Hymn Of Heaven Devotional

We stand and sing the team's national anthem at the beginning of many sporting events. A momentary reverence is shared—standing to attention, removing hats, respectful adherence to a tradition. A bailiff invites us to rise when judges enter the courtroom. We stand when the bride begins her processional up the wedding aisle. The historical narratives rooted in some of these traditions are messy, and some choose to bend the knee or hold their seat. At best, these moments are perfunctory. Not so with the anthem of praise to the King of Kings. Think for a moment about the anthem of heaven. Can you imagine how quickly we will rise, how loud we will cheer or how our breath will catch at the sight of Jesus? Will it be loud, or will the presence of the King of Kings have us so moved that it will be our collective silence that fills the space? If we take a knee, it will be because our legs cannot bear the weight of our trembling bodies. Come, let us bow down in worship,let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;for he is our Godand we are the people of his pasture,the flock under his care.Psalm 95: 6,7 NIV As I ventured into the quagmire of social media today, I became aware of the dangers lurking in the shadows. I fasted from social media through December and am now more sensitive to what is still present on my feeds. I don't search for the bad news. I stumble upon it because conflict, chaos and confrontation reign online. So, with each click, or swipe, I hold my breath. My heart quickens, and I remain on high alert. Not like the lioness crouched down in the bushes waiting for her prey, she is fearless; my vigilance is more akin to the wee antelope who suddenly hears the grass rustle nearby and looks up frozen with fright. So imagine my delight today when I read a series of posts from a lovely friend, one after another, offering thanks. She gave an anthem of praise. She wrote thank yous to nurses, mental health professionals, teachers, and pastors for all they do to keep us safe, healthy, and informed. Who else would rocks cry out to worshipWhose glory taught the stars to shinePerhaps creation longs to have the words to singBut this joy is mine An anthem of praise. A melody of adoration. Brooke Ligertwood's A Thousand Hallelujahs is an anthem of praise. A song of devotion. Our heart's cry of gratefulness. We have eternity to sing it. A thousand hallelujah's to magnify his name, give honour and praise because He reigns. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts since you were called to peace as members of one body. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, d0 it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.Colossians 3:14-19 NIV If you feel the burden of the here and now, lift your eyes above your circumstances. Join the chorus of A Thousand Hallelujahs. A song of worship we will sing into eternity. An anthem of praise our hearts long to sing. 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. A Thousand Hallelujahs was written by Brooke Ligertwood and featured on the A Thousand Hallelujahs album.

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.

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.

I was soaking in Maverick City Music / Elevation Worship's song Jireh this weekend and I feel stretched. At the first phrase, my chest tightened, and a lump of emotion rose in my throat catching my breath -- I'll never be more loved than I am right now. Do I believe that when I have Him, I have everything? Do I believe that He is enough? It's more than you ask, think or imagineAccording to His power, it's working in usIt's more than enough Walking the dog with this song speaking to my heart, I realized the words hit me hard because of how sickly contradictory the world can feel right now. I haven't noticed the boldness of others trusting in God's provision, or witnessed courage and confidence in the face of calamity. Maybe it is my job, or my social media platforms? Maybe it is just situational with our current circumstances? But what seems to be more visible is a message like this: don't trust anyone; protect yourself, be on guard! Some hold firm to the belief that those in authority are out to get them, so be cautious and don't believe what they say. Extreme responses and conspiracy theories pop up on every social platform. They are all too familiar. Be vigilant ... be wary — question everything. We tend towards cognitive bias; a confirmation bias based on overvaluing the information confirming our already-established beliefs and expectations. Our preferences can be rigid, leaving us immovable and unwilling to engage our curiosity to consider alternative perspectives. Interactions quickly deteriorate if our primary goal in communication is to hear we are right. The evidence of this is everywhere. Navigating around the cesspool of opinions feels dangerous. When I manage to offer the grace or understanding or lay down my expectations and face someone's disapproval without blowing my top or losing my mind or wits, I look for a reward. I want someone to notice and say, "Good job, I saw you didn't fight back,...good for you for taking the higher road!" or, "Hey, well done for showing so much patience!" Honestly, please give me a gold star or a button to wear because loving difficult people is exhausting. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. (Matthew 7:3-5, NIV) I will tell you something I have learned about myself: my love is shakeable, circumstantial, and dependent on how I feel. I gravitate towards those who are easy to love and find myself avoiding the people who are difficult to love. There, I said it! I avoid difficult people. I am not proud of the way I hide, but I am so aware of my need for Jesus when I make this explicit. No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13, NIV) We can't love our critics without Jesus. Look around you. Read those political threads. Witness the virus debate, the vaccine dialogue, and the COVID conversations: our love is fickle. Our love goes up in flames when our opinions or perspectives feel attacked. We justify our cruel, critical commentary, becoming instant experts because we disagree. Allow this thought to reach your soul. God loves that difficult family member, that defensive person online, and that government official you find offensive or out of touch. And if in the moment, you cannot show up with love, step aside and get out of His way. Forever, always and more than enough. He responds with perfect love. Our God sees the issues with perfect clarity, and we do not. His viewpoint, perspective, and wisdom are above all our circumstances. Nothing written, spoken, or even implied comes as a surprise to Him. 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, NIV) Yes, sometimes it can be hard to trust people. Friends, family, co-workers will disappoint us, let us down, and fall short. You will bump into difficult people who stretch you, test your patience and hurt your feelings. I hope this doesn't come as a surprise to you, but there will be moments that YOU are the difficult person. When we feel threatened by someone's response or judged unfairly, try lingering longer in His love. Be reflective, not reactive. His love is enough. He has chosen you. No one can stand in the way. No words spoken over you or to you can dismantle the heart of His message about you. He loves you. When we can take this in and allow our hearts to be changed by His love, our responses to others then changes, too. This song has honestly been a reminder for me that God is everything we'll ever need. My prayer and hope is that everyone who listens to this is reminded of the Father's heart toward us and that He loves to take care of us. (Naomi Raine of Maverick City) Thank you Jesus for your love that your love is more than I could fathom or imagine — it doesn't change; it does not depend on how we react or feel. Thank you, Jesus, that I'm already loved. That it is forever and always more than enough. Maybe if I stay close to God's way of loving me, I will get a taste of how I can love others better. After all, I do believe that is part of His plan. 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. Jireh was written by Chris Brown, Steven Furtick, Chandler Moore, and Naomi Raine. Jireh was recorded by Maverick City and Elevation Worship.

"He reveals the deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him." Daniel 2:22 Have you ever locked yourself in a bathroom with a glow-in-the-dark stick? My kids have pulled me into the bathroom more than once to experience the power of a glow stick. I'm always amazed that a tiny little wand can light up the whole room and incite so much excitement from my children. I'm equally amazed that those same children, who still sleep with a night light, can also willingly walk into a dark bathroom with no fear. They can do it because they believe the advertising promised on the glow stick packaging. They believe it will light up the darkness. God has always been using light to prove that He is with us since the beginning of time. He's been advertising this promise to us since Genesis. Do you realize the second thing God did in creation was bring light into the darkness? “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” (Genesis 1:1-3). God made sure that we knew right from the beginning that He is in the darkness with us and He is committed to being the light we need. In Daniel 2:22, Daniel proclaims God knows what is in the dark and light dwells with Him. Several chapters later in Daniel 6:19, we find Daniel's trust in this promise is tested when he is thrown into a lion's den, a real-life dark pit full of hungry lions. Daniel was being punished for praying to the God of Abraham instead of praying to King Darius. In Daniel 6:17 it says, “A stone was brought and placed over the opening of the den. The king put his seal on the stone...so that Daniel's situation could not be changed.” How many of us have been in dark situations that we were completely convinced could not be changed? Situations where we could not see the light at the end of the tunnel? I know I have. But in this story, God shows up for Daniel and proves that nothing is impossible for Him. God does not fear the darkness, for light dwells in Him, and He is in the darkness with us…“At dawn, as soon as it was light, the king got up and went to the lions' den to find Daniel ALIVE! Daniel tells the king, “My God sent his angel and shut the lion's mouths so that they couldn't hurt me.” God showed up in that dark lion's den and brought His light and salvation to Daniel. And in the stories of our lives, He will do the same for me and you. Just like Daniel, I too have experienced dark pits. I have had moments when I thought my dark days would never turn around or see light again. But just like the wise men saw the Star of Bethlemham fill the night sky and lead them to worship Jesus, I too have felt the light of God lead me to the feet of Jesus in those dark seasons. At His feet, I've poured out my tears, prayers and worship and experienced His light break through the darkness and show me a way forward. So now, when dark seasons come, I do not fear. Because just like my daughters, I too am able to walk confidently into “dark places” knowing that God's promise of being with me is true. It's not a false advertisement. I believe His promise and His light is the proof. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9 God has been bringing light into darkness throughout history. He did it in creation, He did it with Daniel in the lion's den and He will do it again in your life and mine. God is not shaken by the darkness because even in the darkness there is light, and He is The Light. It's been said by scientists that darkness is not the absence of light, but the absence of visible light for humans to see. This means, even though we might not be able to “see” light, it doesn't mean that light doesn't exist in the darkness. This is also true of Jesus, who is The Light of the World. Even though we sometimes can't “see” Him in our darkest moments, it doesn't mean He isn't there. Right now, you might be in the darkest season of your life. It might look hopeless or impossible. You might be convinced that nothing can change it. Let me encourage you to pull out the glow stick of God's word and let it light up your situation. His word will light up peace, joy, hope and faith inside of you. His words will silence fear, doubt, depression and more. His word will build your faith, comfort your soul, and bring light into your life. Just like Daniel, you don't have to fear the darkness anymore. God is in it with you and His light dwells with you right where you are. He will never leave you or forsake you. Darkness is never dark to God because where He is, He has promised there is light. And where there is light, there is hope. GOD PROMISES TO REMEMBER Psalm 139:11-12 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. Isaiah 60:29 The sun will no more be your light by day, no will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. Psalm 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Hope Darst, has been leading worship, growing her family and serving the local church. She wears many titles…wife, mother, worship leader and songwriter. Promise Keeper was written by Jonathan Smith, Ethan Hulse, Hope Darst, and featured on the Peace Be Still album.

Ever feel like you are moving just fast enough that God's goodness, His kindness, and His presence slip right past? We sense Him in the periphery but can't seem to slow down long enough to fully take Him in. We hurry past without noticing that God is near. Part of our hurry might be our efforts to avoid all of the potential landmines so prevalent in the world. It takes vigilance to sidestep divisiveness, leaving our nervous systems locked in and loaded. We might notice our senses roaming back and forth, watching for danger. It is tremendously difficult to enter His rest when our souls are on guard for the next threat. And if we cannot enter His rest, how are we able to experience thankfulness? Sometimes my soul needs a hefty dose of the end goal. I sometimes need a reminder of the end of the story through an extended time in scripture and worship. Settle in with Cody Carnes and Brandon Lake's song, Too Good To Not Believe. I've lived stories that have proved Your faithfulnessI've seen miracles my mind can't comprehendAnd there is beauty in what I can't understandJesus, it's You, Jesus, it's You Sitting down to watch a show, my TV displayed this message - "cannot load content." My attempts to troubleshoot this message went through "ask Google," then "ask the kids," and finally, after an hour of checking the internet, unplugging devices, trying to reload content...I clicked the one word I was a bit hesitant to press -- RESET. Why so downcast oh my soul?Why so disturbed within me?Put your hope in God,for I will yet praise him,my Savior and my God.Psalm 43:5 The reset button clears the memory and reboots the machine forcibly, says Wikipedia. The English Language Learners Definition of reset is: : to move (something) back to an original place or position: to put (a broken bone) back in the correct position for healing: to put (a gem) into a new piece of jewelry I love how sitting with words can shift perspectives making something implicit, explicit. Illuminating the truths buried between letters. Why do I feel so afraid, like some danger is just lurking around every corner? I imagined God's response would be gentle and comforting, like an invitation to sit awhile and rest. And there in the stillness, I sense this question - Are you staying close to His love for you? There is no fear in God's love. His love for us is never far off, but we miss it when we hurry past. The display of His love is evident in beauty all around me. The vibrant changing colors of fall. The smiles of delight on my granddaughter's face. The quiet whisper of peace and the welcome of rest in the morning moments with Him. And in this space, my heart wells up with thankfulness. My soul longs for a reset where I am placed back in a correct position to promote healing. I am even open to some memory wiping if I was honest. You're the wonder-working GodAnd You heal because You love Today, I was relieved that social media crashed, and it felt like a threat was neutralized - at least for the moment. I couldn't help but smile - this is evidence of His love for me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.Philippians 3:13-14 Forgetting the things of the past, or at the very least, putting them down. And picking back up the things I know and believe. He is good. His mercies are new every morning. He is near. He is not surprised, caught off guard, or unprepared. 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. Too Good To Not Believe was written by Brandon Lake, Cody Carnes, Chris Davenport, & Joshua Silverberg and featured on the Homecoming Album by Bethel Music.

I am circling the same old rabbit hole struggling to avoid the hot topics. I feel stuck in a room with no door, frantically trying to find a way out. Do you feel weary of having the same conversations, hearing the same stories, and watching the same conflicts? I long for a new story to tell- a fresh inspiration. Sing to the Lord a new song;sing to the Lord, all the earth.Psalm 96 NIV Have you ever longed for a new way through the muck and mire of the present circumstances? Like me, do you find yourself tripping over the same old potholes? I want to sing a new song a -- replacing the broken stuff, restoring what feels worn out and weary. Global disasters are not going away any time soon. We might describe them differently next month, but the conflicts and disappointments are unavoidable. Our confidence in God's promises must exist side-by-side with the shifting ground of our current circumstances. My wandering produced no relief. My focus was on finding a way out instead of a path through. So, my very dear friends, don't get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures.James 1:17-18 The Message One of the paths into the steadying presence of Jesus is worship. He is our anchor, securing us through the tides of confusion. Today, taking time to step into Elevation Worship's song, My Testimony, I found my heart lifting and a pathway through the fog. I saw satan fall like lightningI saw darkness run for coverBut the miracle that I just can't get overMy name is registered in heavenI believe in signs and wondersI have resurrection powerStill the miracle that I just can't get overMy name is registered in heavenMy praise belongs to you forever We have a story of restoration because God hasn't left our side, nor is He rattled, confused or uncertain. Nothing in our circumstances comes as a surprise to him. He has no limits. His pleasure is in the provision, and his delight is for those who put their hope in his love. Great is our Lord and mighty in power;his understanding has no limit.Psalm 147:5 He provides a way through the darkness. Our names are registered in heaven -- an irrevocable promise. The way to find our footing is to focus on what we know is true. He is the way through. Our testimony is that He lives. If I'm not dead, You're not doneGreater things are still to comeOh I believe Allow worship to blanket any weariness. Let it seep in and lighten what feels heavy. Breathe in the truth, and testify about what God has done. Our God will finish what He startedOur God will finish what He startedIf I'm not dead, You're not doneGreater things are still to comeOh I believe The new thing is the old thing with fresh packaging. Our way through the confusion is to linger in His goodness. If we sit in wonder and marvel at what God has done, we will find ourselves in awe rather than in distress. Greater things are still to come! This is our testimony. 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. My Testimony was written by Elevation Worship and featured on the album Graves Into Gardens.

Do you ever glance around the world searching for a reason to feel hopeful? Do you ever end up discouraged? Such a quest can feel like a flickering flame, threatening to extinguish in the slightest breeze. While driving through my hometown today, I passed by a row of small wooden crosses stationed along the side of the road, each adorned with toddler-sized dresses. My stomach churned, considering the horror represented by the roadside tribute to 215 children whose remains were found in an unmarked burial site. The unmarked graves discovered in multiple residential school grounds across Canada represent a generation of young people abducted from their homes who faced unknown horrors. If I'm honest, I feel angry and I'm unsure how to respond. Who holds our faith when fears arise? Who stands above the stormy trial? So what happens when in the face of human suffering, the fire of hope in eternity fades? What happens when the words of our worship songs sit like stones in our chest? A quiet hallelujah is barely uttered and the fiery darts of the enemy slide in behind our breastplate. Why do we endure and keep searching for some measure of hope? Because right there in the middle of our suffering is a promise: we will feast in endless joy. And what reward will heaven bring?Everlasting life with himAnd we will rise to meet the LordThen sin and death will be destroyed Maybe you face another kind of agony that is closer to home. Alzheimer's, dementia, ALS, Parkinson's, Cancer: these are the names of afflictions so distant for many and a real-life battlefield for others. When you are on the battlefield, it is easy to feel helpless, hopeless, and numb. Where is the hope in that? This is the plight of our human condition: everyone bleeds. Human suffering is unavoidable. No one escapes hardship -- in some form, at some time. We cannot look here for our hope. Earthly hope does not endure. It fades, disappoints, and dies. "Christ has been raised from the dead" (1 Cor 15:20). That is the only statement that can transform how we live each day and how we prepare for our earthly life to end. To find comfort in life, we must know how we can face death. Hope comes only in trusting the one who died to take the curse of death and who crushed the power of death by His resurrection. See Getty Music. We all experience suffering as our earthly bodies waste away, but we hold fast to a promise that is unfading, protected by the resurrection. One day, we will feast at His banqueting table. Can you feel that truth settling into your heart? Like a healing balm of comfort, God says, "take my gift and have endless joy." And the God of all grace, who called youto his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore youand make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:10,11 Don't sit in silence. Tell yourself both sides of the story. We will have suffering and there is a promise. Worship through the grief and find the promised hope. Breakthroughs come when hearts break open. 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. Christ Our Hope in Life and Death is a modern hymn written by Keith Getty, Jordan Kauflin, Matt Papa, Matt Boswell, and Matthew Merker (Getty Music). Words inspired by the Heidelberg Catechism.

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.

Ever faced a vast army? Have you walked alone down your driveway to see an angry mob glaring back at you waiting for you to cross the residential boundary line so they could attack? Would you turn around and run back inside? The story in 2 Chronicles describes a vignette like this and is the inspiration behind the song Battle Belongs. The people of God find themselves facing a war they cannot win without help. In 2 Chronicles 20, one of my favorite stories in the Bible, a huge army has amassed to come against the people of God," Wickham explains. "Every time I sing Battle Belongs, it pumps me up because we know that in anything we might face, our God is bigger. I hope this song reminds people that He is with us and for us. If we stand firm and hold our position, we will see the salvation of the Lord on our behalf!" - Phil Wickham We have been facing a pandemic for some time now, and it isn't the virus. The most common presenting issue in my counseling office is anxiety, along with the unbearable feeling of being alone. Unbearable aloneness is the current crisis we face. We may be a part of community groups, bible studies, ministry teams, surrounded by others, and yet, feel lonely. Surrounded by people and still feeling alone seems incongruent. But it is sadly common and very understandable. Aloneness is the vast army many of us face. I will feel alone, not just in the absence of people around me, but when the people around me don't know who I am. Ask yourself: who knows me? Who knows me at my best along with the side of myself when I am compromised? Does my compromised self stay hidden? When you feel anxious, angry, or disappointed, are you alone in those moments? At any given time, we can be our best selves or our worst selves. In my work, I notice that we often feel uncared for when we are showing up less than our best selves. When we are afraid that we won't be heard, accepted, or understood, we don't allow others to see behind the curtain of our one-dimensional "Instagram-worthy" personas. We hide from the potential for criticism or judgment. We present only the parts of ourselves that we decide are worthy of being known. We are often validated to keep offering only the good because we experience the same criticism and judgment we fear when we show up compromised. In 2 Chronicles 20, it says "You will not have to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf". – Phil Wickham Do we hold to the distorted belief that we can only bring our best selves to worship? Isn't the better way to hope that our faith communities would be safe for us to show up no matter what? Sadly, many are not. People who have been hurt by church communities often end up in offices like mine. They have been minimized, victimized, and shamed because they risked showing more vulnerable parts of themselves and faced rejection or invalidation. They heard hollow, spiritually sounding phrases; vain attempts meant to offer hope but left them feeling broken and damaged. Hurting people are told to, "cast all their cares onto Jesus," "trust He has a plan," or that "God is using this season to grow you." There is truth in these words, but if we over-spiritualize distress, we serve to protect only ourselves from our discomfort witnessing someone else's pain. If I offer you some spiritual platitude when you bring me your pain, I only create distance between us, and you are left feeling alone with it. For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you. – 2 Chronicles 20:12 Unbearable aloneness is the crisis we face today. Why are we not brave enough to be with another while they are in pain? Please resist the temptation to rush in to fix, to offer some empty spiritual words; instead, allow each other space to be in it. My Christian clients are often very relieved to hear that they can feel an emotion from beginning to end, and it doesn't mean they are not "trusting" in the Lord. I have witnessed the great misconception or belief that rewards and commends chasing after emotions like joy or peace but criticizes all negative emotional experiences. What if we stopped being afraid of emotions…both the ones that reside in ourselves and the ones we witness in someone else? What if we humanized emotion? By our very design, God gives us the neurobiological mechanisms to have feelings and respond to His creation. We can be in awe. We can feel joy. We know sadness.We feel anger … and we can be disappointed, hurt, and betrayed. All of this is what it means to be human: we feel. Emotions show up in our bodies, wired into our physiology. When we pay attention or notice them, they do come and go like waves come and go. Pathologizing people as "too emotional" or labeling emotions as good or bad feeds loneliness. Emotions exist to help us experience the world God created. But now, this is what the Lord says- he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: "Do not fear for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze; For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. – Isaiah 43: 1-3 Unbearable aloneness is like a vast army standing against us. When faced with profound loneliness, our Father says: I will be with you! It is a battle cry, your war song. Wherever I am, in the middle of the storm, falling from the mountain top or dragging myself across the desert wasteland. My God is with me…undoing my aloneness. In the face of the loneliness experienced globally, knowing that He chooses to be close to me even when I am at my worst, is deeply encouraging. Imagine the healing possibilities for us if we could be with one another in our pain, sorrow, and disappointment and undo the aloneness so prevalent in our world. 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. Battle Belongs © 2020 Phil Wickham Music, Simply Global Songs, Sing My Songs (Admin by Essential Music Publishing) Bethel Music Publishing CCLI Song No. 7148126.

Less than a year ago, we were hard-pressed to locate toilet paper. This summer, the hunt is on for air conditioners. With extreme temperatures, unusually high for Western Canada and the USA, conditions increased the risk of forest fires. Smoke blankets the air as wildfires destroy one hectare after another. Evacuation centers are set up in local towns to accommodate the displaced families. The losses are devastating. Perhaps you read on the news that the forest fires consumed an entire community in British Columbia this past month. Lytton, a town only a few hours from my home, recorded the highest-ever temperature in the history of Canada (49.6C / 121.3F) on June 29, 2021. Two days later, fire obliterated the whole town. Within 15 minutes, flames destroyed homes, businesses, livestock, and wildlife. The destruction of fire is shocking. Fire moves with a mind of its own, knocking to ash one property while leaving a neighboring building intact. Single chimneys remain as a reminder of cozy living rooms. A ping pong table was found standing untouched by the flames in the middle of what must have been a games room. Even when circumstances look bleak all around, know this truth -- our God is a master rebuilder. Creation reveals that our God restores all things. In moments of significant loss, unavoidable pain, defeat, and brokenness, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us. Healing comes as we let out sounds of grief and groans of suffering. We can fall to our knees, lift up our hands and let the tears fall, grateful for our God who is well acquainted with suffering. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. (Romans 8:26, ESV) God is a faithful, steady anchor of hope. In Hold On to Me, Lauren Daigle's worship reaches inside broken hearts, connecting us to the immovable one. The words allow tears to flow and hope to rise up above the sorrow. When the best of me is barely breathingWhen I'm not somebody I believe inHold on to meWhen I am sure I have reached the endHold on to me when I forget I need YouWhen I let go, hold me again A fire ripped through my own community back in 2003, destroying buildings, homes, and the surrounding countryside. Today, driving through the area, what is most visible from the highway is the new growth, not the evidence that a fire destroyed the forest. Meandering between the scorched stumps of blackened, broken trees are shades of green — the evidence of God restoring the earth. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.(1 Peter 5:10) God is continually restoring, rebuilding, and creating things new. Up from the ashes, new life grows. What is left is a patchwork across the mountainside — multifaceted shades of green and gold. The dark forest, untouched by the flames of the past, grows tall and rich while the newer growth catches up, fresh and mossy. A forest is reborn. A reminder that our lives burn at times, falling into an ash heap. But not all is ever lost -- because God's design is both for our good and our growth. Read more about the devastation at Lytton here. Read more about the fire from 2003 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. Hold On To Me was written and performed by Lauren Daigle.

Oh gosh, I love fall and pumpkin spiced lattes. I love the colors of our trees in the backyard, but it is a very different experience from the love I feel for my husband, children, and gorgeous granddaughter. Do you end calls with family with a quick "love you !" Or sign the bottom of birthday greetings the same way? Hear the phrases "love that new coat on you" and "loved that show on Netflix!" We have watered down what it means to love. What does it mean to you to love your neighbor? If I can't love my neighbor like I love myselfIf I won't move when my brother cries out for helpIf I'm too proud to forgive before the sun goes downThen this life that I've been living what does it mean now None of my love comes close to the love that God has lavished on us. We will continually fall short of this unrestrained expression of love while we continue to practice loving only those who are easy to love. Try working it out when the road is rocky, the other is difficult, and your strength is weak. See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And this is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 1 John 3:1 Something struck me listening to this song by Pat Barrett and Dante Bowe's "Nothing/ Something. " The back and forth sharing of the phrases reminded me that the invitation to love others is something I need help to do. I am not good at it on my own, and I don't have to look hard to notice some of you are not good at it either. Our love billows over when there is no risk, and it blooms easy. It is a whole other workout loving the people around us who are challenging. Maybe they masquerade as our neighbors, but they are often our siblings, children, partners, or friends. These relationships expose our incapacity to love well. Out of one corner of our mouths, we say as for me and my house, we serve the Lord...and then whisper words of judgment on our brothers and sisters. It is the kind of bait and switch that my non-Christian friends find disorienting with the church, seeing a love that looks sloppy and exclusive. I could say I love my neighbor, but it does not nearly shine as bright alongside the love I hold for my children. My love for my neighbor is dim at best. I hardly know my neighbor. With complete transparency, there are some neighbors I don't wish to know at all. And don't get me started on that one person (or two) who grate on my nerves, leaving me rigid from all the tongue biting I do around them. Show me how to love like YouCause if I don't have love it means nothing My love for people and how much I give depends on a few things. How they treat me and how invested I am in their well-being. If I am irritated, I have been known to withhold love, and I shut down, remaining emotionally disconnected. What is your modus operandi? We tend to have a predictable way of discrediting, minimizing or invalidating another's experience. Do you move away because, you know, they don't know the Lord like you do? Or, they don't have the education, experience, money like you do? What pattern do you choose when dealing with difficult people who don't think like you, dress like you or work as you do, so you do not have to love them? I don't want to sound like a crashing cymbalI don't want to be some empty noiseI'm down on my knees, Lord I surrenderJesus help me to love with a love like Yours My least favorite place to linger is a church foyer. The perfunctory meeting, greeting, and hand-shaking turns my insides like we are gearing up to head onto the main stage for a performance. One part of me wants to feel a part of the group and searches for someone I recognize to talk to; another part wants to make a beeline to my preferred seat in the auditorium to avoid making small talk with anyone. When I show up in a church foyer, my "on again off again" love dial switches on. I show interest, smile, ask you about the details I remember from last week. And we have this interaction that at the moment feels like we love one another, but at best, we are being kind. Kindness is love's cousin, for sure, but it is a part not the fullness of God's love. Foyer's are easy places to pretend we love one another. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.John 3:16 For God so loved. He so loved. He doesn't love the world the way I love the changing colors of Fall, or a long walk along a riverbank. His love created. His love created all I know and hold dear. His love sacrificed comfort, set-aside fame, notoriety and chose a humble beginning with a horrific ending instead. His love did this for me. It was a profoundly personal, intimate act of love. This ending paid the highest price and bought my freedom for eternity-THAT is love. If I can't love my neighbor like I love myselfIf I won't move when my brother cries out for helpIf I'm too proud to forgive before the sun goes downThen this life that I've been living what does it mean now My prayer today as I recognized once again my ineptitude to love well: Jesus, loving the people you created is not a task I can do alone. Help me. Show me what You see. Fill me with Your love so I can do better. Your love is an indescribable gift, and I want to be ready to give it to others - even when it is a challenging task to do so. 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. Nothing / Something was written by Pat Barrett and featured on the Nothing / Something album.