I'll Keep Trusting

I’ll keep looking unto Jesus, who’s Spirit abides in me.
He’s my example to follow; he is all the answers I need.
I’ll keep trusting in my Saviour, who said these things must be.
He suffered so at the hands of man; gave his life so willingly.
I’ll keep going for my Lord; I know he’s working in me,
through all life’s sorrows and blows, to conform to what I should be.
In the face of opposition, I’ll keep trusting in my Lord.
Through pain and disappointment, I’ll keep trusting in my Lord.
Through dark and lonely valleys, I’ll keep trusting in my Lord.
Every scar left from the battle; every bruise I bear from this world,
is simply my reminder of the healing power of my Lord.
I’ll keep trusting in my Lord.

I may not be able to see beyond the next curve in the road, or past the valley I’m walking through, but I know my final destination, and I know that if I keep my eyes on my Lord and Saviour, he’ll guide my footsteps along the way. He may take me places I’d rather not go, but that’s where I learn to trust him. He’s already shown me over and over again the folly of choosing my own path. No matter what this journey brings; no matter what trials come my way, no matter how difficult the road may become, my response must always remain the same: I’ll keep trusting in my Lord.


Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

It Came To Pass

In times all things will come to pass.
Trials and valleys, they won’t last.
Though they may seem too hard to bear,

just take heart, the Lord is there.
He tells us of the saints of old.
Oh, such stories have been told,

and each time we hear the words,
“It came to pass.”
He was in the fiery furnace;

he was with them through the flood.
He was on the road to Emmaus.
Yes, he’s with each child of God.
Whether trudging through a valley,

or climbing a rocky path,
we’ll look back one day, and say,
“It came to pass.”
When time comes to an end at last;
trials and valleys in the past,
we will dwell in that land so fair,

with our Lord forever there.
Then we’ll meet all those saints of old.
Oh, the stories we’ll be told,

and each time we’ll hear the words,
“It came to pass.”

Sometimes we feel like we are the only ones who have gone through these trials and valleys as we’re traveling down this path, but all we need do is look to the word of God to see that the road we are on is very well traveled, and many saints have gone on before us. We can take heart in the words, “It came to pass.”

Ephesians 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.
1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

You Remind Me

Lord, when I am trudging through a valley filled with mire,
Feeling oh so lonely, my circumstances dire;
Wondering where the joy of thy salvation went;
Weary of my burdens, my energy all spent,

You remind me of those mountains
Hidden by the clouds….clouds of my own making,
Created by my sin and doubts.
You remind me just to set my eyes and heart on things above,
Then you lift me to the heights upon your wings of love.

Lord, so many times I’ve traveled down that same old path,
From that lofty mountain to cloudy misty flats.
If I’d turn to you before I go astray,
I know you would guide me along the higher way.
You remind me each time I slide and I lose sight of you.
Lord, forgive my sin; I surrender all to you.

Sometimes, when I think I’m in a valley, I’m really just flopping around in a muddy ditch. I may feel like my circumstances are dire, but it’s my frame of mind that’s in need of an adjustment. I’m looking at things from my own earthly perspective rather than setting my eyes on things above. It’s my own sin; my pride, my selfish attitude, and my laziness that has put a black cloud over my head, and blocked my view of the Lord. Thankfully, I’m only one prayer away from getting my heart right.

Psalm 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Psalm 94:18 When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up.

One Step At a Time

One step at a time I’d wandered away,
Not knowing the path I trod had taken me so far away,
I was missing the voice of God.
One step away from time with the Lord toward a day of strife.
One step away from time in the word toward a wasted life.
One step just in time, I turned back to him,
Just following the path he trod.

His word cut through my stubborn sin,
Now I’m hearing the voice of God.
One step toward a time with the Lord toward a fruitful life.
One step toward a time in the word
Toward victorious life.
One step away, are you on the line?
Oh, won’t you turn his way?
One step toward redeeming the time
will change your life today.

While it’s easy to stay close in the midst of a crisis, it seems to be the every day struggles and cares of this world that get in the way of time alone with God. When there are no mountains in sight, and no deep valleys to struggle through, it’s those long stretches of dreary road scattered with rocks and rubble that tend to get me down. We had spent months building our new house, and getting it to a point where we could move in, and then many more months trying to finish it. With the problems created by the continual flooding in the basement, it seemed that most of our time was taken up with work, leaving very little time for anything else. So much so, that I hadn’t really noticed that I was drifting away from the Lord. It seems to be an ongoing struggle to maintain that close relationship….to stay in his word...to pray without ceasing. But it’s a struggle worth fighting. Just put one foot in front of the other; one step at a time.

Psalm 143:10,11 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. Quicken me, O Lord, for thy names sake: for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.

He Knew That I Needed To Go There

The Lord gave me one of those amazing mountain top experiences when we were living out on my parents country property...the place with the flooded basement. I had been visiting with a lady who was very enthusiastically talking about her faith and her experiences. She seemed to be so busy doing what she felt the Lord had called her to do. I went home that evening realizing that I had lost that zeal, and feeling like I was doing very little to serve my Lord and Saviour.
My pastor had just preached on the reasons God gives mountain top experiences. Although I saw no mountains on my horizon, I started reading through the notes I had taken during the message, and soon a song began to form. But somewhere in the midst of writing, I felt the need to just be in a quiet place with the Lord. This isn’t easy in a house full of kids, so my only option was the bathroom. I went in and knelt down and began to pray, not really knowing what I was praying about. I just knew my dry heart and spirit needed to hear from my Lord, and soon I was on my face. I truly don’t recall the words I prayed, but the Lord responded to the cry of my heart, and my longing for his touch.
Later that day, when Brian came home from work, I said, “Did you know there’s a mountain in our bathroom?” I’m sure he thought I’d lost it, but the mountaintop I experienced as I lay on our bathroom floor was more like a mountain range than one individual peak! I truly had been to the mountain with Jesus, and the song I wrote that day flowed from my heart as freely as the tears flowing down my cheeks.
Soon after this, we had a family reunion, where I was able to spend time with a cousin that I hadn’t seen since we were teenagers. In spite of there being a house full of people, the Lord gave me the opportunity to witness to her for more than an hour. I knew that this never could have happened had I not first met Jesus on that mountain. He knew I needed to go there to find my way back to his grace, before he could ever use me to reach someone else!

2 Peter 5:5c,6 for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.

I've Been To The Mountain

I’ve been to the mountain with Jesus.

I went there to meet him alone.
In silence I climbed up that mountain,

his voice up ahead leading on.
I knew when I reached my dear Saviour,

he’d have all the answers I need.
Blue skies opened up all around me

when Jesus met me at the peak.
I’ve been to the mountain with Jesus;

a trip he required of me.
He sent me by way of a valley;

a way that I never had been.
He knew that I needed to go there,

to find my way back to his grace.
I finally came to the summit

when broken I fell to my face.
I’ve been to the mountain with Jesus.

He carried me there on his wings.
Transfigured, I saw him before me,

as never before I had seen.
My heart overflowed with thanksgiving;

his praises I started to sing.
The world disappeared down below me;

I worshipped my Saviour and King!
Yes, I’ve been to the mountain with Jesus,

high above the clouds of my life,
where the Son shone warm on my face,

and my vision was cleared by his light.

Some mountain top experiences have occurred when I’ve gone to a quiet place alone to seek the Lord’s guidance. Some have been when he’s had to bring me through a trial to draw me back to himself, and other times, he’s allowed me to see him in all of his glory, and worship at his feet. Still others seem to encompass all of those in one amazing trip to the mountains!

Luke 6:12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went up into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
Genesis 22:2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah;and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
Matthew 17:1,5 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Tears In A Bottle

I have a friend who walks with me through every storm and trial.
He’s closer than a brother; he’s with me every mile.
He carries me through valleys, and gently soothes my fears.
He guides my every foot step, as he wipes away my tears.
I have a friend who walks with me and guides me with his word.
He’s closer now than ever; his still small voice I’ve heard.
He answers when I cry out; on him I cast my cares.
He gives me words of comfort, as he wipes away my tears.
He puts my tears in a bottle, and gives me songs in the night.
In the times of trouble, clouds give way to light.
He gives me beauty for ashes, and oil of joy for mourning.
Forever I’ll make my refuge in the shadow of his wings.

Often when I write a song, there is no real story or incident that inspires the lyrics. Sometimes I just come across a scripture or I’ll hear a phrase that is particularly poetic or meaningful to me, so it stands out in my mind. It may take years before I ever use those words in a song, but they are always there in the back of my mind when I get that urge to write. “Tears In A Bottle” is one of those songs.
Shortly after I was saved, I attended a ladies conference called ‘Beauty For Ashes.’ I don’t remember much about what the speaker had to say, but the title stuck in my mind. Some time later I read in Psalm 56, “put thou my tears into thy bottle.” Again the phrase stayed with me. Eventually they both made their way into this song, along with a few other favorites.

But as is often the case, this song has taken on a deeper meaning as I've gone through some storms and trials in my life. The Lord has a way of using the words of my own songs to remind me that he is always there to guide me through whatever storm is brewing, and he will even carry me through, when I don't have the strength to stand...all the while, collecting my tears and replacing them with a song.

Proverbs 18:24b and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Psalm 56:8 Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?
Psalm 42:8 Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.
Isaiah 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, and oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.
Psalm 17:8b hide me under the shadow of thy wings

Take The High Road

Son, you asked me, “Why can’t we go this way?”
I’ll tell you all that I know.
I’ve traveled down that other path, and I’ve paid it’s heavy toll.
For I found myself on a dead end road, oh, it wasn’t worth the cost.
And though God led the way out, I’ll never regain what’s lost.
Son, I asked the Lord, “Why did we take this path?”
He answered, “It wasn’t me.
I tried to show a better way, but you wouldn’t let me lead.
It was you who chose to go down this road.
It was I who brought you out.
Now you can go tell others, “Don’t follow that down hill route.”
Son, if you are contemplating a detour from Jesus way,
First count the cost, with your eyes on the cross.
Take the high road, and walk by faith.

Sometimes when we make poor choices in life, we’d like to be able to blame God, and say he led us along the path we took. But often, we didn’t really seek God’s direction or guidance, before taking that fork in the road. Oh sure, we prayed about it, but did we really wait for the Lord’s answer, or did we just jump in and go our own way? And before we know it we find ourselves at a dead end, and wonder how we got there. Thankfully, it’s never to late to ask God for directions. He’s always there, waiting for us to let him take the wheel. Sadly though, taking the wrong path often has negative consequences that don’t suddenly go away once we put God in control again. So, before we make that detour, we better check the map, and make sure that the Lord is the one who put the road blocks up!

Proverbs 16:17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.
Jeremiah 31:21a Set thee up waymark