What Wondrous Love Is This

This morning I woke up and felt the heaviness of darkness around me. It has been a while since I have slept peacefully. Lately I have felt the presence of the Adversary. Our work, which had seemed to be moving ahead unhindered, has hit a bump in the road. The clouds have moved in and have obstructed my vision.

Just as discouragement and despair began to pursue me my faith brought sight. This morning I did not know how to proceed with our work so I found a quiet place and set myself to seeking my LORD. He seemed distant and my heart longed for his presence with me.

“Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing; heal me, O LORD, for my bones are troubled. My soul is greatly troubled. But you, O LORD – how long?...I am wary with my moaning…My eye wastes away because of my grief… ~Ps 6:2, 3, 6, 7

In my sad state I knew of only one thing to do. I bowed down and worshiped my God. I cried out to him in prayer and I asked him to draw near to me. My heart sang to him and he heard my cry.

…the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping. The LORD has heard my plea; the LORD accepts my prayer. ~Ps. 6:8, 9

I sat and starred out of my window into the sky and through the thick gray clouds I saw a faint light. It was the sun piercing through the darkness. As I sang… “What wondrous love is this that caused the LORD of bliss To bear the dreadful curse for my soul ” the clouds parted and the sun shone brightly upon me and I could feel the heat of it on my face.

I sank back into my chair and realized that my Father was reminding me that he is never far off, but always near to me. Sometimes things cloud our vision, but be assured the LORD is near. I have been reminded again today that my God is faithful and true. I have been reminded again that his hand is upon me and that no one can thwart his plans.

The Adversary may come and shoot his fiery arrows at me; he may come and torment me in my sleep; he may try to steer me off the path that Jesus Christ has set before me, but I will never ever ever believe his lies!

I am a child of the living God! I am a disciple of Jesus Christ! I know in whom I believe and I will serve him until I breathe my last breath.

What Wondrous Love Is This

American Folk Hymn

What wondrous love is this,

O my soul, O my soul!

What wondrous love is this, O my soul!

What wondrous love is this

That caused the Lord of bliss

To bear the dreadful curse

For my soul, for my soul,

To bear the dreadful curse for my soul.

When I was sinking down,

Sinking down, sinking down,

When I was sinking down, sinking down,

When I was sinking down

Beneath God’s righteous frown,

Christ laid aside His crown

For my soul, for my soul,

Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.

To God and to the Lamb

I will sing, I will sing,

To God and to the Lamb I will sing,

To God and to the Lamb

Who is the great “I Am,”

While millions join the theme,

I will sing, I will sing,

While millions join the theme, I will sing.

And when from death I’m free,

I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,

And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on.

And when from death I’m free,

I’ll sing and joyful be,

And thro’ eternity

I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,

And thro’ eternity I’ll sing on.

I am a Disciple of Jesus Christ

I am a part of the fellowship of the unashamed; I have Holy Spirit power; the dye has been cast, I’ve stepped over the line, the love of God controls me, the decision has been made - I’m a disciple of His.

I won’t look back, let up, slow down or back away; my past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure; I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless streams, tame visions, mundane talking, cheap giving and dwarfed goals; I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotion, plaudits or popularity; I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded; I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk in patience, live by prayer and labor with power; my face is set, my walk is fast, my goal is the Kingdom of God; my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my guide reliable, my mission clear; I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed; I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversaries, negotiate at the pool of popularity or meander in the maze of mediocrity; I won’t give up, shut up or let up until I’ve stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, spoken up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ and must go until He comes, give until I drop, teach until all know and work until he stops me - I AM A DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST!

~Author Unknown

Go to the land that I will show you!

YHWH spoke to Abraham and called him to leave his home and go to the land that he would show him. Abraham stepped out in faith and went. YHWH has spoken to me and called me to do a similar thing. He has released us from our call to Duluth and is leading us to plant a church in a land that he is in the process of showing us.

Gary Johnson (senior pastor) will stay in Duluth and continue the work of planting Faith Crossings Church and we will go out and plant. This news is not altogether surprising to us because we had intended to be a church that plant churches from the conception of the church. We wanted to be born pregnant!

What is surprising is the timing. We were thinking it my come a little further down the road. But God, not I, is the navigator of our journey and he is directing our path as we commit our work to him.

I want to ask you to join us in praying as we seek the LORD as to where he will lead us to plant a new church with the Christian and Missionary Alliance. We will be putting in our 58 day notice to vacate our apartment soon and will stop drawing a salary from Faith Crossings at the end of September.

Please intercede on our behalf that God will provide for and protect us in this time. We have experienced pretty much every emotion from sorrow and mourning to excitement and joy over the past few weeks and we are emotionally and physically exhausted.

I look forward to sharing more of how YHWH is moving and working in our lives as the adventure unfolds. Please join us in the journey! We need your prayer and support.

Soli Deo Gloria - To God Alone Be the Glory

On any given day!

On any given day you may experience something that dramatically changes the course of your life! Thursday August 2nd may turn out to be one of those days for the Erickson family.