This morning as I walked into one of our supporting churches here in Tulsa, Foundations Church, the worship team was playing, “Oceans” by Hillsong. While I’m sure that this is a favorite worship song for many, it holds a really special place in my heart. It was a little over a year ago that Stephen preached at this church on a Sunday at the end of a really hard month for me. I’d been having tremors and all kinds of physical issues and it was really frightening because here I was trying to prepare to be a missionary to Africa! That morning was the very first time that I heard the song “Oceans” and I just wept and wept. This song eventually became a theme song for me as we moved to Madagascar, since it encouraged me and I was moving to an island in the middle of…you guessed it, an OCEAN ;)

This morning when the song began to play as I walked into service (a few minutes late lol), my heart swelled. As I sang lyrics like, “where feet may fail and fear surrounds me, You’ve never failed and You won’t start now…”, I clung to Stephen’s arm and just cried. This season has gone every way but the way I “thought” it would. Yet here I was back home, in God’s presence and it was as if He orchestrated the worship team to sing this song just for me ;) Clearly many LOVE this song, so that may not be why the worship team chose to sing it haha, but I’ve often found God meet me in moments like this and give me one of His HUGS. I feel His presence surround me like a cloak and I can literally feel my cares being cast upon Him.

He is always with me and continually speaking His word over my life and breathing love, joy and peace into me. I’m just not always fully aware of it. I love the God Hug moments with Him where I am forced to stop in my tracks and let my breath be taken away. I love the sunsets He’s created for me. The special times in worship. The thoughtfulness of a friend who points me to His love. The soft whispers to my heart that only He can say. He knows me and that fact overwhelms me at times. He knows how to show His nearness and that comforts my weary soul.

“And there I find You in the mystery…in oceans deep, my faith will stand.” I don’t know why things happen sometimes, how things will be tomorrow, or even how the day will go today; but it’s in those moments of “mystery”, in the unexplained times of my life where I’m searching for answers that I find Him. I would prefer to find Him in the planned, organized and perfect aspects of life (do those exist??… because SIGN ME UP!), but it’s so like God to meet me in the mystery and encourage my faith. I guess if the ocean didn’t rise, I wouldn’t need His rescuing love. I’m thankful. I trust and I lean into His hug :-)

Just as the song says, “When oceans rise, my soul will rest in Your embrace, for I am Yours and You are mine”, He embraces us in the waves of life.

Open up your heart and let Him love on you today! Just call upon His name and watch as He meets you where you are. He meets you in your praise. He meets you in your doubts. He meets you in your stumbling feet, and He lifts you above the storms and brings you to a place of rest where you are full of faith in Him. He’ll even orchestrate a worship song just to love on you;-) (thanks FC worship team!)

“I will call upon Your name and keep my eyes above the waves…”