From our elder team here at Abundant Life:

“I was sure by now God
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
As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
“I’m with you”
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to you
And raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can’t find you
But as the thunder rolls
I barely hear your whisper through the rain
“I’m with you”
And as your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
(Praise You in this Storm, Casting Crowns, Lifesong, 2005)

“Lord, we pray. We don’t know how or what to pray. The storm is still here. Its still raining. Even on brighter days there is a cloud of doom. Is it real or exaggerated by media? We hold on to the promise that You are with us even onto the end of the Earth. Please bring hope to the weary and discouraged. Many would cry, How can I carry on if I can’t find You? As much as we pray for covid and restrictions to go away, Lord God, lets us KNOW that You are with us. Help us find You. Lord, we have heard of Your fame. We stand in awe of Your deeds. In our day, in our time renew them. In wrath, remember mercy.Our world is in a mess. We are under judgment and rightly so. But there are pinpoints of the light of Your glory shining through Your people. Lord, will You fan into flame these embers of light. Cut away from us those things which dim Your light. We, like jars of clay, may need to be broken to let Your light shine out. We can’t do this. Please do Your work in and through us. The selfish part of me will resist every step of the way. Please over rule.

Be Thou my vision, oh Lord of my heart
Nought be all else to me, save that Thy art
Thou my best thought in the day and the night
Waking or sleeping, Thou presence my light

Be Thou my wisdom, be Thou my true word
I ever with Thee and Thou with me Lord
Thou my great Father and I Thy true son
Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one

Be Thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight
Be Thou my armor and be Thou my might
Thou my soul shelter, and Thy my high tower
Raise Thou me heavenwards, oh power of my power

Riches I need not, nor man's empty praise
Thou mine inheritance through all of my days
Thou and Thou only though first in my heart
High king of heaven my treasure Thou art

Oh high king of heaven, when battle is done
Grant heaven's joy to me, bright heaven sun
Christ of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my vision, though ruler of all

Even so, Come Lord Jesus