DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
You Having Fun Yet?
DEC 5, 2012 RE-POST © NaimaLett.com/blog



© 2012 Dove Award Artist of the Year Jamie Grace

You having fun yet?

We’ve made it to mid-week.
Christmas is right around the corner, and I love Christmas.

You enjoying your life?

Ever been through a slump when hope was fleeting? Even the smallest things seemed difficult, like a pressing on every side. And as an artist, I feel things deeply. The highs are Mount Everest, but the lows are straight gutter.

Recently I received a message to pray for a friend who was in a spiritual World War III. I wish I could report that I go to war cute, but there’s no such nonsense. I got on my knees, pulled out the Word and started praying Psalm 18 on their behalf.

You might ask, ‘why in the world would I use a song as my choice to battle in the heavenlies?’ Why? Because music is powerful. Music shifts our world. Lyrics matter. And the inspired lyrics from God’s Word can turn things upside down.

When I got to Psalm 18:16-19, I read out loud:
He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.
He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.
They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support.
He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.

Hold up. Hold up. Hold up.

God delights in us?!

I’ve read the bible many times, but that’s the first time verse 19 landed like it did. I’m talking a home run, an Oscar, Tony, Emmy, Grammy all wrapped up in one.

God delights in us!
The Creator of the ends of the earth delights in you.

Sometimes, we forget that.
Sometimes, we forget that God’s Son, Jesus, comes to give us life (John 10:10) and speaks often of joy (John 15:11).

That doesn’t mean that we don’t have ups and downs, mountains and valleys. That doesn’t mean that if we’re in a traumatic period, we pretend things aren’t bad. We must walk in truth and be honest. I’m also not saying we turn our faith into some positive-thinking, happy-go-lucky, mantra-chanting powerless mess. That’s not representative of the true walk of a follower of Christ. Jesus makes it really clear that anyone who follows Him has a tailored-made cross fitted for him/her, and that’s no joke.

But we also can’t go down the rabbit hole and hide out in a funk, withdraw from life, and resign ourselves to experiencing joy only “when we get to heaven”.

The song says God rescues us because He delights in us.

What are you going through today, Fam?

Is God not the same yesterday, today and forever? Is He not the same God David sung to? If He delivered David because He delighted in him, (and David had a whole LOT going on :=), He can certainly deliver us.

Be encouraged.

I’m attaching a song/video by Grammy Award nominated and 2012 Dove Award New Artist of the Year, Jamie Grace, a young Christian artist from Atlanta whose pop sound is crossing over and causing a whole generation to feel good everyday. Jamie uses her singing and songwriting to help cope with her diagnosis of Tourette syndrome. Thanks Hope Fam for introducing me to her music.

I believe the Lord is using the music of artists like Jamie to remind us that He delights in us. It’s hard to stay down listening to her album. Let’s get up. Let’s enjoy this life.

You having fun yet?
Naima

P.S. In case you’re wondering who that grown man is driving around a teenage Jamie in her video, that’s Christian phenom Toby Mac. The story goes that he discovered Jamie on YouTube and signed her to his record label. The rest is history. Woo-hoo!

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