music monday // still that girl

hey, hey, hey! I've been a lil MIA the past couple of weeks. my bad, folks.
so today, I'm gonna share a beautiful song of bravery by britt nicole! the song brings memories of the years when i was so wide eyed with so much hope that my plans were gonna play out. you know, when i thought there was no way God was going to deny me the scholarship i wanted with all my heart right after I completed uni. The world was before me and i couldn't wait to make a change.

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oh, but He had other plans. plans that i thought were too different from who i thought i was. plans that seemed way, way, way too good to be true to the point that they completely freaked me out.

but as the years have been passing by, I'm beginning to realize how perfectly faithful Father is. so not getting the scholarship for the program i wanted stung. buuuttt, He's so gooood. He's provided me with a scholarship to study what He wanted me to study for my masters all along! And me + God, we're still gonna make the change I always wanted. And it's gonna be waaaayyyyyy better than my dreams. some dreams must die for better things to be birthed.

so, yah, enjoy the song.

still that girl// britt nicole

Dreams, they come

Plans, they change. Yeah, we’re gonna break

Things we face make us who we are

Baby, you’re a star shining in the dark

Let’s go back to the summer,

The summer when we dreamed in love

Let’s go back again, let’s go back again

Yeah, back again, my friend to the summer when…

I’m holding a picture from 7 years back

I smile at the memory, it’s smiling right back at me, and I see

Brown hair and bright eyes, such a beautiful blue,

A heart full of laughter with nothing to lose

That’s how I remember you

You were young, you were free

And you dared to believe you could be the girl

Who could change the world

Then your life took a turn

And you fell and it hurt

But you’re still that girl

And you’re gonna change this world

Woa oo oo o o o, you’re still that girl

Sometimes life don’t go the way you planned

And we all have days when we just don’t understand

Searching for meaning, it’s not always easy

But your story’s not over, it’s still being told

Your sunrise is coming, brighter than gold

Lets go back again to the summer when

What if the picture is bigger than you see

And God has you right where He wants you to be

Just listen to your heart

He’s telling you with every beat

You’re still that girl

You were young, you were free

And you dared to believe you could be the girl

Who could change the world

Then your life took a turn

And you fell and it hurt

But you’re still that girl

And you’re gonna change this world

Woa oo oo o o o, you’re still that girl

I see it in your eyes, I see it in your smile

                                                                You’re still that girl

"In their hearts man plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps."// proverbs 16:9


Remember that no matter how twisted your plans get, God has better plans for your precious life. It's gonna take some time, but things will pan out so well and fine if you truly trust in Him and never give up. no matter where your story has gotten to, you're still that girl and you're gonna change this world one person at a time. :)

and it doesn't even matter that i've blogged about this song before. ;)

xoxo, gen delali

music monday// the sun is rising

Each person walking the face of this earth has some kind of battle they’re fighting. Some are good at pretending the battle doesn’t exist, some truly know how to count it all joy, and some wear the pain of it all. I’m a mixture of these some days. I’m learning how to really, really count it all joy. even when it seems my mind is exploding and falling apart, I have to choose to believe the sun is rising for me, that some clear joy is coming on some slowest train.

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 the sun is rising~ britt nicole

When life has cut too deep and left you hurting

The future you had hoped for is now burning

And the dreams you held so tight lost their meaning

And you don’t know if you’ll ever find the healing

You’re gonna make it, you’re gonna make it

The night can only last for so long

Whatever you’re facing

If your heart is breaking

There’s a promise for the ones who just hold on

Lift up your eyes and see

The sun is rising

Every high and every low you’re gonna go through

You don’t have to be afraid I am with you

In the moments you’re so weak you feel stopping

Let the hope you have light the road you’re walking

Even when you can’t imagine how

How you’re ever gonna find your way out

Even when you’re drowning in your doubt

Just look beyond the clouds

“The sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves.” Malachai 4:2

“and the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” 1 peter 5:10

“weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5

“but the Lord said to him, ‘peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.’” Judges 6:23

“he will call on Me, and I will answer him, I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.” psalm 91:15

I don’t know what battle you may be facing. But know that you are never alone. It may seem that clear joy and redemption are eluding you. But the Lord is not slow on His promises. He will deliver. His timing may not be our desired timing. Hold on. Do not give up. I know sometimes you just want to give up...i get to that point too. But let’s keep drawing strength from our Father through prayer. His grace-unmerited favor is sufficient for us.

xoxo, gen.

music monday// still that girl

Boy, don’t we all have dreams and goals and plans, when we’re in school, especially in college. It’s like the possibilities are endless, and you just can’t wait to take on the world after graduation. But you wake up into the future you held so close and realize it’s not all that blissful like you planned after all. 

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The cold water of reality splashes on your face and you say to yourself, ‘wait a minute. Is this life?!’ it’s like school was this safe shelter you had and all of a sudden you actually have to go out there and make a life. Whew! And it doesn’t help either when the opportunities in the field you’re passionate about are close to none for the now, and it scares you that you’ll end up in a dead-end job or miss out on graduate school entirely.

I’m going through this kind of reality. Plans and dreams aren’t panning out like I hoped and prayed countless of times for. But God knows what He’s up to, right? Yurp. I watched a film titled ‘this is our time’, and there’s this guy named ethan. his story is so close to mine, it comforts and encourages me in a way. You should check it out, it’s a great faith based film.

I bet you have some dreams that seem so distant at this point in your life. I know it hurts. I know you get scared sometimes. I know because I’m right there in it too. But there’s hope knowing that God is able to restore our broken dreams, and perhaps we are where God intended us to be. The lyrics of this song speak so much to me.

still that girl~ britt nicole

Dreams, they come

Plans, they change. Yeah, we’re gonna break

Things we face make us who we are

Baby, you’re a star shining in the dark

Let’s go back to the summer,

The summer when we dreamed in love

Let’s go back again, let’s go back again

Yeah, back again, my friend to the summer when…

I’m holding a picture from 7 years back

I smile at the memory, it’s smiling right back at me, and I see

Brown hair and bright eyes, such a beautiful blue,

A heart full of laughter with nothing to lose

That’s how I remember you

You were young, you were free

And you dared to believe you could be the girl

Who could change the world

Then your life took a turn

And you fell and it hurt

But you’re still that girl

And you’re gonna change this world

Woa oo oo o o o, you’re still that girl

Sometimes life don’t go the way you planned

And we all have days when we just don’t understand

Searching for meaning, it’s not always easy

But your story’s not over, it’s still being told

Your sunrise is coming, brighter than gold

Lets go back again to the summer when

What if the picture is bigger than you see

And God has you right where He wants you to be

Just listen to your heart

He’s telling you with every beat

You’re still that girl

You were young, you were free

And you dared to believe you could be the girl

Who could change the world

Then your life took a turn

And you fell and it hurt

But you’re still that girl

And you’re gonna change this world

Woa oo oo o o o, you’re still that girl

I see it in your eyes, I see it in your smile

You’re still that girl

“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

“to humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.” Proverbs 16:1

“in their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” Proverbs 16:9

Your heart may be broken over how things unexpectedly have taken a turn, but remember that just because you’re lost doesn’t mean you’re alone. You’re never alone. Nothing is wasted. Take heart, friend! You’ll look back someday and see that God intentionally redirected you in order to walk in the purpose He planned all along for you.

xoxo, gen delali

music monday// all this time

It’s interesting how we come to seek and find God when things fall apart, right? When things are rainbows and flowers and sunshine we get comfortable and likely to be lax in our pursuit of the Lord. Well, for me, I came to find Him when my life was unraveling at the seams. Like britt nicole, I’ve gone through and still going through some family dysfunctional situations and the Lord has been my strength through it all.

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What’s a girl to do when the already-imperfect-and-chaotic nest is knocked out from beneath her? Get serious and seek her Creator right? But of course, gen didn't immediately do that. I tried to fill the voids with wrong relationships till my heart screamed “enough!” and Holy Spirit guided my steps to pursue my only Comforter and true Love.

I don’t know about your situation. But whether it’s family issues, emotional effects of divorce of your parents or going through a divorce yourself, pain from a broken courtship/relationship, betrayal of a trusted friend, suffering wounds from an accident…whatever your condition may be, the healer of that pain is Jesus Christ! There's no shame in admitting your struggles. Lay them at His feet, He’s willing to comfort you, I promise.

 all this time~ britt nicole

I remember the moment, I remember the pain

I was only a girl but I grew up that day

Tears were falling, I know You saw me

Hiding in my bedroom, so alone

I was doing my best trying to be strong

No one to turn to. That’s when I met You

All this time from the first tear cry

Till today’s sunrise and every single moment between

You were there, You were always there

It was You and I,

You’ve been walking with me all this time

Ever since that day, it’s been clear to me

That no matter what comes You will never leave

I know You’re for me and You’re restoring

Every heartache and failure, every broken dream

You’re the God who sees, the God who rescued me

This is my story, this is my story

I hear these people asking me

How do I know what I believe?

Well, I’m not the same me

And that’s all the proof I need.

I felt love, I felt Your grace.

You stole my heart that day.

“have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

“the Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me…” Psalm 28:7

“in You, Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness.” Psalm 31:1

“…fulfil your vows to the Most High, and call on Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honour Me.” Psalm 50:14-15

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-4

“though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.” Psalm 27:10

“the righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all.” Psalm 34:19

“the name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” Proverbs 18:10

“ “but I will restore you to health and heal your wounds” declares the Lord…” Jeremiah 30:17

No pain or trauma is greater than the healing and restoration power of our Lord. He is your only true love. Cling to Him, seek Him and allow His Word wash over you like a soothing, gentle wave. He’ll put the right people in your life who’ll encourage you and support you through what you’re going through. Take heart!

xoxo, 

gen delali.

music monday// the lost get found

I've been called as a Christ follower to reach out to the destitute around me, and most importantly to share the Good News of Christ with them. I know this very well, and yet it’s sometimes real hard to look beyond the personal issues I may be going through. I can get so consumed with problems I face that reaching out seems quite an arduous task.

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Sometimes I would like to have my life perfect before bothering to reach out, but Holy Spirit convicts me and gently reminds me that rain or shine, troubles free or not, my duty as a child of God redeemed by Christ is to be the light, reflecting Christ’s light for someone, somewhere. It can’t be all about me all the time.

the lost get found~ britt nicole

Hello my friend, I remember when you were so alive

With your eyes to the light

that you had when your heart was stolen.

Now you say that it ain’t worth stayin’

You wanna run but you’re hesitatin’

I’m talking to me.

Don’t let your lights go down

Don’t let your fire burn out

Cause somewhere, somebody needs a reason to believe.

Why don’t you rise up now?

Don’t be afraid to stand-ou-ou-out

That’s how the lost get fou-ou-ound

The lost get fou-ou-ound.

So when you get the chance,

Are you gonna take it?

There’s a really big world at your fingertips

And you know you have the chance to change it.

There’s a girl on the streets, she’s crying

There’s a man whose faith is dying.

Love is calling you-oo-oo

Why do we go with the flow?

Why take the easier road?

Why are we playing it safe?

Love came to show us the way

Love is a chance we should take

I’m moving out of the gray

“then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ and I said, ‘here am i. send me!’ Isaiah 6:8

“…woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward…” 1 corinthians 9:16-17

“you are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

“therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

“speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Proverbs 31:8-9

“do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

“therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 corinthians 15:58

matthew 24:12-13  says, “because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

Has your love to reach out to the world around you grown cold? You may be the only hope for someone to get the chance to know/hear the Gospel and be saved. As you reach out to others, watch God reach out to you in your personal circumstances. Keep your light burning.

xoxo, gen delali.

This battle will be won

This song by Britt Nicole won't stop running around in my head. And that's a good thing, a constant reminder that God will grace me...you...with the strength to STAND in the midst of our battles.

I wake up to another day
I don't know if I can face
All the fears (that are) staring me down
Yeah, I'm trying to be brave
But I'm a thread, about to fray
I wanna stand but I don't know how
I look up and all I see is Your love holding me

When I feel like giving up
When my heart is hurt too much
Feels like I've reached the end
No, I won't turn and run
This battle will be won
When I've done all I can
I'll stand stand stand
I'll stand stand stand

Some days I lose my place
It's a fight to keep my faith
But You are with me, I am not alone, no
But all around my world gives way
Toss like an ocean wave
You are my rock when the storm clouds blow
I look up and all I see is Your love holding me

When I feel like giving up
When my heart is hurt too much
Feels like I've reached the end
No, I won't turn and run
This battle will be won
When I've done all I can
I'll stand stand stand
I'll stand stand stand

On Your promise, I will stand
All other ground is sinking sand
On Your promise, I will stand
All other ground is sinking sand
Sinking sand oh woo woooh
It's sinking sinking, yea yeah

When I feel like giving up
When my heart is hurt too much
Feels like I've reached the end
No, I won't turn and run
This battle will be won, yea yeah
So I'll stand stand stand
I'll stand stand
I'll stand stand stand.

Be encouraged. xoxo

Delali.