Jo’s BJU Approved Blog

My life flows on in endless song;
Above earth’s lamentation
I hear the sweet though far off hymn
That hails a new creation:
Through all the tumult and the strife
I hear the music ringing;
It finds an echo in my soul—
How can I keep from singing?

What though my joys and comforts die?
The Lord my Savior liveth;
What though the darkness gather round!
Songs in the night He giveth:
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that refuge clinging;
Since Christ is Lord of Heav’n and earth,
How can I keep from singing?

I lift mine eyes; the cloud grows thin;
I see the blue above it;
And day by day this pathway smoothes
Since first I learned to love it:
The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,
A fountain ever springing:
All things are mine since I am His—
How can I keep from singing?

-Robert Wadsworth Lowry

We can only be used by God after we allow Him to show us the deep, hidden areas of our own character. It is astounding how ignorant we are about ourselves! We don’t even recognize the envy, laziness, or pride within us when we see it. But Jesus will reveal to us everything we have held within ourselves before His grace began to work. How many of us have learned to look inwardly with courage?

So I am still alive for those who have expressed concern. The latest guess as to my health problems is that I may be allergic to wheat so I’m eating gluten free for the next 8 weeks. Fun times. I am also working on a relationship with my friend Ras who I’ve been e-mailing and chatting with for years. Yes he is in Africa. No he is not a missionary. He is an African. No he is not a serial killer or rapist or conartist. If he is and has been working on conning or abusing me in some way for this many years (because we have been friends for years) then I say he deserves to have his hard work pay off. Seriously, don’t be worried. We are getting to know each other better in the hopes of maybe having a more serious relationship. We are both looking to settle down so we shall see…He hopes to have me visit him sometime maybe this summer even. If that goes well hopefully he will be able to be over here by this time next year.