May 28, 2019 - Arms of Love

[Note up front - I’m feeling so much better. I felt God was telling me early today to post this story. I was nervous about that - it isn’t easy to share. But I kept feeling that I need to talk about the last few days - because life is really not just all about being comfortable. God uses ALL THINGS for good, and I want to encourage friends who are struggling. God is there to comfort us, even on the hardest days!!]

I had a bad reaction to a strong antibiotic last week. Everybody reacts differently to meds; I had never taken this before but I became increasingly sad - out of nowhere. 

I was struggling the night I wrote the post about roads with no guardrails. I didn’t sleep at all that night. Tony and I had a great morning together but a couple of hours later, i felt like I had fallen into a deep pit and was having trouble getting out on my own. I was crying about things that don’t normally bother me at all. And I was SOBBING about cancer-related things. I truly feel that it was not only a physical battle but also a spiritual one. I needed to know that God was with me. 

Two things have helped me through the past few days. First, people - we need them! It’s my prayer that we all have those people in our lives who are there in the good days and the not-so-good days. The second is music; I have always loved music in general and worship in particular. This weekend, God used this song as a compass to point me out of the storm and towards Him. In that environment, where I literally raised my hands, asking Him to lift me out of the pit where I found myself, He was - and is - there for me. God wants to be there for each of us!

“He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭1:4‬ ‭NLT‬

“Lord, I'm really glad you're here
I hope you feel the same when you see all my fear and how I fail
I fall sometimes.

It's hard to walk in sinking sand
I miss the rock, and find I've nowhere else to stand and start to cry
Lord, please help me raise my hands, so you can lift me up
Hold me close, hold me tighter

[Chorus]
I have found a place where I can hide
it's safe inside your arms of love
Like a child who's held throughout a storm
You keep me warm in your arms of love.

Storms may come and storms may go
I wonder just how many storms it takes until I finally know you're here always
Even when my skies are far from grey
Let me stay, Lord, teach me to stay.

[Chorus]
In the place I've found where I can hide
it's safe inside your arms of love.
Like a child who's held throughout a storm
You keep me warm in your arms of love.”