You're all I Need

I made this a week or so ago in photoshop. I haven't been making these in photoshop lately because I found something faster and funner that I could use on my iPod and share on instagram. Phonto is neatest little app, and best of all, it's free! This is one of my favorite songs at the moment, so I thought I'd share it here as well. Every line is special and true for me.

Oft times I’ve tried to live my life

According to my will.

When darkness comes it’s difficult

To rest and just be still.

But Lord, You are my shepherd

That guides me in the way,

And I will learn this glorious truth

If I Your Word obey.

You’re all I need.

You’re the Lord of everything.

All I need –

This is why I humbly sing.

Your strength is sustaining

And your grace has made me free.

You’re my heart’s lone desire,

You’re all I need.

By wanting more I’ve wanted less

Than all You’ve given me.

You gave your all by laying down

Your life at Calvary.

So I surrender all, Lord

My best to You I give.

And thank you now for giving me

A reason to live.

You’re all I need.

You’re the Lord of everything.

All I need –

This is why I humbly sing.

Your strength is sustaining

And your grace has made me free.

You’re my heart’s lone desire,

You’re all I need.

More than enough,

You’re all I need.

Thought-provoking post coming up soon - if God gives me the words!

Abandon

A•ban•don
 -verb

1. To leave completely and finally; forsake utterly; desert

2. To give up; discontinue; withdraw from

3. To give up control of

Last year a friend of mine led a Bible study on the topic of abandon or abandonment. I don't exactly remember what all she said about at the time, but this word has stuck in my head ever since that time. For me, it meant abandoning my will and surrendering it to the Lord who knows all about anything that could come into my life. It means abandoning my dream and realizing that while I thought it was a good dream to have, that may not be God's best for me. He may have me right here for the rest of my life. And that's okay. To abandon means to leave it, and to never look back. Abandonment doesn't really care about its own goals. It cares more for the betterment of others.

Just for clarification, dreams in moderation can be good thing. We would never get anywhere if we didn't dream of something better. But hanging on to a dream is not a good thing.

I can't really fully articulate what exactly I'm trying to say here, but here's how these 3 definitions of abandon apply to me.

1. To completely let go of a dream that I held on to for too long because by holding on to it, it became more important to me than anything else. And that's not good, because nothing should be more important that obeying and honoring the Lord.

2. To discontinue dreaming the dream, because it's like chasing a mist that you never can get a hold of, and is always just beyond your grasp. To acknowledge that it was a hopeless dream at best.

3. To give up the control of my dreams and my life to my Father who knows all. He knows that what I ask for, thinking that's it's good (fish), in reality is a venomous snake that would only hurt me. (Luke 11:11)

While I would love to think that this is a short, quick painless process, I know that dying to anything is not easy, and takes a long time. While I would love to instantly die to this dream of mine and be done with it and be able to respond to every situation in God's grace, I know I'm far, far from perfect in any area. I also know I am stubborn and changing my thinking takes significant resolution on my part. It takes concentrated effort and hard work, which I could - and sometimes do - let slip any moment.

Anyway, what I'm trying to convey here is that while I fail in so many areas, my Jesus doesn't. He loves to carry my burdens, has more than enough strength, is all the wisdom I could ever need and more, and is Himself enough.

He is the best.