Amy's Pen

In the dark of night, when my eyes are open, all the trials of life seem amplified. The heart turns moronic when left to its own devices. I know this is true because I’ve experienced it hundreds, maybe thousands, of times. God’s word confirms that my heart isn’t to be trusted. 

The heart is more deceitful than all else 
And is desperately sick; 
Who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9) 

Trust in the LORD with all your heart 
And do not lean on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5) 

Watch over your heart with all diligence, 
For from it flow the springs of life. (Proverbs 4:23) 

The psalmists often view the night as a time for worship and meditation. Perhaps they also felt the fragility of their own hearts in the dark and understood they needed to seek the Lord to recover stability. 

l will bless the LORD who has advised me; 
Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night. (Psalm 16:7)

When I remember You on my bed, 
I meditate on You in the night watches. (Psalm 63:6) 

LORD, I remember Your name in the night, 
And keep Your Law. (Psalm 119:55)

My eyes anticipate the night watches, 
So that I may meditate on Your word. (Psalm 119:148)

Night and day are the same to God. He’s not affected by emotions or fears. He is a constant source of stability, comfort, and strength. His provisions cease not simply because the moon replaces the sun. 

Yours is the day, Yours also is the night; 
You have prepared the light and the sun. (Psalm 74:16) 

If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, 
And the light around me will be night,” 
Even darkness is not dark to You, 
And the night is as bright as the day. 
Darkness and light are alike to You. (Psalm 139:11-12) 

I want to view the night in this way: a time to rest and to be with my King. I love falling asleep whispering His exaltations. And should He stir me for earnest, fervent prayer, may I enter the battle with Him as the warrior He is shaping, not the defeated former self. There is great light in the night when I fight right!

My friend Sandy used to call my nighttime activity “prowling.” We joked that a little man named Prowley ran the nightshift for the gears in my brain. She’d often say, “Put Prowley away, honey, and go schreep.” 

Be gone pestering ponderings. 
Away with you, mental wanderings. 
I sigh but say goodbye to the howling of prowling. 
Why? 

Because I have better things to do with the night. 

To declare Your goodness in the morning 
And Your faithfulness by night. (Psalm 92:2) 

This December has been one for the books. We added some extra things to our plates which we will not be doing again next year! We live and learn. Always. The Lord seems to be teaching us new lessons concerning our priorities. 

This time of year always creates a frantic feeling for our family. But underneath the sirens of stress there is a soft whisper. Peace is mine at any moment—in any scenario—when I come away to the King. The One who knows me best and loves me most is ever ready to meet with me and quiet my noise.

We will debut this new worship arrangement of Away in a Manger at the Highlands Latin School Choir Presentation on December 15 and then sing it again for our Christmas Day Worship Service at Harbour Shores Church. May the truth of these lyrics silence the noise for you this December, reminding you that you too can come away to the King.

 

AWAY IN A MANGER/COME AWAY
Amy Branson Fata © 2022 Portion Music

Away in a manger a baby did lie
In Bethlehem city on one starry night 
The gift of salvation from heaven above 
Fulfillment of ages and promise of love

Away in a stable a Savior was born
The gift of compassion to all those who mourn
His mercy so tender, His wisdom so deep
A Shepherd to guide the poor wandering sheep

Come away, come to the manger
Come away, come to the King

Away in a manger the hope of mankind    
All prophecies answered, each wonder and sign
The promised Messiah incarnate come down
We battered and bruised Him with thorns for a crown 

Away on a hilltop “Let’s crucify Him!”        
The cry of the scoffers and my voice within
My anguish, my darkness, my wretched estate
Are all I could offer as He changed my fate

Come away, come to the hilltop
Come away, come to the King

Lord, let me give more to You than Calv’ry’s weight
I forsake my envy, my groaning, my hate
I run to Your manger, I kneel at Your cross
I bow to Your Lordship no matter the cost

Come away, come to the Savior
Come away, come to the King
Come away, come to the Savior
Come away, come to the King 
Come away
Come away

A new study is coming in 2023! I’ve been working on Gratefulness Matters not only in my writing, but also in my heart. I’ve come to realize that something I run low on is gratitude. Oh, don’t get me wrong; I totally realize how blessed I am! I am overwhelmed with God’s goodness at every turn. But does gratitude shape how I navigate my day-to-day living? When frustrating scenes arise, is my heart inclined to groaning or gratitude? Is my mind quick to claim injustice or surrender to my sovereign King’s verdicts? 

Gratitude is a game changer. You’ve heard me say a thousand times in Truth Matters that our union with Christ is a game changer. Both are true! In fact, one helps the other. Only through my oneness with Christ will I ever begin to live with gratitude as my attitude. 

How about you? Are you mindful of your gratitude only when Aunt Suzy asks everyone around the Thanksgiving table to say what they are grateful for? Or does gratitude reside in your every thought and deed because of Christ? We are called to operate with thanksgiving not only for our good, but also for His glory. 

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.  (Colossians 4:1)

Keep an eye out for this new study… because Gratefulness Matters.

When David is overwhelmed by his circumstances, he wishes to escape.

He writes,

Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
     I would fly away and be at rest;
yes, I would wander far away;
     I would lodge in the wilderness;
I would hurry to find a shelter
     from the raging wind and tempest.
(Psalm 55:6-8)

I have to admit I have felt this way this week. Life is overwhelming at present. I find myself deeply grieved, losing sleep, and not wanting to eat. I feel this way not because of busy schedules, but because loved ones are struggling, the world is full of crooks trying to rip me off, my body hurts, the future is uncertain, and on and on. 

When life is overwhelming, escape is an appealing option. But I’m encouraged by how David regroups:

But I call to God,
     and the Lord will save me.
Evening and morning and at noon
     I utter my complaint and moan,
     and he hears my voice. (Psalm 55:16-17)

David understands that he can’t flee his circumstances, but he can flee to the Lord. Instead of wallowing in the mire of self-pity, he calls out to God. This is the ultimate escape. The same is true for me. God’s comfort is the only way out of my despair. 

David continues,

Cast your burden on the Lord,
     and he will sustain you;
he will never permit
     the righteous to be moved. (Psalm 55:22)

There is no need to escape the circumstances He has purposefully orchestrated for me, for He has promised to use them for my good. Instead, I escape my grief by seeking Him. 

I flee to Him.
I call out to Him.
I exalt Him.
I take comfort in Him.
I trust His sovereign hand.
I enter His rest.

The last line of Psalm 55 says it all. David simply declares, “I will trust in you.”

Excerpt from Truth Matters, (Week Four, Day One):

To die to self is to put your sin to death. The truth of the matter is this is a daily endeavor. Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:11-12). Just as we need daily bread, so we need daily forgiveness and cleansing.

The concept of falling in sin reminds me of a time when my husband was videoing our three-year-old daughter running ahead of him down the sidewalk. She fell and scraped both of her sweet little knees. Watching the replay is cringeworthy! Of course, the story ends with her running back to her papa’s arms.

Likewise, our heavenly Father sees us when we are running in the wrong direction. He knows the fall is coming, yet He allows it. Why? For our sanctification. Our repentant sprint back into His arms ends with more than comfort. Christ’s atoning work on the cross means forgiveness and healing and restoration are ours! This beautiful fellowship we’ve been granted with the Father is our grandest reward.

Both of my spiritual knees are scraped up from sin. Though my scars are ugly, there is also a rich beauty in them because they serve as reminders of His forgiveness and mercy. These tumble marks represent wisdom gleaned! Spiritual scars are meaningful. Nothing is wasted with our good and gracious God.

This weekend, I had the honor of watching my closest friend’s fourth daughter get married. I’ve known this angel since her adolescence. She’s always been beautiful. She’s always been faithful to the Lord. She’s always loved His Word. She’s always served others with a joyful spirit. These things seem to come naturally to Caroline. What a blessing! Most of us fumble around trying to develop such disciplines. 

It is normal to find Caroline listening to a sermon or studying Scripture. It is normal to find her lending a helping hand to those in need. Smiling while accomplishing whatever task is before her is also normal. And now her smile will be met by her handsome groom every morning. His presence in her daily life will quickly become her new normal. It’s a fairytale ending for a princess who has faithfully waited for this good gift from her King. 

The newlywed days are a wonderful season of life. It is a season I remember fondly. Making a home with the man I love is utter delight. Building a life together from the ground up is a treasure. And, twenty-six years later, we are still making a home and building a life. 

Last week I sent Caroline a card with the acronym S.W.E.E.T. She probably didn’t need these friendly relationship reminders, but my supporter-advisor personality couldn’t help myself. 

Say yes whenever you can. (Ephesians 5:22-33))

We is better than me. (Ecclesiastes 4:9)

Every day, pray together. (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Every time you’re annoyed, instead of grumbling in your spirit, pray a quick thank-you for your mate. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Today this is easy, but plan to always love him more than you love yourself, even when it is not easy. (Philippians 2:3)

There is nothing SWEETer than a relationship built on Christ. When two people determine to make Him their highest affection, the selfless actions above become norms. It is normal for me to say yes to Patrick’s dreams and suggestions, to consider myself his teammate, to pray with him, to thank the Lord for him, and to love him more than I love myself. Of course, I fail from time to time, but that is also normal. And guess what? There’s a normal grace for every failure. 

Congratulations to the newlyweds! May today be the day you love each other least, and may your love for one another be surpassed only by your love for Christ. 

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. (1 Thessalonians 5:28)

I love the psalms. They have met me in every season of life since I was twelve years old. The psalmists’ raw honesty make them relatable. There have been dark periods of my life when I have wondered, “Can things be any worse?” And then I read the psalms. Yes. Yes, they can.

Psalm 88 is considered by some theologians to be the darkest psalm of the psalter. Heman acknowledges in verse one that God is the only One who can save him, saying, “Lord, the God of my salvation,” but things go downhill quickly.

Heman complains of being near death, abandoned as one who is dead, without strength, without friend or lover, and engulfed in terrors and sufferings that add up to great physical and emotional turmoil. He felt forgotten by God.

What is unique about this song is that it doesn’t offer us the usual story shift. You know, the one when everything turns out all right, or at least when the psalmist’s heart changes to praise despite his despair. Why? Are we missing the end of the psalm? No, there is purpose behind this difficult ending.

Though he suffered in his darkest place, Heman was undeterred in crying out all day and night to the Lord, the God he knew to be his salvation. We see Heman’s efforts in verses 1, 2, 9, and 13. His earnest and fervent prayers were continually offered from his place of grief, believing God would eventually answer. 

This type of faithful, active prayer brings change, not to God, but to us. Charles Spurgeon says, “Evil is transformed to good when it drives us to prayer.” When I am in the pit, my prayers are more desperate, more consistent, more meaningful, and more poignant. The act of being driven to prayer, though difficult, yields great reward: more good!

Psalm 88 shouldn’t be seen as a depressing, sad story without an appropriate ending. Rather, it is the struggle of one man in his personal pit of despair. But he struggled before God! This is beautiful. This is faith!

Psalm 18 

Lord, the God of my salvation,
I have cried out by day and in the night before You.

2 Let my prayer come before You;
Incline Your ear to my cry!

3 For my soul has had enough troubles,
And my life has approached Sheol.

4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
I have become like a man without strength,

5 Abandoned among the dead,
Like the slain who lie in the grave,
Whom You no longer remember,
And they are cut off from Your hand.

6 You have put me in the lowest pit,
In dark places, in the depths.

7 Your wrath has rested upon me,
And You have afflicted me with all Your waves. Selah

8 You have removed my acquaintances far from me;
You have made me an object of loathing to them;
I am shut up and cannot go out.

9 My eye grows dim from misery;
I have called upon You every day, Lord;
I have spread out my hands to You.

10 Will You perform wonders for the dead?
Or will the departed spirits rise and praise You? Selah

11 Will Your graciousness be declared in the grave,
Your faithfulness in Abaddon?

12 Will Your wonders be made known in the darkness?
And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

13 But I, Lord, have cried out to You for help,
And in the morning my prayer comes before You.

14 Lord, why do You reject my soul?
Why do You hide Your face from me?

15 I was miserable and about to die from my youth on;
I suffer Your terrors; I grow weary.

16 Your burning anger has passed over me;
Your terrors have destroyed me.

17 They have surrounded me like water all day long;
They have encircled me altogether.

18 You have removed lover and friend far from me;
My acquaintances are in a hiding place.

Our dog wears a puffy neck collar to prevent him from licking his paws and underarms. We’ve named it his BIP (Built-In-Pillow). To our surprise, he has grown to love his “Bippy.” He happily comes to us each time we need to put it on him. 

I’ve pondered Tempo’s affection for something that constrains him. It’s unusual to adore that which prevents you from doing what you want. If left to his own devices, however, he damages his skin. We restrain him because we love him. 

The Holy Spirit does something similar with us. His loving conviction warns us of potential dangers. He is our Built-In-Pillow, protecting us from ourselves! If left to our own devices, we would scratch every itch the world throws at us. Thankfully, we are not alone in this battle with our flesh. Jesus told His men, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17).

When we reject the Holy Spirit’s conviction and pursue our sin, we neglect our calling, we limit our faith, we bind our ministry, and worst of all, we dishonor our Savior. Because we do not want these things to happen, the protection of the Holy Spirit (our BIP!), is a gift that we genuinely love and appreciate. Even through the pain of conviction and the sorrow of repentance, we rejoice because these things are evidences of our faith and our salvation. Our Bippy represents the Father’s deep love for us. 

I cannot begin to imagine where I’d be without the Holy Spirit’s guidance and benevolent restraint. I’m even grateful for the times when He has let me fail, because there is nothing so sweet as restoration nor as valuable as wisdom gleaned. 

Tempo and I have much in common: We love our Bippy!  

It was my privilege to offer this prayer over this year’s graduating seniors of Highlands Latin School:

Father, it is with grateful hearts that we offer our praise to You, Lord Almighty, the King of all creation, for Your faithfulness in bringing us to this momentous occasion when Abi, Stuart, Ava, Amelia, James, Steven, Rosemary, Josh, and Sam close one chapter of life and begin another.

You were on Your throne when You thought of each of them before the foundation of the world. You were on Your throne when You intricately wove them in their mother’s wombs. You were on Your throne the moment they took their first inhale and You’ve been on Your throne for every birthday celebration since.

You were on Your throne through every storm of life, through every struggle, through every sickness, and even through devastating loss.

You were on Your throne through every triumph over sin, through every defeat of deception, through every social grace given in Your name, through every hour spent in diligence and dedication to the growth of their minds.

And You were on Your throne when major life decisions were made about this next chapter.

So, Lord, we ask that You be present now and remind them as they move out from under the umbrella of this institution that You are still on Your throne. You’ve ordained their steps. Their hearts make plans, but every answer is on Your tongue. 

Teach them to keep their hands open and resist clinging to lesser affections that cannot truly satisfy, but rather, make them eager for what You desire to place in their hands. For You are on Your throne seeing the full scope of their lives.

Remind Abi, Stuart, Ava, Amelia, James, Steven, Rosemary, Josh, and Sam that it is only through their submission and obedience to Your Son, Jesus Christ, that they will find life, freedom, contentment, peace, and even happiness. 

This is a very happy day, Lord! No more navy pants and skirts and knee-high socks. No more do-re-mi scales. No more long recitations and Latin translations. And yet, with every lesson learned and every note sung throughout their education, You have shaped them into more of Christ’s likeness. We trust You to continue doing so throughout all the days of their lives, both for their good and for Your glory, because You are on Your throne.

It’s in the matchless name of Jesus Christ we pray these things, Amen. 

If April showers bring May flowers, what do Mayflowers bring? Pilgrims! I’ve always loved this little springtime joke. And though I’m not necessarily a fan of April showers, I do love signs of spring. Spring means more to me than a change in weather and new budding life on trees. It means summer is a-comin’! I’ve written often about my affection for the summer and all it happily represents for our lives and schedules. 

This April is particularly laden with must-dos. As Dolly Parton put it in Steel Magnolias, I’m “busier than a one-armed paper hanger!” If people are busy, does that make them important? No, it makes them busy. Perhaps it’s their particular season of life. Perhaps they don’t manage their time well. Perhaps they have too many part-time jobs (me!). There can be a myriad of reasons that someone is busy, but importance isn’t one of them. Can’t be. And here is why:

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)

At the foot of the cross, there is no black or white or rich or poor or busy or non-busy. No one is more important than another. If we are in Christ, our significance is secured by Him. To be in Christ is to be highly favored, beloved with a specific love, and called with an intentional calling. Those living in rebellion against His lordship not only forgo these benefits, they are also subject to His wrath. This may not sound politically correct, but it is biblically correct.

But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him… (Psalm 103:17)

As the people of God, we fall at the foot of the cross in humble gratitude for Christ’s sacrifice. We kneel in total reverence to His lordship. We submit to His authority. We surrender to His will. And we offer our whole selves in every season of life. Whether in the sorrowful puddles of April showers or the joyful dance of May flowers, we are pilgrims on a journey of incredible grace and incomparable hope!

Happy spring, everyone!