His eye is on His sparrows

Growing up I remember clearly my Grandmother Kathryn always singing the hymn His eye is on the sparrow.  She always would find such peace in picturing that precious little sparrow.  I loved seeing for that very moment comfort in her eyes as she pictured her Lord caring for her in the midst of a storm.  So today as I was reading a delightful new book for book club. named One Thousand Gifts, I began thinking about the front cover. 

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come, Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home, When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He: His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free, For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear, And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;  Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise, When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies, I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

 

So today my precious family is home in our safe nest in the palm of His hands.  He has provided for us a place of rest  A place so full of His goodness.  I cannot help but almost break my face in overwhelming Joy as I feel His presence all around our new home.  There is no evil looming around my home any longer.  My kids spirits are free, and we are ready to fly.  Our broken wings are mended, and are hearts are mending too.  I feel Him all around this home, He has so graciously provided us.  We chose to choose Him in the midst of our storm.  We choose Forgiveness instead of anger Mark 11:22-27 says

Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.  Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.  And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

 

We trusted that the Lord was in control, and over and over again, He remained faithful.  So my friends, as we come upon my most favorite Holiday of all, the death and Resurrection of our sweet Lord,  remember that He has Risen, He is alive and well, and He loves you with everything in Him.  You are His sparrow, and You were worth His pain and suffering.  And like He promised He was more powerful than our Sin, more powerful then the evil. and when the stone was rolled away, He was not there!!!!.  

Arise my Love, Arise my Love, the grave no longer has a hold on You.  

Praise God for that power. 

 

 

Our new chapter in our love story with Christ

On the eve of our "big move" across town I am sitting in bed  beautifully overwhelmed in God's Goodness.  As my children are fast asleep all safe in their beds, I am reminded of how faithful our Lord truly is, and not too long ago, I could barely see through the darkness to find the light.  I am welling up with tears as I type.  Not full of sadness but of joy.  Earlier this fall my sweet Alyssa came to us bravely sharing that she had been molested by our next door neighbor babysitter, to then find out our youngest daughter was as well.  It almost seems like that was a lifetime ago, or that I was just a bystander at times looking in on the pain.  I remember the days after not wanting to wake up, or just wishing that this didn't happen.  But very soon after our faithful Lord began the healing.  He brought amazing godly people into our lives that help muddle us through the thick of the mud and evil.  To realize that our God is bigger than this world.  That our God says that we will face evil, we will face pain, but that He will carry us through.  How from that day forward after my precious Alyssa spoke those words a mother wishes never to hear, I began to fall more in love with my Savior.  I began doing the only thing I had strength to do.  And that my friends was to dive deeply in the strength of the Living Word.  It was those precious promises that have gave my family the strength to move through the pain.  It is His Word of truth that strengthened us to be able to still be a light in the midst of the darkness that lived right next door.  But not for long.  Our faithful Heavenly Father has made the way for us to leave.  Carrying us every step of the way.  I can feel the heavy burden that lays on my heart every time I see her, starting to be lifted.  The Lord as us to still show love, He asked us to forgive, He asked us to see them as humans that He also created and wishes whole heartedly that they will choose to love Him too.  So what has been the greatest lesson out of all this pain.  Romans 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  While we were yet sinners Christ died for us.  I choose to praise Him in the midst of the wrong doings that were done to my family.  Although I will maybe never hear I am sorry, or ever see remorse, it is not up to me to seek it.  My family is on this side of the pain, and we love God in spite of the pain.  I we truly know that we could very well still be in the muck of our own sin with a darkened heart waiting to be forgiven.  Instead we were saved by the power of the cross.  This earth is the only darkness we will ever see.  And we are only temporarily passing through, and one day my daugthers will be whole again on the other side of the cross.  But until then my Lord will love them through the pain.  Praise God for that power.  I know that the Cantrell's have an amazing love story with our Lord to share.