so thankful...

Tonight I've been sitting in my bed thinking about life, about certain people, and about God and I have been listening to worship music. All I am able to do is cry. I am so angry and frustrated. Why does the freakin world and culture have so much power over people??! Where the heck did we go wrong and when did things get to this. Kids having sex before high school. People drinking and partying almost half the days out of a week years before they even turn 21. Swearing, drugs, gossip, eating disorders, low self-esteem.... this makes me sick to my stomach. It breaks my heart to see people that I care about, people that KNEW GOD, turn away and fall into the trap that the world has set. The devil is so freaking good at what he does. He makes all this crap look so good, feel so good. I hate it. I hate that people fall for his lies. I hate that I fall for his lies. Words can never express how grateful I am that we serve a God who is patient, a God who has more grace and forgiveness taht I can even fathom, a God that has so much love and compassion for us that nothing could ever make him not want us.

Yes, this world sucks. Our culture has become so perverted and screwed up that it's a miracle to make it through life unscathed. Let's stop using that as an excuse. Let's step into God's KINGDOM and bring it into this world that we've been placed in. WE ARE HERE ON EARTH TO SPREAD GOD'S LOVE. Step back, take a break from our culture. Turn off the TV, log out of facebook, turn off your cell phone. Read your bible and pray. Immerse yourself in God. I need to do this. I need a break from all the stress, all the sadness.

Why are you striving these days?
Why are you trying to earn grace?
Why are you crying? Let me lift up your face, just don't turn away.
Why are you looking for love? Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough?

I'll be by your side, wherever you fall.
Please don't fight these hands that are holding you.
My hands are holding you.

Look at this hands at my side. They swallowed the grave on that night.
When I drank the world's sin so I could carry you in and give you life.
I want to give you life.

I love you, I want you to know.
And I love you. I'll never let you go.

These are some of the lyrics to By Your Side by Tenth Avenue North. As I am listening to this, I literally feel as though God is talking to me. He wants us so badly, he wants us to just look at him and not turn away anymore. He wants to hold us and love us and take care of us. Life will be tough, we will always have struggles, but there is no longer any point to feel stressed, to worry, or to feel the weight of this crazy world. God can take it all and he can handle anything. Give it all to him, let him take control over our lives and guide us on the path, holding us close to his side so we no longer stray away from him.