As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Joshua 24:15

Sunday, April 25, 2010

This weekend...

Hey ya'll... imagine me saying that in a sweet southern drawl. Anyhoo... H is napping, J is on a trip to Pope AFB. (It's Sunday afternoon after church and lunch.) I should be cleaning the bathrooms... instead I am prompted to blog. We had the pleasure of going to the Casting Crowns concert this weekend. Jeremy was really there to see Tenth Avenue North, but we only made it there to hear one song. (SO SORRY, again, honey!) I was really sitting at the concert not expecting to get much out of it. Some of the newer songs I didn't know, and some of the old ones were great, but just singing along and staying disconnected. But, as I was thinking about dipping out early to avoid traffic and pay the babysitter... God gave me a sweet blessing in the last 2 songs. "Praise you in the storm" and "East to West". What struck a chord in me were the lines "and tho my heart is torn, I will praise you in this storm... I will raise my hands and praise the God who gives, and takes away." Since I'm sharing... I have recently been through a miscarriage. I have been amazingly strong thru the whole thing, but I do have my days. This song is really a testament to the whole situation. I know HE has never left my side. He knows my heart is broken, but is healing me slowly. The biggest thing is he is worthy of my praise even when I'm going thru life's storms. I really identify with music and I love to sing and experience God thru music. SO, thank you God for speaking to me thru this Casting Crowns concert, thru this song, which I've heard a hundred times. I'll just post the song since I'm not as good with words as I am with music.

2 comments:

MandiLiv said...

That song still tugs at my heart - this week was 3 years since my first miscarriage, and next month will be one year since my last miscarriage. You may have read on my blog about Casting Crowns my experience with Praise You in this Storm. But last year, they were here in Charleston for Women of Joy, and I went to their concert on Saturday night and was so blessed... and so excited that I was just days away from making it to week 12 of my pregnancy... that's a milestone in fetal development and lessens the risk of miscarriage. Their concert was amazing, the worship was amazing, and yet... the next morning, I woke up and was bleeding. Having been through it once before, I knew what was happening, and my mind was reeling. I remembered how completely devastated I was after my first loss, and I knew I couldn't find myself in such a dark place again. And immediately, I felt the presence of the Spirit of God and I sang to myself Praise You in this Storm... for weeks, that was my anthem. Between that song and Matt Redmon's Blessed Be Your Name, I cried many a tear as they played in my song rotation or I heard them on the radio driving down the road. Sometimes I cried silently and other times I sobbed openly (not when the kids were in the car, though). But that particular song was what God used to keep me going the second time around for me. Eric took me to the mountains in NC just weeks after, and I vividly remember thinking, "I lift my eyes unto the hills, where does my help come from. My help comes from the Lord, maker of Heaven and Earth." I knew that I had to Praise Him no matter what.

Praying for you! Anytime you need an ear... let me know.

mrscampbell721 said...

Awesome story Mandi. Especially that the same song has touch me so deeply. You wrote this comment so much better... I have to work on my writing skills as I start his blog!! :)

Thanks again girl.
XOXO!!