Monday, April 30, 2012
Slow Down
I wrote this song while I was driving on the freeway and a car cut me off. I was tired from work and from all the big decisions I needed to make, frustrated at the driver, and about ready to say some angry things. But God was gracious and inspired me to write this song instead. :) I hope that it encourages you to rest in Jesus and trust that He has saved you from sin and that He is in control.
Slow Down by Tiffany Lim
So many times in our lives we get to a point
When we're going a hundred miles an hour
And life is coming at us way too fast
That we forget about the hope that is ours
Don't give up now, before Him bow
Cast your cares on Jesus, and
Slow down, my friend
Take some time to rest in Him
You don't have to strive anymore
When life gets overwhelming lift your eyes up to the King
For He's the One who holds together everything
And you don't have to worry now; our God is in control
And His promises are good forevermore
Don't give up now, before Him bow
Cast your cares on Jesus, and
Slow down, my friend
Take some time to rest in Him
You don't have to strive anymore
For God already loves you
God's already saved you from sin
Jesus Christ has paid the price
He gave His life for us
Be still and believe
"Cast your cares on the LORD
and he will sustain you" - Psalm 55:22a
Thursday, April 26, 2012
F.R.O.G. - Fully Rely On God
My friends and I will be helping with a "one-day VBS" program tomorrow and I'm really excited! We are using the theme and some of the ideas from this site: http://www.dltk-bible.com/vbs/frog-index.htm.
I wrote a F.R.O.G. story for the toddlers and wanted to share it with you all. Hope you enjoy it!
Once upon a time, there was a frog named Marcus. He was a happy frog who loved to jump around on lily pads and splash around in ponds. Each day, he would wake up in the morning and thank God for the sunshine. And each night, he would say a prayer thanking God for a good day of catching flies. Marcus loved to please God, but his family did not. His family thought that good things happen to you when you do good things, and bad things happen to you when you do bad things. His family did not understand that God loves us and takes care of us.
One day, as Marcus was leaping onto his favorite lily pad, a thunder storm struck. Before he could croak, Marcus was whisked away by a flash flood, rain pouring down from the sky and washing him into an unknown territory. The waters dropped him in a damp and grassy land right on his head. When Marcus was finally able to stand on his four feet and see straight, he took a look around. There were no lily pads here, and no ponds. All he could see for miles and miles was grass, grass, and more grass. A small buzzing insect flew by his head, and Marcus the frog stuck out his sticky red tongue and swallowed it whole. The bugs tasted funny here, too.
Marcus hopped around for hours until he finally grew tired of green grass. He sat down and started to pray, "Dear God, I don't know why you took me from my family and my favorite lily pad and brought me here, but please help me fully rely on You." And with tears in his eyes, he said, "And please help me find my way home. In Jesus' name, Amen." Marcus the frog opened his eyes, wiped away one last tear, and looked around again. The sky had grown dark, the moon had come out in place of the sun, and in the distance, Marcus could see an orange glow that looked like a cooking fire. Marcus the frog swallowed a sob and slowly crawled toward the orange blaze.
As he drew nearer to the fire, Marcus heard singing. He could not really make out the words, but it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. Closer and closer he crept, until the singing stopped. The singer stopped and turned her head. "Who's there?" she asked. Marcus froze. From where he hid, he could see that the singer was an old grandma frog. She seemed to have a kind enough face, and so he prayed, "God, is this why you brought me here? To meet this lady? Please show me what to do. In Jesus' name, Amen." By the time he finished praying, the old lady frog had already decided that she had not heard anything and began singing her song again. This time, Marcus could hear the lyrics.
Oh, you know, I know, everybody needs to know
To fully rely on God
You know, I know, everybody needs to know
To fully rely on God
He will help you in your need
He will guide you on your way
He has always been with you
Trust in Him now and alwaysThey were the most wonderful lyrics Marcus had ever heard. Most of the songs he had grown up with were about leaping on lily pads under the noonday sun. This grandma frog's song gave Marcus the courage to come out of hiding and introduce himself.
"Hello, Mrs. Frog. Sorry if I scared you earlier. My name is Marcus."
The grandma frog spun around, "Hello there, dear. My name is Nancy, but you may call me Nan if that is easier for you to remember. Have you been hiding there long? Would you like to come and sing this song with me?"
Marcus nodded.
Nan beckoned him closer, saying, "I have been having a hard time with this song, because it's meant to be sung with more than one person! I used to sing it to my children and grandchildren, but they were all swept away by the flash flood."
Marcus looked at her in awe. How could she sing such a beautifully happy song when she had just lost all of her family?
Nan cleared her throat. "The song itself is really quite simple. The hardest part is believing it's true. Let's try singing it together."
And so they did, and over time, Marcus began to realize how true the words really were. He could fully rely on God no matter what happened.
That night, Marcus and Nan exchanged stories about their families. When Marcus described his mother and father and his favorite lily pad, Nan nearly jumped in excitement.
"Child!" she said, "Is your father's name Mark by chance?"
Marcus just stared at her, wondering how she could know that.
"Marcus, your father Mark is my long lost son! He left when he got into a big fight with my husband, his father; that's your grandfather. I think that I know where your favorite lily pad is. Would you like me to take you home? I would love the chance to see my son."
This time is was Marcus' turn to jump in excitement. God had truly answered his prayer! "Yes! Thank you Nan!" Marcus gave her a big hug and cried, "Thank you, God!"
The next day, Marcus and Nan set out for home. The trek took several hours, but Marcus was surprised by how fast the time flew by with Nan leading the way. When they passed by Marcus' favorite lily pad, he was so excited he broke into a mad hopping dash all the way home. He hugged his mom and dad and little frog sister. They had been inside during the flood, safe from harm, but they had been so worried about Marcus. Marcus had barely caught his breath when he started telling them about how we can fully rely on God, and how God had answered his prayers, and just as he was about to mention Nan, she showed up at the door. Marcus' father, Mark, just stood and stared.
"Hello, son, it's your mother, Nancy. It's good to see you," Nan said.
Marcus' father inched closer and looked at his long lost mother. His stare turned to tears, and he hugged Nan.
"Your boy's right, you know, we really can fully rely on God. I had been praying for years for a way to find you, and lo and behold, your son shows up just when I had lost all hope."
Marcus smiled, "Nan taught me a song about that! Want to learn it?"
Marcus' dad croaked and smiled, "Yes, I would like that very much."
So, into the night, they all sang
Oh, you know, I know, everybody needs to know
To fully rely on God
You know, I know, everybody needs to know
To fully rely on God
He will help you in your need
He will guide you on your way
He has always been with you
Trust in Him now and always
The End
I wrote a F.R.O.G. story for the toddlers and wanted to share it with you all. Hope you enjoy it!
Once upon a time, there was a frog named Marcus. He was a happy frog who loved to jump around on lily pads and splash around in ponds. Each day, he would wake up in the morning and thank God for the sunshine. And each night, he would say a prayer thanking God for a good day of catching flies. Marcus loved to please God, but his family did not. His family thought that good things happen to you when you do good things, and bad things happen to you when you do bad things. His family did not understand that God loves us and takes care of us.
One day, as Marcus was leaping onto his favorite lily pad, a thunder storm struck. Before he could croak, Marcus was whisked away by a flash flood, rain pouring down from the sky and washing him into an unknown territory. The waters dropped him in a damp and grassy land right on his head. When Marcus was finally able to stand on his four feet and see straight, he took a look around. There were no lily pads here, and no ponds. All he could see for miles and miles was grass, grass, and more grass. A small buzzing insect flew by his head, and Marcus the frog stuck out his sticky red tongue and swallowed it whole. The bugs tasted funny here, too.
Marcus hopped around for hours until he finally grew tired of green grass. He sat down and started to pray, "Dear God, I don't know why you took me from my family and my favorite lily pad and brought me here, but please help me fully rely on You." And with tears in his eyes, he said, "And please help me find my way home. In Jesus' name, Amen." Marcus the frog opened his eyes, wiped away one last tear, and looked around again. The sky had grown dark, the moon had come out in place of the sun, and in the distance, Marcus could see an orange glow that looked like a cooking fire. Marcus the frog swallowed a sob and slowly crawled toward the orange blaze.
As he drew nearer to the fire, Marcus heard singing. He could not really make out the words, but it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. Closer and closer he crept, until the singing stopped. The singer stopped and turned her head. "Who's there?" she asked. Marcus froze. From where he hid, he could see that the singer was an old grandma frog. She seemed to have a kind enough face, and so he prayed, "God, is this why you brought me here? To meet this lady? Please show me what to do. In Jesus' name, Amen." By the time he finished praying, the old lady frog had already decided that she had not heard anything and began singing her song again. This time, Marcus could hear the lyrics.
Oh, you know, I know, everybody needs to know
To fully rely on God
You know, I know, everybody needs to know
To fully rely on God
He will help you in your need
He will guide you on your way
He has always been with you
Trust in Him now and alwaysThey were the most wonderful lyrics Marcus had ever heard. Most of the songs he had grown up with were about leaping on lily pads under the noonday sun. This grandma frog's song gave Marcus the courage to come out of hiding and introduce himself.
"Hello, Mrs. Frog. Sorry if I scared you earlier. My name is Marcus."
The grandma frog spun around, "Hello there, dear. My name is Nancy, but you may call me Nan if that is easier for you to remember. Have you been hiding there long? Would you like to come and sing this song with me?"
Marcus nodded.
Nan beckoned him closer, saying, "I have been having a hard time with this song, because it's meant to be sung with more than one person! I used to sing it to my children and grandchildren, but they were all swept away by the flash flood."
Marcus looked at her in awe. How could she sing such a beautifully happy song when she had just lost all of her family?
Nan cleared her throat. "The song itself is really quite simple. The hardest part is believing it's true. Let's try singing it together."
And so they did, and over time, Marcus began to realize how true the words really were. He could fully rely on God no matter what happened.
That night, Marcus and Nan exchanged stories about their families. When Marcus described his mother and father and his favorite lily pad, Nan nearly jumped in excitement.
"Child!" she said, "Is your father's name Mark by chance?"
Marcus just stared at her, wondering how she could know that.
"Marcus, your father Mark is my long lost son! He left when he got into a big fight with my husband, his father; that's your grandfather. I think that I know where your favorite lily pad is. Would you like me to take you home? I would love the chance to see my son."
This time is was Marcus' turn to jump in excitement. God had truly answered his prayer! "Yes! Thank you Nan!" Marcus gave her a big hug and cried, "Thank you, God!"
The next day, Marcus and Nan set out for home. The trek took several hours, but Marcus was surprised by how fast the time flew by with Nan leading the way. When they passed by Marcus' favorite lily pad, he was so excited he broke into a mad hopping dash all the way home. He hugged his mom and dad and little frog sister. They had been inside during the flood, safe from harm, but they had been so worried about Marcus. Marcus had barely caught his breath when he started telling them about how we can fully rely on God, and how God had answered his prayers, and just as he was about to mention Nan, she showed up at the door. Marcus' father, Mark, just stood and stared.
"Hello, son, it's your mother, Nancy. It's good to see you," Nan said.
Marcus' father inched closer and looked at his long lost mother. His stare turned to tears, and he hugged Nan.
"Your boy's right, you know, we really can fully rely on God. I had been praying for years for a way to find you, and lo and behold, your son shows up just when I had lost all hope."
Marcus smiled, "Nan taught me a song about that! Want to learn it?"
Marcus' dad croaked and smiled, "Yes, I would like that very much."
So, into the night, they all sang
Oh, you know, I know, everybody needs to know
To fully rely on God
You know, I know, everybody needs to know
To fully rely on God
He will help you in your need
He will guide you on your way
He has always been with you
Trust in Him now and always
The End
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)