Son of Hamas

I'm just going to quote part of what is written on the back of this book jacket. Hopefully, it will whet your appetite to pick up this moving memoir. Grab a used copy on www.amazon.com. It is current a New York Times Bestseller.

"But everything changed when Mosab embraced the teachings of another famous Middle Eastern leader."
What he learned changed his life and could alter the course of his country's future---forever.
He understands that the Biblical mandate of the Bible "to love your enemies" is the only way to peace in the Middle East. http://www.amazon.com/Son-Hamas-Gripping-Political-Unthinkable/dp/1414333072/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1286837536&sr=8-1

Lord, Save us from your Followers review

I love me some Jesus ya'll know I do. The problems I have occur when Christians give our neighbors who are lost or hurting real good reasons dislike us.

For example, we are continually viewed as judgmental and pretty often we just are.
We are viewed as not caring about the social issues that surround us like poverty, homelessness, alcohol and drug addiction, peace, justice, etc. I could go on but won't for the sake of this movie review.

One of my favorite parts of the movie was the take on Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz Confessional Booth. In the movie Christians sat in a confessional and let non-believers walk in for a chat. The Christian apologized for hurts that may have been inflicted upon the confesse (many of which were gay or lesbian, or of other faiths), by Christians in general. The responses were amazing. It was as if no Christian had ever apologized to them for Gay Bashing, being hypocritical, intolerant of other beliefs. You get my drift here. Some were homeless and felt as if no one really cared or would even hug them on the street.

Some had never even had an open conversation and felt loved by a "Christian." Loved. Accepted for being a real human being with questions or needs. Isn't that what we all desire in our deepest soul? And isn't it up to us as those who know Jesus to demonstrate his love to our neighbors?

I'd add Red, Yellow, Black or White here too, because we are all precious in His sight. So, go to Netflix and rent the movie, or add it to your instant queue. It's an eye-opening documentary that reveals how we are perceived.

everyday simplicity quote for the day

Spiritual kindness is, at its core, offering people acceptance, as well as a little of our time and attention when they are with us, no matter what their response to us may be.
Spiritual Tenet 18 from "everyday simplicity," by Robert J. Wicks

Mathare Valley

Happy Camper?

I am not tooting my own horn when I say that I recently slept outdoors for 2 nights in an army surplus tent. It was safari time at Masai Mara and we stayed in a quaint lodge with a bed, bath, lukewarm water and a flashlight.

The food was excellent, and the bugs were huge! Lizards kept trying to get into our tent and of course, we doused ourselves in DEET to ward off mosquitoes. Alas, I still managed to get eaten alive and came away with several bites that swelled and itched until this week. But honestly, amidst the sounds of crickets chirping, birds cawing, I slept well and am so glad we camped out for our Safari adventure.

More on Safari later, but I'm crossing #72 off of my 101 List...Sleep out under the stars for a night. We slept at Ol-Moran Lodge for two full nights. And for the most part, I was a Happy Camper! Thank ya Jesus.

Precious Faces

Every day that we were in the slums of Mathare, we were greeted by beautiful children of all ages. They reach out and shake your hand, give you a high-five or ask you to take their picture. A typical greeting from these little ones is, "How are you?" It is especially fun if you can say to them, "Sasa" because they will respond with the word, "Poa," which translates from Swahili to English as Cool or Good!! Jambo or Mambo are other words that are used to greet one another. But regardless of the greeting, you receive a smile that lights up your day. You walk away happy with a big grin on your own face.

I cannot yet say that my brain has fully shifted from Swahili back to English even though we have been in the US since Saturday...I miss hearing my new friends call out, How are you?

So, excuse me if I talk about my heart that remains in Mathare and the precious faces you will see on this blog.

Kenya Packing List A to Z

Remember the childhood game, "Grandma's going on Vacation and in her suitcase, she packed?"

A--Anti-nausea med
B--Bible, Baby powder & Body wash, Binoculars
C--Cardigan & Camera
D--Driver's License, deodorant
E--Erin's perfume collection!
F--Flashlight, Filtration water bottle, flipflops
G--Granola bars
H--Hairspray, Hand Sanitizer, Hat
I--iPod & Imodium
J--Jeans, Journal
K--Keens to protect my feet
L--Lollipops for the children
M--Money for souvenirs
N--90 pounds of extra baggage for Beth & Erin
O--Off aka mosquito repellent
P--Passport, pj's, Pepto-bismol
Q--Quick drying underwear!
R--Rain slicker
S--Sunscreen, skirt
T--T-shirts and a lot of toilet paper for the "long drop"
U-Umbrella
V--Video camera
W--Watch
X--Xtra gum
Y--Yellow Fever vaccinations
Z--Zebra food??

Ready or Not?

Probably not. But my heart is beating faster and the excitement of seeing the girls in Kenya builds every day. 14 days from today, my husband and I board a plane bound for Amsterdam, and then another bound for Nairobi, Kenya. Mary, Wallace, Virginiah, Keith, Kathy are just a few of the new friends we will meet with arms wide open. Maybe I am about ready. It just took me a while to realize it. Kenya, you have touched my heart.

Here is a preview of what we will experience in Kenya:

CCV in Kenya 2010 - Part II from CHRIST'S CHURCH OF THE VALLEY on Vimeo.

She sucks it up and buys KEENS!

KEENS are notoriously famous with the hiking, canoeing, kayaking crowd. My husband owns several pairs and I swore I'd never buy any due to the fact that I am not a hard-core, weekend warrior. KEEN philosophy began with the challenge, "Can sandals protect the toes?" Deep down I've always avoided the brand because I like to set my tootsies free in a great pair of flip-flops. And honestly, I've always thought they were rather goofy looking, to the point of being gooberish.

But in preparing for Kenya, I needed to protect my feet while keeping them cool. We will be walking around in the slums of Mathare, coming into contact with trash, animals,debris, re-bar and scrap metal.

Initially, I saw buying myself a new pair of Teva sandals or perhaps Nike running sandals...until the shoe dude at the outdoor shop began extolling the virtues of Keens. Reluctantly, I agreed to try on a pair. Shoe dude went so far as to say they would be the perfect shoe for exploring Kenya.

I hereby admit I am now a member of KEEN nation. On one hand, I feel a bit goofy. On the other hand, I have perhaps embraced a new "coolness" factor. Hey Kenya, happy & well-protected feet are coming your way!

Vaccinations hurt more than I remember...

Last month Allen and I had to get our required immunizations for Kenya. We met at the travel clinic to watch an important but highly cheesy video about packing for an overseas trip and what foods to avoid. Parts of the video left us laughing out loud due to the fact that it must have been filmed in 1973. The main character was a 70 year-old woman packing her cute little suitcase with sensible walking shoes.

The best part of our visit to the travel center was learning which immunizations we would need. It turns out that Polio is now on the rise in countries other than America. Pertussis is also a major concern here and abroad. We knew that we would require Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Yellow Fever and anti-malaria meds to take while in Africa.
So the bottom line was I required the following: Diptheria, Pertussis, Tetanus (all in one shot), Yellow Fever, a Polio booster, Hepatitis A, Typhoid pills, anti-Malaria medication. It was 4 shots in all, two in each arm. Believe you me-- my arms literally hurt for the next 3 nights, especially when I rolled over in bed trying to get comfortable. My husband said that his arms didn't hurt much at all. Figures!

Today, I took my first dose of the live Typhoid vaccine on an empty stomach. This lovely box contains 4 capsules, one taken every other day. Side effects include fever, headache, abdominal discomfort, nausea, vomiting or rash. I'm feeling fine now, but the day is still young.

Number 25 Short-Term Mission Trip

Kenya is fast approaching. Allen and I are all set to leave on September 2nd which is now only a month away. I'm dreading the long flights, sitting in cramped seats but so looking forward to seeing the faces of Bethany and Erin. It will all be worth it. More on Kenya soon as I am going to chronicle the countdown and my hopes and dreams and desires for this trip.

Until next time, Breathe.

Allen's Grilled Romaine Salad

This is one of Allen's most delicious recipe discoveries! I think we first saw a version of this on Emeril Live. "You can never go wrong with bacon," my hubby says!!!

1 package of romaine, washed and separated into leaves. Dry on paper towels. Toss with sea salt and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Set aside. Heat grill to medium high heat.

Take 1/2 pound bacon, cross-cut into one-inch pieces. Cook in large skillet until almost crisp. Add 1/2 of red or Vidalia onion, sliced thin. Cook onion along with bacon until translucent. Bacon should be crispy by this point.

Grill lettuce leaves until they wilt and brown marks appear. Turn once. When fully wilted and tender, remove lettuce from grill. Bring inside. Cut lettuce into two to three inch sections and place in long platter or bowl.

Add to skillet: Balsamic vinegar to de-glaze the pan. Cook to reduce the sauce. Pour onto romaine. Top with crumbled goat or feta cheese, if desired.

RIGHTEOUSNESS

2 CORINTHIANS 6:3-10 This passage gave me hope this morning as I wrestled with trying to live a life pleasing to God. NLT

Verse 3: We try to live in such a way that no one will be hindered from finding the Lord by the way we act, and so no one can find fault with our (my) ministry. In everything we do try to show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, been put in jail, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless night, and gone without food. We have proved ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, our sincere love, and the power of the Holy Spirit.

We have faithfully preached the truth. God's power has been working in us. We have righteousness as our weapon, both to attack and defend ourselves. We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us imposters. We are well known, but are treated as unknown. We live close to death, but here we are, still alive!!!! We have been beaten to an inch of our lives lives. Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. Amen. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthians, begging them to live as ambassadors for Christ, no matter the cost. And so I pray, "Jesus, the way of the cross is hard, but I desire to be known for having kindness, patience, sincere love and the power of the Holy Spirit in my life. I own nothing, and yet have everything."

Love and Respect

As someone who has been married for almost 26 years, I keep learning that marriage is a partnership. One counselor told me marriage is all about these three components: Love, Honor and Negotiate. I agree wholeheartedly. And I am learning that I never want to disrepect my husband, emasculate him, treat him as a child or even treat him with contempt.

What I am learning now is that it is possible to break the Crazy Cycle as mentioned in the book, "Love and Respect," by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs.
The Crazy Cycle goes like this---WITHOUT LOVE---SHE REACTS---WITHOUT RESPECT---HE REACTS. And both partners react in ways that are damaging to a marriage. I can belittle my husband without even realizing it. And I can be right but wrong at the top of my lungs.

I don't claim to have all the answers in making a relationship work. I do claim Jesus and I am relearning the meaning behind Ephesians 5. Without love from my man, I do react without respect; without respect my me, my spouse reacts without love. Around and around it goes.
Time to get off the Crazy Cycle.

Blessed

I realize now more than ever that Greenwood, SC is home. I wasn't so sure that I would ever want to venture back to Greenwood after my first visit back in 1995 or 96. We were driving to Fripp Island for a week-long vacation and my husband's friend and mentor Earl asked us to detour a little and come west to see GWD. It seemed to me at the time that Greenwood was just a tiny town out in the sticks!! And yet to many people it is homey, friendly and welcoming.

Our buddies Earl and Teresa put us up in a beautiful lakefront apartment for the night and fed us grilled steak, baked potatoes and something else, probably strawberry pie (all GWD favorites). They also treated us to a pontoon ride under the stars. I couldn't wait to get my toes in the sand on Fripp Island, but at the same time, our hosts extended to us great southern hospitality. And now all these years later, we live on Lake Greenwood. My husband has a wonderful job working side by side with Earl. We are riding around on that same pontoon boat every weekend, although now it is docked at our place.

We have lived in Sheraden, and Crafton PA, Laurel MD, Savage MD, Columbia MD, Fleetwood PA, and Oley PA and now reside in Greenwood. These locales all have a special place in my heart, but I see that SC was meant to be. I'm still a Yankee to some, but I am a content Yankee, one who feels so blessed by the direction our lives have taken. Really, it is God who brought us here for his purposes. I believe we are now able to extend that same southern hospitality to those who cross our path.

Klutzy moments

Yesterday was a glorious day of sunshine and temps in the 80's. Yesterday was also a very klutzy day in the Z house. I managed to knock a good bottle of red wine off the granite counter without breaking the bottle. I did however spill about 4 ounces of red wine onto my new bamboo flooring. Should I mention that the bamboo flooring is green and therefore does not have a high gloss poly sheen on it so the bottle left a dent and the wine was absorbed into the wood? After 15 minutes of cleaning the floor, wiping down the cabinets and everything that had been sprayed, we had another spill on our hands...or rather on our floor.

Only 2 feet away sat a cutting board with meat juices on it. At some point during our meal, the excess meat juices drizzled down the front of another section of cabinets and onto the floor. I had nothing to do with this fiasco; it was merely an accident. Nothing had been bumped, dropped or drizzled on purpose. The juices merely ran their course. 20 paper towels later we'd had enough fun for one evening.
Tonight is leftover night and we are considering eating over the sink to be on the safe side.

P.S. My husband lovingly reminded me that I also walked into the treadmill we'd put in the bedroom (on my side of the bed) later that same evening.

Mathare child's letter to his sponsor

Empty Nest

Some parents can't wait for the day when their children leave the nest. After all, getting the kids out from under foot has its advantages. Your electricity and water bill goes down. The grocery bill is generally reduced by half. Aaahhh, privacy to make out whenever you want, where ever you want. And I might add lots more time for real Date Nights.

So, since Bethany and Erin traveled to Kenya on March 9th, our house has been quiet. Extremely quiet...so much so that Daddy-Z and I look at our each other and laugh. And then there are the moments that cause me to cry. I entered the house last Tuesday night and burst into crocodile tears because I missed the giggles, the smell of food cooking in the kitchen, burps, and various other noises, that had made the Ziegler home special for the past nine months. We laughed alot, had fabulous Sunday night meals and discussion around the dinner table, danced, watched "chick flicks," Law and Order, Intervention and The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking together.

Perhaps I am missing the presence of some serious estrogen?? If so, then this post is a follow-up to a past blog I wrote simply called Boomerang. Our 23 year-old son currently lives in Philadelphia and came home for a weekend visit. Who knows if he will decide to move back in with us during the next year. That would be great! And I'd be outnumbered by testosterone 2:1. Guess we'll see what the next year brings. New adventures for B & E in Kenya; Date nights for me and Daddy-Z, and the chance to run through the house wearing a bathrobe to grab my first cup of morning coffee. Still, it is the quietness I must welcome until the nest fills up again. An outrageous new life is just the beginning...and my beautiful sunrises and sunsets over Lake Greenwood await.

In times like these...

Psalm 23, written by David

GOD, my shepherd
I don't need a thing
You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
you find me quiet pools to drink from.

True to your word
you let me catch my breath
and send me in the right direction.

Even when the way goes through Death Valley
I'm not afraid
when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd's crook
makes me feel secure.

You serve me a six-course dinner
right in front of my enemies
You revive my drooping head,
my cup brims with blessing.

Your beauty and love chase after me
every day of my life.
I'm back home in the house of GOD
for the rest of my life.

The Message

Living Like Jesus

As you know, I am always wondering about Jesus, his mercy and grace and the legacy we leave behind. I love when the Word is revealed to me in a fresh, new way. I'd like to share with you some thoughts on the subject of mercy and extravagant grace.

In the gospel of Luke we read the story of the man who was a tax collector. The tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner." Luke 18:13.

Could you pray this prayer daily or even several times a day? I wonder what impact we would have if this became our inner mantra as we look to the Holy Spirit to guide us and to cause us to want to read and pray more each day. And to lead me (us) into sincere personal confession.

This prayer in and of itself is sometimes called the Jesus Prayer. You are supposed to pray the prayer with your head bowed, and once you pray it through one time, you bow from the waist. Then if able you are to, prostrate yourself on the ground. It has also been suggested that you begin by having thirty minutes of total silence so you can listen to God. I struggle with complete silence and prefer a low level of noise throughout the day. I often pray with music in the background even though the Bible says, "Be still and know that I am God." This has never been easy for me to do.

But back to the scriptures and the concept of mercy. Don't we all like the idea of asking God to have mercy on us? If you read the passage from Luke describing the birth of John the Baptist to older parents, you learn that they had been barren and they were not at all sure they could give birth to a child. The people around John's parents actually rejoiced at his birth, exclaiming, "God had great mercy on them." Luke 1:58 "Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown Elizabeth great mercy and they shared her joy." (NIV)

I am more willing than ever to cry out out to Jesus as he passes by,"Lord, Jesus Christ, son of God, (I breathe in) have mercy on me, a sinner, I breathe out)." I often pray this breath prayer as a prayer for personal physical healing or when I have messed up royally or acted like a Pharisee. Living according to the letter of the Law is not going to bring honor and glory to Jesus. And yet I am not worthy of this extravagant mercy. I do not have the inside track on truth because really at best, I am still a sinner.

Until next time, breathe in and breathe out (The Jesus Prayer). Some notes were taken from "The Year Of Living Like Jesus," by Pastor Ed Dobson. It's just another book I am recommending.

Grill Master Special with Friends!

We love big, honking cheeseburgers in Greenwood. The bigger, the better! And if it's a pure beef burger we whoop and holler!

So, two weeks ago me and my All Girl Posse: Page, Karen & Kathy hit The Grill Master on Montague Avenue. Here's the lowdown on our Cheeseburger Plate Specials:

Burgers were soooo good. Pickles were requested by Kathy, Page, Denine.
Karen stated that pickles are not a normal condiment in the South, so you have to ask for them. Ha! So let me start with Karen's notes:
Her cheeseburger was perfectly cooked on a lightly toasted bun. She ordered her Special all the way, with onions. "There was no slippage due to excess mayo this time. Her fries were served hot, but then they got a little soggy after the fact. Sweet Tea was truly southern-style, aka syrupy sweet." Karen could not finish her meal.

Page ordered burger plate with half & half. She said, "the onion rings were great and I was the only one to try them. My burger was really good. The server brought me pickles on the side as requested. I ate all of the burger! I had to ask for pickles, the burger had a lot of mayonnaise on it, but the fries weren't salty enough."

Kathy showed great restraint today and ordered only a cheeseburger! She requested her burger well-done and it was just right (no pink meat showing). She too liked the slightly toasted bun. "My toppings included chopped onions, extra pickles which were delicious, and crisp lettuce. No cons for this meal."

Denine fell for the Cheeseburger Plate with fries, and a Coke. "I do think this is my favorite burger so far, in part because of the real beef patty and toasted bun. My fries were amazingly hot, but not crispy enough. I chose lettuce, mayo, mustard and pickles and then added a squirt of ketchup to complete my burger. I am ashamed to admit that I gobbled the entire burger, but left a lot of fries on my plate."

Grill Master offers a Drive-Thru window and the workers go out of their way to get your order right, even for finicky customers like my All-Girl Posse. Again, no cons here except for the less than crispy fries.

Tiramisu Take 1

Let's just say for this post alone that my first attempt at making Tiramisu was okay, not great. I followed the recipe printed on the side of Whole Foods brand lady fingers and I do think that was my first mistake. These lady fingers were hard, not soft and not at all like sponge cake. With this is mind, I will try again. In getting it right next time, I will then be able to cross #32 off my 101 List. It does look quite edible in the picture though and tasted fine. I'm aiming for fantastic here.

Biggest Fear

There should be nothing scary about standing up in a crowded room of strangers to sing a Karaoke song right? Here are my current thoughts on singing at a Karaoke bar:

1. You'll most likely never run into these people again, ever!
2. It is perfectly acceptable to snicker and boo at really bad singers.
3. In a worst case scenario, you can run off the stage or just speak the words!
4. Wearing a costume helps disguise the real "You" or so I've been told.
5. Only the professionals bring their own CD's so it is cool if your voice cracks.
6. Doing it on a dare may be good motivation if you are a highly competitive person.
7. Never tell any of your friends that you want to try Karaoke.
8. Never put Karaoke on your ultra-important 101 List.
9. If possible sing only at an out of town establishment.
10. Practice your song at home in front of the mirror!

Having said all of this I can now admit that I did not follow my own list of "rules". That's right, I finally knocked Karaoke off my 101 List!! I got up in front of a room of perfect strangers and belted out my own squeaky version of PEACEFUL EASY FEELING by the Eagles, which in itself is strange because Allen loves the Eagles and I'm not a big fan. And to be honest, the crowd consisted of pure Karaoke regulars who cheered me on! They were motorcycle loving, patriotic, beer drinking folks, but they were also kind & enthusiastic.

But, I'm getting a little ahead of myself here: I often scouted out the local Karaoke nights, but lived with a deep fear of actually putting myself up in front of strangers to sing. In fact, I even asked my family if it counted if I sang in the comfort of our living room. To my dismay they said, "Nope!" So, we picked out a specific honky tonk and date to do this thing. For the past week I tried desperately to weasel out of my commitment and went so far as to blame my family for conspiring against me~pretty sad.

But despite all of my many delay tactics, Friday night arrived and we drove to said honky tonk. It was immediately apparent we were the new people in a crowd of regulars. But the Karaoke maestro introduced himself and went to great lengths to put us at ease. In due course, I took a song book and browsed through umpteen song choices and picked one. Peaceful Easy Feeling ended up not being the perfect choice for my vocal range, but in the end it didn't matter. The regulars and my own cheering section pulled me through, so much so that I got up to do another song.

For me, jumping out of an airplane was still easier in some ways than singing. Karaoke is so much like the Public Speaking Class I told in High School and hated. But conquering another fear and wanting to go back for another Karaoke round proved to me that a fear is only a fear if you let it consume you. And I'd like to give props to my husband who got up to sing, and our daughters who wowed the crowd with dance moves and pure attitude! Yep, attitude.

In the end, our new friends waved Goodnight and gave us hugs. They asked when we'd be back. I guess it will be soon enough. For now, I will practice in front of my mirror and work up some "attitude!"

Gray is the New Blonde

This first photo is a picture of myself and my daughter Bethany taken just last week. The picture below that is one of me with slightly more hair, and a lot of blonde highlights. Notice anything different? And Bethany is sporting a great celebrity style herself.

I did it!!! I let the grays come in and faced my biggest fear (well, one of my biggest fears). I was tired of coloring my hair every 3 weeks and touching up roots even more often than that. I thank my dear husband for his encouragement during this process. I thank Donna who got me to blonde in the first place and I thank Page for the highlighting sessions. It has been a hilarious journey, filled with advice from friends who told me that they would never stop dyeing their hair. Well, girls I am living proof that it can be done.

I hereby cross #33 off of my 101 List. I will probably let my hair grow out a little longer but so far nothing beats the 2 minutes it takes me to wash & style this spiked, funky hairdo!!

Special K Roast

It's always great to get a new recipe, especially one that becomes a family favorite. This recipe comes from my sister-in-law Paula who juggles full-time ministry, while being a great wife and mother to 2 vegetarians. She has always been an adventurous and skilled cook.

Special K Roast (or Vegetarian Meatloaf)

2 cups of cottage cheese, lowfat is okay
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
1/4 teaspoon of dried herbs de Provence (a French mixture of rosemary, marjoram, oregano, basil, and thyme)

1 small shredded zucchini, 2 ribs of celery, finely chopped, mushrooms, finely chopped, 1/2 carrot shreds *optional*

3 cups Special K Cereal

Mix ingredients together in order listed, don't stir cereal too much.
Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees

Viola!

HOPE NOW...

My girls Bethany & Erin are leaving for Kenya very soon. The prayers we have prayed since last summer are being answered. The support they need to live amongst the poor in Mathare for a year is coming in and their hearts are full of love and anticipation.

And Mama Z. has been crying a lot lately, well, practically every day, at the thought of letting them go. They are going for all the right reasons and I fully believe God has called them back to Kenya with the purpose of enhancing the Child Sponsorship program of CMF International.

Other than our United Pursuit Band lyrics, this song by Addison Road gives me hope and peace when I need it most. When I am crying out and fearful, everything comes down to love. And everything, including wanting God to use my girls in a beautiful way, rides on hope. Selah.

If everything comes down to love
Then just what am I afraid of
When I call out Your name
Something inside awakes in my soul
How quickly I forget I'm Yours

(PRE-CHORUS)
I'm not my own
I've been carried by You
All my life

(CHORUS)
Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free

When my life is like a storm
Rising waters all I want is the shore
You say I'll be ok and
Make it through the rain
You are my shelter from the storm

(CHORUS)
Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
Find More lyrics at www.sweetslyrics.com
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free

I am not my own
I've been carried by you all my life

(CHORUS)
Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free
(Repeat 2x)

(CHORUS 2)
You've become my hearts desire
I will sing Your praises higher
Cause Your love sets me free
Your love sets me free
Your love sets me free


Thanks to Kristi for these lyrics

Thanks to Daisy Nieves for these lyrics

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Hope Now lyrics @ Lyricsty.com