Happy Tuesday everyone, I hope you were able to get through your Monday. (Alicia, I loved the card you sent dad.) Well I was thinking today about Sunday’s church service. Happy Belated Mother's day to all you moms! Sunday was one of those times at church where you really see how amazing God is. This hit me more while we were worshiping. So I am going to try and relay what I felt through the songs that we sung.

Keri Schulz, an amazing singer/song writer and Biola goalie, led worship along with Todd Proctor. One of the first songs that we sang was Be Near, by Shane & Shane. This song, by the way is one of my favorites. It talks about the desire for God to be near, which is pretty applicable I'd say. While we were singing this song I started crying. I had no idea why. Then I started listening to the lyrics and I saw how this song brings to light just how BIG God is. These are some of the lyrics:
You are all
big and small
beautiful
and wonderful
to trust in grace through faith
but I’m asking to taste...

for dark is light to You
depths are height to You
far is near
but Lord, I need to hear from You

be near, oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good
be near, oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good, our good

It is hard sometimes to see how God is either speaking to you or reaching out His hand to give you His personal touch. The way He shrinks himself down to a personal level is what I have been experiencing recently. Nothing is out of reach for Him, even a failed kidney. In Romans, chapter 8 verses 31-39, Paul talks about how nothing can separate us from the love of God. My favorite part is in verse 38, "And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love...Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away." Like Paul, I too am convinced that whatever I am going through, whether that is dialysis or a transplant, nothing will not separate me from God's love. Chris Tomlin has a song that we sang that night called Forever. (Uncharted Waters people, remember this from '03). This just further expresses Paul's point. It goes like this:
"Give thanks to the Lord
Our God and King
His love endures forever
For He is good, He is above all things
His love endures forever"

In 1923, a man named Thomas O. Chisholm wrote a hymn that would become one of my favorites. It is called "Great is Thy Faithfulness". And that is just how it goes. I like the last part of the first stanza.
"Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be."

So as I cast all my cares upon Him, I know He will always be on my side. God's character never changes. He is kind of like a diamond in that He has many facets to his character, and sometimes He may choose to show different parts at different times, but as Chisholm said, "As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be".