It’s been a hard few months for me. Some days, it has been a struggle to just keep my chin up and keep going.
If someone asked you what keeps you going, what would you say?
I imagine answers like:
I get enough sleep each night.
Eating healthy.
Perseverance.
Maybe even some I don’t knows.
I think I would maybe say an inner drive to live life well and make the best of things, no matter what. Life is a gift.
What I don’t think I would say is Jesus. At least, I don’t think I would have said that until recently.
Can I say that here on (in)courage?
{gulp}
I love Jesus as Lord and Savior of my life, but until recently, I never really thought about my relationship with Him being what keeps me going.
Here’s what caused my shift in thinking.
For the past two months, I’ve working on the social media efforts to spread the word about a cool new album called Everybody Has a Story. The songs were written by former and current patients at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and sung by some of the best musicians in the business, like Faith Hill, Amy Grant and Vince Gill. One of the songs on the album was written by a girl named Erica Kilburn, a cancer patient who is now with Jesus.
While in the hospital, she covered her room’s walls with scripture.
That alone humbles me.
What a powerful picture of someone who loved the Word so much that she blanketed in her hospital room with its truths.
Her music therapist Jenny Plume asked Erica about how she fights her disease and what keeps her so positive. Erica told Jenny, “Jesus is what keeps me going.” Those words inspired a beautiful song, sung on Everybody Has a Story by Melinda Doolittle. Read the lyrics below, which are a mix of Erica’s story and scripture, or listen to the song in this video.
Health to your marrow and moistening to your bones
Sing like a sparrow cuz you’re not alone
The joy of the Lord is my strength this I know
This is why I hold on
My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to you
Oh taste and see that the Lord is good
Give and it shall be given to you
Under his promise I feel strong
Arise take up your bed and walk with me
I once was blind but now I see
All this scripture brings courage to me
Jesus is what keeps me going
Yeah he’s what keeps me going
All things are possible through Christ who strengthens me
If I drink any deadly thing it won’t harm me
Your healing shall spring forth speedily
And I will praise you and you alone
Arise take up your bed and walk with me
I once was blind but now I see
All this scripture brings courage to me
Jesus is what keeps me going
Yeah he’s what keeps me going
You thought it would keep me down
But I keep going stronger and stronger
Jesus is what keeps me going
Yeah, he’s what keeps me going
Arise take up your bed and walk with me
I once was blind but now I see
All this scripture brings courage to me
Jesus is what keeps me going
Yeah he’s what keeps me going
Today, embrace Jesus. He will keep you going. Wherever you are. Whatever your struggles. He is with you.
By Jessica Turner from The Mom Creative
ABOUT JESSICA TURNER
Jessica Turner blogs on The Mom Creative about motherhood,
