The Chapel

Therefore if anyone isin Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
2 Corinthians 5:17

Welcome to the Chapel! If you want to go deeper with God, you've come to the right place...

Dear GOD:

I want to thank You for what you have already done. I am not going to wait until I see results or receive rewards, I am thanking you right now. I am not going to wait until I feel better or things look better, I am thanking you right now. I am not going to wait until people say they are sorry or until they stop talking about me, I am thanking you right now. I am not going to wait until the pain in my body disappears , I am thanking you right now. I am not going to wait until my financial situation improves, I am going to thank you right now. I am not going to wait until I get the house I dream of, I am going to thank you right now. I am not going to wait until the children are asleep and the house is quiet, I am going to thank you right now. I am not going to wait until I get promoted at work or until I get the job, I am going to thank you right now. I am not going to wait until I understand every experience in my life that has caused me pain or grief, I am going to thank you right now. I am not going to wait until the journey gets easier or the challenges are removed. I am thanking you right now. I am thanking you because I am alive. I am thanking you because I made it through the day's difficulties. I am thanking you because I have walked around the obstacles. I am thanking you because I have the ability and the opportunity to do more and do better. I'm thanking you because FATHER, YOU haven't given up on me.
--Author Unknown

Abba, I've let my fears run amuck when all I want is to learn to trust you. I horde money and possessions rather than trust you will provide for me, somehow thinking that these things will insulate me from hardship, when actually the opposite is true. I long to be holy. I want to be like you, Abba. When I seek acceptance from others to make me feel better about myself, I forget that I am completely accepted by you, always and forever. I confess that I've let my fear of failure paralyze me. I'm so afraid of messing up that I don't do anything at all. That isn't life. It is the opposite of life. Abba, forgive me. I give you my filthy rags of mistrust, self-reliance and paralyzing fear, and I wholeheartedly accept your pure garments of your righteousness and your love and acceptance. Only with you in charge can I be who I really want to be. I love you Abba. Thank you. 2/25/07

Abba, thank you for the journey, for all the twists and turns and dips, even the valley of the shadow of death itself. For I know that, as you say in James chapter 1, that the testing of my faith produces perseverance and that perseverance must finish its work so that I am complete, not lacking anything. Thank you for the hard times, because they teach me to trust you in ways that good times never could. If everything always went fine, I might wander away from you and lean on my own understanding. You do not ask me to be in control; what you ask is for me to relinquish control to you, for you are trustworthy in ways I cannot even begin to imagine. I know you have plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me a hope and a future. I must dig deep into the bedrock of your love and anchor myself to you, for the winds that assail me threaten to overtake me, to sweep me away, but I know that you hold me firmly in your hand, that you enable me to stand in the face of adversity, and build my house upon your rock. I love you Abba. Thank you. 3/12/07

Abba, I look back and see how your hand has held me and kept me safe over the last year. I see how you used obstacles to strengthen me and used hardships to cause me to seek your face. I rejoice in your holiness, your faithfulness, your love, your acceptance. The road ahead is always uncertain, even if we have the perfect plan, because life is what happens when you're busy making other plans. But I know that I know that I know that nothing in this life can destroy me, that you hold me safe. I stand in awe at your majesty, at your willingness, your doggedness, almost desperation, to know me, to have a relationship with me. You created the moon and the stars and the whole universe, and yet you value me above all things. You knew my name before you said, "Let there be light," you knew what color my eyes would be, you knew how imperfect I would be, all the mistakes I would make, and you knew that your son Jesus would pay the price for those mistakes, those failures, those sins, and you loved me enough to still go through with it, to not scrap the plans and just put it in the trash bin. I receive your love, your acceptance, your salvation. You rescue me from myself, from my circumstances. For although the wind howls and the waves threaten to overtake my little dinghy, I know that you are the rudder and my sail, and yet you are also in the boat with me. I have nothing to fear. Thank you Abba, I love you. 5/19/07

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. Psalm 28:7

"Tunnel"
By Third Day

I won't pretend to know what you're thinking
I can't begin to know what you're going through
I won't deny the pain that you're feeling
But I'm gonna try and give a little hope to you

Just remember what I've told you
There's so much you're living for

There's a light at the end of this tunnel
There's a light at the end of this tunnel
For you, for you
There's a light at the end of this tunnel
Shinin' bright at the end of this tunnel
For you, for you
So keep holdin' on

You've got your disappointments and sorrows
You ought to share the weight of that load with me
Then you will find that the light of tomorrow
Brings a new life for your eyes to see

So remember what I've told you
There's so much you're living for

Splendor and Majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary. Psalm 96:6

"Praise You In This Storm"
By Casting Crowns

I was sure by now
That 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'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry
You raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear You 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'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will
give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I
am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your
souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30

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