By Your Side

Given the title of this blog, I thought this was a appropriate song to put on here.

By Your Side Lyrics

Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away 

Why are you looking for love
Why are you still searching
As if I'm not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run
To where will you run

'Cause I'll be by your side wherever you fall
In the dead of night whenever you call
And please don't fight these hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Look at these hands at my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life 
I want to give you life

And I'll be by your side wherever you fall
In the dead of night whenever you call
And please don't fight these hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Here at my side wherever you fall
In the dead of night whenever you call
And please don't fight these hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you 

'Cause I, I love you
I want you to know
That I, yeah I'll love you
I'll never let you go, no, no

And I'll be by your side wherever you fall
In the dead of night whenever you call
And please don't fight these hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Here at my side wherever you fall
In the dead of night whenever you call
And please don't fight these hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you 
Here at my side, my hands are holding you
Ohhh...

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This is one of those songs that I can listen to again, and again, and again, and again. It is so beautiful, challenging, and healing. 

Listen to the message, please. God is waiting for your with open arms; will you run to Him?

God is here for you, whether you've accepted Him into your heart, or you're unsaved. He wants to be the foundation of your life in either case. 

As a believer myself, I know how easy it is to forget even this simple truth. God's love is not conditional: He wants YOU and ME. 

Lose yourself in the strength of His embrace!

~Bekah

Time...

    As I'm writing this post I'm sitting across from my baby brother as he smashes bananas on his face and shoves them up his nose. Lately I've been thinking alot about time... how time flies soooo fast. Just 11 months ago this little guy wasnt even born yet. I cant even begin to tell you how special he is to me, lets flashback to a little over a year ago...
    In October of 2012 I was very upset to be having another sibling. I remember sitting in my room angry that my mom was pregnant AGAIN. I didnt want another sibling! There was hardly enough time for me to do what I wanted now, and there was going to be ANOTHER kid!?! Were my parents nuts!?
In November I went to the Above Rubies Retreat... I'd been going for years, but this time, it was so extremely different. During testimony time I heard so many moms' sharing their testimonies, testimonies of how they just wished they could have a baby, or how they wished they could have another baby... and there I sat, listening to these mothers, with their hearts open and bursting with love for children and babies and they couldnt have them... and I sat there, thinking of the baby growing inside my mother... the baby I'd rejected, the baby I never wanted... and it hit me. That baby, that baby was a very, very special blessing from God. A blessing He didnt give everyone. He gave this baby to our family, and I was trying to deny one of God's precious gifts!! How selfish of me!! It was at that retreat that God turned my heart towards that precious baby inside my mom. I was filled with this special joy, suddenly excited for that baby to come into the world! I suddenly wanted to help prepare for the baby to be born and to help pick a name, one night I remember saying the name I thought he should have...
    A few months later, on April 17th, 2013 my precious baby brother, Eli Noble was born at 3:07pm. His name was the name I'd suggested months beforehand. I was so privileged to be there to see him enter this world, and to be the first of all his siblings to hold him. Eli and I share initials, which is also very special because my parents have tried to make sure all their kids have different initials.
   Here it is, less than a month before Eli's first birthday. I cannot believe how much of a blessing this baby truly is. He has changed me so much in such an amazing way! I share a room with him, and he is constantly waking up in the middle of the night... and every night, I have to climb down off of my loft to get him. If Eli isnt with mom, you'll almost always find him with me. Because of that, I'm his favorite (second to mom) he'll even lean to me over dad. He's my buddy. I do chores with him on my back in the ergo. I have him on my hip while I cook, I cuddle him to sleep at night, I feed him snacks and babysit him when mom is gone. I love spending time with him!
   But I've learned.... no matter how much love I show him now... he wont remember those things I did for him when he's 5, or 6, or 18! He'll remember feeling loved, and taken care of as a baby... but he wont remember a specific time I held him when he was sick, or when I fed him... But just because he wont remember, doesnt mean I shouldnt show that special love to him, when I show love to him it makes a special impact on him, he remembers I love him, he knows I take care of him. I'm a comfort to him, and its soooo amazing to be that to him, the baby I said I didnt want will choose me over any one of his other siblings, we have a special bond that I hope will never change. He is so extremely special to me and I love him dearly. Lately I've caught myself just smiling at him, he giggles and laughs, he's a happy baby, he's wonderful, he's a blessing from God. He's the baby that made me decide that babies are blessings. He holds such a special place in my heart above all of my other siblings. But he doesnt know that. He may never know that. He may never know the impact he made on my life. The impact he never tried to make on my life.
   As I sit and smile at him I keep thinking "these moments are so precious. I never want to lose this" I never want to lose the ability to sit and smile at this precious baby, I never want to lose that special bond between me and Eli.
   Dont take for granted the little people in your life, (or the big ones!) Remember that time moves soooo quickly, cherish the time you have now. Build memories, even just for yourself to remember. Dont take anyone for granted. Make someone smile, make someone laugh. It wont be long before those around you grow up, or pass away, try your very best to make an impact on someone! You never know what you might do! Eli didnt even try to make an impact on me, but he did. How many people can you make a positive impact on?!