The trials you face in life and in ministry are not always how you would expect them, the friends you make are not always how you envisioned, the ways God breaks your heart are not always the ways you thought you’d be broken. But He is good. These last few weeks have been filled with so much learning, a healthy helping of reality and God’s providence in providing community and family when I need it the most. I grew up in a small town where I could walk barefoot down to my best friends house, across my back yard, over a fence, through a field over a few more fences and fields and then I was there. I never imagined Jesus would provide the same type of community countries away. When I moved here five years ago I knew probably 5 people. Now I am blessed with a family and community where I can walk down the street barefoot and be at the home of people who have become my family. People who are here for the good, the bad, the ugly cries, the really good cake and the sometimes overcooked and over salted broccoli. These are the people who you call when you don’t have enough cheese for your pizza and not enough strength to do the day on you own.
Well, anyways…those were just the thoughts on my heart for the moment. However, I recently started writing again; it might just be because of some of the previously mentioned statements. But Jesus is so good, and He never fails to remind us of it, and He never fails to remind us that He is the reality we need to seek.
Reality
My heart breaks for the ones who are broken
And the ones who are lost,
my heart breaks for the ones who are confused,
for the ones who are deceived or simply unaware.
But I stand here in this place
I have the uttermost peace
In the fiercest reality
I hold to the strongest anchor
Of the deepest sea
I’m held in the arms
Of the one who made the stars
In the darkest caverns of souls
There is King who brings light
And makes broken hearts whole
He sets the captives free
Casts light on the unaware
Pays the debt of the poorest of the poor
Removes the blinds from the deceived
Brings life to the dead
Accepts the Rejected
Brings strength to the weak
Brings hope to the weary
Brings home the lost
and He sets the captives free
He sets us free
When we think we’ve been found
When we think we know our way
When we try to know our future
When we forge our own path
He sets us free
Sets us free from our expectations
Our pieced together realities
In His reality
With our eyes
we might not see
Hope joy and peace
But we must see with eyes from the King
So it’s worth the moment
To release our grip
To let go of our plan
To let a King
Cover our eyes with mud
And release us to see
His reality is the one we need to be.
-Emily Reina Kerkhof
An original work
