I am Overwhelmed...

     Simply put, I am overwhelmed by God's work in my life and in the rest of His creation. Through the people He surrounds me with, I am constantly reminded of His Love. The relationships that have formed over the course of this summer have left me breathless. Never would I have thought to form such close friendships that bring me more joy than my soul has ever felt. My thoughts are constantly occupied by the blessings of these friends, so much so that my slumbers are shortened. Shutting my eyes at night has become almost unattainable. As they lay open filled with tears my heart pounds heavier and heavier; becoming a drum with every heartbeat, the walls of my thoracic cavity pound with love, joy, yearning, hopefulness, and these fruits of the Spirit leave me breathless.
     Just 4 years ago, my heart and soul were filled with something completely different. Instead of love I felt neglected, sadness rather than joy, desperation instead of yearning, hopelessness instead of hopefulness, and my tears were from sorrow instead of love. Praise be to God, who doesn't leave alone those who need Him. Praise be to God, who answers and hears the cries of His people. Praise be to God for speaking to me through these words...

Hear my prayer, Lord;

let my cry for help come to you.

Do not hide your face from me

when I am in distress.

Turn your ear to me

when I call, answer me quickly.

For my days vanish like smoke;

my bones burn like glowing embers.

My heart is blighted and withered like

grass;

I forget to eat my food.

In my distress I groan aloud

and am reduced to skin and bones.

I am like a desert owl,

like an owl among the ruins.

I lie awake; I have become

like a bird alone on a roof.

All day long my enemies taunt me;

those who rail against me us my

name as a curse.

For I eat ashes as my food

and mingle my drink with tears

because of your great wrath,

for you have taken me up and thrown

me aside.

My days are like the evening shadow;

I wither away like grass.

But you, Lord, sit enthroned forever;

your renown endures through all

generations...

~Psalm 102: 1-12~

     This Psalm was God's answer to my prayers in my time of loneliness and desperation. During that time of solitude, I would tell myself, "if I can just make it to 18 and graduate high school I can get a job and be own my own." Oh how WRONG! that way of thinking was and oh how misled I was...that was until God's people came into my life. I soon felt reaching out to the Church was an option for me. So I prayed for a long time before I took action and one morning when I was sitting on the side of a hill staring at the mountains that paralleled, I began to read Psalm 102 for the first time and I began to get goosebumps. I felt as if I had written that Psalm and my words were presented to myself. God had answered.

     And even though God has answered my prayers so loud and so clear. Just like us all. I am still a sinner despite all the Love He has given through His Son, but thanks be to God for His mercy and grace that we may be redeemed. I will always need to sing of His truly unwavering and steadfast Love and may that be your reason to sing praise with the rest of His people.