music monday// wait for a miracle

This song has been a constant, steady friend of mine. It affirms my need to continue believing, to hold on even in the darkest hour of the night.

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wait for a miracle~ jason castro

Same story, same feelings just a different day

You’re going through it and it makes you wanna hide away

In the shadows, in the shadows

Listen to me I know life is gonna pull you down

It’s just a season, just believe it

Won’t you hear me out?

Don’t you let go, don’t you let go

Wait, I know you got a broken heart

Love will meet you where you are

Yeah, you’re never too far

From a miracle

Wait and call upon the only name

That’s strong enough to heal your pain

You’re never too late for a miracle

Hope is coming like a fire and it’s burning bright

Here you thought that you were stranded in your darkest night

Here comes a light now, here comes a light now

Yeah

It’s something beautiful

Something you can’t explain

Open your eyes

Cause it can move your soul

It could change your life

Wait, I know you got a broken heart

Love will meet you where you are

Yeah, you’re never too far

From a miracle

Wait, I know you got a broken heart

Love will meet you where you are

Yeah, you’re never too far

From a miracle

Wait and call upon the only name

That’s strong enough to heal your pain

You’re never too late for a miracle

I’m learning not to rely on my feelings especially when I don’t seem to understand certain things that happen in my life and around me. I’m learning to confess the scriptures over my life, all the while being desperate to focus on the Lord, not the situation. Remember peter began to sink when he took his eyes off the Lord to look at the waves.

God never forsakes His children. And no matter what, you are dearly loved loved. Let’s pray and wait things out.

“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Isaiah 40:29

“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

“I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs.” Isaiah 41:18

xoxo, gen 

music monday// we dance

This is one of the songs by bethel music that I really love. it's about God and us. it’s soothing to the soul. hope you like it.

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(by the way, don't you just love outdoor weddings? i sure dooo! :)

 we dance~ bethel music

You steady me

Slow and sweet we sway

Take the lead and I will follow

Finally ready now

To close my eyes and just believe

That You won’t lead me where You don’t go

When my faith gets tired and my hope seems lost

You spin me round and round and remind me of that song

The one You wrote for me

And we dance

And we dance

I’ve been told to pick my sword and fight for Love

Little did I know that Love had won for me

Here in Your arms, You still my heart again

And I breathe You in like I’ve never breathed till now

When my faith gets tired and my hope seems lost

You spin me round and round and remind me of that song

The one You wrote for me

And we dance, and we dance

And we dance, and we dance, just You and me

And I will lock eyes with the One who’s ransomed me

The One who gave me joy from mourning

And I will lock eyes with the One who’s chosen me

The One who set my feet to dancing

We dance, just You and me.
it's nice to know, i'm not alone
i've found my home here in Your arms

“… I will give them praise and honor in every land where they have suffered shame.” Zephaniah 3:19

“ ‘but you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of abraham my friend, I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, “you are my servant” I have chosen you and have not rejected you.’” Isaiah 41:8

“the Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you, in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17

There are some days when I just decide to twirl around not necessarily bcos my life is perfect but bcos of the truth that Jesus loves me. :) I decide to go against my unpleasant feelings and just dance quietly in the presence of my Redeemer. And I so bet He joins in and dances with me.

I keep deciding to choose and pursue joy no matter what. Try dancing sometimes despite the heaviness your soul feels. It might just help cheer you. :) 

xoxo, gen

music monday// don't be afraid

Fear is no fun. It has a way of crippling your hope and strangling your joy. So how do we kick its butt? By feeding on God’s love and walking in the power of Holy Spirit. Easy to say, not so easy to do, I know. But we can do it.

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don't be afraid~ tyrone wells

You feel the fear creeping under you

There’s a current come to swallow you

Because you know there’s nothing you can do

You’ve lost control and it’s up to you

Down on your knees, you’re praying please

A voice is saying

Don’t be afraid, it’s alright you’re not alone in the dark

You’ll get through the night

Don’t be afraid, I see you I know your name

And I know what you’ve been through

Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid

Fear’s a fire, the walls are caving in

You see the demons and the seraphim

The battle lines stretch from east to west

The war, it wages when all you want is rest

It’s all crashing down, still through the sound

A voice is saying

Don’t be afraid, it’s alright you’re not alone in the dark

You’ll get through the night

Don’t be afraid, I see you I know your name

And I know what you’ve been through

Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid

Perfect love casts out all the fear

It calls you closer, I hope that you can hear

“for God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind.” 2 timothy 1:7

“there is no fear in love. but perfect love drives out fear…” 1 john 4:18

“…I have chosen you and have not rejected you. so do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:9,10

“’don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘those who are with us are more than those who are with them. And Elisha prayed, ‘open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all round Elisha.” 2 kings 6:16-17

Praying helps a ton in dealing with fear. I specifically pray against it and the demon behind it. our Father says it’s not from Him, so clearly it’s from the enemy. I don’t know what might be causing you fear… maybe it’s someone who keeps talking down on you, belittling you, speaking toxic words at you..or tv (eg. pretty little liars)/music/books that open the door for fear… if it’s possible to physically move away from that thing or person, you should probably do so. Some distance and healthy space will be real good. If it’s illness, some trouble that seems unbearable, know that you are not alone. You are never alone. He is with you.

xoxo, gen.

music monday// broken hallelujah

We tend to have the need to hide away or pretend when we’re really not ok, right? I’ll be honest and admit that’s true with me sometimes. The Lord has however been teaching me it’s ok, really to bring my brokenness to Him, to tell Him every single thing that weighs my mind. The world will tell you it’s weakness to show you seem lost and scared. Don’t buy that. It’s the really strong people who can admit they’re momentarily weak. It’s tiring to pretend to the whole world that you’re ok when you actually aren’t.

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In His presence, we can be who we really are, unashamed. Because He loves us inspite of how messy we formerly were or presently are, or will be. There’s something about singing to Daddy that makes me come alive. No matter how broken I get, singing always soothes me. singing to Him in the place of darkness turns my soul into a place of hope and joy.

Two languages I heard when I was young

One said make-believe, the other said run

But I have no peace when I try to pretend

And running never got me anywhere in the end.

Something deep inside me was longing just to breathe

And neither voice I followed ever made me truly free

A heart divided cannot bear the weight

I’d almost given up and then I found this place

Where broken children gather and they sing their Father’s song

My heart was aching at the sound, I had to sing along

And find me on my knees, with nothing left to hide

I’ll be by the river, leaving all my shame behind

I’ll be singing loud, I’ll be singing clear

Broken hallelujahs for everyone to hear

Singing broken hallelujahs

You can find me here

Well history keeps trying to repeat

And the only way to stop its curse is

Learning how to speak

The language that is written in our hearts

Freedom comes when we find the place where mercy starts

So children gather ‘round me now and sing that holy song

Where those that do not have a home can finally belong

Blessed are the poor in hearts

Blessed are the weary ones

Blessed are the ones who weep

For they will see eternity

Blessed are the ones who hunger

Blessed are the ones who thirst

Blessed are the sick and needy

You’ll find us on our knees, with nothing left to hide

We’ll be in the river, leaving all our sins behind

seek safe people you trust in your life who you can truly bare your soul to, people you can sing broken hallelujahs with in the presence of our Redeemer. 

“I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.” Jeremiah 31:25

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He promises us that we we are blessed even in the pain we bear. a time is coming when we'll be in a place where pain and shame cannot reside.

xoxo, gen

music monday// rise up

There’ve been times I silently slip into self-pity and wallow in the wilderness of worry…especially concerning my present circumstances and how my future will play out. And I know time knows nothing. Time thinks the pressing, current circumstances will always be. But I’m glad I know the Author of time who is into restoration. He restores broken dreams and shattered lives. He never forgets the sincere desires of our hearts. He knows, He cares. and He's rooting for us to rise up each time we stumble.

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I know how it can be hard to rise up from some heartache. It’s okay to grieve that pain, that disappointment that totally made your heart sink to the bottom of your toes…it’s okay to cry over the loss, those dashed expectations. It’s okay to purge your soul of the tears. But please, do not stay in that place of grief and sorrow. There is a time to grieve, and a time to rise up and move on. Way easier said than done, yeah? I know. Try and give grief the time it needs. And. let. it. go. 

rise up~ matt maher

When you see the road ahead

That you’ve been down before

When you’re halfway to nowhere

And you can’t pay the toll

You’re hanging onto mercy withered on the vine

With your feet on the ground

Your head in the clouds

And your heart on the line

Open up your eyes

You’ve got to rise up, rise up

When this life has got you down

You’ve got to look up, look up

When you search and nothing’s found

My eyes have seen the glory

Of the love that’s here and now

It’s coming down, so rise up now

When you’re told that day is over

Long after the sun goes down

And your mind, it keeps on racing

At the dreams that don’t come round

When you don’t know how to surrender

Cause your whole life’s been a fight

When the dark holds you,

And you can’t break through

Cause you haven’t seen the light

Open up your eyes…

And all the lambs roar like lions

And all the prisoners breaking their chains

And all the poor find their treasure

Cause heaven is coming this way

“many are saying of me, ‘God will not deliver him.’ but You, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.” Psalm 3:2-3

“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 12:2-3

“For though the righteous falls seven times, they rise again…” proverbs 24:16

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We can rise up from every burden that has weighed us down. When we draw from His strength each day, we can overcome and stand on our feet again. Forget the slanderers, the critics, the gossips, the negative people that the enemy easily uses against you. you know your heart is right with the Lord, and that is enough. you don’t have to cower in the dark. Rise. up.

xoxo, gen.