Are you hemmed in and belted up?

Everywhere I turn recently, it seems I'm reminded of how God "hems me in." Psalm 139 is a favorite, and I love verse five in particular. "You hem me in before and behind, and you lay your hand upon me." (NIV)

I love how Eugene Peterson paraphrases verse five in The Message, "I look behind me and you're there, then up ahead and you're there too––your reassuring presence, coming and going."

Last week a friend shared this ad encouraging people to wear their seat belts. Chances are good you've seen it. It's been viewed millions of times on YouTube. Even if you have seen it, I'd encourage you to watch it again. But this time…look at it through the eyes of God hemming you in before and behind. At Him being behind you and then in front of you, keeping your road safe with His reassuring presence and love.

The expressions on the family's faces are so touching. The love and laughter, then the surprise which quickly escalates to concern. I'm reminded of how much God loves us. How He's given us His Spirit to restrain us, to empower us to do His will, to follow His lead.

Are you familiar with the song He Loves Us? It's one of my favorites. We sang it in church this past Sunday and I just stood and let the promise wash over me, knowing how undeserving and unworthy I am. Click the link below then just close your eyes and listen to the David Crowder Band and let the promise sink in, let God hem you in with the reminder of how He loves you.

On a writing note… My editor, Karen, and I have a phone meeting this afternoon at 2:00 to discuss where we can begin cutting A Lasting Impression as the story came in "just a tad longer" (we exaggerate here in the South) than what I/we thought it would be. Yikes! I'm sharpening my scissors even as I open my mind to see what's extraneous to the story and what should stay.

All for now, and praying you're hemmed up and belted up too! If you've gotten a reminder of God's love and care recently, please share! I'd love to hear about it.

Better Than a Hallelujah

A dear friend (waving to you, Darla) sent me a link to Amy Grant's newest song and after hearing it, I downloaded it immediately. It's blessed me repeatedly in recent days. The words resonate within me with where I am in life right now. I hope you'll take a minute to check it out here.

As Darla wrote in her note to me, God loves the truest cries of our hearts. Amen, sister! "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and contrite heart the Lord will not despise." (Psalm 51:17)

I pulled an all-nighter night before last to finish up some edits on Within My Heart, and am so happy to have that part of this book's journey done. I'm drained in relation to that, but am also filled up because so much of this past year of life--the good and bad--found its way into those pages, so it really reflects where I've been and where I am right now. Maybe that's why it was so difficult to write. Who knows...

Remember, take a listen to Better Than a Hallelujah, and blessings on your week...