Ps 91:1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”

I woke up with the song - Give thanks. I am reminded of Don Moen's rendition of Give thanks with a grateful heart in the background of the sickness of a close relative.

This week has been difficult. The anxiety and loss in the midst of the news of the serious sickness of a close family member hits me. Planning the visits by family members was very tedious and costly.

The news of the serious medical prognosis of my family member reminds me to live life to the fullest for often as Gay Christians we struggle just to survive.

It is difficult to say "Let the weak say I am strong, let the poor say I am rich..." as we give thanks for God's grace and mercy in all things. Yet, it becomes a decision of faith as we cry out to God.

We are reminded of Don Moen's followup rendition that "God will make a way", giving strength to us for each new day. Do we trust in God to work in ways we cannot see and the strenght to move on when all is lost!

Jesus will make a straight roadway that we can go through the wilderness instead of the winding hilly paths with obtsacles and dangers. We are all in the wilderness, we are at loss of what to do. We walk around in circles in the desert yet God will make us a path to walk in.

Has God forgotten us, we cry out in our desperation? Does God cares for our situation? does He cares even though we might seem so insignificant? Yes, God cares, for He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for us and be resurrected, that we may live again.

We may feel hopeless, but in Christ there is hope.

We are thristy and getting burned in the deserts of life and circumstances, and we cry to God in our desperation. Jesus, be the rivers of life for us in the desert, the Rock for which waters of life flows.

The Word of God, the promises of the Bible, the Hope of Glory in Christ will never fade away. At the end, although hope may be lost, we will find ourselves one day in heaven united with Christ, where there shall be no tears for we shall be reunited again with our loved ones.

God may seem far in times of great need, yet the Holy One of Israel is so close to us to embrace us. Help us O Lord, to see You when our eyes fade away with tears of sadness.

As a Gay Christian, it is a struggle often just to survive and I have lived my life with the intention just to survive. But this is surviving and not living. God has called me into a greater measure and work for the Kingdom of God.

As Gay Christians, we may feel God is so far from us, a million miles away as we are condemned as vile sinners by the church. We may not have lost our faith, and often we do not know anymore how to pray. But as we pray, the Holy Spirit abides with us, and reveal Christ His abudant love for us.

It is hard for us to sing and worship God. Putting trust and faith in the resurrected Christ becomes a matter of decision, and God respects our decision to step forward to honor God.

Through the sorrow and the pain, of the lost in our lives and possibly those around us, teach us how to sing to You O Lord! Teach us how to lift our voices to worship You! and to give thanks when we see so much pain and suffering yet often cannot do much except to sing praises to God.

The Christian faith is often a declaration that we will not only survive, but we will overcome, and sing praises to God. God works in many ways that we often cannot see.

We had hoped that life would be much easier if we had been a straight person, but God works through us giving glory to His name for creating us a gay person. We become His hands and feet to "the other" of our communities where some have plenty but many are suffering.

We are in a desert but the promises of God though His written word, and through the Living Word of Jesus Christ remains. We will live on to see the roadway in the desert and reach the rivers of still waters. God can do well beyond what we have asked or had hoped for!

We may not yet see the roadway in the wilderness or the rivers in the desert, but by faith we can and give thanks because He had already given His Son Jesus Christ, and it is in Christ that we are strong and rich spiritually and physically in all our being.

How do we lift hour hands to God? when we remember all the good things that God has done in our life. Jesus dwells in our prayers and worship to bring the glory of God to come to our present circumstances.

Life has a way of taking us far from God. When we worship God in spirit and truth of the resurrected Christ, and making a decision even when life is tough, we begin to come to God.

Our cries from the deepest part of our heart is to dwell in the presence of God, in His dwelling place forever. We just want to be with Jesus when all seem hopeless. We yearn for the glory of God, to drink of the rivers of life in a thirsty land. Fill us Lord, with Your presence and glory. Fall upon us.

So many things have happened in my life, and the challenge is to give thanks for life takes a toll with time. It is my the blood of Jesus Christ that we stand and come into the presence of God. One day, in heaven, we will see the multitude singing in heaven. We will meet up old friends and loved ones who had gone before us.

We will join the chorus of angels, singing Glory Halleulujah, to the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, giving Him all glory, honor, and praise acknowleging His power and redemption. All peoples shall praise God including the gay rainbow tribe. 

In the early 90s, when the Hillsongs cames out with "Shout to the Lord", it is so easy to sing in good times, but it becomes a sacrifice of praise when we shout to God in praises and to sing for joy during challenging times. At the end of the desert road, could we still praise God and stand on the promises of God?

We praise God and lift up holy hands to the Lord, because the name of Jesus is to be blessed and worthy to be praised even though we often don't feel like it. When we begin to praise God despite our circumstances, we enter into the presence of God.

In heaven, we look to a time of celebration in Jesus when there shall be no more tears. Jesus is risen, and because He lives, we will live forevermore.

One day at the end of our suffering and pain here in earth, we will come to the final celebration and praise unto Jesus in heaven. As we look unto heaven to come, we lay aside all our sufferings and pain, and celebrate the resurrecton of our Lord Jesus looking forward to the celebration in heaven.

Lord Jesus, flood me with your presence, love, peace and strength for today and tommorow for You are the way, the truth and the life. You are are hope and deliverer in times of trouble. You are the Rock that will never leave nor forsake me. Praise the Lord.