A post!

Goodness knows I've been trying to put something together for the blog for a while now. I guess I've never fully experienced mental exhaustion before, but I believe that's what I've been suffering from. So, this isn't going to be a big post. Sorry - I'll hopefully be able to manage that soon.

As is often the case, there's a bit of a story here. I engage in a lot of personal worship by just sitting at the piano and playing through the hymns. One particular hymn, "Arise, My Soul, Arise", has been of a very similar chord to my heart lately. Only problem is, in a way that's hard to explain, the words Charles Wesley wrote haven't been working for me, and my soul has been singing different ones in their place lately. So, in bits and pieces, I re-wrote it to align better. In the hope that it might speak to someone else, I thought I'd share. For the tune and original words, try here.

Arise, my soul, arise,
A new day is at hand;
The Lord is at thy side,
Thy footsteps He hath planned.
Each step He guides with heav'nly light,
Each step He guides with heav'nly light,
The fiends of darkness thus to fight.

Along this bright-lit way
We travel not with fear,
For as we work and pray
Our Father does us hear.
He sweetly whispers of His love,
He sweetly whispers of His love,
And shouts it from the heights above.

But yet there comes the night,
When darkness Christ wouldst veil;
Thy faith, which is thy might,
Seems ready soon to fail.
Have mercy, Lord, or I am lost,
Have mercy, Lord, or I am lost,
To doubts and sorrows o'er me tossed.

“My child, ye need not fear,
For I am at thy side,
Thy pathway to make clear,
My own strength to provide.
Lean on Me and I'll lead you on,
Lean on Me and I'll lead you on,
And soon enough the morn shall come.”

And so in joy or pain,
I yield me to His will;
Though many trials remain,
His grace abideth still.
Thus onwards to the courts above,
Thus onwards to the courts above,
Each day I'm trusting in His love.