Joyfully

"You lead me by the water still
You lay me down to rest upon your faithfulness
My shepherd, simply take my hand
Your song restores my soul
For your Name, You make me whole

Joyfully I lift my voice in praise to Thee
With heaven watching over me I raise my hands up high
Your majesty gently washes over me
Makes my heart begin to sing joyfully

No shadow ever shall I fear
Your peace my heart will know
My cup it overflows
Your goodness chases after me
Your mercy and your grace
Will be my dwelling place

Joyfully I lift my voice in praise to thee
With heaven watching over me I raise my hands up high
Your majesty gently washes over me
Makes my heart begin to sing joyfully

I will sing from the mountain tops
I will sing I am overcome
I will sing making melodies
I will sing from the valley low
I will sing because of your love
I will sing, You're my king
I will sing

Joyfully I lift my voice in praise to thee
With heaven watching over me I raise my hands up high
Your majesty gently washes over me
Makes my heart begin to sing"

Joyfully by Kari Jobe

Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

"O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.

 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.

 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.

 Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.

 And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.

 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;

 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:

 Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.

 Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.

 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.

 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

 For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.

 Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.

 Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.

 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.

 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.

 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;

 These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.

 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.

 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.

 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end.

 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.

 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.

 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

 Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

 He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground;

 A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.

 He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.

 And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;

 And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.

 He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.

 Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.

 He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.

 Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.

 The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.

 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD."

Psalms 107

He puts little things in my days just to make me smile

     On the road, and all through life, God puts me in the right places at the right time. This fact became more evident on the road Thursday. He puts little things in my days just to make me smile.
     On my way to class that morning, driving up a hill, the trees parted and revealed a marvelous painting. It looked as though God had taken a large wire brush, dipped it in the large jar holding His whitest clouds, and lightly stroked this brush across the sky, just for me. He made many long strokes and made a twist of His wrist at each of the ends to make a pretty curl. It was truly beautiful. I had never seen clouds like those. I felt as though nobody else noticed them, it was a present. 'I know you, I love you,' He seemed to say.
     After class I decided to go to my local library. There are many ways to get to the library, I took the road that would enable me to see my favourite part of town. At a stop sign I smiled to myself as I watched a mother and two little girls cross the old street. As they were crossing, one of the little girls looked right at me and waved with her sweet smile and her precious young hand. That put a real smile on my face and I shook my hand wildly.
     Driving around a community college later, looking for a building that had disappeared from the map, I found myself cruising down a forgotten road. There, I saw a man walking his dog. It was a young and beautiful Golden Retriever and he looked like a history teacher. He had a pipe. I smiled.

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     I am grateful for creation, for the gorgeous skies, and for his people, for my family and friends.