Keep Breathing by Kerrie Roberts

Holding my World by Kristian Stanfill

You Have Been Good by Scott Krippayne

In Your Arms by Meredith Andrews

I Will Trust You by Steven Curtis Chapman

Every Single Tear by Scott Krippayne

Blessings by Laura Story

Kristian Stanfill: Always - Official Lyric Video

I Need You by Josh Bales

This song is by Josh Bales but I can only find a youtube with The Swift singing it.
I posted the lyrics to this song in my Dec. 21, 2011 blog entitled I Need You!

King of Glory by Third Day

This is the song that I wrote about in the blog below from earlier today...His Name Is Jesus!

His Name Is Jesus!

A few months ago I decided I needed a change of pace so instead of exercising in my neighborhood or at the MAC I took the extra time to drive to the SE side of Cedar Rapids to walk on the Sac and Fox trail.  It was a beautiful fall day. It was quite cold but the sun was shining and the sky was blue, blue, blue! It was already late in October but the leaves hadn't started to fall much yet. I'd been discouraged for weeks. In fact, I am just now rising out of one of the deepest depressions that I have had in years.  Anyway...I was down and not even hoping that today would be a day that God would give me even a tiny glimpse of Himself.  As I was walking and dialing through songs on my ipod nothing was speaking to me.  Song after song...prayer after prayer...nothing but silence.  "WHERE ARE YOU GOD?" ..I whispered numbly. Keep walking I told myself. Gotta keep walking....just keep breathing. Step after step....sigh upon sigh. Hopefully one day soon this depression will lift! Hopefully......one day soon. Usually walking and exercise make me feel a little better--if not emotionally at least physically. But today was bad. I wondered, as I was feeling weaker and still not warming up, "Should I just turn around early?  No...I'll just stay with the plan.....walk thirty minutes out and then turn around and go back. I only have five minutes to go and I will be on my way back anyway." My fingers were still frozen. More sighing!  Thinking...."Can I just die now? How about I just evaporate into that beautiful blue sky?" Long breaths in and long sighs out.  I forgot about my ipod. Songs continue to sound in my ears but my thoughts are elsewhere. I must be comatose today...I almost always hear the music. Once again, I looked to the blue sky, "WHO ARE YOU GOD?" Wow...who said that? Oh, it was me...outloud...at the sky. I had said it. I hadn't expected to say anything. I hadn't even thought it.  And above all, I wasn't expecting an answer. "WHO ARE YOU GOD?"  I had actually said it pretty loud. It was very calm this day. There was no wind..not even a slight breeze.  Suddenly, leaves began to pour down from the trees directly above me. Seriously, thousands of leaves...raining stratight down!! There were no leaves falling from the trees behind me. There were no leaves falling from the trees in front of me. Only leaves falling from straight above me. A leaf shower pouring down....and upon......me. And that's not all.  The song on my ipod that had been playing on deaf ears came alive. It's like the volume suddenly came on even though it had been playing all along. "His Name Is Jesus" were the first words I heard. "Precious Jesus, Lord Almighty, King of my heart, King of Glory!" All in a matter of about fifteen seconds the question was asked, leaves streamed down in Glory and the questioon was answered. Then it was still. Wow! My hands and fingers were suddenly warm. My sadness...it was still there. But God was there too!  He was with me and I saw His presence.  He had answered both questions knowing that I wasn't even expecting an answer. 
WHO ARE YOU?......I AM JESUS!
WHERE ARE YOU?....I AM RIGHT HERE!

God, once again, thank you! You didn't have to show yourself to me. You didn't have to answer my cry. I know who You are and that You are there. Why are You so faithful? Thank You. Why are you a friend who sticks closer than a brother? Thank You. Why are you mindful of me? Thank you! You are God and You are good. All I can say is thank You......thank You! I love You. I love you far less then you deserve. Help me to love You more.

I Need You!

Oh my goodness...where do I begin. It's been so long since I have written, no wonder my brain is mush. I need to get stuff out of this head and onto some paper. The bad for sure but mostly the good. I must remind myself of all that God has done. I need to see the written proof.

I am fifty-one and have struggled with anxiety/depression for my entire life. There have been many hard times...especially those first depressive episodes when I didn't  even know what depression was let alone how to deal with it.  But time has helped and I have learned of many ways to cope. I have an entire bag full of tricks. Well, I thought i did....until recently. The last seven weeks of my life have been awful. We are talking ugly, horrific, dreadful and even somewhat alarming. It's been a harrowing (as in extremely disturbing) time in my life.  I have been totally out of sorts and I can't get it together. All of my usual tricks for pulling myself together have failed and left me exasperated, empty, lonely, confused and  angry. But mostly......panicked. Seriously, after an entire lifetime of struggling with depression and learning all of the tricks and coping mechinisms...it is horrifying when what has usually worked starts to fall short. I have been in panic mode and I'm scared. have you ever heard the hymn..."I Need Thee Every Hour?" Well, only those who truely struggle with depression know what that prayer really means. When you are paralyzed and breathless with depression an hourly visit ain't gonna cut it. Not even every minute will do. We are needing Jesus for every second, every breath.
One thing that really helps me is listening to  music written by other Christ followers! The next several songs are songs that I will be posting are songs that have helped me over the last three months!

Thank You God for Christ followers that You have gifted musically. I am so thankful for the lyrics of these songs! It is amazing how Your Holy Spirit works through music to encourage and comfort the human heart in ways that nothing else can. Bless these song writers and may You continue to inspire them with songs of hope for this hurting world!

I NEED YOU....Josh Bales

My heart is restless in me
My wings are all worn out
I'm walking in the wilderness
And I cannot get out

I need You, Oh, I need You
Blessed Savior come
I need You, Oh, I need You
You're the every longing of my soul

Oh, how I need You, Lord
I need Your perfect Word
With tearful eyes to see
The sin that I afford
I need to weep and pray
For all the thousand ways
That I have failed You just today

My bed is soaked with sadness
My sadness has no end
A downward spiral of despair
And I keep falling in

I need You, Oh, I need You
To You my soul shall fly
I need You, Oh, I need You
Yaweh, how I love You more than life

Oh, how I need You, Lord
I need Your perfect Word
With tearful eyes to see
The sin that I afford
I need to weep and pray
For all the thousand ways
That I have failed You just today

Your silence is like death to me
So won't You hear my desperate plea

Today my soul is soaring
Way over mountains high
Though I can see the valleys,
They're all just passing by
It's not that I am stronger
Look at my feeble wings
But I've been lifted higher
Yaweh's lifted me in His own strength

Oh, how I love You, Lord
I love Your perfect Word
With tearful eyes to see
The God who always will endure
Now I will celebrate
For all the thousand ways
That You have shown me grace
And made my heart in grace to stay
You've made my heart in grace to stay
You've made my heart in grace to stay

For You Jessica

"Gratitude" by Nichole Nordeman

Send some rain, would You send some rain?
'Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case....

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If You never send us rain

Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up
And warm us through
tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case....

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view if no roof is overhead
And if we never taste that bread

Oh, the differences that often are between
Everything we want and what we really need

So grant us peace, Jesus grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that's the case....

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if you never grant us peace

But Jesus, would You please........

Oh Jesus, would You please.........

Dear Jessica,
I am praying for you with all of my heart. I am begging God to please heal you. I am asking Jesus that it would bring Him great pleasure to leave you here with all of us who love you for a longer time. I have sang and listened to this song over and over and over again the past three days...knowing that I will be grateful with however He answers everyone's prayers for you but for now the last line of the song is my favorite, But Jesus, would You please......Jesus would you please heal Jessica. Your smile travels with me these days and I can't wait to ask you if you still dot your i's with a heart. Wake up soon so I can know. I wore my Joy Story 3 t-shirt today with your 3rd grade signature on the back. I think I am going to wear it everyday for awhile. I have a picture of you on my refrigerator with your beautiful horse. Love the Santa hat! Sweet dreams Jessica and may the peace of God be upon you.
Love,
Robin

To The Cross

TO THE CROSS..babbie mason/julie adams

A place inside my spirit beckons from a hill.
Sometimes I choose to visit, sometimes against my will.
I take the long and sloping road as though I hear some rooster crow.
And, driven by a prayer, I go to the cross.

Whenever I resist it I am not at rest.
It hovers there inviting me to be a humble guest.
I need it daily, this I know.
So, with my selfish tears in tow, and with my fighting fears, I go to the cross.

And there I lay them down for the Savior's love.
Because He gave His flawless life, I take it up.

And so I will determine this cross to be my friend.
And I will bear it in my heart until my pride is dead.
Part of me will tell it "no," but Christ was there before me.
So, I'll follow faithfully and go to the cross.
I'll follow faithfully and go to the cross.

Wanna Dance?

HICKORY DICKORY DOCK
HANNAH AND DAD LIKE TO ROCK
WHEN THEY'RE IN THE KITCHEN,
THEIR LEGS GET TWITCH'N
THE OTHERS JUST WATCH AND GAWK
That is a poem that Dan and Hannah wrote together about five years ago! It was so true. They would dance away in the kitchen while Jordan, Bethany and I would just stand there and watch them. They are crazy. Well, not much has changed. Last night it was quite intense as Hannah taught Dan some of her latest show choir dance moves. First the feet... then add the hands and put it all together. They are hilarious.

From Dust to Dust

Help Me! I am living in a dust bowl. As I vacuum up the dust from the mess that I am making my shop vac blows the dust out of the back. What is it with these vacuum cleaners. They do not always do the trick. Although, I am thrilled with my drill and my sander.

I LOVE POWER TOOLS!

The Day I Lay My Isaac Down

The Day I Lay My Isaac Down...scott krippayne

I have a prayer as pure as gold
That where You lead me I will go
And I'll embrace the holy plea
Each time Your Spirit calls to me

And in that hour, and in that time
When I must lose my will in Thine
My true devotion will be found
The day I lay my Isaac down

Each sacrifice You call me to
I'll die to self, I'll live for You
Take up the cross forsake the crown
The day I lay my Isaac down

Your Lamb of Love Thy blessed friend
Nailed to the alter for each sin
There in my place Your Son was bound
The day You laid Your Isaac down

Make-A-Wish

Jordan and Bethany had a fun day on Saturday playing three games of softball in the Make-A-Wish Tournament at Noelridge Park. They were playing specifically for two sweet kids, Madison and Tim, who live in the Cedar Rapids area. Looks like they will have thier wish to go to Disney Land come true. Of course my wish for them is that they know Jesus as their Lord and Savior and that they and thier families will trust Him with their precious lives.