Fridays are my favorite day. Not only is it the last day of a workweek, but I also get the added bonus of getting off at noon every single Friday. It is glorious! Most Friday afternoons tend to be pretty busy, but this afternoon I was blessed with absolutely nothing on my schedule. So, of course I would choose to be totally unproductive, and, I’ll just be honest here, lazy. I’m ok with it. My plan was (and still is) to laze around, enjoying this absolutely delicious west Texas weather, take a nap, listen to some music, and nap some more. Who knew I would suddenly be so overtaken with my Father’s love for me by one single song.
I love music. All music. I’m not biased. I love everything from praise and worship, to country, rap, pop, and folk. Everything. I think music can be such a beautiful expression of love, heartache, happiness, and deep-to-your-core sadness. Music, all music, makes you feel things. Some music brings back sweet memories from past moments, some music reaches to the darkest pit of your heart and squeezes until it physically aches. Until all you want to do is cry. And some just brings you peace. Music can be such an AMAZING form of ministry. I just love how multifaceted it is. It can do so much. I think God can USE it to do so much.
Today, he did that with me.
Have any of you heard the song “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri? It’s a beautiful song. It makes my ears want to melt from how beautiful it is. It’s also kind of heartbreaking. It speaks of immense love.
I have died everyday waiting for you. Darling don’t be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years. I love you for a thousand more.
Time stands still, beauty in all she is. I will be brave; I will not let anything take away what’s standing in front of me. Every breath, every hour has come to this. One step closer.
I have died everyday waiting for you. Darling don’t be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years. I love you for a thousand more.
And all along I believed I would find you. Time has brought your heart to me; I have loved you for a thousand years. I love you for a thousand more.”
“I have died everyday waiting for you. Darling, don’t be afraid, for I have loved you for a thousand years, and I’ll love you for a thousand more. All along I believed I would find you. Time has brought your heart to mine. I have loved you for a thousand years, and I’ll love you for a thousand more.” That’s a dad saying those words, y’all. He is telling us, and showing us His promise. No matter how fearful we are, no matter how scary it is to move forward, and to trust, he waits. He gives us the strength we need to move forward. He shows us his love through the beautiful colors of our world. He speaks promises and life to our hearts. He longs to wipe the doubt and fear from our eyes, so that we may truly see HIM! He claps and cheers and hollers for each new step we take. Each baby step we make brings us one step closer to Him, and that makes Him SO proud. And each time we fall, he waits patiently with love in His eyes, as we work through the pain of the fall, and get back up and take one more step closer, even though it’s terrifying. And all along, as we move ever so slowly towards Him, he waits, full of love. That won’t ever go away. He has loved for thousands of years, and He will love for thousands more.
“Your God is present among you, a strong Warrior there to save you. Happy to have you back, he’ll calm you with His love and delight you with his songs”
Zephaniah 3:17 (The Message)
You can also do so by mailing a to “Adventures in Missions” with “CAMPBELLWHITNEY” (Whitney is my first name, for those of you who might be confused by that) in the memo line and mailing that to:
Adventures in Missions
PO Box 534470
Atlanta, GA 30353-4470
