be near

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Wash your hands,you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up.
-James 4:8

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

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. His mercies are new every morning; great is your faithfulness, O God. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.
-Lamentations 3:22-25

my thoughts and prayers today go out to andrew. his brother, chris died yesterday from down syndrome. i don't really have a lot to say, just that God has continuously overwhelmed me with himself the past few weeks. and he isn't stopping. today he just filled me with his peace. my friend casey said it well today, "i've stopped praying for understanding, cuz i won't ever understand. i pray for peace." today, my prayer is that God's peace will come down over those who are struggling today with the loss of a friend, or a brother, or anyone else. and that he will draw near and just wrap his arms around each and every one.


Be Near
-Shane and Shane

You are all, big and small
Beautiful and Wonderful
To those who trut in grace through faith
I'm asking to taste

be near, O God
be near, O God of us,
your nearness is to us our good

for dark is light to You
depths are height to You
far is near
but Lord, i need to hear from You

fullness is mine, revelation divine
but, o, to taste
to know You much more than a page
to feel Your embrace

Lord, i need to hear from You
be near, oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good
be near, oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good, our good

(psalms 73:28; 139)