Held by Natalie Grant.

"Two months is too little
They let him go
They had no sudden healing
To think that Providence would
Take a child from his mother
While she prays
Is appalling
Who told us we'd be rescued
What has changed and why should be saved from nightmares
We're asking why this happened
To us who have died to live it's unfair.
This is what it means to be held
How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved
And to know that the promise was
When everything fell we'd be held."

Dearest

My dearest Mommom thank you; for all that you have done
For the godly way that; you have raised your son
For making him the father; that he is today
My dearest Mommom thank you; I know you couldn’t stay.

My dearest Mommom thank you; for all the words you said
And how you praised your Savior; as you bowed your head
Thankful that He saved you; from all your wretched sin
My dearest Mommom thank you; I know you are with Him.

My dearest Mommom thank you; for the way you loved
Touching those around you; with blessings from above
Always there to love; and tell me what was right
My dearest Mommom thank you; I know God holds you tight.

My dearest Mommom thank you; for all the things you gave
Memories can’t be defeated; not even by the grave
You sacrificed so much for; the ones you love
My dearest Mommom thank you; please give my God a hug.

My dearest Mommom thank you; for the way you showed
The grandma I would like to be; when I am fully grown
You showed me how to worship and love through your last days
My dearest Mommom thank you; for showing me the way.

My dearest Mommom thank you; now you are home above
Everyone will miss you and the way you love
But we must all be joyful; not sorrowful remain
‘Cause dearest Mommom we will; meet again someday.

Jesus Paid It All!

"Jesus paid it all."

How often do we not believe this simple truth? Picture someone who is dependent on oxygen. No matter how much they fight to breathe they are not capable of doing so effectively on their own; they must use the oxygen machine or they will die. They can deny themselves and truly believe that breathing only depends on them but soon their body will shut down and they will be forced to submit to using the oxygen; submit to what they would consider failure but we all know was going to happen no matter how hard they fought against it. They may tell themselves that next time they will do better and go longer without needing the oxygen, without failing at proving their strength.

As we read this example we obviously do not agree that needing oxygen is weakness. We do not see using the machine as failing. We need oxygen to survive and no matter what we do, no matter how hard we fight, we will never succeed at not needing oxygen. It is down right foolish for us to even think that we could go without it. Just like it is foolish to think that we have any hand in earning or proving our salvation.

We are so quick to think that we have a hand in making ourselves right with God. We set mental goals of the things we must do in order to feel closer to God and worthy of being saved from hell. Once we fail, and we will fail without a shadow of a doubt, we mentally beat ourselves up and believe our failure was because we didn't fight hard enough. We convince ourselves that next time we will do better, next time we will succeed at proving our salvation. But that is exactly our problem, we have nothing to do with it. It has everything to do with Jesus and what He has paid for us... for me! Jesus did in fact pay it all and all to Him I owe. He is our oxygen we should leave our salvation in His hands! It's amazing how much closer to God we are when we stop trying and realize that God doesn't "try" but "does." We are never failures in Christ. He who has begun a great work in us will bring it to completion. He started it, He will end it. We were never in the beginning equation we are in the answer; the finished product. So I can confidently say, believe and trust that, "Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain He washed it white as snow." He washed and now I'm white. Thank You, Jesus