I Don't Know What to Say...

This past week we went to Louisiana on a mission trip, you talk about a blessing. God has given me the most amazing joy I can' describe it. You know how the Bible tells us that He will give us a peace that surpasses all understanding, God has given me a joy that surpasses all understanding, or, at least mine and that is fine with me because He has changed my heart and I hope and pray that I never change. As we sang "Victory in Jesus" this morning in church I LITERALLY COULD NOT STAND STILL!!! I just kept moving vack and forth and tapping my feet. It was awesome!!!! I felt so victorious!!!! The Holy Spirit really spoke to me in the second verse.

I heard about His healing,
Of His cleansing pow'r revealing.
How He made the lame to walk again
And caused the blind to see;
And then I cried, "Dear Jesus,
Come and heal my broken spirit,"
And somehow Jesus came and bro't
To me the victory.

Chorus
O victory in Jesus,
My Savior, forever.
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him
And all my love is due Him,
He plunged me to victory,
Beneath the cleansing flood.

After I sang it, I realized that the week before last, I was broken, I had broken myself away from God. So, He took me 500 miles away from home to bring me back to Him and jimany cricket, I don't ever want to leave Him again!!!!!

I hope that this has been encouraging and that it has helped you in some way!
May God make you joyful,
Leah-Joy.

PS. coming soon: a post of our trip to Louisiana!

Thursday...

Thursday I was feeling so very defeated. I felt as thought God had told me what to do slong ago, I was passionate then it got and I quit. I was feeling as though there is nothing a sixteen yearold from a little town in the South could do about abortion. Hope, as always could tell I was not myself. I didn't want to tell what was botherng me but because I was honest with her she helped me so much! She told me how Sonny Perdue can' do anything about abortion in our state because it is a federal issue; that things like this take time, perserverance and patients. While she was telling me elderly friend of ours was over helping us learn "The Star Spangled Banner" (we have been to sing at a Thrasher's game). As I was listening to the words I began to wonder what Francise Scott would think of our country now? And that just me feel een worse. But then, something awesome happened! God is so amazing!! It was late in the evening and I hadn't practiced piano yet. I really didn't want to but I knew I needed to. I was ending my practice with the hymn that I am learning and something told me to play all the ones that I knew in the book. As I was playing I began to sing and it was the most amazing feeling! It felt like the Holy Spirit was filling and lifting me up! The last song I sang was "It is Well With My Soul."

And I pray and hope that everything today is well with your soul!
God Bless and continue to pray for Haiti!
Leah-Joy.

the wind and the rain

Here lately God has really changed my heart. As I read what I wrote a while ago, my cry to God, I realized that He has done what I asked of Him. Isn't it amazing when God does that. That He can do it so gradually that you don't even notice it? I love it when He does that!

Thank you Lord,
For changing my heart. For being patient with me and having mercy on me.

I wrote prayer during a great storm in my life and it has been amazing to listen to God tell the wind to stop blowing and the waves to be still in my heart. Sometimes, like the picture above I have little ripples, but, they aren't ripples of anger like they used to be, they are ripples of sadness and pity. And the amazing thing is, He is there and then they are calm and peaceful again and He lets me know, that I need to pray.

How can I not worry about anything?
Show me how to hide under the shadow of your wings
Heal my heart so that I can hold me arms out open
Help me to forgive and forget
And never look back again

Some say that's just how it is
Why does it have to be this way?
Please let us all be home one day
Don't let us be separated anymore
By miles, burned bridges or wars

Help me to love others and be of help
Use me in a way that your light will so shine
Help me tell others that love is here
That you are Yahweh and always near
That it is okay to mourn and shed a tear
God, I know that this will be tiring, but it must be done.
I do it in hopes that it will inspire a reunion

Some say that it can't be done
That it will always be this way
Please, bring us all home today
Don't let be separated anymore,
By miles, burned bridges or wars.

The the end is in your hands
Please give us strength to stand
Help us, as your children to stand with You in all we do.

Remembering Memorial Day

Memorial Day was designed for those that this soldier is saluting: the fallen. The ones that gave their lives so that me and you could be here today. I can't imagine being one who has lost a loved one. My Great Grandfather was in the Caost Gaurd for 21 years, active duty. AT one time he was away from his wife and two sons for 22 MONTHS. He sacrificed so much. In one incident, he put his own life in danger in order to try and save a fellow gaurdsmen. And he did. If it hadn't been for him that man would have died. My Grandpa IS a HERO.

But But, others did make it home. Like my Grandpa and this man and many more. But there are more who didn't make it home. I have written the song below for those who did make it home. If any service man happens to read this, thank you so much for your sacrifice. You re in my prayers everyday and I pray that God's hedge of protection will be with you.

God Bless,

Joy.

As I stepped on the train with my Bible in hand

The first thing I saw was a soldier man

Sittin' all alone

I took a seat as we started along,

and asked if he'd been gone long

And he looked at me and said,

Chorus

My Mama loved me to death

But to my Daddy my ears were deaf

Ever since I was eighteen I been gone

Joined the Army and never been back home

He looked at me with tears in his eyes

and said, "I told 'em I wasn't comin' back after I said my goodbyes

I wrote my Daddy and asked if he could forgive and forget

So I'm headin' home but I hadn't heard from 'em yet.

But I said if he had to tie a yellow flag

To my Mama's apple tree that always sags.

But I'm nervous as a shakin' leaf,

cause,

Chorus

Now we're nearin' home and

I'm afraid I still might be alone

This is my home town here all about

Around the bend is the apple tree and I can't bear to look out

Sir, would you look at the tree,

And see if my Daddy has forgave me

I leaned out the window and saw a sight

And I grinned like a kid flyin' a kite

And looked at the soldier man and said

"Everyone is welcoming you home lad,

And it's not just a rag

On your Mama's apple tree that sags,

That tree is completely yellow

Surrounded by folks by folks full of love for a fella

Cause...

Your Mama loves you to death

And your Daddy has forgave and forgot

You won't be gone and alone anymore

You can stop running in those boots

Everyone in town is ready for you to return to your roots!

From a Thanful Heart...

It really is a blessing to be homeschooled. Well, as part of our school, Mama requires that we take piano. Well, sometimes I really don't like to take piano and just think of it as a pain! The other day we were in town and I had my recital book with me, it needed to be bound. As we stood in line waiting to get my book back this sweet little lady came up and wanted some pictures of her granddaughter copied. As she got the pictures out I looked at her hand. On her right hand, she had only a thumb. That really made me think. I was like, "You are standing here, getting your piano book fixed and you are complaining about it! And here is a lady with only one finger on her right hand." That made me really thankful, not only that I can play the piano, but that I have all my fingers, that I am healthy and have the opportunity to take piano. When the sales associate handed me my book back, the little lady's husband asked me what kind of music it was. I told him it was piano and that we were homeschooled. He then told me that when he was little he had the opportunity to take piano but he didn't want to and now he wishes that he could play and his wife said that I better be thankful that I know how to play. I am now trying to be ever so thankful for the opportunity to learn and play the piano.

Thank you Lord,
For my mother who has taken the time to stay at home with me and teach me,
and for my daddy who makes the sacrifice so that I can take piano lessons.
Amen.

Do you realize that we as Americans could have saved the world four and a half times in one year?

May we all forget about the ways of the world and do as Christ did! GIVE!

God Bless,
Joy.

~*Psalm 18:30,31*~

30What a God he is!
How perfect in every way!
All his promises prove true.
He is a shield for everyone who hides behind him.
31For who is God except our Lord?
Who but he is as a rock?

This song is so awesome. The first time I watched it, I cried!

Hope you like it! And Noel, I was also thinking of you as I posted this! Only a week and four days!!!

Psalm 134

BEHOLD, bless the Lord,

All you servants of the Lord,
Who by night stand in the house of the Lord!
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary.,
And bless the Lord.
The Lord who made heaven and earth
Bless you from Zion.

Dear Lord,
Please bless America
and please open our eyes to all of the blessings that you have already given to us!

Psalm 23: 4

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;
for Thou art with me;
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me."

The Valley

As I travel down this road
I hear voices calling out,
"You better stop and turn around before you fall into the valley of the shadow of death"
Then I'm reminded of my God,
Who don't ever be afraid because I'll always be with you.

Chorus 1
So I trudge on,
Through the muck and the mud,
And seems as though, I never will get through,
Then I'm reminded of my God,
Who said "Don't ever be afraid,
'Cause with Me and my Son,
You'll never be alone."

So I keep on,
With temptations and trials all around,
Than a shadow falls over my path,
And I cry out,
"Save me from this darkness."
Than I hear a voice full of hope and love, say,
"Don't ever be afraid for you've gone through the valley of the
shadow of death."

Chorus 2
So I trudge on,
Through the muck and the mud,
And I've finally gotten through,
Then I'm reminded of my God,
Who said "Don't ever be afraid,
'Cause with Me and my Son
You will never be alone!"

Then I see a light,
and God says,
"You've made it through
The valley of the shadow of death.
Welcome Home,
My Child."

Leah-Joy
January 16th 2008