Author: Amy

I’m lifting my white flag high in the air to You, Lord
The earthly treasures I store up in vain, I surrender
The dreams that keep me discontent, I surrender
The pain of loss, I surrender
The agendas of each day, I surrender
The time I’ve called mine, I surrender
The loved ones I hold so dear, I surrender
The criticisms or accolades of man, I surrender
The memories that shape me, I surrender
The emotions that move me, I surrender
The talents that define me, I surrender
The passions that inspire me, I surrender
The failures and successes, I surrender
My rest in the night, I surrender
My actions through the day, I surrender
My body and my health, I surrender
My inner self, I surrender
My sin and my pride, I surrender
Every deed, every thought, every breath, I surrender
Who I was, who I am, and who I hope to be, I surrender
To be wholly Thine, nothing can remain in my grip
Yet, even to open my hands to You I must have Your aid
So bless me now in this endeavor
Without Your power, I am incapable of even the smallest surrender
Own all of me I pray, this day and always

In his book, The Four Loves, C.S. Lewis states this about our decision to love someone or something.

“There is no safe investment.To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken . . .”

But he goes on to mention that if we decide to act contrary to God’s will and refuse to be vulnerable in this way, we will store our love away as if in a coffin of selfishness. Then he writes,

“We shall draw nearer to God, not by trying to avoid the sufferings inherent in all loves, but by accepting them and offering them to Him; throwing away all defensive armor. If our hearts need to be broken, and if He chooses this as a way in which they should break, so be it. What I know about love and believe about love and giving one’s heart began in this.”

In recent months, I have spent a good portion of my time pondering the art of loving one another. Love is certainly our most treasured gift as human beings. As followers of Christ, our highest aim and our greatest command is to love. But how do I offer it consistently? Do I risk the heartbreak often associated with being so vulnerable? I’ve come to believe the answers to these questions are quite simple.

To live this way I need only to look upon the nail-pierced hands and feet of the One who loved me best. Love in its ultimate form redeemed my soul and won my heart. So then, can I let myself be vulnerable to love Him in return by loving others? Oh yes, for He not only charges me to do so, but enables and empowers me with the capability. It is a beautiful cyclical process designed by the Creator of all things, including love.

The risk may be great, but the reward is far greater.

The late thirties seem to be for me a time of challenge and reflection. Maybe turning forty next year won’t be so bad after all! I appreciate how the Lord is never done with me. I love that about Him. In His perfect wisdom, He sees the timing and steps needed to complete each of His precious projects.

Our human nature seeks to finish a task and move on. Some people, like my husband, enjoy being in the process of a task. Others, like me, love the result, the product, being there, etc. The Lord, however, sees His children as being continually in process until they arrive home at His appointed time. This is comforting to me when I am being tossed around by the waves of my earthly boat ride. This is simply my journey to completion in Him. I can rest, knowing He is working in my life through every situation.

When I was around eight years old, I learned to sing “He’s Still Working on Me” by Joel Hemphill. I performed it in many places as I was growing up. I still remember it well.

He’s still working on me
To make me what I ought to be
It took Him just a week to make the moon and stars
The sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars
How loving and patient He must be
He’s still working on me

There really ought to be a sign upon my heart
Don’t judge me yet, there’s an unfinished part
But I’ll be perfect just according to His plan
Fashioned by the Master’s loving hands

In the mirror of His Word, reflections that I see
Make me wonder why He never gave up on me
He loves me as I am and helps me when I pray
Remember He’s the Potter, I’m the clay

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians. 1:6).

Dear Lord, thank You for Your patience with me. Thank You that You never tire of my being “in process.” Please do as only You can to transform me into the likeness of Your Son. I’m so ready to be more like Him.

Psalm 3 melts my heart. David’s journey is a great encouragement to any believer who fails or experiences the pain of others’ sinful failures.

A SHIELD TO ME 
Amy Branson Fata
© 2010 Portion Music (ASCAP)

Lord, You know how weak I am / Father, You have seen / All the wickedness in me / Make the foulest clean / Right and left I now forsake / For my wandering feet / Lord, You know the path I take / Make it straight for me    

Chorus: Be my glory, lift my head / Lord, deliver me / From Your mountain, hear my cry / Be, O Lord, a shield to me

In the night I whisper low / In the dark I sigh / Yet there is a truth I know / You sustain my life / Answered prayer renews my soul / You have heard my cry / Sin no longer takes its toll / Peaceful rest is mine

Shield above and shield below / Shield my every part / Shield within and shield without / Shield my feeble heart / All the darts of Satan thrown / Cannot cause me sting / I am shielded by His grace / From the enemy

Everlasting, You are God / Faithful to the end / You have walked upon this sod / To call me a friend / Lord, salvation does belong / In Your righteous hand / Make of me Your very own / Satisfy Your plan

What does it mean to live from the heart? I have recently been challenged to do so. I know what the Word says about the dangers of trusting one’s heart, but I have also learned that to deny the heart completely is to live life out of one’s head. Mere knowledge of my Lord and His truths isn’t enough; there must be a balance between the head and the heart.

Proverbs 4 commands us to watch over our hearts with all diligence. Certainly we need to guard it from the world and its charms; yet I also desire to tend my heart, to weigh its responses, and to understand why I think and behave the way I do.

Ephesians 3 states that Christ dwells within our hearts through faith, and because of this, we can experience the breadth and length and height and depth of His love. I deeply desire to comprehend the riches of His love. I pray to be found freely dwelling in my heart with Him, and thus living out His love in its fullness, not only for my personal growth, but for His kingdom’s sake. To be connected with my heart not only draws me closer to my Savior, but also allows me to engage more deeply with those around me. As people are placed on my path by His sovereign hand, I hope to look into their eyes and see what is behind them. May I be present in the moment with them and connected heart to heart.

Let me serve You, dear Lord, I pray
Let me love Your people this way
Let my eyes no longer be blind
Let them be tender, gentle, kind
Let Your plan in fullness unfold
Let me come forth as flawless gold
Let my head be willing to share
With my heart while finding You there
In You alone, I dare this dream
You are my Captain, Savior, King

Lord, I have watched with wonder the works of Your mighty hand.
I have enjoyed the beauty of Your creation.
I have experienced Your peace flooding over me.
I have felt the warmth of friendship and its deep abiding love.
I have received pleasure and pain in their equal fullness.
I have treasured Your forgiveness.
I have reveled in your grace.
I have measured my spiritual growth, its fruit sweet to taste.
I have been small and big with You, sometimes at the same time.
I have cried tears of sorrow and tears of joy and known Your presence in both.
I have watched new life enter this world and let go of loved ones going home.
I have danced in Your light and cuddled in the shadow of Your wings.
I am thirty-eight years old and have done all of these things.
When I am seventy-six, what will I know then?
For the abundant riches of You grow deeper with each passing season.

In no particular order . . .

I’m thankful for my precious Savior
I’m thankful for grace
I’m thankful for the cross
I’m thankful for the cleansing blood
I’m thankful for His protection
I’m thankful for His pruning, yet loving hand
I’m thankful for another day in His arms
I’m thankful for His presence
I’m thankful for the knowledge that He alone deserves the glory
I’m thankful that He is sovereign
I’m thankful for the simple fact that I am His

Have you tasted the living water?

LIVING WATER
Amy Branson Fata
© 2011 Portion Music (ASCAP)

Hear how the Savior calls
Like a voice in the wind
Like a wave on the sea
Oh, how He rescues the lost
Taking captive our sin
He has answered our plea

Chorus
Never shall His well run dry
Come and drink and be satisfied
Living water flows down from His side
He’ll quench the thirst of dying men
Cover every evil sin
The beggar and the thief are now His friend
Come

Feel how the Spirit moves
Like a fire in the bones
He is stirring His own
Oh, our redemption He proves
To the Father He groans
He is calling us home

See how the Savior reigns
And with grace rich and free
He makes ready His bride
Oh, ’twas the Lamb who was slain
When He hung on a tree
Bringing dead into life

Every roll of thunder strikes fear in my five-year-old’s heart. I’ve asked her to explain to me who controls the weather, and though she can do that without hesitation, she still cringes in the storm.

Really, I am no better. The storms of life have blown on me this year and I have cringed. I know Who controls them, yet I have feared.

In the last few weeks I have realized it is not my place to determine what is called a blessing or a trial. In the peace following a storm, the two seem to converge into one. Usually, in hindsight, believers say they would go through the hardship again to be in their new place of growth and wisdom. If that is true, then the trial that allowed this to happen can actually be deemed a blessing.

As the Lord reigns over every happening in all of history, space, and time, I trust that these few trials in my small life were no surprise to Him. In fact, I’m sure He doesn’t view them as such, but rather as part of His beautiful plan for my good and His glory.

As each day, week, and month roll by, and we face new “blessings” because of this fallen world, may we actually rejoice, knowing He has a plan and is fulfilling it for us and even through us. What a joy it is to be His! In fact, the storm doesn’t seem so scary anymore.

He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake (Ps. 23:3). It is the Lord’s desire for His children that we walk in such paths. The protection and preservation of the glory of His name is certainly of great importance to Him, as it ought to be to us.

I believe I am a chosen child of God. I have been purchased by the precious blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. Yet in my humanness, I am painfully aware of the moments when I have chosen a different path and have not protected His name. I regret the times when I have robbed Him of His due glory, or worse, acted in a manner unworthy of my calling.

I am beyond thankful for the forgiveness I am afforded. As David cried out in Psalm 51, “A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” Understanding His grace in this way inspires the determination to limp back onto the path of righteousness.

As I strive to represent His holy name, I wear Christ as a cloak about me. Replacing the torn garments of bitter deeds with the beautiful robe of His righteousness, I see the path broadening in such a way that it feels unthinkable to step off again.