Under Any Circumstances

"Isaiah 58 speaks of a 'chosen fast', of the service our God values...

'To loose the bands of wickedness,' undo 'heavy burdens,' 'let the oppressed go free,' break yokes, feed starving children, provide for the poor, dress the naked...

This morning as I was pondering here, it struck me that for the given, every act of service or obedience is an act of war.

and God has given us the privilege of going to war -- of breaking yokes and letting the oppressed go free -- right here. With music.

We would do well to remember."

The hours fly by, and since those words were spoken, all 9 family songs have been tracked, and all but two of the rest. Voices lasted long enough to finish that which was necessary to proceed, and then mine rebelled completely, to remind me I'm just dust. So, we work our instrumental accompaniment while we drink gallons of water and let the voices rest for the final two... :)
And yet, even in this mercy we feel our need. Our violinists both awoke under the weather this morning. But Chantée resolutely declares she will record under any circumstances. Fuel for Glory, right?

We press on. :) Coveting your prayers always...

Designs of Grace

The day closes on hours of setup and sound checks. Tomorrow the real work begins... Mean time, miracles on the instruments are in full swing. The lost voices are mended, or mending. (how could they do otherwise, after prayers from 4 continents?)

I patter around the studio after the troop has gone upstairs, capturing these sights in the silence. The stack of preamps brings a smile to my face.

Grace Design.

Naturally. Couldn't have put it better myself.

Off to War

The four Nebbletts junior land in Albuquerque yesterday after the week of GYC business etc in Seattle and Canada. In company with us is our friend and engineer, and suitcases full of thousands of dollars in recording equipment.

And now, we seem to have a fight on our hands.

But the fight is where glory unfolds, and I want you to be in on the joy. :)

So pray that the voice that disappeared suddenly (and completely) in a coughing spell at midnight last night, and the other one that's likewise suddenly considered "high risk" will be theaters for miracles.

We don't do this for ourselves... In consequence, we always face war with darkness.

But grace will prevail. It always does. :)

Even if it Leaves a Scar

"It is broken hearts that long for Home, 

and change the world."

That's why.
That's why though I have thousands of beautiful photos of beautiful friends, my phone shows me this one every time I swipe to unlock it.

Image: ©New York Times

You reel. You should.

- - - - -

"That would make me sick every time I saw it."
Words of a trusted friend, those.

"It does make me sick."
That's why it's there.

. . .

"I don't understand...
Why her and not me?
Why am I not a starving child in Africa?
Why was I born into my family here in the US?"

"I know... I don't know. 
That's why it breaks me."

There are two kinds of people in the world:

Those who have been given the gift of suffering,*

And those gifted with the responsibility to do something about it.

I'm asking God to burn the needs of His children on my heart... 

Even if it leaves a scar. 

His hands are scarred, after all.

*Suffering: the gift of being able to 

uniquely identify with a heart-broken God.

Thoughts Made Visible

"The more men learn of God, the greater will 

be their admiration of His character."

--last page of The Great Controversy

Sitting cross-legged by the hearth in the dark, those words ring in my ears. I flip to the best-selling biography of the Man that was God.

And I read:

"His name shall be called Immanuel, ... God with us."*

God with us.
God. Given.
Ours.
Not just for then, but forever... "For God so loved the world that He gave..."
Not loaned. Gave.

Grapple with that for a moment.

I read on.
"By coming to dwell with us, Jesus was to reveal God both to men and angels. He was the Word of God-- God's thought made audible."*

So this Man Who was God came to be the Song of God's heart, that the world might hear God's thoughts, and understand...
And He, in a human frame like mine.

I wonder...
Are not the men & women who are God's, called to much the same thing, human frames notwithstanding?

What if we were to take His thoughts (made audible) and live them...

And become to the dying world,

God's thoughts made visible.

--*first page of Desire of Ages

Strength and Joy

Pounding out (up, actually) mile number 4 yesterday, my brain tells me "You're going to die. As in, now." 

But as Providence would have it, I run listening to one of my favorite audiobooks. And the girl reading through my workout playlist was at just the right spot on the page...

"Those who decline the struggle lose the strength and joy of victory."

Well timed.

I laugh. Breathe. Run a bit faster. 

Thanks Allie.