Hymn Of Heaven Devotional

What happens inside when your world feels upside down and nothing seems to make sense anymore? Wave after wave of stories from around the globe relaying horrible acts of violence, families devasted by war, freak accidents or environmental disasters. "All our enemies have opened their mouthswide against us.We have suffered terror and pitfalls,ruin and destruction."Streams of tears flow from my eyesbecause my people are destroyedLamentations 3: 46-48 I long for the days when I didn't know so much. The naivety of my youth without the magnetic pull onto the social media highway. When we hung out at the park and came home when the streetlamps turned on. I never thought I would fondly remember the days of the dewy decimal system and hours lost gathering information. Now there is this onslaught of information, competing agendas, friends who we hardly recognize anymore shouting insults and angry retorts at one another. The world can feel upside down, leaving us feeling defeated and hopeless. Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed,for his compassions never fail.They are new every morning;great is your faithfulness.I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion;therefore I will wait for him."Lamentations 3: 22-24 The "just ask Google" age is a double-edged sword. We get information quickly without knowing with certainty that it is accurate. Now, we can find and disseminate information across multiple sources with little accountability to prove validity. Gone are the days of trusted experts...we have become the experts. Our message at church this week focused on humility. Can we acknowledge there are things we do not know or understand? Can we lay down our need to be right? Are we able to live on the edge of not having all the answers? The lyrics in Katy Nichole's song, In Jesus Name (God of Possible), offer words for times when our present circumstances feel like too much to bear. Sometimes, we need help to hope in the not yet. When answers don't come soon enough, or when my solutions don't align with my neighbours. In these moments, all we know to do is pray. I pray for your healing, that circumstances would changeI pray that the fear inside would flee in Jesus nameI pray that a breakthrough would happen todayI pray miracles over your life, in Jesus name We are most at risk when our circumstances feel so overwhelming that all we want to do is hide, or when we are so overwhelmed, we get louder and meaner. As a therapist, I manage well with emotional reactivity in the safety of my office space, but facing an angry stranger at the grocery store, or reading the vitriol of an acquaintance's remarks online, can leave me completely gobsmacked. I speak the name of all authorityDeclaring blessings, ev'ry promise He is faithful to keepI speak the name no grave could ever holdHe is greater, He is stronger, He's the God of possible Come believe it, come receive itOh the power of His Spirit is now forever yoursCome believe it, come receive itIn the mighty name of Jesus, all things are possible If you are walking with someone through their darkest days, or you are finding yourself weary and worn out from fighting your own battles- speak the name of Jesus. Sometimes, this is all we can do. Christ Jesus who died- more than that, who was raised to life- is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?Romans 8:34b, 35 Resist the tendency to limit the power and effectiveness of His name. No amount of digging for answers, no amount of time spent in dialogue, no amount of tears melts the hurt in the human heart like the ministry of Christ's love. As it is written: "For your sake, we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." NO, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.Romans: 36-39 So we turn our eyes to heaven and cry out "in Jesus name." Receive His love, His healing touch for your weary, worn-out heart. Tracey Dahl, M.A. is a writer and Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) in Langley, BC (Canada). She is married to Ryan Dahl (Founder of PraiseCharts) and the mother of four grown children. In Jesus Name (God Of Possible) was written by Katy Nichole, David Spencer, Ethan Hulse, Jeff Pardo, and featured on the In Jesus Name (God Of Possible) album.

Ever feel like an imposter? A pretender who is supposed to be full of faith and love but is also full of a bunch of other less desirable stuff? On the one hand, we confess to know Jesus and love our neighbor while our other hand thinks our neighbor is an annoying git? If others knew the thoughts of our hearts, we would be tossed out on your keister. Doubt and shame can hover like a dark shadow. Maybe your thing is a deeply held insecurity you try to keep buried. Your job is secure. You are relatively successful in your work or even wildly successful in your career. On the outside, no one would know the beast of self-doubt that lurks in the dark corners of your heart. Even with all the worldly successes, you wonder if you are enough. All the wrestling on the inside is not hidden from the God who created us and calls us by name. Sit on that and let the shiver snake down your spine. He knows our thoughts and the intentions of our hearts, and his response is to love. Watching the Maverick City's video for I Thank God, I wanted to jump in with equal expressions of gratefulness. God knows all the deep, hidden corners of my inner world, and He isn't repulsed. He invites me closer. The gift in that invitation is that as I move closer and those hidden areas light up with His presence, they are changed. I am changed. The darkness fades, and the light shines more brightly. Because He healed my heartHe changed my nameForever free, I'm not the sameI thank the MasterI thank the SaviorI thank God Maybe you are in recovery - or have been labeled as anxious or depressed. Overidentifying with labels is dangerous. I am not a fan of labels unless they help me learn how to take care of something. Clothing labels help us decide whether to hang it up or throw it in the dryer. A food label helps determine the expiration date. But labels on people are harmful. Labels on people put us in boxes with sides too high to climb. He is in that boat with you. You are not alone. I say I am broken, but God says He makes me whole. "So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority" (Colossians 2:10). A more vulnerable truth might be that we are all in some sort of recovery. Recovering from broken hearts and broken lives. Recovering from what we created and what we have to deal with but never asked for. We face the dangers from within and the chaos all around us. Our slowly drifting, weary souls leave us battered and bruised. Got no choice but to believeMy doubts are burningLike ashes in the windSo, so long to my old friendsBurden and bitter nightYou can't just keep them movingNo, you ain't welcome hereFrom now 'til I walkThe streets of goldI'll sing of how You saved my soul We tend to want people to look and act a certain way, and deviations from the center typically don't fit in well. Variations often find themselves isolated and silenced. I'll sing of how You saved my soulThis wayward sonHas found his way back homeHe picked me upTurned me aroundPlaced my feet on solid ground Let's tell some truth. All fall short of center. On my worst days, you would run and hide if my heart was exposed before you. I have experienced anger so intense my teeth chattered. I have cursed in ways that would curl paint of the walls, but I also create safe spaces for vulnerable people to share their deepest emotional wounds. And if it happens in me, I know some dark things happen inside you, too. Wandering into the nightWanting a place to hideThis weary soul, this bag of bonesAnd I tried with all my mindAnd I just can't win the fightI'm slowly drifting, oh bag of boneAnd just when I ran out of roadI met a man I didn't knowAnd he told meThat I was not aloneHe picked me upHe turned me aroundHe placed my feet on solid ground I do thank God! He invites all to come close, no matter how visible the flaws. Have you dangerously tight roped your way through major depression? Have you felt your heart tear with sorrow holding vigil with a loved one in the ICU? That's my story, so what is yours? And if He did it for me, He can do it for youIf He did it for me, He can do it for youGet up, get up, get upGet up out of that grave God doesn't define you by your mistakes. He gives you a new name! He sees you in a way that the world may not. His vision of you is through the lens of His sacrifice. His blood for our life. God calls you up. He will not push you out because you haven't mastered or cleaned up every area of your life. Get up out of that graveIf He did it for me, He can do it for you Be encouraged. Join in the dance of gratefulness. Worship with Maverick City and thank God for grace - and His unfailing love. Tracey Dahl, M.A. is a writer and Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) in Langley, BC (Canada). She is married to Ryan Dahl (Founder of PraiseCharts) and the mother of four grown children. I Thank God was written by Maverick City Music from the album Move Your Heart.

When we sat down to write the song Peace Be Still, our lives were filled with circumstances that had us feeling fearful. We were all standing face to face with some scary situations. We knew that fear was present in our personal lives, but we also knew that we could choose to declare the promises of God in the midst of our fears, and His presence would flood us with peace that silences every wave of fear, and anxiety or worry. Worship is a weapon to defeat the schemes, lies and voices of the enemy. Worship is a way to stand upon the waves and tell the storm to go to sleep. I can't begin to tell you how many times, I have personally had to sing the lyrics of Peace Be Still over my own life, mind and situations. I have battled fear and anxiety a great deal in different seasons. At times, I have failed to anchor myself in the word of God through scripture or song and the waves of anxiety and fear have overtaken me. The aftermath of those storms have sometimes left damage that took more time and energy to restore than God ever intended. However, when I chose to grab on to the lifeline of God's word, declaring His promises over my life, the storm was silenced, either in me or in the natural. As we started this new decade, all over the world, we are facing a health pandemic that hasn't been seen in over 100 years. People feel confused, scared, uncertain and worried about the future. It feels like a storm of fear and anxiety has hit us pretty hard. Right now, we can choose to get swept up in the waves of fear and worry, doubting that God is for us or we can choose to remain anchored in the presence of God and allow His peace to wash over us and calm the storm inside our hearts and minds. We don't know what the future holds. We don't know how this current world situation will play out in the following weeks and months. What we do know is that our God is our shield, our fortress, our deliverer, our provider, our healer and our strong tower. Psalm 91:1-4 (God's Word Translation)Whoever lives under the shelter of the Most High will remain in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “You are my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.” He is the one who will rescue you from the hunter's traps and from deadly plagues. He will cover you with his feathers and under his wings you will find refuge. His truth (word) is your shield and armor. Worship builds a reservoir of God's truth to draw from when we face difficult moments. I know that every time I choose to worship, it builds my faith in God. It reminds me once again, that my God is greater than any storm and He speaks PEACE OVER ME! My prayer is that during these times of fear and uncertainty you will find refuge in the Almighty, declare His promises, sing His praises and know His Peace that passes all understanding! Hope Darst, has been leading worship, growing her family and serving the local church. She wears many titles…wife, mother, worship leader and songwriter. Peace Be Still was written by Hope Darst, Mia Fields, Andrew Holt, and featured on the Peace Be Still album.

Do you remember the worst moments of your life? Burning recollections that flare up, taunting you with a sense of failure and shortcoming. Wretched moments. Do you remember feeling a sense of hope after a long winter season? Times when grace and peace brought you to your knees in gratitude. Salvation moments. Moments when you were rescued from the miry clay, and delivered safely to solid ground on the other side of the raging rivers. We are wretched. Standing rigid by someone you love, unwilling to acknowledge your mistake when you betrayed their trust. Seeing the pained expression on your child's face when you lost your cool, holding fast to your right to discipline. Letting that hurtful, harsh criticism fly from your mouth without regard for how it cut through the heart of a friend. We are wretched. Maybe you don't see glimmers of yourself in the scenes above. Maybe you have been the one hurt. Your spouse cheated. Your parents screamed at you. Your friend betrayed your trust. The disappointment and pain held weighed down, pulling you into the darkness of despair. You longed for relief -- but the relief didn't come -- in desperation, you looked for an escape from the pain. We are wretched, but the story does not end there. Charity Gail's, Thank You Jesus For The Blood is a powerful reminder of how Jesus has rescued us. He plucks out of the pit where there is loneliness and heartache. The words of this song put a layer of truth on top of our pain, making us whole again. When I was lost, Jesus "broke my chains, freed my soul. For the first time, I had hope." Sometimes the lyrics of a song reach deep down inside, and we recognize ourselves as the melody moves through each verse. We all have a rescue story. Maybe for you it is addiction, or like me, despair. Perhaps you are still trapped behind a curtain of anxiety or doubt. Maybe you come from a long history of broken relationships or epic failures in life. When we find ourselves stuck in the muck, wounded on the battlefield, scarred by hurt from those around us, we need rescuing. I know a thing or two about being rescued. Almost 20 years ago, my world shifted dangerously. My darkest days came after the birth of our fourth child. Hopelessness descended on me like a dark, heavy curtain. Imagine the inner conflict, holding a brand new life and simultaneously wanting to run away from it all. I experienced what felt like an unyielding sorrow -- my heart breaking into a million pieces. No one could see my pain. No one could help. I felt all alone. My secret strength and shield around me,You are salvation's ray of brightness shining on the hillside,Always the champion of my cause.So all I need to do is call out to You,Singing to You, the praise-worthy God.And every time I do, I'm safe and sound in You.When the spirit of death wrapped chains around meWhen terrifying torrents of destruction overwhelmed meAnd took me to death's door, to doom's domain;I cried to Him in my distress, the delivering God,And from His temple-throne He heard my troubled cry. My sobs came right into His heartAs He turned His face to rescue me.-“Psalms: Poetry on Fire,” Psalm 18:1-6, Brian Simmons My journey through the winter season of depression was a road of darkness I would rather not travel again. However, that painful journey took me to places with Jesus that I may have otherwise missed -- this is my experience of the Kingdom like a double-edged sword. My heart both ached and soared as I turned to God and God alone. I learned the upside-down truth that even in my distress, God is good, faithful, and He is for me. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:2-5, NIV) I have journals filled with scripture -- the truth of the Word written out letter by letter. Writing scripture and soaking in worship helped me create a roadmap through the dark nights of my soul. I experienced God's goodness as He healed places deep inside me. He is the faithful God who stayed in the boat with me through all the stormy seas and never left me to drown. Is your current season dark and heavy around you? Are you more connected to being wretched than hopeful? Settle in and take a moment to let the words of worship wash over you. Be encouraged by the tender-hearted truth of Jesus. He is for you. Thank You Jesus, for the blood appliedThank You Jesus, it has washed me whiteThank You Jesus, You have saved my lifeBrought me from the darkness into glorious light We all need rescuing. We all have dark, wretched moments. There is nothing more powerful than the blood of Jesus poured over the stormy seas of our own disasters. Thank you, Jesus, for the "wonder-working power of your blood.” See the full interview behind the song Thank You Jesus For The Blood here. Tracey Dahl, M.A. is a writer and Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) in Langley, BC (Canada). She is married to Ryan Dahl (Founder of PraiseCharts) and the mother of four grown children. Thank You Jesus For The Blood was written by Charity Gayle, David Gentiles, Steven Musso, Ryan Kennedy, and Bryan McCleery.

I woke up angry. Hurt, disappointed and angry. I also have a deadline. I am supposed to be writing about the love of God in Christ alone. So ironic. How do I connect to the love of God with the emotion of anger coursing through my veins? Today is a very human kind of day where no one filled the dishwasher or offered to help with the groceries. Someone borrowed the car and brought it home empty. The garbage cans are still sitting at the end of the driveway, and it was garbage day four days ago. Someone took the last bit of coffee cream, leaving me with skim milk. I could share this with someone. I could weave this tale with a friend or post something in an eerily passive way on social media. I would see those likes and comments of validation, knowing that others share or at least understand my emotions. Here's the thing. None of that would transform my hurt, soften my disappointment or soothe my anger. For a few moments, I would feel great. I'm sure one of my besties would come alongside me and say, "heck ya, that wasn't very respectful to you!" Or, "how dare they do that!! You sure do have a right to be mad! I would be mad too!" My chin would jut out, my shoulders would drop down, and I would stand taller, feeling vindicated and understood. ... for about ten minutes. And then, suppose there is no resolution to the initial hurt? Suppose I have to continue interacting with all of the "someones" who are a part of my irritation? I could so easily pick up my hurt and disappointment the moment I am in their presence. Sharing this pain for the world to hear will not clear the fog away to connect with the love of God, and it will not heal my heart. When I am wrestling internally, I know I need the perspective of someone who both loves me and loves me enough to tell me the truth. My end goal is to have authentic, meaningful, loving connections with my people. To see and be seen and to be accepted and supported. I have learned not to sit in emotional dark places alone. The darkness is where unresolved hurt festers. Instead, I go to my quiet place where Jesus waits with me. This is a loose transcript of a typical conversation: Me: I am pretty mad Jesus: I see thatMe: Ok, more than mad ... I am angry Jesus: I knowMe: I want them to know how hurt I am Jesus: Tell me ... I know them well ... they might not be able to hold your hurt, but I can.Me: I think it would feel better if they knew how they hurt me.Jesus: Because you want them to hurt too?Me: (busted) Maybe ... I am just so frustrated that my bones ache. I always have to be the first to make amends ... so, not this time. I am going to hold out.Jesus: OK, I will wait with you. (Pausing in His presence) How does a conversation like this continue for you? Does the voice of Jesus in your head condemn you for feeling this way? Does He quote some Bible verse about "not letting the sun go down on your anger" or forgiving your brother and "turning the other cheek?" Does Jesus sit and stare at you with judgment in His eyes? This is the real, rusty and relevant, rubber hitting the road of relationships. Relationships are messy and often reactive. Maybe you and your spouse always get along. Maybe your children are always respectable, obedient, and lovely -- both privately and publicly. Maybe you don't ever say something out loud you later regret? Maybe your family is free of awkward moments of discomfort and conflict? Maybe it is just us? Maybe my ordinary, messy life is not typical? I know that isn't true. I know I am not alone because I work with people whose lives are messy. Every day people are constantly falling into pits that they dug for themselves, and then they experience heartache and disappointment. I sit across from them while they tell me their stories of pain. I witness them telling of trauma histories that have turned my stomach in knots. Then, through empathy, I start to feel anger and deep sadness for the victims. I feel their pain. I know the ache of a human heart that lives with hurt, disappointment, and loss. I also know it is not enough to undo our aloneness or to feel understood -- we need to experience transformation. Healing and wholeness can so often feel just out of reach. We need to know the power of Christ in us. I can help others feel through the waves of their emotion and allow them to linger longer in the peace that comes when the waves cease. But Jesus is our Peace. He is the calm in our storms. He is so passionate about pursuing us to bring heaven to earth, so we experience the transformation of our hearts and minds. When I allow the power of His resurrection to course through my veins, something shifts inside me. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. (2 Peter 1:3) His power in us is the life-giving grace that floods our burdened hearts with peace, grace, and long-suffering. His power living in us allows our hurting hearts to lay down the pain and take up hope in restoration and repair. We have everything we need in Him. He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me on the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me. (Psalm 18:16-19) Lean into this truth. Jesus offers us the gift of His presence for eternity. What is the end goal of Jesus? The restoration of all things and to have us near Him forever. He saves. He rescues us from our messy selves and places us in a safe space away from the darkness of our sin and pain. Our hope is in Christ Alone. Tracey Dahl, M.A. is a writer and Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) in Langley, BC (Canada). She is married to Ryan Dahl (Founder of PraiseCharts) and the mother of four grown children. In Christ Alone was written by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend.

"Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen." (The Gloria Patri doxology, 4th C.) Imagine for a moment you were sitting with the Apostle John on the Island of Patmos during his later years. This is a man who walked and talked with the Saviour - who witnessed such glorious things as his transfiguration, his resurrection, and his ascension. He has lived long enough to grieve the passing of his fellow Apostles - all martyred by enemies of the message of Christ. One wonders if he must have asked himself why he had been chosen to live much longer than the others. But then, John is taken up to Heaven one Sunday and witnesses a grand spectacle of worship where all of Creation joins in with the host of Heaven and the saints of God! He could now pass on to future generations of believers what exactly worship 'in Heaven' looks and sounds like! What if we had been privileged to go with him into this inner sanctum? I believe that we would most certainly be awestruck in the presence of such holiness and would join in ascribing glory to the Lord! Here's the good news… Psalm 100:4 is, in effect, God's offer to do just that – to "enter his gates with thanksgiving and enter his courts with praise." God, most holy, is most loving and desires his people to be in his presence! John's vision is just a foretaste of what worship in eternity will be like. Still, we can embrace that offer now through Christ and find ourselves transported by the Holy Spirit into his very presence in worship. Even if your church doesn't feel like heaven sometimes... know that you are joining in the eternal praise of all creation! Believe it by faith and praise him with all your might! "Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever!"" (Rev. 5:13, NIV) Johnny Markin is a songwriter, worship leader from Abbotsford, BC, Canada. The Covenant Award-nominated singer/songwriter has new original work of his own compositions, a much-anticipated comeback album called Light Of Day, setting ancient creeds and texts of Scripture to musical styles that reflect the wide breadth of Johnny's journey. See recent PraiseChart Live conversations co-hosted by Johnny and PraiseCharts owner Ryan Dahl.

Do you know your giants? It is hard to imagine not seeing that one giant standing in a crowd, but some giants tend not to be that easy to spot. What about interactions with people or things that leave you feeling small or threatened? Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.James 1:2-4 You would think all giants would be easy to notice, but Goliaths go by different names and attack us in different ways. The ones that dwell inside us rule with an iron sceptre—the giant of insecurity or pride, for instance, or the giant of greed and self-promotion. Prowling around is a giant called judgement who hides in plain sight, distorting scripture and using biblical truth to promote a contrarian agenda. I may not face Goliath, but I've got my own giants. Elevation Worship's, Same God, featuring Jonsal Barrientes, invites us into realignment. A powerful reminder of who remains the giant slayer, the promise keeper and the healer of broken hearts and minds. He restores all things to himself because he, alone, created all things for himself. I'm calling on the Holy SpiritAlmighty River come and fill me againCome and fill me againCome and fill me again The same God who heard the cries from generations past hears us now. And His sameness matters. While the circumstances around us seem fluid and ever-changing like ocean tides, God is the same through all our tomorrows. He still heals and hems us in from behind. He is our protector and defender. You heard Your children then, You hear Your children nowYou are the same God, You are the same GodYou answered prayers back then, and You will answer nowYou are the same God, You are the same God Whether you are battling the giants lurking inside you, or giants that live on the mountain standing in your way, take a moment and remember the God who is for you. He hears. He saves. He restores. The same God whose heart and intention never shifts for your good remains faithful to His promises. Tracey Dahl, M.A. is a writer and Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) in Langley, BC (Canada). She is married to Ryan Dahl (Founder of PraiseCharts) and the mother of four grown children. Same God was written by Pat Barrett, Chris Brown, Steven Furtick, Brandon Lake and featured on Elevation Worship's Same God album.

New Year resolutions - love them or hate them? A new year of valleys, fires and storms. Are you ready? Do you make resolutions and spend time creating goals for 2022? Or are you someone who swims upstream, side-stepping the resolution bandwagon? For years, I began every January with a list of goals to pursue for the new year. I joined gyms, set out to eat more healthily and began new reading material. I started out strong. Went three or four times a week to work out. Followed the clean eating plans suggested by nutritionists. Following the directives of a naturopath, I completed all the testing and purchased my supplements to improve my gut health. I downloaded the most recent Bible study programs from one of my favorite leaders. Determined to see growth in all the areas, physically, mentally and spiritually, I felt ready to see improvement. I felt so proud of my potential, I posted on social media to showcase my goals for the new year. I was determined. I was ready and resourced for what had to be a better version of myself. And He is my strengthHe is my portionWith me in the valleyWith me in the fireWith me in the storm It never took long to stumble into obstacles along my path, thwarting my plans. A series of random events caused me to miss that day at the gym, another day the following week, and, finally, that entire week in early February. I shared my car with one of the kids and ended up without a vehicle midweek. One day, I went out to pick up a friend from the airport and just ran out of time to get back to the gym before it closed. (Ok, if I was honest, I drove relatively slow home, so I didn't have to go back out and make it before closing.) I began to think I would follow a program more closely if I purchased an online version that I could do anytime I wanted in the comfort and convenience of my home. I was wrong. I paid for both for months before finally canceling my memberships. I took those supplements until the first refills and then decided it was too expensive. Embarrassed by my lack of follow-thru, I have never returned to that particular doctor. I fell so far behind the Bible study, like the slow fading of battery-powered string lights, that I just stopped logging on. My little online accountability group must wonder what happened to me, or perhaps they followed the same path and are lurking in the shadows somewhere just like I am. Don't start penning an email about the value of personal goals. Without a plan or goals, we risk meandering around aimlessly, which doesn't serve us well either. But, something about this time of year can feel like pressure to set up something new, join in on the resolution bandwagon, and make the appearance that we are purposeful and intentional. But, why start some workout plan that we will not follow after a month? Why begin some fresh eating or dieting plan that will end in feelings of failure because we cannot stay on track? So come if you're needingForgiveness or healingHis mercy's enoughOh, and this is our hopeThe cross, it has spokenDeath is no moreChrist is the Lord This year, I am trying something different. At the end of the day, I have one primary goal: to witness His love. How would my life change if I dialed up my sensitivity to the love of God? But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions -- it is by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:4-5 I don't earn His favor. God isn't waiting for me to follow through on my plans before he lavishes me with His love. He is not waiting for my performance, withholding His assessment of my progress before expressing His love for me. He isn't watching how I manage before deciding whether I get to level up. God just loves. He loves without condition, regardless of failure and doesn't demand payback. The gift He gives comes with no strings attached. God really loves usHis mercy's enoughHis grace is sufficient What would happen if I lived like I believed in this kind of love? He really loves us. We are not alone. Two powerful life-changing truths. Do we believe that His love is enough to undo the loneliness, to heal the brokenhearted, to help us navigate through the current chaos? See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1a Songwriters Benjamin Glover, Dante Bowe, David Crowder and Jeff Sojka created a song, God Really Loves Us, that beautifully begins my intentions for this year. I have a funny feeling that I won't forget a day, once I start paying closer attention; my gut says the dividends will be spectacular. So this January 2022, I am taking the focus off of self-improvement. Instead, I am going to search for where I see His love. Tracey Dahl, M.A. is a writer and Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) in Langley, BC (Canada). She is married to Ryan Dahl (Founder of PraiseCharts) and the mother of four grown children. God Really Loves Us was written by David Crowder and featured on the Milk & Honey album.

Phil Wickham's House of the Lord is a celebration shouting out praise to our God who made a way for us. His presence and provision billow up and overflow from grateful hearts. When you experience His joy, or when you have been rescued and set free, it is hard not to shout out with joy from the mountaintops. Is there joy in your house? A joy that bubbles up, spills over, and leaves your world just right. Maybe you glimpse joy walking along a forest trail, watching your kids play outside, or having that first-morning cup of coffee. Possibly, it is sunsets, sunrises or walking along the beach that does it for you; the moments we feel like our most authentic selves and right there in the middle of this moment, we feel it - deep and steady as a heartbeat - joy. There's joy in the house of the LordThere's joy in the house of the Lord todayAnd we won't be quietWe shout out Your praise But, have you noticed that it doesn't take much to steal your joy? How quickly deep contentment like this can be snatched away? Slipping from your soul the moment you see "that" look from the store clerk and realize you forgot to lift your mask up to cover your nose. You know the look: the judgy eyes, furrowed brows, the look of deep disapproval. Sometimes joy is stolen in moments when family or friends comment or question your decisions, their words laced with sarcasm, passive aggression or explicit judgment. Ever disagreed with a friend and then been ghosted, unfollowed or blocked? And one of the biggest dangers lurks on social media platforms—conversation threads enticing responses and disrupting contentment and joy both for the reader and the ones who post. We don't even have to post a comment to be and feel disturbed by what we read. Joy, peace, and provision. In His house, there will be joy. In His house, we will experience peace. In His house, we will have all that we need. If there is joy in the House of the Lord, we should expect to experience it. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. (Psalm 28:7, NIV) If we have confident assurance that our God is near, that He heals, and that He saves, why isn't joy plastered like wallpaper all over our social media platforms, filling our feeds? Because our lives are messy, complicated and we are easily prone to distraction and disappointment. The most common presenting issue in my counseling office is anxiety. Anxiety (fear) and joy rarely co-exist. The emotional marathon of 2020 left some of us depleted with a lingering sense of dread for the next hard thing. Maybe we are having trouble concentrating or feeling stuck and unsure how to get moving again. Some are not excited to re-engage socially when given the freedom to do so. Others report feeling aimless, like wandering through the day looking through a foggy window. With so many unknowns in the days ahead, hope for change is waning. There is a word to describe this -- it is called languishing. Someone described it to me like this: "It's been like hitting a dead end at every turn in a cornfield maze. In the beginning, it was a game, and we were set on winning and persevering. There was all this adrenaline to make it through and to overcome the obstacles. One dead-end isn't discouraging because you've only been in the maze for a short while, and you have a lot of energy to keep pressing through. But now, hitting one detour after another ... having to pivot and change directions has become tiresome. I want to stop playing and have someone rescue me. If I could shoot up some flares and have someone lift me to safety, I'd do that." The thought of experiencing life as a maze is so dark and heavy compared to the contagious joyful expression of praise in the "House of the Lord." What do we have to shift in order to have more sustainable joy? At any given moment, you can respond in one of two ways: Either your authentic best self may show up, or your more compromised version of yourself may appear. Think of being overtired, hungry, distracted, or frustrated, and suddenly someone cuts you off in traffic or drops the entire carton of milk all over your paperwork sitting on the kitchen island. Sidestepping all grace, words and gestures fly from your body quickly without much thought. You react rather than reflect, and your compromised self shows up strong and powerful. Though the fig tree does not budand there are no grapes on the vines,though the olive crop failsand the fields produce no food,though there are no sheep in the penand no cattle in the stalls,yet I will rejoice in the Lord,I will be joyful in God my Savior.(Habakkuk 3:17-19) Or maybe this is more you. Scrolling through Instagram or Facebook, you land upon a post from a "friend." It is outlandish, offensive and flies in complete contradiction to all your values. In fact, you can't imagine how you didn't know this "friend" felt this way. Thoughts rush in: "what an ignorant comment to make," and "how can they call themselves Christian?" or "how can they believe that garbage is true?" Think about the last time you read something online that annoyed you, rattled you with such intensity that you reacted and responded rashly, or maybe you just muddled it over and over for days after. And, we keep going back to check that post to see what new absurd comments are being made, further disturbing our thoughts and disrupting our sense of calm. Criticism, judgment, seeing myself as the expert, name-calling, and hiding behind anonymity. These joy-robbers, peace-stealers, and grace-dismantling thoughts lead us directly into disappointment, anxiety and impulsiveness. We react rather than reflect. Our behavior becomes quick and prickly. Our compromised selves have sharp edges and tend not to respond well to correction from others. Not surprisingly, you may find yourself irritable, distracted, and sensitive to criticism and judgment in this state. So what can we do when we find ourselves in a prickly, reactive, critical way? Take a social media break and tend to the garden of your heart. Resist the pull to respond. "Whatever momentary self-satisfaction we experience when we entertain it leaves behind darkness and a hardness of heart — like cement that begins to cure while we're standing in it up to our knees." (The Chosen Book Two: 40 Days with Jesus. Day 8 Love) Lift your eyes above your circumstances and reconnect with the Prince of Peace. Sing praise and worship, allowing His truth to wash over you. He heals, He saves, and He is still rolling away stones. He makes a way through every dark valley or risky mountain climb. He will give you what you need to face the tricky places you find yourself in. But His direction, leading, and heart will not be easy to hear or find if you have not attuned to Him. We grow close to those we spend the most time with, and intimacy is cultivated intentionally, mindfully and with consistency over time. We sing to the God who healsWe sing to the God who savesWe sing to the God who always makes a way Come back to the revelation that we are the house of the Lord. We are the body. We are not a building. We are a people. How we engage with the world reflects how deeply His presence has touched us. Tracey Dahl, M.A. is a writer and Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) in Langley, BC (Canada). She is married to Ryan Dahl (Founder of PraiseCharts) and the mother of four grown children. House Of The Lord was written by Phil Wickham and Jonathan Smith.

Beautiful Jesus by Passion featuring Chidima Ubah, is soul-stirring worship- singing the name of Jesus. The beautiful presence of Jesus. A whisper of his name changes the atmosphere in a room, ushering in healing and peace. Oh, there's just something, something about the nameIt's like nothing, nothing I can explainThere's just something, something about the nameJesus, oh Jesus Our names are purposefully chosen. We take care to find names for our children, make lists, and learn meanings. We combine their middle and last names practising them out loud. We spell them uniquely and consider how they will be shortened. When we heard our full names spoken out loud, we knew to pay attention. Oh, there's just something, something about the nameIt's like nothing, nothing I can explainThere's just something, something about the nameJesus, oh Jesus God gave new names to Abram and Sarai. New names to match the covenant and promise for generations to come. After Jacob struggled with God, his new God-given name, Israel, serves to remind us of our dependence on God to be our strength when we are weak. As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful. I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.Genesis 17: 4-6 NIV Jesus meets a fisherman named Simon and renames him Peter declaring, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter). And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.Matthew 16:18 NIV His name is Jesus. What a beautiful, powerful, and tender name. The significance of his name is deeply personal. Speak the name of Jesus, let him in and let him change your heart. Tracey Dahl, M.A. is a writer and Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) in Langley, BC (Canada). She is married to Ryan Dahl (Founder of PraiseCharts) and the mother of four grown children. Beautiful Jesus was written by Mia Fieldes, Jacob Sooter, Chidima Ubah and featured on Passion's Burn Bright album.