I wanted to just quickly say something about what happened at our church last night; Dennis Jernigan was there and lead in worship for the services and God ministered to me as well as so many others, so I wanted to share my thoughts! If you don't know Dennis' testimony, it would be good for you to look at his website, because the power of God is moving through this man's life bringing glory to the Father! During the service he was asking people to stand if they were struggling in different areas of life, you know the normal ones, such as grief over the lost of a loved one, or lost of a certain relationship, but I couldn't believe he asked if you are grieving over the lost of a vision or a dream stand so we can pray over you! I immediately stood as if called out specifically by name. That's what is happening to me, I am grieving the lost of a vision and a dream, and I am fighting my way through it, seeking the deliverance of God from my sorrow! My thought is; is it sorrow, or self pity?

I know that nothing happens by chance, God's hand is in every area of my life, growing me to be who He created me to be. Sometimes though leaving behind what is good and comforting is like slowly dying, or it seems. I understand how people get to a place in life when you are so concentrated on yourself that depression sets in. To put this altogether, I have to tell you that when my mother in law recently died I was comforting the family with the fact that life and death are apart of our earthly existence, so it comes as no surprise when a loved one dies. Now God is reminding me that the same is true within our living existence, changes happen, death of dreams happen and life goes on! I think I am sounding a bit morbid here huh? But the things in our journey that occur are not always uplifting at the moment, as a matter of fact these are the times when if responding correctly to the sovereignty of God you turn full faced to the Father seeking Him more completely to be your all in all! So that was the encouragement for me last night, to grieve the loss of a dream and move on, not holding to tightly to anything! Hear the words of my anthem again; "On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand"! Turn toward Him and be encouraged today and think about it....

"On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand." That song has got to be my anthem right now, it seems like everywhere I go I hear that song, or even have to sing it myself! I have heard and sang that song for the last 37 years and never has it pierced my heart like it does right now. ( I'm 43 if you're wondering, but I pretty much don't have any recollection before the age of 6, tell you the honest truth, I don't have much recollection before the age of 43! haha) Do you hear the words, let me show them to you, don't sing them, because you will check out mentally, just read them:


My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame,but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
When darkness veils His lovely face,I rest on His unchanging grace;In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil.
His oath, His covenant, His blood support me in the whelming flood; when all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay.
When He shall come with trumpet sound,Oh, may I then in Him be found; dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;All other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.

God is still teaching me the message of this classic hymn that I learned as a small child. My hope is on NOTHING else but Jesus' blood and Jesus' righteousness! I will one day stand before a perfect, sovereign, holy God and nothing else will matter, nothing else will be said that has any importance but "My hope has always been on Jesus' blood!" You know, I have come to realize what depravity means, I see in myself what it looks like, so how my souls swells with praise for the payment made by my Savior! Continue to look at the words; "when all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay". Really Paula? Is He, when everything that is comforting, that is the who of who I am gives way am I your I AM!? Wow, typing that quickens my heart, can you say those words without your heart being quicken also? Keep looking if you will; Dressed in HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ALONE, faultless to stand before the throne." Faultless? Surely not, but the Truth is I am in Him! It absolutely spurs me on to live out His name that covers me. Then listen to the refrain again, this time sing it out loud, "On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand" Wow He is the Rock that is UNSINKABLE! Think about it......