We saw the sun today.
Every one I know in Houston posted the same thing all at once – I CAN SEE THE SUN.
I’ve never cried looking at the sun today, but today as I looked up to the sky I felt tears come to my eyes. For us, it means one thing…HOPE.
The streets are still flooded. People’s homes are still gone. But we can see light at the end of this long, flooded tunnel. A tiny glimpse of hope and the goodness of God after this long storm. Yes, I know He’s always been good but honestly, it’s been hard to see that through all this rain.
But today we are seeing glimmers of His grace towards Houston. We see it in the sunshine. We see it in the relief workers from all over our nation that have converged on our city. We see it in relief shelters who were overflowing with VOLUNTEERS offering help.
Hope has been hard to come by, but it’s coming.
Below is one of my favorite songs in the world, but so much more so after the last few days getting pummeled by Hurricane Harvey in Houston. (I actually created a playlist around it -which you can listen along with below – the ads on the videos are not mine.)
I don’t feel strong right now. My mental energy is gone and I know soon we will all be out of physical strength and energy from trying to pick up the broken pieces of our city, but this song encompasses so much of my prayer for us as we do.
To be completely honest with you, I’ve run out of my own words to pray. We are so broken. We are in mourning for our city. I don’t know how to pray about this in my own words anymore. My words are gone.
It’s not that I’m without hope. It’s not that I’ve lost my faith. God is so good and so kind to us, even in the midst of all of this turmoil I haven’t doubted that for even a moment of this.
But still, I look around me, and there’s too much to even know where to begin to pray. I don’t know what to do. So tonight, I’m listening to these songs on repeat. And I’m praying along with the words in them. And I’m crying.
It’s not a beautiful or put together sort of prayer, in fact it’s quite messy and full of tears. But I know He hears it. So we continue to pray and cry and be thankful that He will see us through this somehow.
Prayer requests…
Friends, if you have specific prayer needs, please leave them in the comments on this post. I would love for my readers and friends to join together and pray for each other. There are other organizations coordinating relief efforts and creating hubs for hands-on help so that is not at all what I am seeking to do here. This blog is not set up to support volunteer coordination, but we can host prayers.
But these comments are open for prayer needs and for prayers. I’ve never done anything like this on my blog before, but as I sat here tonight crying and praying and listening to these songs, I really wanted all of us to be able to do the same thing together from wherever we are in the world. If you have a need for prayer leave it in the comments. I will pray through each of them, and I ask for those reading to read and pray through a few too.
If you have a scripture verse you’d like to leave to encourage others as well, please do so.
I hope Andrew Peterson doesn’t mind me sharing the lyrics below to his song. I think we all need them today. You can get the CD this song is from through my affiliate link by clicking below. (required ftc disclosure, I will get a small commission if you choose to purchase the cd)
Andrew Peterson: Carried along
Give us faith to be strong
Father, we are so weak
Our bodies are fragile and weary
As we stagger and stumble to walk where you lead
Give us faith to be strong
Give us faith to be strong
Give us strength to be faithful
This life is not long, but it’s hard
Give us grace to go on
Make us willing and able
Lord, give us faith to be strong
Give us peace when we’re torn
Mend us up when we break
This flesh can be wounded and shaking
When there’s much too much trouble for one heart to take
Give us peace when we’re torn
Give us faith to be strong
Give us strength to be faithful
This life is not long, but it’s hard
Give us grace to go on
Make us willing and able
Lord, give us faith to be strong
Give us hearts to find hope
Father, we cannot see
How the sorrow we feel can bring freedom
And as hard as we try, Lord, it’s hard to believe
So, give us hearts to find hope
Give us faith to be strong
Give us strength to be faithful
This life is not long, but it’s hard
Give us grace to go on
Make us willing and able
Lord, give us faith to be strong
Give us peace when we’re torn
Give us faith, faith to be strong
+++++
Lord, Give us hearts to find hope. Give us Faith to be strong.
Love to you all.
Jackie says
When you’ve lost the words and the strength to pray yourself, your friends will pray for you. I hope you’re able to rest your mind and soul tonight. You’ve been so very strong. x
Paula says
Oh Jackie. Thank you so much <3 So grateful for your prayers for all of us down here.
Sarah says
Thank you, Paula
thepreschoo says
Prayers for strength, courage, hope, and grace in the challenging days ahead. One of the verses I’ve loved is Psalm 46:10 – after my oldest daughter died suddenly from pulmonary embolisms 2 years ago, the verse remains my stronghold. “Be still and know that I am God…” We may not understand the “why” – but we remain with Faith always…even in times when our hearts cry out. Love to Texas and all affected by this storm.