Press On

Mandisa

When I’m alone, when I’m afraid
When I have had all I can take
Losing my grip, I start to slip away
When I can hear the voice of doubt
Inside my head, screaming loud
Strengthen my faith, and help me say today
Today

I will follow, I will press on
Even when the walk feels long
Your hands hold me together
Your love is with me forever
Through the broken, through the victory
I will praise You through it all
And run hard ‘til the race is done
I, I’m gonna press on, press on
I’m gonna press on, press on

How many storms have I been through
How many led me right to You
You’re using the pain, the hardest days for my good,
My good
So what do I fear God, You are with me
Guiding my steps today
Through the mountains, valleys, sun and rain
Lord, lead the way, lead the way

I will follow, I will press on
Even when the walk feels long
Your hands hold me together
Your love is with me forever
Through the broken, through the victory
I will praise You through it all
And run hard ‘til the race is done
I, I’m gonna press on, press on

One step in front of the other
No looking back, no looking back
One step in front of the other
I’m gonna press on, I’m gonna press on

Songwriters: Chuck Butler / Jeff Pardo / Juan Otero

Again God has been speaking to me through songs, and most especially while I'm out on my morning jogs. Yesterday the words of a song called "Press On" really impacted me because they expressed what the Holy Spirit has been gently laying on my heart. I haven't explained this whole saga here on our blog but a couple weeks ago one of our teammates and dear friends got very seriously sick here in Kenya and she and her husband made the decision to travel to the US to get the medical help she needed. Since she was weak and they also had a 2 year old in tow, I offered to travel with them. When I found out they were flying to LA, I decided to stay a few extra days with my sister and her family and it was such a sweet time of talking, catching up and loving on my adorable nephew.

Coming back to "reality" in Kenya, battling killer jet lag and jumping right into homeschooling my rambunctious three boys didn't add up to a very easy week. Rather, by day 2 I was ready to quit and was feeling so overwhelmed with everything going on in our life. Part of me was tempted to just "escape" and pack up and fly back to America. I was feeling "burned" by Africa and just didn't want to be here anymore. But then the Lord reminded me that sometimes He rescues us from hard times, sometimes He plucks us out of hard times but sometimes He is with us THROUGH the hard times. And I am realizing that I am in that third scenario. My life circumstances are just the way it is and God is calling me to walk through it with him. So when these lyrics to the song "Press On" blasted through my headphones as I pounded out yet another mile on my run yesterday, I was struck by the prhase "I will follow. I will press on. One step in front of the other..." That is all I need to do. Put one foot in front of the other. We will get through this season. I can't avoid it. I can't skip it. I need to press THROUGH it. It's not the easy route but I know it's for my good.