When I read of an unthinkable tragedy, one like the 2 year old who was killed by an alligator at Disney World, or a child who is kidnapped and never to be found, my mind often goes to the parents.  I wonder, “how on earth can they go on?”  “How can they survive such pain?” 
  
That was one of the thoughts I had when I wrote, “It’s In Your Hands.”  I thought back to times in my life I was inconsolable. When nothing would relieve the pain.  I couldn’t sleep, could not find any peace or enjoyment in life. 
  
I have been at that place as the first line of the song says:  “There is no peace, there is no sleep, this heavy heart is hurting deep.  I toss and turn in my bed at night, trying hard to make it right, oh Lord, I need relief.”   I’m sure all of us have experienced that kind of pain. Maybe not the grief of losing a child, which has to be immeasurable.  But, we have had our heart broken.  It is a horrible pain.  It feels like it will never end.  Eternal sleep at that point sounds like a nice option. 
  
But, God has something better for us than the things we so often use to give us relief:  medication, isolation, overeating or drinking, shopping. numbing out.   He has His peace which passes understanding.  We have the hope that He does care for us and our situation. That we WILL find relief in Him. That He is the God of the Universe and more powerful to help us than anything or anyone else. 


  
This song, “It’s In Your Hands” is my song of surrender.  To completely give my deepest cares to Christ.   To place them in His mighty hands while I bow at His feet humbly knowing I can't do it anymore.  I can't hold onto it. I can't try to fix it. I can't think it right.  I'm done.  He can have it all. 
  
And THAT is when the healing begins.  He asks us to cast our cares to Him.  1 Peter 5:7: "Cast your cares on Him, for He cares for you."  And yes, sometimes the load we cast is a heavy one.  One that is so deep in our heart that we wonder, “can He be trusted with this?!”  “This is so deep and so painful, it is my very life, how can I let it go?!”  

In a line from the song it says: “There is no safer place, than when I trust in faith.”  - Yes.  With our very lives. Jesus Christ is a safe confidant, He is a safe friend.  He is a safe place to rest our head.  When we are grieving or just in fear of what might be, there is no better place to be than in the most loving and most compassionate hands.  He will take the immense pain or fear and turn it to peace and eventually to joy.  We will find as the bible promises in Nehemiah 8:10: “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”   We can mourn what was lost, but rest in the protection and peace He brings.  
  
Whatever your pain or worry or regret – He CAN be trusted.  He DOES know us better than we do.  He DOES have a plan that will work things for the good when we trust in Him and ask for His will. 
  
Some pain in this lifetime may forever be remembered, but we don’t have to hold onto it as a memorial.  We can place it in the most sacred and protected place.  In the beautiful hands of Jesus Christ.  We can rest knowing He cares for those we love more than even we could.  How wonderful we will have an eternity, where we are promised that all pain will be completely wiped away, to worship at His feet. 

For years, the first line of the song:  “Looking for an answer, looking for some help,” was so true for me.  I was searching.  I had heard so many well-meaning people say:  “find yourself” “take care of yourself” “put yourself first.”  But it was an endless hole that was never filled.  The more I thought of myself, the emptier my life became.   

And for me, this idea of finding myself as a young person took on a whole new meaning.  I am the daughter of the writer of self help books.   In my late father's obituary, Life Magazine gave him the title of:  “The father of pop psychology."  

We are all born with that "God shaped hole it needs filling it's my soul!"  I had every bit of insight, knowledge, expert help one could find, but none of that could help me find the one thing I longed for:  peace and joy.  I bought books. I did every kind of self improvement.  I saw a therapist.  (Try doing that when everyone knows your father is a psychiatrist! Talk about a head trip!)  I remember getting a list of affirmations that I was supposed to read in front of the mirror each morning.  I would try to believe what I was reading.  “I am assertive!”  “I am confident!” etc, but  I was the problem!   There was no power in "I" (me.)  I had nothing to hold on to! 

  
Everything changed when I met Jesus and His Word and His power came into my life.  "For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."  - 2 Timothy 1:7  

As I began to look to Jesus Christ, I became stronger every day!  Just as the songs says:
“I am walking in the Spirit, I am walking in love. Getting stronger every day, as I seek you as I pray, keep on walking with you Jesus, walking this way!”

“I have a source who tells me He will finish what He starts!” – from my new song "Standing On The Word Of God." 
  
When I wrote that line inspired by scripture: “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” - Phil 1:6, I had no idea how true it would be in my life.  I recently released my first album, "Walking in the Spirit!"
  
This journey began back in the summer of 2014.  I had been going through a time of discouragement.  On this particular day, instead of trying to push away the negative feelings or distract myself with something else, I decided to read the Bible.  And what I read that day changed the course of my life.  I love God’s Word because it is living and speaks to us fresh each time.  I read that the discouragement I had been feeling was not of God.  I read that day that by standing on God’s promises I could move out the mockers of my mind and know that God is for me, has a plan for me, and as He says in Isaiah 41:10, "He will strengthen me and help me."  And help me he did! 



I was so encouraged and inspired that I sat down at the piano and started playing and as my heart was freed and lifted, several songs poured out.  “Standing On The Word of God” was the first one.   And singing it made my heart almost burst with thanks and joy!  In many ways it is a foundation for the rest of the album because all of the ten songs come from a place of needing and seeking the Lord, spending time with Him, and looking to and trusting His Word.  And that standing on His promises means nothing is impossible with God, that He will work things out for our good, guide our way and give us a peace that is not found in this world.  That even during these troubled times, He is victorious over the darkness! 
  
We can walk in confidence that God has a wonderful plan for us!  And like the last line of the last verse says:  “His sacrifice upon the cross gave righteousness to me.  I have no fear but only hope, I have true victory!”

YES!  Only Jesus Christ can do that!  He has that hope for us all!  God’s Word (The Holy Bible) has everything we need to know Christ, to understand and live His promises, to rest in His assurance of forgiveness and salvation and to give us strength as we live each day Standing On The Word Of God!”