I strongly suggest you purchase the new Casting Crowns CD- LifeSong
It is tremendously edifying!

Praise You in The storm- A song that reassures us that in our darkest hour God is by our side!

I was sure by now
That You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again
I say Amen
And it's still raining


Emmanuel-Our surety that God is with us in the midst of our anguish, trouble, anger, btterness and resentment is so important and so key in our walk with Christ.
Things are going to look cruddy around us. We will get sick. Family members will get sick. We will have to go out of our ways for others. We will be fatigued and overwhelmed. It won't stop (It's still raining, even after we say Amen. Doesn't mean God is gone, Emmanuel.) Keep saying Amen. He is still with us.

And as the thunder rolls
I barely hear
You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"

Emmanuel- God has never left us. Are we pushing Him away from us when we are divided? When we are uncaring? When we nitpick at each other's spiritual growth? When we look at each other the wrong way? The Thunder rolls but if we do not push God away we can hear Him whisper that He is with us. Praise God for He is wonderful!


And as your mercy falls
I raise my hands
and praise the God who gives and takes away

Emmanuel- No matter what happens or has happened whatever God gives us or takes away from us . Let us lift our hands high and shout from the top of the mountains. "I love you God!" "Your lovingkindness is everlasting and Your mercy endureth forever."

And I praise you in this storm
And I will lift my hands
That You are who You are
No matter where I am
and every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

Emmanuel- He sees every tear we cry. Every injustice done toward us from outside and in. He holds our tears and He hold us in His hands. Are we acknowledging that at all? Are we making that real in our spiritual life? He's never left our side. And when we are sad we should continue to praise Him solely for who He is. Praise Him in the storm.


I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
you heard my cry
and you
raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find you

Emmanuel- Think, Think, Think about all the times God has seen us through in the past. What makes us think He will not see us through again? As individuals and as a churh family. We must trust in God when our strength is almost gone. We can carry on if we search for Him we can find Him. He's waiting for us to turn to Him to listen to His whispers, to feel His hand upon each of us. There is no right and no wrong. We ALL mess up. We stumble . We cry . We need strength and He is waiting for us to accept the hand that He is offering to lift us up.

And as the thunder rolls
I barely hear you whisper through the rain
"Im with you"
And as your mercy fall
I praise the God who gives and takes away

Emmanuel- As your Pastora I implore you to forgive me for any offense that I have done to any one of you and any feelings I have hurt. I have never loved a group of people as much as I love you guys. My church family. A branch of my family in Christ. With tears in my eyes I pray for understanding. That I may understand where you are coming from. That I may continue to see you through God's eyes. That I continue to direct you in the right path through guidance and discipline because I love you so very much. If I didn't love you I wouldn't care if you slipped up a little. I wish I could be everywhere. I wish I could be with Anna , by her side as she goes through the pain a mother goes through when her child is hurt and she feels helpless.
I wish I could be in the minds and hearts of many of you so I can understand why you feel the way you do. How I long to understand all of you because in Christ we are one. When we are one. We feel each others pain. I know at times many of you get upset with me and believe me I try to put myself in your shoes and through God's eyes I can see where you are coming from. But only through God's eyes.
I wish I could be with Hmna Filomena and pray by her side when she worries about her husbands health or when some of you are so overwhelmed with school work or home or family. I wish I could be there to lend you a hand. When you are nervous about flights and seeing loved ones far away. I wish I could sit by you and hold your hand make you laugh and distract you.
When you worry about your children or the salvation of an unsaved loved one. When you are taking that exam I wish I could sit by your side and encourage you. When you are at that job interview I wish I could be there to give you that pep talk just before. I wish I could be there to remind you to eat so your sugar level remains normal or when your son has been out all night. or when you are lonely because you miss your husband who has passed away. or when no one understand you because you think differently through a challenged mind. When you ar e longing for that companion to spend th erest of your life with. When the bill arrives and you have no money to pay it. How I wish I could help.

When you are lonely and want to talk all the time. I wish I could talk to you.
BUT GOD IS ALWAYS THERE THROUGH EVERYONE OF OUR STORMS!

The life of a pastor is much like parenthood. Oh I wish you could feel the love that Pastor Angel and I have for you. How God puts you in our thoughts all the time.
When we fight or exclude each other, much like all families, Pastor and I feel it and want us all to get along. God puts these feelings in each and everyone of us.

You guys may not like us all the time, but know this. Please know this. I wish oh how I wish you knew how much you mean to us and know that and believe that our love for you is so great because it is God's love. We love you.

Don't let Satan take away what we have. Don't give him the upperhand. Don't give up.
Don't let go of God's hand.
Don't let go of God's hand Emmanuel.
Don't let go of God's hand, Don't let go of God's hand.
Don't reach out for hands that are disguised as helpful when in fact it is satan who is trying not to lift you up, but pull you away from God's hand.
Don't let go of God!!!!
I love you.

Let us claim this as ours in thename of Jesus Christ. Let us claim a uniqueness in fellowship and in love for each other. Let us stand out in the crowd as a light not part of the norm in darkness.

Pastora