OUR LORD IS MY REFUGE!!

HE HAS BEEN, FOREVER AND EVER, FOR ME...

AND MANY, MANY, MANY OTHERS.

HE'S WHAT COUNTS!!!

MY/OUR/THEIR STRONG REFUGE!

YES, HE IS!

ALL WE CAN COUNT ON

FOREVER AND EVER.

CITY OF REFUGE

I wrote this poem/song nearly 7 years ago.  When reading in the portion of the Bible, [Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Joshua], when the 6 cities were places in Israel for the safety of people who had either purposely or accidentally killed someone, this song hit me.  In those old days, these cities were the refuge.  When Jesus covered our sins and went to Heaven, the city for all of us as refugees from our sin, that's all I can count on forever.

Hasn't been sung, hasn't been used.  But it was a pure blessing when it was dropped into my heart, soul, and spirit.

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    CITY OF REFUGE

I was fleeing for my life
I could see the city gates
    Open to enfold and bring me in.
Behind me, on the pathway,
My enemy pursued me,
    Intending to destroy me for my sin.

Oh, Blessed place of Refuge
I Cried, Oh, Refuge City,
My only hope was found
    within your walls.
Before the priest I trembled
    and pled my case for mercy
I knew before this judge I’d stand or fall.

I was fleeing for my life,
Fleeing to the Blood of Refuge
    Shed by Jesus Christ, it drew me in.
Behind me on the pathway
My Enemy pursued me,
    Accusing and condemning me for sin.

Oh, Blessed Man of Refuge,
I cried, Oh, Blessed Savior,
My only hope is
     through Your cleansing Blood.
Before my Priest I worshiped
He pled my case for mercy
Freedom came through
    His Redeeming Love.

And now I walk in Freedom,
I daily walk in Freedom,
    Rejoicing as I look upon His face.
The Refuge I once cried for,
The Refuge Jesus died for,
    Enfolded me within the walls of Grace.

HIS POWER AND MERCY....

YES!

WHETHER MY MOUTH SINGS OR MY HEART DOES,

HIS POWER AND MERCY

HAVE FILLED ME WITH LOVE FOR HIM --

AND INCREASED MY LOVE FOR OTHERS.

REFUGE FOR POOR

I TRULY UNDERSTAND THIS, 
BOTH PERSONALLY AND REPRESENTATIVELY.

HIS KINDNESS IN DEALING WITH THE STORMS OF LIFE AND THE HEAT OF LIFE THAT SOMETIMES OVERWHELM US 
IS ONE OF THE HUGE BLESSINGS OF LIFE.

HE IS THE KIND ONE! 
I'M A GRATEFUL ONE!

ISAIAH 25 ... STORM AND SHADOW

I could tell so many, many details and extra stories connected to this... still writing them as part of a book... but wanted to share them to all of you.  It truly was a blessing to be where God wanted me to be at a time I never could have imagined.  Yep, when I write this part of the book, and share it you will laugh and cry right along with what I did that day, from beginning to end.  Hope this will touch hearts, though.

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A burial occurred out in the Bush beyond Soroti, Uganda. It

was the brother of Rebekah who was being buried.  His sister, Rebekah, became my granddaughter when, a week later, she was "adopted" by our Ugandan son, Sam and his wife, Adhe, our dear daughter. 

The pastors and others connected to his family had to shift the boy's body up from the Soroti hospital; quite a challenge.  It was a very out-of-the-range location, just a family area of some sort, no true homes.  Believe me, the whole area was filled with poverty.  At this location, the only one who seemed very happy to see a few people was the little goat.

However, the Word of God is the most important part that I hope was dropped into the hearts of those who were attending, helping in this ceremony.  Seed-planting is extremely important.  And our Lord Jesus IS is the Refuge from poverty and the Shadow from heat.  And, even though this was a mid-December burial, the heat was quite high.  

Again, more proof that HE is the Refuge and Shadow.  That is one of my "forever and ever" desires.

Extra photos.  It was quite a day, believe me.   

And the photo I took a week later of my son, Sam, and Rebekah, when my friend Jill and I had taken her to New Hope Uganda.

[AND, just before Dave and I were heading to the airport, after he had come a couple weeks earlier, to pick me 

up and help me home, we had this photo taken with her.  That was February, 2004.  A treat for us.]

PSALM 9:9 -- MOAB, UTAH

COLORADO RIVER, UTAH

And this Word of God, Amplified, always grabs my heart ... always.  HE can save us and protect us from ... high cost, destitution, and desperation!

I count on HIM!!

 Oh, and why isn't the "refuge rock" colorful?  Well, it was, BUT it was beginning to be foggy and rainy and stormy on all sides of the river.  The river tour-boat I was on, had to stop, because the storm was making the river to rush too quickly.  Oh, well.  Things ain't always perfect.  What is??   Our Lord's Word.

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK -- PSALM

 

In my heart, day in and day out, Psalm 59:16 fills me with "truism", encouragement, RE-couragement.  So -- I will follow Him, walk with Him, and not fall away through fear, anger, jealousy, or frustration.

That is my goal, period.