to honor only Him by using them in a specific, unique way to share the Gospel, the Good News of Christ to a dying world. i pray you finish this journey on earth really well and relish in your heavenly reward of eternal life + you get to hang out with the hero of your story-Jesus! the super loving, caring man to ever walk the face of this earth! ahhh, the best life ever! :)

xoxo, gen delali.