I AM your Resting Place

You're safer than a baby in her mother's arms.

You're safer than a baby in her mother's arms.

Know My peace. I'm Your resting place.

Know My peace. I'm Your resting place.

You lead me to the fountain of delights.

Drink deep. Drink deeper child.

You lead me to the fountain of delights.

Drink deep. Drink deeper. Deeper... c'mon.

I am your Love. I am your Life.

Drink Deep.

I am your Love. I am your Life.

Drink Deeper.

You're safer than a baby in her mother's arms.

Here I Am

What centers me? What centers you?

What defines me? What defines you?

What anchors me? What anchors you?

I thought I could find life outside of You

Discover another who would love me like You do

My heart searched – My eyes looked

I reached – I grasped – I hungered for more

But I didn’t find what I was looking for

I didn’t find something else to satisfy the thirst in my soul

Here I am, back again

Gazing at You – Desperate for You

Your Beauty

Your Grace

Your Magnificence

No one can compare with You

No one can love me like You do

Why did I try to worship another?

Tried to make an idol of my own

Where can I go that You are not there with me?

Surrounding me

Protecting me

Cheering me on

Why do I try to run from the One who knows me the best

The One who has wooed me with His loving-kindness

When will I learn that You are my life

I’ve got to lay mine down

What I want – what I cling to

Apart from You -Has got to go

Die to gain life?

Such a paradox

Yet a necessary truth

Help me trust You when I’m scared to let go

Give me glimpses of Your love when I fear the unknown

I get that I am Yours – You paid that price for me

Gave me life through Your perfect sacrifice

Help me live and not be afraid

Live the life – You made the way

Break off those things that hold me back

No more limits – No regrets

I want to live this life in abandon to You

To worship You – declare Your beauty and Your worth

Give me grace to rest and not to strive

As You bring me from death to life

Written by: Michelle Lenz

(Copyright – 2009)

Lesson on Trust at the Raw Bar in Wrigleyville

Last weekend I took my friend Beth out for her birthday and we went to the Raw Bar (fantastic place by the way) in Wrigleyville. Little did I know that on this day God would teach me (through the bartender and owner no less) a lesson on trust.

Here's the story: After the bartender/owner/chef seated us (knowing his name would make writing this post so much easier) I asked him quietly so Beth wouldn't hear if they do anything special for people's birthday. He said I got you covered and I said thanks. Beth and I enjoyed our meals and drinks - eclectic mediterranean cuisine. We threw down some spicy (not really spicy though) calamari, chocotini's, and shis kabob with dill rice. It was yummy! Then I asked the waiter for the dessert menu and as he was walking back to get it, I remember I had asked the bartender/owner/chef about the birthday treat but didn't know if he told the waiter, if the B/O/C remembered or what? So I decided to walk to the back of the bar where the waiter was and ask him if they did anything for birthday's - he quickly pointed to the B/O/C and said that he'll take care of you. Then the B/O/C approached me and said, "Didn't I say I got you covered?" (he wasn't mean at all just restating what he said earlier). Then he said this - and this is what hit me.... "You don't trust me." I said, taken a bit aback, "Of course I trust you." He replied, "No you don't, otherwise you wouldn't have asked me again." I said, "Hmmm - well I wasn't sure if you were busy, if you remembered or what." Then he said, "I'm working on it and will bring it out to you soon."

So... then I thought - Wow! How often do I do the same thing with God? How often have I asked Him for something and then asked Him again and again- like it was just in case He didn't hear me the first time? Even after He said "I'm working on it - or I've got you covered." How often have I and do I still lack faith and trust in Him as a loving Father who provides - knows way more what I need than I do? And wants to give me more than I can imagine or think? Forgetting that He loves me extravagantly. How often have I wondered - is He too busy? Does He remember what I asked for? Will He bring it? Did He forget? That, at the end of the day, if I did really trust Him with all of my heart - I would really relax and not wonder, strive, worry if He heard me, if He is too busy, or if He's working on my request. I can see as I write this how my view of God as my heavenly Father still in some areas is distorted. I know in my head that He is good, loving, and will provide... but sometimes my heart has a hard time FULLY receiving and living from that place.

So, Father I ask that you would increase my capacity - my heart capacity - to trust You more completely with EVERYTHING and that I would live more free in You and in everyday life knowing that You are trustworthy. You care for me and are caring for the things that concern me. Forgive my unbelief, doubting, and distortions. Help me know You (experientially), see You, and believe that You are truly good and that you care for me more than You care for the birds of the air and the lilies of the field.

Wisdom from Above

"Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealously and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.

This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealously and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil practice.

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."

James 3:13-18

Who will Inquire of the LORD?

A new song the Lord gave me this morning...

Who will inquire of the LORD in His holy temple?

Who will inquire of the LORD in His holy temple?

Will you lay down your pride?

Will you lay down your idols?

Will you come and enter in and run into His presence?

Who will inquire of the LORD, in His holy temple?

Who will inquire of the LORD, in His holy temple?

Will you lay down your pride?

Will you lay down your idols?

Will you come and enter in and run into His presence?

For He is God, He is our Father

We are His delight and we are His reward

Will you open your ears?

Will you open up your heart?

Let the fire of His love, come and purify the dross.

He wants us to see Him.

He wants us to know Him.

He wants us to call on His Name.

Who will inquire of the LORD in His holy temple?

Who will inquire of the LORD in His holy temple?

Will you lay down the sins that easily entangle?

Will you lay down the fears that keep you from entering?

For He's here, He's here right now.

He's closer than the air we breathe.

Will you come and take a drink of Him?

Will you come and take a drink of Him?

Your souls are thirsty. Your souls are thirsty.

He wants to give you more, so much more of Himself.

He wants to give you more, more than you can imagine.

Who will inquire of the LORD in His holy temple?

Who will inquire of the LORD in His holy temple?

Just come in, come in for a while.

Let His Spirit speak to your heart.

Le His Spirit sing over you.

Let His Spirit bring you life to the deadness inside.

Only He can satisfy.

He longs to walk with you.

To share with You His heart, to share with You His mind.

We are His, We are His.

We've been purchased, we've been bought.

We live no longer for ourselves, but to worship Him.

So come in, He's here.

Come in.

Bind. Seal. Cords. Trust.

I will sit and wait for You

You are my hope and stay

I will sit and wait for You

I dare not run away

So bind my heart to Yours

With unbreakable cords

Seal me with Your love

I want to trust You more

I will sit and wait for You

You are my hope and stay

I will sit and wait for You

I dare not run away

So bind my heart to Yours

and seal me with Your love

Bind. Seal. Cords. Trust.

With All My Heart

I just finished eating lunch and thought of spending some time in my prayer room... and as I began to walk upstairs this song came to mind. It was as if You were reminding me of this song and prayer that I sang years ago.

So as a prayer today, Lord Jesus, I sing this song to You again and ask that you would give me the grace to go deeper in intimacy with you, to trust You with everything, and to love and serve You with all my heart. Thank You for the nearness of Your presence - closer than the air I breathe. Your Spirit is in me, You are with me, and You go before me. When it's hard to see You, see the ways that You love and protect me, and to remain in Your love - I'm glad to know You are still here - You will never leave me or forsake me and no one and nothing can snatch me from Your hand.

So with my heart that sometimes is fragile, weak, has questions, hurt and fears - yet has been made strong with Your love, purer with Your holy fire, full of Your Word, filled with hopes, longings, Godly desires and Christ-like compassion - I come to You now - as I am - with all of my heart.

Lyrics ~ "With All My Heart" -by Babbie Mason

In this quite place with you
I bow before your throne
I bear the deepest part of me
To you and you alone
I keep no secrets
For there is no thought
That you have known
I bring my best and all the rest
To you I lay them down

With all my heart
I want to love you Lord
And live my life
Each day to know you more
All that is in me
Is yours completely
I'll serve you only
With all my heart

You faithfully supply my needs
According to your plans
So help me Lord to seek your face
Before I seek your hand
And trust you know what 's best for me
When I don't understand
Then follow in obedence
In every circumstance