the rhythm of life.
what is the heart to do
when it is there one day and
gone
the
next?
from what might appear
to be an 'inconsequential
detail' to the 'leave you drenched
and pounded by relentless waves'
detail and every size detail on the scale
in between ~
whatever the
reason may be ~
the rhythm of your life
the rhythm of your
heart's 'normalcy'
is. no. more.
how does the heart handle it?
how does the heart keep beating?
how does the mind keep from
running wild with 'what ifs'
and 'what will I do' and a host
of questions as relentless as
those waves pounding?
my heart has stood at this
very crossroad many times.
I believe every single heart
willing to be honest has stood
at this crossroad at least once,
more likely multiple times.
the crossroad or fork in the road
in essence goes one of
two directions:
either look inward
and outward for solutions
or comfort or whatever the
the heart is seeking
or look upward
into the eyes of
the One who loves
with a love so boundless
so limitless.
He stands with
hands and arms
outstretched to
bring the weary heart
close to His own heart.
He will take whatever
weighs that heart down
and resulted in the loss
of a familiar rhythm of life,
and not only restore
the rhythm but renew as well!
His hand gently weaves the new
into that which already exists
creating beauty indescribable.
and although that beauty may not
feel beautiful in the now, in time
the golden outline of His hand will
become visible as it contrasts the
dark spaces of a heart's pain.
and always life has rhythm,
for His heartbeat sustains.
Yet God has made everything
beautiful for its own time
He has planted eternity
in the human heart but
even so people cannot
see the whole scope of
God's work from
beginning
to
end
Ecclesiastes 3:11
has your heart ever wondered?
has your heart ever questioned
God's timing?
my heart has.
my heart does.
for my heart is human
and I cannot see that which
my Abba sees in completion
for He is God
and I am not.
and He knows me.
He knows my heart.
He knows your heart.
and He loves us still.
and He sees the stunning
masterpiece
that is my life. and your life.
He sees and hears and knows
because He is the Artist.
the Author.
the Composer.
and timing,
be it in a plot
or a painting or a song,
is of the essence.
oh but how easy for this heart
to lose sight of who holds
the timing of all creation
in His hands!
and gently He reminds me.
"My beloved child,
I am the one who taught the morning stars
how to sing.
I am the one who set the planets in motion
and hung each star, calling it by name.
I am the one who composed every song
of every life.
every heart ever beating
beats to the rhythm of My heart,
for My heartbeat underlies all.
I long for you to live in the assurance
that My timing is perfect in perfection.
absolutely nothing catches Me off guard,
for how could the Author of the story
not know each intimate detail?
how could the Artist not feel
with such tenderness each
stroke of the brush?
and how could the Composer
not hear with striking clarity
each note of each life song
that He composed?
I. know. you.
I know
your circumstances this
very moment!
I know your needs and wants
and dreams and desires
and passions and gifts.
and I know your doubts
and fears and broken spaces
and weaknesses and imperfections.
and I love you more than you will
ever know. ever.
so place your very life into My arms of love.
I. will. never. let. you. down.
My plans and purposes
are for hope.
and for beauty.
and since I am for you,
no one or thing can be against you.
ever. because you are Mine." 
For who is God except the Lord?
Who but our God is a solid rock?
God arms me with strength,
and he makes my way perfect.
He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
enabling me to stand on mountain
heights.
Psalm 18:31-33
and yet another astounding promise.
a promise for every season, every heart.
and a perfect one when feet are weary.
a promise for strength.
a promise for guidance.
a promise for stability.
and His promises are never-failing
for He is the solid rock.
yet at times is it not hard to imagine
even getting to that mountain height
let alone standing when
the feet can barely
move?
and sometimes is the
heart not as heavy as the feet?
and each pair of feet
belonging to each heart
has circumstances unique in
unique seasons of life.
and sometimes the feet
and the heart are overwhelmed.
oh but the beauty lying in these
promises!
He is the one arming.
He is the one perfecting.
He is the one strengthening.
He the active one,
we the recipients.
and therein lies
our hope.
"on Christ the solid rock I stand
all other ground is sinking sand
all other ground is sinking sand"
if.
if only...
what if...
so much power in such
a small word.
a heart can long
for the ever elusive
if only, allowing it to
consume
every
waking
moment.
I know. I've been there.
a place not inherently unhealthy,
yet has the potential to go that way.
and if the "..." is fulfilled, often does
not live up to that which the heart
thought it would be.
and is that not the nature of
being human?
what if. what if.
now this phrase has power,
does it not?
and is this not where
so many of us live and
breath and have our being?
what if this happens?
what if that happens?
and the imagination can
simply run wild
and the result is often a heart
filled with anxiety and fear.
the what ifs of life have the
potential to rob a heart
of joy.
of peace.
of well being.
this, too, I know,
for I have spent far too much
precious time living here as well.
yet I am learning, day by day, that
when I live in the what if, I miss the
beauty of today.
I will walk right past
a stunning dandelion or
a rainbow shimmering or
a butterfly gliding on
currents of wind or a
rose bud glistening
with dew drops in the morning sun
or the exquisite sound and sight of a
child laughing and singing and dancing.
this is not to say I am blind to what
could happen on any given day in any
given circumstance.
it simply means that I must choose
to place those whom
I love with all my heart,
along with circumstances
over which I typically have
little or no control anyway
into His arms of love,
for no safer
place
exists.
and pray.
and hold onto His promises.
Those who live in the shelter of the
Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the
Almighty.
This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God and I trust him.
For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.
He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor
and protection.
Psalm 91:1-4
overwhelmed:
bury or drown beneath a
large mass.
to be buried or feel
as if you are drowning
beneath responsibilities
or broken dreams or broken hearts
or broken families or broken health
as a diagnosis leaves you gasping
for breath or any other thing
or circumstance weighing
you down.
listen to the silence
for just a moment,
weary soul.
allow His whisper to
reveal how the feeling
of being overwhelmed
can bring you to a
place of pure and
sweet renewal.
overwhelmed:
have a strong emotional
effect on.
to be overwhelmed
in the sense of being stunned.
stopped in your tracks.
falling to your knees in
complete awe and wonder
as the presence of God
leaves you speechless.
and in that moment of intimacy
and surrender so sweet to the One
who reaches out with tenderness
to the overwhelmed spirit,
you can know that you know
that no matter what you are
facing in this moment,
He. Is. Holding. You.
He. Is. Holding.
He. Is.
the eternal God is your refuge,
and his everlasting arms are under you.
Deuteronomy 33:27
