"Jesus Draw Me Ever Nearer"

"Jesus draw me ever nearer
As I labor through the storm.
You have called me to this passage,
and I'll follow, though I'm worn.

May this journey bring a blessing,
May I rise on wings of faith;
And at the end of my heart's testing,
With Your likeness let me wake.

Jesus guide me through the tempest;
Keep my spirit staid and sure.
When the midnight meets the morning,
Let me love You even more

Let the treasures of the trial
Form within me as I go -
And at the end of this long passage,
Let me leave them at Your throne."

I love this song because it reminds me that God will get us through anything if we draw near to Him. James 4:8 says, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." It reminds me that He will give us rest that only He can provide when we're so worn from the journey. It reminds me that there WILL be blessings in our trials. I love the line that says "may this journey bring a blessing". I have felt that way throughout my entire sickness. If this 8 year storm that I've been in brings just ONE person to know Jesus, then it is worth all the suffering, the pain, the tears, it's worth it all. If my story brings awareness and helps prevent just ONE person from getting diseases from tick bites, then it is worth it all. Even though this journey has brought lots of pain, it's brought a lot of blessings. Jesus has and will continue to guide me through the tempest, He has and will keep my spirit staid and sure. I pray that when the midnight meets the morning, that I will love Him even more. And when this journey is over, when I am in the presence of our King, there will ONLY be blessings. Only JOY. Only PEACE. Only GRACE. Only His LOVE, for all eternity. That makes the journey worth it. No matter how bad or long the storm is, we KNOW that it will be worth it. 

"Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later." Romans 8:18

"No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow--not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:37-39