Heart Songs

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,

though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food,

though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls. . .

Habakuk 3:17

It starts to moment my feet hit the floor. The water pressure in the shower isn't working right. The shirt I decide to wear has a missing button, or needs ironed. The kids don't want to get out of bed and when they do, their unending demands and arguing cause me to want to send them to school in their pjs.

The day not only starts off like this, but continues along with one calamity after another until I'm ready to throw up my hands and take cover until the storm subsides.

I text a friend my woes and she responds with sympathy and a few of her own troubles as well. But then... then she says the words that always cause me to take a deep breath and find that inner drive to just keep going:

"God is good and He loves us."

In the midst of a particularly troubling storm, this song from Chris Tomlin came to me and it's done wonders for lifting my spirit when I simply wanted to give up.

There is an endless song
Echoes in my soul
I hear the music ring
And though the storms may come
I am holding on
To the rock I cling


How can I keep from singing Your praise?
How can I ever say enough
How amazing is Your love?

. . .yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.

Habakuk 3:18

I will lift my eyes
In the darkest night
For I know my Savior lives
And I will walk with You
Knowing You'll see me through
And sing the songs You give

I can sing in the troubled times
Sing when I win
I can sing when I lose my step
And I fall down again
I can sing 'cause You pick me up
Sing 'cause You're there
I can sing 'cause You hear me, Lord
When I call to You in prayer
I can sing with my last breath
Sing for I know
That I'll sing with the angels
And the saints around the throne

There's not much I can do to stop misfortune and trails from hitting me on every side. But I CAN sing. And I can sing praises to Him. Because like Peter in prison, when he sang praises, God's glory showed up and the shackles dropped off his arms so he could walk away free.


There's a power in praise.
It does something for our beaten down hearts.
It brings a sense of revival.
And it reminds us that no matter what's happening, how hard it gets, or how bad it looks He is good and He loves us.

How can I keep from shouting Your name?
I know I am loved by the King
And it makes my heart want to sing

No matter what, He loves us. He loves us. Oh, how He loves us.
And that's enough to make me want to sing!

And when I sing praises to my King, the enemy flees and my troubles don't seem so mountainous, because I am loved by Him who created and rules the universe.








Turn off the music in the side bar and enjoy Chris Tomlin's "How Can I Keep From Singing" video.







The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.
Hab. 3:19