“Out of my distress I called upon the Lord;
the Lord answered me and set me free . . .”

“The Lord is my strength and my song;
He has become my Salvation.”

Another day of disappointments, God.  I knew this road would be lonely, but I had no idea how few really follow You.  I write Your words and pray the decrees, but the people who see me and read what I write think of me as worthless.  It has been a long journey these 17 years, but I would not trade one moment of it for I have found You and You, alone bring Life and Joy and Peace and Promise.  These are all things which the people try to take from me, but they can’t really as long as I RISE UP to PRAISE YOU.

You are my Song and there is no other.  You are the Praise that wells up within me and counters their accusations.  You’re the Peace which settles my spirit and assures me that I am loved, no matter how people put me down, reject me or ignore me. 

You, my Friend, are my SONG and I will sing loud and strong of Your Faithfulness and Your Power and Your Grace which took this one rebellious, independent soul and made me 100% Yours.

You set me FREE to love You, to honor You, to extol You, to experience the depth of Who You Are and I thank You with all that I am.

On this night, 17 years ago, You came and delivered me from the enemy and from those who fought for my death.  You Breathed Your Breath upon me and brought Life where I only and fully knew death and despair.  You countered the enemy and spoke of my worth.  You touched my heart and cleansed it of all that looked to other satisfactions.  You rendered me useless to those who had used me for their own selfish pursuits and empowered me to sing Your Praises.

ALL PRAISE TO THE FATHER for His Glorious Work of setting His children --------------
FREE

“You are
      my GOD
           and  I  will
                extol You!”