Yesterday I spent several hours with precious souls who had been “pushed hard”. Some of our visits started from the depths of despair but all ended in hope-filled joy.

Out of every challenging event, you will find the hand of God – if you will choose to look. Just like my sister who, yesterday, took this picture of “new life sprouting out of tough times”.

After seeing God’s hand return them from exile, His people sang this Temple Praise song:

Psalm 118:13–14 (ESV) — 13 I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me. 14 The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.

These words remind of the song Josh Gorman sings (written by Brendan Graham in 2004):

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
until you come and sit awhile with me.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up… To more than I can be.

Friend, if you would recall & meditate on your most spiritual moment you too can be raised up to sit on mountains.