identity

booooo
i still struggle with my insecurities with my identity.
i still find myself seeking the approval of others, to be liked by others, how others see me, and let that consume me.
i still find myself consumed with thoughts of this world, of my identity in the eyes of man when i should be more concerned about my identity in Jesus alone.
i still find submitting to the little tuggings of my selfish desires to become appealing on the outside to others.
i still find myself seeking that one approving comment from one person to satisfy me, to bring that one last bit of inner joy and boost to my self-value, at least for a while. but then i need more of it. and the cycle repeats. its like an addiction. to be loved. by others. love that i can see.

God, why am i so foolish?
help me to set my eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen
why do i continue living as a slave like to my identity in the view of this world and in man?
help me to be loved by YOU.
Jesus, i want not to fear man, but to fear YOU alone.
Jesus, tug on my heart to set my eyes on the open heavens. on my identity as royalty. as your beloved prince.
and as your beloved prince, to live just as that, a life with no bondages, but freely as your beloved.
Jesus, i know i am your beloved son. and how much you love me.
help me to know that is more than enough.

~~~

on another note, this randomly came up today.
i'm really realizing that sometimes, ministry sometimes isn't satisfying. a lotta times i feel like i pour out so much. and at the end of the day, i feel unsatisfied. i sorta expected some sense of accomplishment i guess, or some feeling of success. but i realize that that there will always be more people that i need to love, always more people that need to spend time with and pour into. a neverending cycle.
which is why i love with the love that Jesus has first loved me. not to love for the sake of loving, or because i am a dorm team "leader", but to love because He first loved me. not to see love as a burden to do what is right but because i simply can't help it. becuase i know and have experienced this great kind of love from God that it overflows.
I want to relentlessly love others and never become tired of it because i know my identity as His beloved, and how much He loves me.

but alotta times i need to be reminded of His love for me.
i need to allow Him to be able to pour His love into me, and recieve it.
i need to be reminded of my idenity as His beloved son.
until then, i simply have run out of love.

happy birthday, Jesus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScT3QE_XtNA

ahh when i first watched this video like a month ago, i cried. 

i feel like my christmas, alotta times, becomes overshadowed by gifts, lots of food, and ski trips and shopping. which is totally fine, cause well, dude. i like to eat. and presents aren't bad either. haha. 

but where is Jesus? well duh, christmas is the birth of Jesus. but it's more than that. i mean Jesus' birthday is pretty much the most important birthday ever. like more important than all the gifts and birthday surprises we do for our friends. even i forget that sometimes. 

this video really breathes the presence of Jesus. it touches my heart. it brings the classical nativity scene to life. like how determined mary and joseph were to find a place to stay. and how there was no room for them. anywhere. kinda like my heart, and how a lotta times, its so distracted and has no room for Jesus to come in and dwell and find a resting place. but Jesus' love is relentless. He doesn't stop trying. and as i give in, He always finds a way into my heart.

and joseph's urgency and desperation to find a place, even if it was in a filthy manger. who is this king of glory? God of the universe, born in a dirty barnhouse thingy with hay and poop and other junks. no good.

and when baby Jesus was born, the beam light that shone from the sky. just the sense of God's favor and glory shining down from heaven, upon joseph and mary and the entire scene. the joy on mary and joseph's face, as the wisemen and shepherds were captivated and drawn to that bright beam, which really felt like a little opening of heaven. the beginning of open heaven, as Jesus ushers in the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. the beginning of an end to all suffering, sin, pain, condemnation on earth. a scene words cannot describe.

so beautiful

this is the birth of the Jesus i live for.

the Jesus that loves me and lives inside me,

the Jesus, who 33 years later, died on the cross for me.

the Jesus i gave my life to,

my king,

the Jesus i love so much.

Jesus, 

so worthy, 

to sing hallelujah, 

at the top of my lungs

happy birthday, Jesus

home

so right now i am sitting on the couch watching the chinese news with my mom

i just took a walk with my mom and dad. and my dog buddy. he's wearing this t-shirt thing that says "santa's helper". what a clown. he's so silly. 

it's freaking cold in norcal. it doesn't help that its raining. i don't ever remembering it be this cold. its the worst when you wake up in the morning and anywhere not under your covers feels like antarctica.

and putting on cold jeans is like the worst feeling ever.

and my mom is the best cook. on the face of this planet. hands down. ever.

home is good

agh it sorta hit me the other day before church. that every time i go home, not only do i take a break from school, but it's almost like i take a small break from God. i dunno why. yea, i still go to church. i still read. i still pray. but they feel less genuine. i really have to push myself to seek out God.

Lord, during this break, help me to seek you even more desparately, to have the patience to waith for your presence more than ever before.

this break God, 

more than ever before,

help me to sit at your feet 

to love on you

all the days of my life

all the days of my life

amazingness

AGhhh okay this can't wait any longer 

i can finally tell the world about something amazing.

its about...my dad.

so the other day i called home and i was talking to my sister and she said my dad went to church the other day. which made me super happy, cause he hasn't gone for like years. i praise God, cause well, i've been praying for my dad and his relationship with God for like as long as i can remember.

but it didn't end there.

my sister said that my dad accepted Jesus into his heart.

wait WHAT?!

in the background i heard my mom say "with God, anything is possible!"

my mind blanked. whirlwind of emotions.

no way. wait no. God. are you serious?

sooo my dad is pretty much the typical asian dad. its really hard for him to show or express love. he's gone alot for business trips, like 3 weeks each month. but he works hard to support our family.

i love my dad. i'd hafta say our relationship isn't as good as with my mom, which is kinda hard to beat. haha. just kidding, no, both my parents and family are my life. 

i love my dad, regardless of the many times he's hurt me, rejected me, criticized me, especially when i was a kid. it was always hard for me to please my dad. he rarely says anything good. but i still love him, despite how he's angry alot, and all the hurt he's caused our family, to my mom, my brother, my sister. i love my dad to death and i still pray for him every time i think about him. that he may one day get to know Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior.

as for church, i remember he went on and off when i was a kid. he said he went there for the free coffee. i remember we would go and he would fall asleep. and snore. haha. but nonetheless i was glad that he went. but then he lost interest and just stopped going altogether.

communication was never the best between us, and it was always the hardest thing for me to talk with my dad. too many times I’d ask “God, why is it that I can easily share about your love at school but fail to share with my own dad?" my heart broke for him. all i could do was pray.

but we could do small talk. like the news or something. anything beyond that was rare and felt really awkward. like when i call home and talk to him, its pretty much small talk. like "oh dad, i'm gonna go eat, or, i'm gonna study, or, how's the weather?" and the words church, God, or Jesus was definitely taboo. at home, it was hard for me even to go to friday youth groups. when i did go it felt like i was sneaking out or doing something bad. today its even hard for me to mention how all my friends are from my christian club, that i’m leading a bible study, and sharing God’s love on campus. these aren’t things i can easily share with my dad. he knows that me my mom brother and sister are all Christian and we to church every sunday. we would try every once in a while on a sunday to ask my dad to come with us. but he really didn' t care much to go. i feel like he knows about the whole church deal and what it means. I feel like he was at the point where it was up to me not to force Jesus onto him, but to show him what love means, through my actions, relentlessly loving on him, and desperately praying for him. and I would just let God work in his heart and do the rest.

it was so hard. my dad was always skeptical about christianity. i remember he got mad at my mom for voting for george bush cause the church told her to. haha. he was always skeptical about religious fanatics, and the catholic church and stuff. I think a lot has to do with the hypocrisy we see in christianity today as well.

and one thing that hit me the most was when he told me he was disappointed in me when he asked me about my career choice. that it appeared like the only thing i was passionate about was God. (which i was sorta glad he could see) but thats besides the point. he was skeptical about how i was letting an unseen force, faith in a God we can't see, can't feel take over my life. to him, faith in Jesus is just rationally illogical.

regardless, since coming to college, i still send him emails, and call him. and i tell him I love him. i keep telling him that i love him. at first he'd kinda pretend that he didn't hear it. but slowly he would say "i love you too, eric". over the summer, i tried to spend more time at home with him, loving unconditionally on him, and throughout it all, praying. praying praying, asking God to change his heart, to melt the hardness of his heart, the pride, and rejection, and anger, and fill it with His unconditional love.

it was hard. my dad didn't seem to get any more loving. in fact, oftentimes, he seemed to be even more hurtful than ever.

to be perfectly honest, oftentimes i lost faith. sometimes when my dad would get really mean, even after all these years of praying and loving on him, i would question, “God why? why do people have to be so hurtful?”

im so thankful for my mom. she never lost faith. she prayed relentlessly, loved on my dad relentlessly, even when he would be mean to her, and firmly believed that God has His timing, that one day, we would be sitting together as a family, all five of us in church worshipping our God together. and finally be able to hold bible studies at our house, with my dad leading. what a beautiful picture. my mom never let go to that image because she had faith that with God, all things are possible. my mom and i continued to press in prayer for dad.

and God broke through. His timing came. watching him radically transform my dad really reminded me of how relentlessly God pursues each one of us. how he holds each of our hearts in his hands from the moment we are created.

I don’t know what else to say. 7 years ago, my mom and dad were on the brink of divorce. my mom would not let it happen. besides how she wanted me my brother and sister to grow up with a dad, my mom firmly believed that God put my dad in her life for a reason, to show him love, and that she will do just that and not give up. God transformed a broken family into a loving one that now has a dad who knows the Lord.

and I am in awe.

I don’t know what else to say.

God, you totally leave me speechless.

~~~~~~~~

i sent him an email the other day:

dear daddy,

how are you?

i'm at the library studying. i will probably be here all day, cause i have a final tomorrow.

I just wanted to let you know how happy i was to hear that you accepted Jesus into your heart! it is such a big step of faith and i was so happy to hear you make the decision. mommy and i have been praying so much for you, and i have been praying almost every day for you, for so many years, even more since i left for college, whenever i thought about you, i would pray that God would bless your job, health, your well-being and especially that one day you would get to accept Jesus as your personal Savior, as God of your life.

i almost couldn't believe my ears when i talked to you on the phone yesterday. i was in tears. it was almost like a dream come true and it made me really reflect how good God is, and how faithful he is, how relentless His love is, how Jesus is so in love with each one of us that He never stops pursuing after our hearts. i told couple of my close friends whom i shared with about you, and they were so happy too!, because i had asked them in the past to pray for you too, especially during the recent economic slump. accepting Jesus into your heart brings a lot of peace and comfort and joy into our lives. it sure has for me. it gives us a purpose to live for, that life is far much greater than the oftentimes broken and painful physical world we see with our eyes, that we should take each day as a blessing and enjoy it, and know that when we die, we can go to heaven to enjoy eternity with God, the creator of the universe who is so in love with us. it also brings you into another family, of brothers and sisters in Christ. like we are family, you mommy, me, rick, and alicia, but there is another family when you become Christian, and that is like everyone in church, and as Christians we all strive to love, support and encourage each other the way Jesus loves us, which is, forgiving, unconditional, and different from the broken and often shallow "love" we see too often in the broken marriages, broken relationships in today's world. i don't mean to criticize, but just to say that there is a greater love in this world worth pursuing, and that can be found in Jesus! but gosh daddy, i am just so happy for you. don't feel like you have to understand everything, or if you feel unworthy, that you have alot of baggage, or so many past wrongs. because God's love is renewing, and when you believe in him, you are like a new creation. there is a verse in the bible which says: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" -2 corinthians 5:17. that means when you believe in Jesus, and ask him to forgive you of your past or whatever, he will completely wash them away and begin renewing you. all you have to do is ask and receive.

okay im sorry for talking so much but i am very excited for you. haha i don't think i have been this happy for a while. 

cant wait to go home! 

love eric

praise the Lord

baked christmas cookies today for lovely people heehee. now study. 1 more final tmrw.

ackggg C in ochem. final was no good. it felt okay though :/

i was kinda hoping for a B- at least. or C+?

i really studied my butt off

oh wells. its just a dumb letter anyways.

i think i've already established God, that my identity is in YOU, and not in a letter grade.

PRAISE THE LORD. GOD YOU ARE STILL GOOD AND EVEN NOW, JUST AS YOU ARE ALWAYS, WORTHY OF ALL MY PRAISE. HELP ME TO USE THIS SITUATION TO PRAISE YOU EVEN MORE. THANK YOU JESUS FOR HELPING ME PASS OCHEM. GIVE ME THE HEART TO TRULY BE THANKFUL AND TO FEEL AT PEACE. 

oh Lord, my God

I will give thanks to you forever.

open up the heavens

soo i'm not so good at this thing called blogging. i never understood why i should post stories about my life for other people to read. like who would care about what goes on in the life of eric shi. oh wells. i will give it a try. 

so finals week is over. sorta. except that i still have a final on friday. but its warren writing so its okay.

physics was gosh darn hard. shoot. i don't know what i could've done different. camping at irps for 4 days straight sun up to sun down. i really tried hard to study. i really prayed about it, asked for peace, that you may bless me and my career, that throughout it all YOU may be glorified. but Lord, i know you are still good. God i know that you are just as worthy regardless if i ace it or if i fail.

and Lord, you are still faithful. i went to warren canyon to read, and i realized how long its been since i have done that. to sit and dwell in the presence of psalms 136 (His love endures forever), and enjoy the beauty of nature, of your creation. to prepare a dwelling place in my heart for you the living God. a dwelling place that too often gets distracted by myself or of things of this world.

God, this quarter, more than ever before, you really have been using grades to woo me back to you. admidst the craziness of fall quarter, you always had a way to woo me back into your presence. God, thank you for your relentless love. how you do whatever it takes to pursue me.

give me more of these intimate moments Lord.

in love with you

http://www.imeem.com/apolprieto/music/-cvjSU5c/brian_and_jenn_johnson_a_little_longer/

sing you, 

dont have to do a thing

just simply be with me

and let those things go

cause they can wait another minute

wait,

this moment is too sweet,

would you please stay here with me

and love on me a little longer

you,

dont have to do a thing,

just simply be with me,

cause i like to be with you 

a little longer

i love to be with you a little longer

cause i'm in love with you

beautiful Jesus

your presence brings tears to my eyes

how you love me

feeling tired/oddly bummed out from long day of driving down from norcal,

Lord you found me.

i was sad that i missed church today.

but Lord, you still met me.

God, thank you for andy and the radical ways you speak to me through others

as i eat and listen

thank you Lord for mom's heart and her cooking

and this beautiful song

Wonderful Savior
My heart belongs to Thee
I will remember always the blood You shed for me
Wonderful Savior
My heart will know Your worth
So I will embrace You always as I walk this earth

Be blessed, be loved, be lifted high
Be treasured here
Be glorified
I owe my life to You my Lord
Here I am....

Beautiful Jesus
How may I bless Your heart?
Knees to the earth I bow down to everything You are
Beautiful Jesus
You are my only worth
So let me embrace You always as I walk this earth

http://www.imeem.com/people/8FwT_y/music/CRJTfDnX/watermark_knees_to_the_earth/

amazed

Lord i'm amazed by you,

how you love me

i realize how beautiful you are

and how great your affections are for me

oh, how you love me so,

oh, how you love me

oh, how you love me

Lord, hold my hand

nothing compares to this place

come holy spirit fall on me now

i need your annointing come in your power

i love you holy spirit

you're captivating my soul

and everyday

i grow to love you more

i'm reaching for your heart

you hold my life in your hand

drawing me closer to you 

i feel your power renew

nothing compares to this place

where i can see you face to face

i worship you

in spirit and in truth

oh Lord you've searched me

search me, O God and know my heart

test me and know my anxious thoughts

see if there is anything in me that offends you

and lead me along the path of everlasting life

-psalm 139:23

God, my heart's an open book

purify my heart

from old self

convict me of anything that is not of you

any thoughts that keep me from seeking you

as Jesus, my only passion.

renew me once again

you dance over me

Lord help me to realize my value as your favorite son

you dance over me
while i am unaware
you sing all around
but i never hear the sound

sing over me Jesus,
touch me with your hand
sing over me Jesus, like only you can
sing your song of healing over me

Lord i'm satisfied with nothing less
than to feel the closeness of your breath

how wide
how deep
how great
is your love for me

Oh God,
how you love me

renewal

therefore if anyone belongs Christ, he is a new creation; the old life has gone, the new life has come!

-2 corinthians 5:17

Lord renew me daily.

renew my love for you, my passion to live for you alone.

take away my old self

my old life, my old thoughts

my past sins and burdens

and nail them on the cross

take me to cross Lord,

and make me a new creation.

help me to live IN you,

although i may live in this world, Jesus

help me not to live as someone of this world,

consumed with the thoughts of other people,

always trying to please others,

but as someone

who puts their hope, and trust, identity

in You, the living God.

so i set my sights on you alone God.

i worship you Lord

Jesus, help me to realize my identity

as your royalty,

your prince, your favorite son,

your beloved creation,

and that you created me to be blessed,

and for me to bless you

so bless me oh God,

with your joy

your peace

your wisdom to do well in school

Lord I know you only give me the best

oh God i feel so blessed

thank you Jesus

You love me so much

peace

after Jesus died on the cross, He left us with 2 things:

His Holy Spirit.

His peace.

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

-john 14:27

Lord, thank you for this peace

a peace that transcends all understanding

as the things of the world grow strangely dim

i am left with nothing

but your

peace

draw near Holy Spirit

and overcome the worries of this world

as i claim my worth

as your prince

bless me as your favorite son

shower your blessings over me

oh God, don't hold back

your love and what you have in store

you know the very desires of my heart

you only want the best for me

i receive it

i recieve You

come Holy Spirit

come

comfort

Lord, you are a God of comfort

Praise to God, the Father of compassion, the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the suffering of Christ flow into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 

If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation...this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us.

2 corinthians 1:3-11

i love you Jesus, i will praise you always. thank you for the comfort of your loving arms

faith

Jesus, you give faith to the faithless

whether its to those who don't know you oh God

or more importantly,

me.

Jesus i put my hope in you

not the hope i can find in this world

but the hope in the Lord of the universe,

author and perfector of my life

and my future

i put my trust in you,

even when my grades are crap

i know you are still faithful

and i put my hope in you alone

God i know i just want to surrender completely to you

to do your will alone

and that my thoughts, my desires, my will should not get in the way

but Lord,

it seems like i'm always consumed with my failures.

God i don't want to live life as a slave

burdened to do your will

and not find joy in it

to find no value in myself

as a failure to your perfect standards

of doing your perfect and pleasing will

but Lord,

you have crafted me

from the very beginning of time

Lord you have created me as a perfect creation

and i shall not live life

consumed with trying to please you

but rather

to live life enjoying your love

to find joy in doin your will

and enjoying the ways 

to bless 

your

name

still

i will be still and know you God.

but its so hard.

Jesus, i want to hear your voice

God, i'm so desparate

there's too much going on in my head

its overwhelming.

clear all the noise in my head

my own thoughts

my selfish thoughts

my own desires

to succeed

to please others

thoughts of other people

thoughts of this world

too many sounds

too many voices

in this world

try to capture the devotion of my heart

but no God

my heart belongs to YOU alone

silence the noise

that keeps me from hearing your voice

your soft, gentle voice

your soothing voice

that brings peace

peace beyond all understanding

Jesus,

come calm the storm in me

at the top of my lungs

oh God, you are so worthy

i will not let my emotions

the things of this world

keep me from praising you oh God

no God. i will not waste one second of my life

from falling short of anything other than

giving you ALL of my praise

rejoice in the Lord always. i will say it again, rejoice!

phillipains 4:3-5

~~~

words of worship

rise like a river within me

thoughts to express are too many

i want to bless you God

i can't be silent

i think of the mercies you show me

my lips begin overflowing

great is your love

such gratitude

for all that you do

JESUS to you

at the top of my lungs i will sing hallelujah

your the one who saved me

the one who gave me

this life i live

forever more

forever more

at the top of my lungs i will sing hallelujah

i'm not ashamed i'll praise your name

let the whole world know

I LOVE YOU LORD

you are worthy

i join the song of creation 

that rings out across every nation

let my heart be heard

i need you so

i don't care who knows

from the depths of my soul

i love you now

sweet joyful noise

only for you

i lift up my voice

-craig & dean phillips

press in

4 midterms mean nothing to you Jesus

for you are God of the universe

and of wisdom

give me wisdom and knowledge oh Lord

Jesus, during this season i will not settle for mediocrity

mediocrity in my team

mediocrity in my study

mediocrity in my freshmen community

mediocrity in my ministry

mediocrity in my relationship with you

so at the top of my lungs

i will sing hallelujah

i will declare your goodness

i will sing praise to you

i will press in to your love

i call you faithful

your name is faithful

you are so faithful to me

prince

be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.   
1 thessalonians 5:16-18

i am a prince in God's kingdom.

as His prince i have to do only 3 things:

1) be joyful always

2) pray nonstop

3) praise God

what a good life.

its good to be His prince.

profile

you won't relent until you have it all
Jesus, my heart is yours

come be the fire inside of me

come be the flame upon my heart

Jesus set me on fire for you

here i am, at Your feet, in my brokenness complete

wo ai ni ye su
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Father, i'm amazed every time i think about You,
consumed by my own worldly addictions,
my prideful ambitions and greed,
i expected rejection,
but secretly, secretly you hold me for mercy.

and while i was off living my own life,
in my own selfish ways,
You saw me,
and You ran to me.
You ran to me.
and i began to speak,
Father, i have been unfaithful,
and i am no longer worthy to be called your son.

but You replied,

Welcome Home Son.
I have been Waiting for you.

I am Faithful.
and I will always be, your Faithful Father.

Jesus, here I am,
your favorite one,
I'm after your heart.

let go

God, why are you so good to me

even after all the times i've rejected your love

what kind of love is this

love that sacrifices your only son

love that finds me when i'm the most down

i'll let go, i'll let go, yes i'll let go

i will give all my burdens to You, Lord

Jesus, if you can calm the stormy seas,

i know You can easily calm the storm in my heart

Jesus, your peace is not something that can come from other pepople

Your peace is not something that the world can give me

i seek YOU alone

trust

and oh yea God

use this time to help me to trust in You

to remind me where i put my trust

not in other people or myself,

that You are God and I am not

that You will be faithful and You hold my life in Your hands

help me to recieve the treasure you have in store for me

whatever that may look like

and all i can do is

trust in you

selfish

oh God, forgive me for being so selfish

for always being so consumed with my own thoughts

God, i've been so caught up with myself,

my own life

my own feelings

my own emotions

God, why do i always pray for things to go the way i want them to?

why don't i see things the way You see them

think thoughts the way You would think

see situations through Your eyes

God, thank you for reminding me something i seek after all my life

to let go of my thoughts

my desires

and to replace them with Your thoughts

Your desires

Lord, use this time to show me

how You feel when i break your heart

how You feel when i reject your love

how You feel when You do all that You can to love me

yet i still reject Your love

break my heart for what breaks Yours

Jesus remind me how to relentlessly pursue after You

remind me how to love You

with the same jealous love You love me with

Jesus, its all about YOU

and not about me

its all for You, its all for You

i'm letting go, im letting go

taste and see

oh taste, and see

that the Lord is good to me

oh taste, and see

that the Lord, is good

you've turned my mourning into dancing

put off my rags and clothed me with gladness

and I will arise and I will praise you

i'll sing and not be silent

oh Lord

my God

I will give thanks to you forever

-brian and jenn johnson

grapevine

i don't want to do my o-chem hw. i really should though. oh wells. so here it goes...

"remain in me and i will remain in you. no branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me."

"now remain in my love...i have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete" 

-Jesus

oh Lord, how could i forget?

mom has this verse posted in the kitchen wall, and i know its one of her favorite.

i know she has reminded me so many times to remain in your love, just to spend time each day to wait upon your love.

yet in the craziness of school, 

the hecticness of ministry,

the distractions of life

i find myself remaining in 

my worries

my struggles

my thoughts instead of your thoughts

its been so hard to remain in your love.

yet of all the times to remain in your love, no time is more important,

than right now,

to sit at your feet

drink from the cup in your hands

lay back against you and breathe

feel your heart beat.

but Lord, like always, 

you remind me daily,

how when i remain in you,

life becomes so much better

and ministry begins to bear fruit

Lord, when i remain in you, 

i no longer have to worry about tomorrow,

how to love my freshmen

how to love others

how to love you more

because Lord, you always seem to remind me

and make it happen

at just the right time

Lord, when i remain in you

you provide the very best for me 

better than what i could ever imagine

for Lord,

you are always worthy of my praise

Lord i'm amazed by you

of how you love me

Lord, remind me again why i live life.

why i do the things i do.

to love you

to glorify you

in everything i do

ministry has been so good.

Lord you have stretched me in ways like never before

grown me in ways i never thought possible

Lord, continue to

break me

mold me

change me

to become more like you

use me, as a living sacrifice

as my heart beats for onething Jesus

don't stop God.

draw me deeper into your love

so i wait, for you

so i wait, for you