It is Well with My Soul

What is it that makes us stronger? What is it that makes us unstoppable? What is it that makes us able to endure the things that hit us when we don't expect them to? For me...Jesus.

For some of you...there may be nothing that you cling to. You may fly by the seat of your pants. Hoping that life throws you a bone every now and again. I don't want to think of my life lived in such a manner. Life is hard. The Lord never promises you a rose garden when you decide to turn your life over to him...He just promises you that when you find the thorns, He's going to be there. Poor analogy probably, I don't intend to impress you with my words.

Right now, our life is filled with a medicine chart to keep up with who gave Bug her medicine and what dosage because she is on so many medications. Weekly visits to the neurologist, therapy sessions, her little body gaining weight from the effects of the medicine. This is not what we envisioned for our little girl...we wanted our baby to stay in remission, but she isn't and we choose to be strong for her, to be positive for her, to be faithful for her, to be hopeful for her, to be on our knees for her, to be what she needs. We know that our Lord healed her once, so how can we possibly doubt that He won't do it again? For those of you who don't have anything to cling to...I offer you Jesus. Without Him, I hope that you realize that you truly are clinging to emptiness. We would be lost without clinging to Him. It is our great faith and hope that God is going to bring her into remission again...and when He does I firmly believe that it is for a greater purpose that she is going through this. His will is so much higher than ours.

Many of you have heard the song "It is Well with My Soul", even if you have never been to church. It is perhaps one of my favorite hyms. This week it has been in my heart and in my mind...because I'll be honest, as a mom I am not always able to keep from crying for my child. I stay positive and strong, but there are times when she is sleeping and I am praying beside her crib that I cry and pray for her to be healed...and I know that the Lord is hearing my every word...and crying alongside of me. The song, "It is Well with My Soul" is written by Horatio Spafford, after losing his son, then being ruined financially due to the Great Chicago Fire--Then in 1873, he had planned to travel to Europe with his family on the S.S. Ville du Havre, but sent the family ahead. While crossing the Atlantic, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with a sailing ship, the Loch Earn, and all four of Spafford's daughters died. His wife Anna survived and sent him the now famous telegram, "Saved alone." Shortly afterwards, as Spafford traveled to meet his grieving wife, he was inspired to write these words as his ship passed near where his daughters had died.

1. When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
   
   When sorrows like sea billows roll;
   
   Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
   
   It is well, it is well, with my soul.
   
   • Refrain:
     
     It is well, with my soul,
     
     It is well, it is well, with my soul.
     
2. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
   
   Let this blest assurance control,
   
   That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
   
   And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
   
3. My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
   
   My sin, not in part but the whole,
   
   Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
   
   Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
   
4. For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
   
   If Jordan above me shall roll,
   
   No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
   
   Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
   
5. But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
   
   The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
   
   Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
   
   Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!
   
6. And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
   
   The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
   
   The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
   
   Even so, it is well with my soul.
   
7. These words have been on my heart all week long. There really is no way for me to explain how much the Lord has used this song to allow me to just make it through an afternoon that is rough... I have a version of it that I just blast and turn up loud whenever I need to hear it here at home! I encourage you to remind yourself that you need to cling to Him....he'll be there even when life isn't a rose garden. If you are one of those 'fly by the seat of your pants' people....you can't live that way for long.
8.