Identity Declaration:

(*This post = truths that apply to anyone who is in Christ. For those wanting to know more about me personally, I've shared my testimony and some of the major lessons God has taught me HERE!)

I am a Woman of God

Redeemed by Jesus Christ!

Loved, Pursued, & Chosen

Equipped with Words of Life!

Clothed in Strength and Dignity

Commissioned Here and Now...

Gifted by the Spirit

Forgiven and Unbound!

Blessed is She Who Believed!

I memorized that happy little nine-line "Identity Declaration" poem the day I heard it at the Beth Moore conference in September, and I've either said it or thought it out it at least once a day since then. :)  These truths are becoming more and more real to me, and God has brought this to mind at times when I've needed it most. My worth and confidence in and through Christ are building and getting stronger, and I'm so excited about that!!

I decided over the break that I wanted it spelled out right here in my October sidebar, so I wrote a blog post for each line in reverse order. Cheesy, I know, but I kinda love it! :)

And now, two powerful closing prayers from our friend, Paul:
"I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources, He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to Him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever!" ~Ephesians 3:16-21

"We ask God to give you complete knowledge of His will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. We also pray that you will be strengthened with all His glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to His people who live in the light. For He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins!" ~Colossians 1:9-14

So that's all for my identity series.
Have a Happy Halloween Friday tomorrow!
And Saturday starts 30 days of Thankfulness! Get excited!! =)

I am a Woman of God

"I am a woman of God, redeemed by Jesus Christ!"  That mantra was floating through my mind over and over as I sat across from three people who sincerely believed there was something demonic inside me. (NOT a situation you find yourself in every day, and certainly not what I expected in coming to a "prayer ministry," but we have to be on our guard and know the truth!)  Again, there is a huge difference between demonic attack and demonic indwelling, and for any 'Christian' to believe, let alone teach that the latter is possible for those who are in Christ really saddens me...  

"Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world... If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation... He (not they) who is in you is greater than he that is in the world... God is light, and in Him, there is no darkness at all... Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption... How can light live with darkness?  What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil?"

And I'm memorizing this one - join me, won't you:

"We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead,we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ." ~Eph. 4:14-15

Mmmm, I love that!

Beth's "Identity Declaration" has been so wonderful for me, and God timed it perfectly as I memorized that less than a week before the cult-ish "Peace in the House Ministry" experience. A few weeks after all of that, the Captivating Retreat added new layers to my identity in Christ. Beth's description is somewhat general and applies for all Christian women, but God also has a very unique and personal "ID card" for each one of us. He even says (in Revelation 2:17) that those who are victorious will receive a new name in heaven that is understood only between that person and Christ - how awesome and intimate is that!? 

(I have at least 10 nicknames for each of my puppies, so it makes sense to me that God would have some individual names for His kids. lol) At Captivating, we prayed specifically that God would reveal a bit of how He sees us personally -- that we would get a better sense of our unique identity in Him. There are four awesome metaphors I believe God showed me there - each relating my life purpose back to something I really love (one of which I think would make you laugh out loud, but it's fantastically brilliant for me). :)

Anyway, although it might not make as much sense to others, I wanted to share at least this one...

The first image that came to mind when asking how God sees me was that of a rainbow, and I wrote out a description... Colorful, transparent, peaceful. Positioned by God, close to the storms. Uniquely beautiful, symbolizes restoration and hope.  Rare, loved, glowing, brings light and joy after storms.  Easily dismissed by cynics, but reminds true believers of God's presence and His promises - His heart for life in the midst of storms that could have destroyed us but for His grace!

YES!  I love it.
I could say so much more about that, but it just seems unnecessary.
I am a woman of God, and God knows my heart so personally.
And He knows yours. And it matters to Him!
And that is beautiful!! =)

Redeemed by Jesus Christ!

By the incredible grace and power of God, I AM REDEEMED. Free from the captivity and the death sentence of sin, thanks to the ransom payment of the life of Jesus Christ!! (Soak up that truth like a sponge!)


"I am redeemed. Thank, God, redeemed."
Love this song.

The Truth redeems my life and sets me free, not only from eternity apart from God, but from strongholds and insecurities that seek to hold me captive throughout my life on earth. As I choose to let go of the idolatry that has been poisoning my heart, Jesus Christ Himself will deliver me and transform me and make me new!! I'm so thankful that Jesus is eager not simply to forgive but to repair and restore and heal what I've messed up!

God loves and adores me, and He is stronger than anyone set against me. Despite my fleshly struggles, my deepest heart has been transformed by the work of Christ and I have a NEW identity in Christ -- happy, healthy, secure, vibrant, alive, inspiring, and good!! I belong to God and He loves me. I am not standing alone. I have already been set free, and Satan has overplayed his hand. God Himself is on my side and fighting with me. I am a powerful woman of God, and He has anointed me for a purpose! I will not allow the enemy to rob me of that or to destroy me. I will fight for my heart! I will fight for the life and healing and transformation that is my birthright as a child of God! My victory will come from God alone. I'm determined to be the woman He has called me to be, to live a life worth of my calling... and while I'm at it, I'll do all that I possibly can to encourage and inspire others to do the same!!

"With the Lord's authority, let me say this:  Live no longer as the ungodly do, for they are hopelessly confused. They don't care anymore about right and wrong, and they have given themselves over to immoral ways... Since you have heard all about Him and have learned the truth that is in Jesus, THROW OFF your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception.  Instead, there MUST BE a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes.  You must display a new nature because YOU ARE A NEW PERSON, created in God's likeness - righteous, holy, and true."  
~Ephesians 4:17-24

"Direct my footsteps according to Your Word; let no sin rule over me."
~Psalm 119:133

*Important Note: All this talk about my identity in Christ does NOT mean that I think this story is all about me. But knowing deep down who I am in Him is so critical to enabling me to live a transformed life that fully glorifies Him!!

"How could I stand here and watch the sun rise...follow the mountains where they touch the sky...ponder the vastness and the depths of the sea... and think for a moment the point of it all was to make much of me!?
I want to make much of You, Jesus! I want to make much of Your love. I want to live today to give You the praise that You alone are so worthy of. And I want to make much of Your mercy; I want to make much of Your cross. I give You my life --take it and let it be used to make much of You!" 

~S. Chapman

Now on a super-random note that doesn't fit this post at all, here are two interesting things I learned recently. The actress who played Lane Kim on Gilmore Girls was 27 when the show began. 27! Playing a 16-year-old. Craziness - I had no idea. Mind...blown.

Next, the reason it's called "candy corn" is because it looks like corn on the cob when stacked like this:

Who knew? lol Or maybe it was just me that didn't.

Anyway, here's one last thing worth meditating on today:

"There'll be no condemnation here;

You are holy, righteous, and redeemed!

I hear a voice, and HE calls me redeemed

When others say I'll never be enough.

And greater is the One living inside of me

Than he who is living in the world!!"

~Mercy Me, Greater

Loved, Pursued, & Chosen

Don't settle. Don't allow yourself to be used and mistreated. Don't let someone arrogant make you feel inferior. Don't let another person's callous or careless words define you and shred your self-esteem. Don't fall for the lie that you're not enough. Don't settle for constantly feeling unloved and unwanted. DON'T SETTLE!!

There is more available. (And I certainly don't just mean with people, as we mostly seem to specialize in self-protection and disappointing each other.) But despite that, there IS more available. Cling desperately to God! There is love and security and hope and amazing, intimate heart connection and romance with Him!! He deeply loves you and pursues your heart every day. He hasn't given up on you. He is not bored with you or tired of you or annoyed by your presence. He "gets" you when no one else does. You are not alone; you are not unseen; you are not unwanted. You are not invisible. You are heard, seen, and chosen. You are called. Your life matters. You are precious to Him. You are loved. You are LOVED enough to die for. You are known. You are enough. 

Stop striiiiiiving for a moment and simply rest in that. (Talking to myself here as much as anyone else.) 

Jesus is the Hero in the greatest story ever told, and you are His beloved, His bride, the one whose heart He is fighting to win and redeem and protect!! He is alive and close and here for you right now. He sees you in the quiet moments of struggle and pain. He knows all your flaws and secrets, and still, He delights in you. He wants to help you, and His patience will not wear thin or run out. He has chosen you. Nothing you've done has disqualified you from receiving His love. He will never reject you and His love for you will not end. Seriously. The worst possible thing that could happen to you will never happen - nothing can separate you from His love! He loves you fiercely and intensely. He will never stop fighting for you!  Stay alive to Him, and He will come through for you!

Loved, pursued, and chosen.

That's ME in the eyes of Christ.

(After the prize-worthy amounts of rejection I've endured from people, this is the most important piece of my identity in Him - to believe this is everything!)

You are loved, pursued, and chosen.

Believe that.

Trust Him.

Cling to Him.

STAY with Him!

Because it's not tangible (YET), it can be hard to feel this sometimes... I know that. Right now, though, I feel it! And I want to hold onto that for as long as possible! Hooray for having a heart that's awake and alive to romance, and for having a God who is absolutely faithful and personally loves and pursues each of us in unique ways! 

Finally, on the theme of romance, you can (and should) watch this full clip on YouTube, but I wanted to upload this from my cellphone because it's from our movie night at Captivating, and I just love hearing the reaction when he comes up the escalator. :)

Equipped with Words of Life!

"A life lived for Christ is a gift that keeps giving. Her legacy lives on in the lives of all she touched." ~Coach Kufahl about Jenni (today = her birthday)
...AMEN to that!! Please pray for God's grace, blessing, and comfort for their family! 

" For You bless the godly, O LORD; You surround them with Your shield of love." 
~Psalm 5:12

"God's silence does not mean that He is absent, apathetic, or angry... You have no idea what or who hangs in the balance of your decision to remain FAITHFUL when everything around you says 'be faithless.'" ~Andy Stanley

"So speak life, speak life to the deadest, darkest night. Speak life, speak life, when the sun won't shine and you don't know why. Look into the eyes of the brokenhearted; watch them come alive as soon as you speak hope, you speak love, you speak life!!" ~Speak Life, TobyMac

It's so perfectly timed that I've been thinking about this, but then, God is the master of perfect timing, so why should I be surprised!?  I've been telling myself several times lately that I have the mind of Christ and I am "equipped with words of life," and last night, I had a unique opportunity to put that into practice. When people I love are hurting, I want to step up and step in and offer words of life and light that point them to hope and to God's love - not shallow words that ring empty, but words that come from a place of deep inner faith that has been tested. (On that note, I'm honestly thankful for every HARD season I've been through that gives more credibility, relatability, and depth to my faith.)

This post (HERE) was written in the hopes that it will encourage me if ever I slip back into the slimy pit of feeling dark, depressed, and hopeless. I know that words of life spoken from a place of genuine love and care mean everything - they can make an awesome impact when someone is at the end of their rope (and we all get there or have our moments in that place). I pray for more revelation on that and that I will see and take every opportunity God gives me to encourage and comfort and pray with people!! And it's important to practice this in daily life and in my words about myself, so I'm working on that too... I will never be perfect, but as long as I live, I hope to fight for this and do my best to stay close to Christ and speak life!

"In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it!" ~John 1:4,5

Clothed in Strength and Dignity

A good woman is worth far more than diamonds. Her husband trusts her without reserve, and never has reason to regret it. Never spiteful, she treats him generously all her life long. She senses the worth of her work. She's quick to assist anyone in need. She is clothed with strength and dignity, and laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, she has something worthwhile to say, and she always says it kindly. Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades. The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in the fear of God.

-Proverbs 31 excerpts (The Message)

Most qualities of the Proverbs 31 woman are things to aspire toward and work up to... for me, at least. But being "clothed with strength and dignity" is part of our birthright and identity as daughters of God who are made in His image. It's hard to remember and sometimes hard to grasp, but right at this very moment, my spirit is clothed, covered, protected, and wrapped in the eternal strength, power, confidence, dignity, and honor of Christ!! And when my soul (my mind, will, and emotions) is surrendered to Him, I will naturally reflect His strength of character and secure sense of worth and dignity.  YES, PLEASE!! :)

"Put on the armor of light... clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ."  ~Romans 13:12-14

(Okay, if you haven't noticed, my posts are very focused on living out my identity in Christ this month. It's such a critical thing for me to see myself correctly, to know who I am in Him and walk in that if I want my life to have real power and reflect God's anointing grace! So I'm writing several posts about it to keep hammering those concepts in, and hopefully it's encouraging others as well.)  ...Either way, I'll switch to "30 Days of Thankfulness" posts in November then get back to "normal" posts in December... just FYI for anyone who was curious. lol

My classes are going well so far - LOTS of reading and writing, but the reading has been uplifting, and I think I'll get faster and better at the writing as I go. :) Other than work and class, life is good... hanging out with Tara Lynn and the girls tonight and having a fun movie night tomorrow!

Finally, today is a very important day...
GET EXCITED for the very 1st birthday of two teeny-tiny moh-mers, aka fluffy sues, aka Sam n' Ella, aka "the girlfranz!!"  My little Sam-Sue and Bellsy-butt are ridiculously adorable and #precious! lol  I love them so much... and I love the cuteness of this song from You've Got Mail! :)


Also, how cute is my niece!?  I love a mini-miss Kyndal Faith!! =)

If all that + Friday doesn't put you in a good mood, then I can't help you. lol
HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

Commissioned Here and Now...

Christine Caine spoke at LifeChurch on Sunday about embracing whatever we can do here and now for God!  It's so easy to look toward the future and put things off because you don't feel like you're "there" yet, but we are all capable of loving God and loving the people around us right where we are today!!

God has so much for our hearts today, and seeking Him brings fresh purpose to days that feel mundane and ordinary - let's not miss out because we don't feel ready!  The Holy Spirit is here right now, and He is bringing new levels of freedom and life to those who invite Him in...

And that's all for today.  Just a short, friendly reminder to stop and praise God for how far you've come and where you are right now! =)
Happy Tuesday!!

Gifted by the Spirit

"It is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other... It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have."  ~1 Cor. 12:6-11

(I keep intending to blog, then I get busy with other things and forget about it.  So this may be a bit of a short post again, but perhaps that's preferred. lol)

I'm thankful for the gifts God has given me... my "spiritual gifts" include teaching, exhortation, and discernment, and I'm truly thrilled that I'm on a road that will soon put those gifts to better use.  But I'm especially thankful right now for the gifts God has given me through other people... Mom spent most of her weekend helping me with an extremely difficult transcript.  Gift!  I got to take a break from the stress of that and do dinner and a movie with my favorite cousin.  Gift!  I got to see Missy K and the Jaceman in all their preciousness.  Gift!

Then last night, the Wilsons hosted a prayer night & Pioneer Woman dinner, and it was awesome and refreshing!  I somehow forgot to get a group pic, but it was the group pictured below + Jessica, Evan, and Mindy.  After a delicious and fun dinner, we took time out to share serious prayer requests and then formed a circle and laid hands on each other and prayed specifically over each person.   There's a lot more I could say about it, but for now, I'll keep it in the circle and just say that I really LOVED that time praying together.  And I felt strengthened by hearing close friends speak words of genuine affirmation and specific prayer for me!  GIFT.

The above pic = celebrating Kelly's birthday!

And here's the "Vegas 7" again back in February! :) #flashback #memorymonday

Today = the first day of my classes!  So far, so good.  More on that later.  It is also day one of getting serious about getting healthy!!  New post on that coming soon also, I promise!

This Friday = the 1st birthday of "the girlfranz!"  Crazy - the world didn't know what it was missing a year ago. lol  Get excited!! =)

And now, a few inspiring quotes:

 "All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end. The cause of some going to war and of others avoiding it is the same desire in both, attended with different views. The will never takes the least step but to this object. This is the motive of every action of every man, even of those who hang themselves."  ~Blaise Pascal (This goes with the one below...)

“God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in Him. Fight for the right joy! There is greater joy in God than you’ve yet known. Don’t give up. Don’t settle for the lesser joys. 'For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.'" ~John Piper

Forgiven and Unbound!

"He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our FREEDOM with the blood of His Son and FORGAVE our sins.  He has showered His kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding."  ~Eph. 1:7-8

Now for a "Top 10 Tuesday" update ~ Top 10 Areas of Personal Progress (during the break)! :-)

1. I've been accepted and enrolled, and I start Seminary classes with Liberty University next week!!!  I'm so excited about this one!  Early on in the break, God poured out some much-needed clarity regarding my future... this just feels right, and it thrills me more than any other option I've considered!  I have felt passionate about studying and teaching the Word of God for a long time, and I'm honestly not sure how I didn't come to this conclusion sooner, but I trust that God's timing is perfect for me here.  So back to school I go, and I'll have my MA in Theological Studies by August of 2015 - GET EXCITED!  (*I also got to turn down Texas A&M and SNU, which felt so much better than being turned down or overlooked, a la 2013. lol)
   
2. Going to the Captivating Retreat in Colorado by myself without knowing anyone took some real courage for me, so I'm proud of that, and thankful for God's grace over me and for new friendships!  
   
3. Completed Donald Miller's Create Your Life Plan course, and (super-randomly) did a Professional Wedding Planning course, just for fun! :)
   
4. Took time off work to attend what was described as "an intense prayer and spiritual warfare ministry."  I was completely vulnerable and honest in my timeline, confessing every past area of sin or woundedness I could think of (not easy) and genuinely praying for a purified heart and for healing.
5. Red flags started going off all over the place, and in the end (well, the end for me), they literally tried to convince me that I was indwelled by a demon and that they needed me to allow the demon to speak through me and answer their questions.  Mmhmm, you read that right.  Butternut-crazy cult - the creepiest thing I've ever experienced!  And they waited until we'd gone through my entire timeline together, then tried to use specific things as "evidence" that there must be something demonic in me.  (To be fair, they believe 98% of people are born with an ancestral demon present at birth that doesn't go away at salvation, so it wasn't just a personal insult, but a dangerous false doctrine... SO FALSE.)  *Dear Christian friends, there is a massive, massive difference between being demonically attacked and being demonically indwelled; and the latter is not possible for those who are in Christ.  Anyway, I spoke the truth in love, and I was (apparently) the first person to ever walk out of their ministry without finishing.  So I feel good about that, and I'm thankful for the solid foundation of Biblical truth in my life!!  Wow.
6. Creative work - I'm taking an online writer's course (on finding your unique voice) by Ally Vesterfelt, and it's been great so far!  I also made this abstract NYC skyline painting for Talhia (of the view from the rooftop of their hotel where she had her wedding reception) and I think it turned out great!  
   
7. Checking things off the list - finally made an appointment I'd been putting off since 2012, changed my cable TV service to better reflect my moral values, and completely avoided reading something I was very tempted to read because I knew it would tear me up emotionally and send me in a downward spiral.  Progress!!
8. Attended a Beth Moore simulcast where she taught about our identity in Christ (one of the things I'd been praying for more revelation on just days before).  It was so good and life affirming, and I'll absolutely write more on that later...
   
9. Started an "Adoption Account" to save money toward that - YAY!  And on a similar note, I feel renewed peace and hope about getting married after Captivating... renewed faith that there are great, Godly men who will see my heart if I am willing to be seen (breaking an agreement with invisibility = another future post).
10. I made progress in relationships by forcing myself to actually call people and specifically talk through things rather than going to the blog to write out all my feelings.  I love writing and always will, but I want to have better boundaries on that and keep certain things between me and the "inner circle" friends. :)
    

"Technology absolutely can connect us. I don’t believe that it’s inherently isolating or inherently loneliness-inducing. Strictly speaking, technology by definition is neutral. It’s up to each of us to decide how we want to interact with it... I believe there’s so much good on the internet—thoughtful writing, beautiful design, inspiring creativity, meaningful opportunities to learn. I’m decidedly pro-internet. At the same time, I think each one of us needs to find the right way to connect with it, or more accurately, through it—our own way of connecting that brings life and creativity and wholeheartedness."  ~Shauna Niequist

Amen to that!

Anyway, all in all, it's been a great season of growing in health and maturity in Christ!  At the very least, some good seeds have been planted that I pray will grow stronger and stronger in my heart.  I am thankful for God's grace and for your prayers for me! =)  That's all for now!

Blessed is She Who Believed!

"Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!"
~Luke 1:45

Hey, friends and fam!!!  I've missed you, and I'm so happy to be back. =)

This break has been wonderful for me.  God has done an awesome work in my heart, and I want to hold fast to the truth and to the new purpose and identity He's given me!!  

(*Sidenote:  Laura's coming over for a Velveeta Shells-n-Cheese dinner & catch-up session tonight, so I'll keep this post somewhat short, but will write more in a fun Top 10 post tomorrow.)

The Captivating Retreat was life-changing!  It was my first time in Colorado, but hopefully not the last - so beautiful there!!!

The snow-capped mountains in the distance were my absolute favorite - really breathtaking and majestic, which is not a word I use often!  While I was there, we had some rain, some snow, some lovely clear weather, and lots of wind and falling leaves.  God was so very present and personal, and I'm deeply thankful that I had the opportunity to go!  

Stasi taught most of the sessions, and they used several movie clips that were perfectly poignant and well-timed.  They gave us lots of quiet time to reflect and pray and journal and be with God.  Then John showed up on our last night there to teach a session about men!!  ...I ADORE HIM.  Seriously, it thrilled me to see him there, and it was all I could do to keep the "Covenant of Silence" as he was leaving and not rush to get a picture with him.  I did take this picture as he was walking away, and I rather love how it turned out... the light and beauty and life of God + John Eldredge (who has helped me to see and feel God's light and beauty and life more than anyone else on earth)!

Here's a happy slideshow of several recent events, which I'll cover in more detail in future posts.  I'm just loving this song right now... "You can be the outcast or be the backlash of somebody's lack of love.  Or YOU CAN START SPEAKING UP! ...And since your history of silence won't do you any good - (did you think it would?) - let your words be ANYTHING BUT EMPTY!  Why don't you tell them the Truth!!?"
*DELETED WITHOUT NOTICE BY VIGO VIDEO. =(

"Praise the Lord!  I will thank the Lord with all my heart as I meet with His godly people.  How amazing are the deeds of the Lord!  All who delight in Him should ponder them.  Everything He does reveals His glory and majesty.  His righteousness never fails!"

~Psalm 111:1-3

"Thank you, God, for the things You heal, the things You redeem, the things You refuse to leave just as they have been for what seems like forever.... I am thankful for the breaking of things that needed to be broken, that couldn't have been broken any other way, thankful for the severing that allowed me to fall all the way down to the center of my fear and look it in the face, thankful for being set free from something I didn't even know I was enslaved to.  There is a quality in my life that I sense now, like a rumbling bass line or thunder far away, and the only phrase I can find to capture it is that it is the feeling of having nothing to lose.  I have nothing left to lose.  Because I was embarrassed and ashamed in such a deep way, and to my surprise, I'm still here.  I'm happy in a new way, free in a new way."

~Shauna Niequist

"I see the stars; I hear the rolling thunder

Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee,

How great Thou art; HOW GREAT THOU ART!"