In some ways, these days are some of the most exciting days of my life: In less than two months, I will be getting married.  In other ways, these days are some of the most difficult .  God is taking me and my family through a time that I never would have imagined He would be taking us.  At times the weight seems more than I can bear.  And then God reminds me that He is here, right by my side.  He is the One Who has allowed things to happen in the first place.  He is the One wants me to glorify Him and find my joy in Him. However, I do have the option to do otherwise.  

Just yesterday, I heard an old song that I believe was penned by St. Francis de Assisi.  With a beautiful and rich melody, this prayer-like song encouraged and blessed my heart.  

Lord make me an instrument of your peace,

Where there is hatred let me sow love.

Where there is injury, pardon.

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is darkness, light.

And where there is sadness, joy.

O divine master grant that I may

not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

to be understood as to understand;

To be loved as to love

For it is in giving that we receive-

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned.

And it's in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.

The Spirit's Work

This section from The Valley of Vision was a particular blessing and challenge to me today:

            

"O God the Holy Spirit,

Thou who dost proceed from the Father and the Son,
     have mercy on me.
When thou didst first hover over chaos,
    order came to birth,
    beauty robed the world, fruitfulness sprang forth.
Move, I pray thee, upon my disordered heart;
Take away the infirmities of unruly desires
    and hateful lusts;
Lift the mists and darkness of unbelief;
Brighten my soul with the pure light of truth;
Make it fragrant as the garden of paradise,
    rich with every goodly fruit,
    beautiful with heavenly grace,
    radiant with rays of divine light.
Fulfil in me the glory of thy divine offices;
Be my comforter, light, guide, sanctifier;
Take of the things of Christ and show them to my soul;
Through thee may I daily learn more of his love,
    grace, compassion, faithfulness, beautiy;
Lead me to the cross and show me his wounds,
    the hateful nature of evil, the power of Satan;
May I there see my sins as
    the nails that transfixed him,
    the cords that bound him,
    the thorns that tore him,
    the sword that pierced him.
Help me to find in his death the reality
    and immensity of his love.
Open for me the wondrous volumes of truth
    in his, 'It is finished'.
Increase my faith in the clear knowledge of
    atonement achieved, expiation completed,
    satisfaction made, guilt done away,
    my debt paid, my sins forgiven,
    my person redeemed, my soul saved,
    hell vanquished, heaven opened,
    eternity made mine.
O Holy Spirit, deepen in me these saving lessons.
Write them upon my heart, that my walk be
    sin-loathing, sin-fleeing, Christ loving;
And suffer no devil's device to beguile
    or deceive me. " 

(Taken from The Valley of Vision "The Spirit's Work," page 56.)