Times - Tenth Avenue North

I know I need you
I need to love you
I love to see you, and it's been so long
I long to feel you
I feel this need for you
And I need to hear you
Is that so wrong?

oh oh oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh

Now you pulled me near you
When we're close I fear you
Still I'm afraid to tell you
All that I've done
Are you done forgiving?
Or can you pass my pretending?
Lord I'm so tired of defending
What I've become
What have i become?

oh oh, oh oh, oh oh.

I hear you say "my love is over,
It's underneath, it's inside, it's in between
The times you doubt me, when you can't feel
The times that you've questioned 'is this for real?'
The times you've broken, the times that you mend
The times you hate me and the times that you bend
Well my love is over, its underneath
It's inside, it's in between,
These times you're healing
And when your heart breaks
The times that you feel like you've fallen from grace
The times you're hurting
The times that you heal
The times you go hungry and attempted to steal
In times of confusion and chaos and pain
I'm there in your sorrow under the weight of your shame
I'm there through your heartache
I'm there in the storm
My love I will keep you by my power alone
I don't care where you've fallen, where you have been
I'll never forsake you
My love never ends, it never ends

mmm, mmm
oh oh, oh oh, oh oh

Jesus and Barabbas

For my first real post I want to talk about something I read over the summer. It's a Max Lucado book called "No Wonder They Called Him Savior". The book is really focused on the cross and what Jesus did for us all there and is a great book for new believers.



One part that really stood out to me was a part about Barabbas. Barabbas was a man in prison on death row during Jesus' time and convicted of murder. I assume he didn't have much hope and knew his end was coming quickly and then something so unbelievable happened. Pilate gave the Jews a choice between Jesus and Barabbas for who to release. One of them would get freedom and one a painful death on the cross. Of course we all know what their answer was, Jesus died and Barabbas was free to go.

I had never really thought about this whole scene much before until I read this book and I cannot believe what I missed! Jesus died in place of Barabbas. It's a perfect example of what Christianity is all about. Christ dies for us who are unworthy. It just amazes me thinking about it.

Now Barabbas was given a choice, he could accept this gift and leave his cell and live out the rest of his life or he could stay there, refusing it because he could not understand how this happened. Not much of a choice, of course he took his freedom! "Maybe he didn't understand it and surely he didn't deserve it, but he wasn't about to refuse it".

This is also part of the story of Christianity. With Jesus dying for our sins, the door to our prisons are open wide yet there are many people who refuse to leave. Some because they refuse to see and some because they cannot understand it. Thinking about the example of Christianity in the Barabbas story really helped put things into perspective. I've been a Christian since I was a child and I know that I can take this amazing gift for granted. This story helps remind me of what a precious gift God's grace is and how undeserving we all are to have it. I hope I never forget and take it for granted again! This story also reminds me that though there are questions that I do not have answered and might never have answered, sometimes I just need to use a little faith. Walk in faith, write in faith, live in faith!

The Hows and The Whys

Hi there,

This is my first post and I wanted to explain the whys and hows of this blog a bit more. This blog is not me trying to convert people or start debates. This is just me sorting through my thoughts about God and faith and my christian walk. Sometimes I will have questions I am trying to work through, sometimes I'll have something to share that has just blown my mind in amazement and sometimes there will just be a Bible verse or song lyrics or quote that has really touched my heart. I am not saying my way is the right way, I'm just saying what I believe. I welcome comments and answers to my questions and do hope that I what I have to say is helpful and a good read.

I also figured out I should start with what exactly my beliefs are. I believe that Jesus Christ in God's son, sent to the world to save us from our sins by dying on the cross even though I, along with everyone else, do not deserve it. I am saved by God's great grace. I believe now as a Christian I am called to serve God and follow Him in all I do. I am far from perfect and never will be even close but I still do my best and I know that someday I will meet Him in heaven and hope to hear Him say "Well done, my good and faithful servant".