music monday// beloved

 hi! :)

dropping in to remind you that you are loved!

i hope you soak the truth of this song into your lovely soul

 

 via

Head full of questions, how can you measure up?
To deserve affection, to ever be enough
For this existence
When did it get so hard?
Your heart is beating, alive and breathing
And there's a reason why
You are essential, not accidental
And you should realize

You are beloved
I wanted you to know
You are beloved
Let it soak into your soul
Oh, forget the lies you heard
Rise above the hurt
And listen to these words
You are beloved
I want you to know
You are beloved
You-ou-ou, you-ou-ou, you, you are beloved

Sometimes a heart can feel like a heavy weight
It pulls you under and you just fall away
Is anybody gonna hear you call? (Oh oh)
But there's a purpose
Under the surface
And you don't have to drown
Let me remind you
That love will find you
Let it lift you out

 Don't be afraid
Don't let hope fade
Keep your eyes fixed on the light above
In the heartbreak, in your mistakes
Nothing can separate you from love

Don't be afraid
Don't let hope fade
Keep you eyes fixed on the light above
In the heartbreak, in your mistakes
Nothing can separate you from love

 Don't be afraid
Don't let hope fade
Keep your eyes fixed on the light above (you are beloved)
In the heartbreak, in your mistakes
Nothing can separate you from love
You are beloved

 But now, this is what the Lord says—
    he who created you, Jacob,
    he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine. 

 When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze. 

 For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
    Cush and Seba in your stead. 

 Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
    and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
    nations in exchange for your life. 

 Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
    I will bring your children from the east
    and gather you from the west. 

 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
    and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar
    and my daughters from the ends of the earth— 

 everyone who is called by my name,
    whom I created for my glory,
    whom I formed and made.” //isaiah 43

no matter what negative words someone has spoken that has slayed your heart and 

no matter who has made you feel rejected and unwanted, the truth is you are so loved, beloved. 

focus on the love of Jesus and find your worth and identity in His precious word.

you're going to be so OK, buddy. :)

xoxo, delali.

music monday// you are loved

hi lovelies!
dropping in to remind you that you are absolutely loved despite your flaws and what you think is imperfection about you. :)

via

you are loved ~ stars go dim

We hide pain in the weirdest places

Broken souls with smiling faces

Fighting for surrender

For now and the after, yeah

Just look around and you'll see that people

Are scared to say how they really feel

Oh, we all need a little honesty

You are loved

If your heart's in a thousand pieces

If you're lost and you're far from reason

Just look up; know you are loved

Just look up; and know you are loved

When it feels like something's missing

If it hurts but you can't find healing

Just look up, know you are loved

Just look up, know you are loved

We're not made to be superheroes

Photoshopped, all size zeroes

A light not expected

But not quite perfected yet

Look up; see the sun is shining

There's hope on a new horizon

Calling you, it's calling

You, don't have to prove yourself, don't try to be someone else

You don't have to prove yourself

Don't try to be someone else

You are loved

Just look up; you are loved

Just look up; you are loved

Just look up; you are loved, just look up

"So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:

They kill us in cold blood because they hate you.
We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.

None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us."// romans 8:31-38

 xoxo, delali

music monday// every mile mattered

heyyyaaa! 

i hope you've been doing great! 

today i'm sharing one of nicole nordeman's songs that is so poignant and has totally captured my heart 

these days.

enjoy! 

via

every mile mattered~ nicole nordeman

Spread the map on the table, with the coffee stain

Put your finger on the places, show me where you've been

Is that California, where your teardrops dried?

You drew a circle around Georgia, can you tell me why?

I see shoulda beens, coulda beens

Written all over your face (your face, your face)

Wrong turns and bridges burned

Things you wanna change

It's history

You can't rewrite it

You're not meant to be trapped inside it

Every tear brought you here

Every sorrow gathered

Yeah, it's history

And every mile mattered

Get the box off the top shelf, with the black and white

Snapshots of your old self, in a better light

Ghosts and regrets back again, I can see it in your eyes

Send them home, let 'em go

Don't you think it’s time? Yeah

It's history

You can't rewrite it

You're not meant to be trapped inside it

Every tear brought you here

Every sorrow gathered

It's history

And every mile

And every road and every bend

Every bruise and bitter end

All you squandered, all you spent

It mattered, it mattered

Mercy always finds a way

To wrap your blisters up in grace

And every highway you'd erase

It mattered, it mattered

But it's history

It don't define you

You're free to leave

It all behind you

Every tear brought you here

Every sorrow gathered

It's history

And every mile mattered

Every mile mattered

"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." ~ phillipians 4:13

"You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in Your bottle. You have recorded each one in Your book." // psalm 56:8

"Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."// hebrews 4:16

no matter where you have been, no matter what happened, no matter what happened to you, no matter what you wish you did or didn't do, no matter what you wish you said or didnt get to say or chose not to say, every mile you have covered in this life of yours mattered...the good, bad, difficult, horrible, confusing, exhilarating, joyful moments all mesh together in a way that has led you to be where you are now.

every

single

mile

you

have

travelled

mattered

and you my darling, you absolutly matter regadless of how yucky you feel sometimes. :)

here's to a lovely week!

xoxo,

Delali.

music monday// Christ in me

hi there! i hope you had a restful weekend. :) 
mine was productive and good! i spent a bit of it crafting new pieces of hand lettering art. you can check out my new crafts shop (Delali Creates Shop) here!

sooo today I'm sharing this song by jeremy camp that just wouldn't leave my head. 

i keep humming it unconsciously in between the buzz of these past days. 
the words carry so much weight and i'm hoping it means something to you as much as it does to me. :)

via 

Christ in me ~Jeremy Camp

In this obsession with the things this world says make us happy
Can't see the slaves we are in all the searching all the grasping
Like we deserve much more than all these blessing we're holding
So now I'm running free into an ocean of mercy unending

So come and empty me
So that it's you I breathe
I want my life to be
Only Christ in me
So I will fix my eyes
'Cause You're my source of life
I need the world to see
That it's Christ in me
That it's Christ in me

Done with what holds me down the things I once was chasing after
Throw off these heavy chains that I have let become my master
So now I'm running free into an ocean of mercy unending

So come and empty me
So that it's you I breathe
I want my life to be
Only Christ in me
So I will fix my eyes
'Cause you're my source of life
I need the world to see
That it's Christ in me
That it's Christ in me

In this obsession with the things this world says make us happy
Can't see the slaves we are in all the searching all the grasping

So come and empty me
So that it's you I breathe
I want my life to be
Only Christ in me
So I will fix my eyes
'Cause you're my source of life
I need the world to see
Only Christ in me
Only Christ in me
Only Christ in me
Christ in me 

 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."// galatians 2:20

I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me."// John 17:23

"If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness."// romans 8:10

"The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us."// 1 John 3:24

  This planet called earth is a world full of decay and sin and death and the only Source of life here is the Word of Father God as His Holy Spirit moves and brings the Word alive in the lives of those who seek salvation in Jesus Christ by believing in Him. 

If you're a Christian i'd like to encourage you not to give up or compromise on your faith in Jesus no matter what.
If you're caught in a cyclone of doubts and unbelief and wondering if this Jesus you keep hearing about is real, well let me just say He is soooooo real, closer than your breath and He is waiting, yearning for the time when you would eventually put your faith and trust in Him.
it is worth it. i promise!

dear you, please do not allow yourself to be polluted by this obsession driven world. more money wouldn't satisfy the void inside, more stuff wouldn't bring fulfillment, more relationships with guys and ladies wouldn't do it either. we're all broken cisterns and only Jesus truly satisfies the thirst of the human soul. only He can fill the void in the human heart.
Christ in you and i is the hope of glory! :)

xoxo,

 Delali

thursday tunes//I am no victim

hey, hey, hey, lovely humans! :)

although its only been a couple of months i've been away from this space it feels like forever since i spilled some of the sunshiny, colorful words Father has given to my care for you here.

it's not a monday nor a tuesday but who says i can't share a song on a thursday? hihihihi

 so this evening, i came across this song and in a few seconds it got me hooked.

it spoke to me so much that i just had to share. :)

 enjoy!

I am no victim~bethel music

I am no victim

I live with a vision

I'm covered by the force of love

Covered in my Savior's blood

I am no orphan

I'm not a poor man

The Kingdom's now become my own

And with the King I've found a home

He's not just reviving, not simply restoring

greater things have yet to come

greater things have yet to come

He is my Father

I do not wonder

If His plans for me are good

If He'll come through like He should

'Çause He is provision and enough wisdom

To usher in my brightest days

To turn my mourning into praise

He's not just reviving, not simply restoring

greater things have yet to come

greater things have yet to come

I am who He says I am

He is who He says He is

I'm defined by all His promises

Shaped by every word He says

I am no victim

I live with a vision

I'm covered by the force of love

Covered in my Savior's blood

I am no orphan

I'm not a poor man

The Kingdom's now become my own

And with the King I have a home

it took a while for me to come to this powerful understanding. I AM NOT A VICTIM!

no matter what I've had to painfully endure because of other people's terrible mistakes and poor life choices, no matter how their choking words have pierced my heart, i refuse to see myself as a victim and live with a victim mentality.

why? because I believe I have my loving Father in heaven and He cares about me, He adores me, He wants me, He loves me even when people I thought were best in displaying His love for me treat me with such absurdity, cruelty and shove me aside with their unbelievably cold and hurtful words and silently loud actions.

i've had to endure some things these past months that have left me wondering and questioning and just trying to really understand how some folks who say they are Christian leaders could say and do certain things that arr so way out of line as the leaders they say they are.

and after much introspection and lots of time spent with the Lord i've finally reached that understanding that ever human walking the surface of the earth is a broken cistern. no matter how 'good' of a person they are or pose to be and no human or thing could ever fill the void in the human heart. only God through Jesus Christ His Son and the power of His Holy Spirit can do that if we believe.

 i've come to the point where i've stopped looking forward to any human loving me perfectly as my Father in heaven does. His approval of me is enough for me and His love is all i've ever needed. and sometimes He uses humans who allow themselves to be the physical extension of His love to show me His care and love like one loving and thoughtful uncle I have in australia but not even he could ever love me perfectly as my Father in heaven.

i won't deny the yearning of  enjoying being part of a loving and peaceful home. but till then, i'm thankful for the beautiful glimpses Father God gives me of His amazing promises to me on earth and in Heaven. i am grateful for the short and sweet experiences He gives me as i taste what it is like to be loved by a set of humans i can call family who make me feel like i belong. as brief as those moments are, i cherish them.

i am grateful.

 i understand my Father God better now.

i understand myself better now, 

and i understand other humans better now and why they can be so unstable and cold, and hurtful and mean and insecure and envious and how it drives them to do the unthinkable.

i understand why i love anne of green gables and akeelah and the bee so much too. :D

my Father in Heaven has promised me that He has not left me as an orphan. He is right here with me through His Holy Spirit.

as i yield myself to Him, and obey Him and deeply depend on Him, i'm good to go!

it's true, we're all searching and looking to be loved.

i've stopped my search, thank God!!!

i am now the one allowing myself to be the vessel to pour my Father's love and hope into little hearts that are hungry for love and affection. hearts that are desperate to be seen, known, loved.

so no. i am not a victim!

i am a victor through my Jesus Christ!

i am more than a conqueror through Him who loves me.

i refuse to be the hurt who keeps hurting others.

i put an end to that demonic cycle.

i am not a victim.

 i am LOVED!

I don't know what you have endured in your journey till now, i don't know what you are currently enduring but what i do know is if you believe in Jesus, you are no longer an orphan left in this cold, difficult world. You are His child now, so stop striving to be loved. stop looking for love in all the wrong places. stop thinking God created you to suffer on your on in this life.

He sees you, He knows you! He wants you to stop striving. 

He wants you to accept His love (Jesus) and all that comes with Him as a gift to you.

just believe.

It's really worth it.

i have tasted and seen that He is good! :)

Psalm 68:5 says, “Father of the fatherless and protector of widows, is God in his holy habitation.”

Deuteronomy 10:18 says, “He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice. He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing.”

Psalm 10:14 says, “But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted. You consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.”

"I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you." ~ Jesus // John 14:18

"Let us acknowledge the Lord, let us press on to acknowledge Him. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear, He will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth. " ~ hosea 6:3

you are not a victim.

you are loved! :)

delali,

xoxo.

music monday// You make me brave

hi lovely folks! of course, it's mondayyy again!!! good thing for me is that it's a holiday back here in le ghana. ;) (this is actually a scheduled post because urm, i'd be caught up on monday with a number of things...like finishing up on my new booook! sshhhh... keep it down. i'm excited too! :D)

so yeah, scheduled post or not. i'm so glad i get to be a part of your monday. :)

so this song! i so love it. aside the lovely words, you should know the other reason why i love it. guessss.

okay, okay, i love it extra because it's sang by kidssss! :D i find myself laughing and dancing around whenever i have bethel music kids singing a tune. i promise, you'd love it.

soak it in all you can.

via

You make me brave// bethel music kids

I stand before You now
The greatness of your renown
I have heard of the majesty and wonder of you
King of Heaven, in humility, I bow

As Your love, in wave after wave
Crashes over me, crashes over me
For You are for us
You are not against us
Champion of Heaven
You made a way for all to enter in
I have heard You calling my name
I have heard the song of love that You sing
So I will let You draw me out beyond the shore
Into Your grace
Your grace

You make me brave
You make me brave
You call me out beyond the shore into the waves

You make me brave
You make me brave
No fear can hinder now the love that made a way

You make me brave
You make me brave
You call me out beyond the shore into the waves

You make me brave
You make me brave
No fear can hinder now the promises you made

You make me brave
You make me brave
No fear can hinder now the love that made a way

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.”

7Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the LORD swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance.

  The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”// deuteronomy 31:6-8

 

whatever you're facing, you need to be brave and pray through it, sing through it, find a reason to laugh through it. the world needs you brave. :)

 

The Lord God Himself is for you.

 

be brave!

xoxo, delali. 

music monday// masterpiece

 hey, hey, hey! so itsss monday! yaaay!!! i hope this song i'm sharing today brightens your monday even if for a little while. i so love danny gokey. he sings from his soul. and this tune right here is food for the soul. enjoy! :)

 via

 masterpiece// danny gokey

Heartbreaks a bittersweet sound
Know it well
It's ringing in my ears
And I can't understand
Why I'm not fixed by now
Begged and I pleaded
Take this pain but I'm still bleeding
Heart trusts you for certain
Head says it's not working
I'm stuck here still hurting
But you tell me
You're making a masterpiece
You shaping the soul in me
You're moving where I can't see
And all I am is in your hands
You're taking me all apart
Like it was your plan from the start
To finish your work of art for all to see you're making a masterpiece
Guess I'm your canvas
Beautiful black and blue
Painted in mercy's hue
I don't see past this
But you see me now
Who I'll be then
There at the end
Standing there as
Your Masterpiece
You're shaping the soul in me
You're moving where I can't see
And all I am is in your hands
You're taking me all apart
Like it was your plan from the start
To finish your work of art for all to see
You're making a masterpiece
You're making a masterpiece
Heart trust you for certain
Head says it's not working
You're making a masterpiece
You're shaping the soul in me
You're moving where I can't see
And all I am is in your hands
You're taking me all apart
Like it was your plan from the start
To finish your work of art for all to see you're making a masterpiece

 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.// ephesians 2:10

  And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.// romans 8:28

dear Christian, whatever you may facing, know that when you trust in Jesus He is making something beautiful out of your situation.

 be strong. He wants you strong! the humans He specially designed your purpose for need you strong.

you are a masterpiece, you can't give up now. :)

xoxo, delali. 

music monday// shoulders

itsss monndaayy!

this sonngg! i checked it out just this past weekend. and i loved, loved it! 

i've always been a big fan of for King & country. and when moriah peters got hitched to Joel i loved them even more. ;) hihihihi

aside the richness of the lyrics, i love this song because of how God mysteriously provides help to the characters in the music video through an angel who helps each of them. the whole hooded figure makes it so intriguing. 

have your fill! :)

via

shoulders// for King & country

When confusion's my companion
And despair holds me for ransom
I will feel no fear
I know that You are near
When I'm caught deep in the valley
With chaos for my company
I'll find my comfort here
‘Cause I know that You are near
My help comes from You
You're right here, pulling me through
You carry my weakness, my sickness, my brokenness all on Your shoulders
Your shoulders
My help comes from You
You are my rest, my rescue
I don't have to see to believe that You're lifting me up on Your shoulders
Your shoulders
You mend what once was shattered
And You turn my tears to laughter
Your forgiveness is my fortress
Oh Your mercy is relentless
My help is from You
Don't have to see it to believe it
My help is from you
Don't have to see it, ‘cause I know, ‘cause I know it's true
My help is from You
Don't have to see it to believe it
My help is from you
Don't have to see it, ‘cause I know, ‘cause I know it's true

 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.

He will not let your foot slip—
    He who watches over you will not slumber; 

 indeed, He who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

 The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand; 

 the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    He will watch over your life; 

 the Lord will watch over your coming and going    both now and forevermore.// psalm 121:1-8

If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling, 

 no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.

For He will command His angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways; 

 they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.// psalm 91:9-12

 “Because He loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for He acknowledges my name. 

 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him. 

 With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”// psalm 91:14-16

Praise the LORD, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out His plans, listening for each of His commands.// psalm 103:20

 

 our help really comes from the Lord. sometimes we kinda forget, right? in the video right before the crash Joel was all worried, so of course the enemy stood on that and made him lose his awareness of where he was and BAM! the other car hit right into his.

 moral? when something bugs you, channel all the worries into prayer instead. thankfully, we have angels on assignment who help us when we tell God what's going on in our lives and submit our requests a.k.a prayer. 

and sometimes we make it by the skin of our teeth like Joel did. and He sends help.

our angels are always with us, waiting for us to talk to God i prayer so that he can help us.

this song reminds me of a book on angels i finished reading earlier on this year titled Angels on Assignment by Charles and Frances Hunter. it gives much explanation to how angels operate.

angels are so real. they are the means by which God answers our prayers. they protect us, guide us, even communicate with us.

I've come to really understand that God loves us so much!

  as our Father, He wants the best for us. so if you're having a bad day or week or month do remember that God is waiting for you to talk to Him, and His answers are not always, yes. sometimes they are "no" or "wait."

He has us on His shoulders, He's cool like that! :)

xoxo, delali!