"Oh My Soul . . ."

Descending the stairs at a run, I slide into my flip-flops and dash for the closet to grab my warm brown jacket. Still pulling up the zipper, I join Mom at the door. She retrieves her purse and phone, and together we make our way outside. 
The car awaits us in the driveway, a royal coach on gravel. We get right in and start off. Mom cracks the window, and I plug in her phone so we can listen to some music. Otherwise, all is quiet for a while as we each sit back and relax. 
Soon, I notice Mom is taking us through a beautiful scenic route. Between tall, dipping hills that send my head spinning, I watch the trees and brush go by, colorful drops of green amidst a background of greyish clouds and light rain. And I'm once again swept into wonder at the works of our Creator. 
My ear picks up the words playing on the radio, and I recognize the song as an old favorite titled "Oh My Soul" from (guess who?) Casting Crowns.

Oh, my soul
Oh, how you worry
Oh, how you're weary, from fearing you lost control
This was the one thing, you didn't see coming
And no one would blame you, though
If you cried in private
If you tried to hide it away, so no one knows
No one will see, if you stop believing

Oh, my soul
You are not alone
There's a place where fear has to face the God you know
One more day, He will make a way
Let Him show you how, you can lay this down
'Cause you're not alone

Here and now
You can be honest
I won't try to promise that someday it all works out
'Cause this is the valley
And even now, He is breathing on your dry bones

I release a breath and take a moment to inwardly whisper, Thank You, Lord. Once again, He used something so simple like a drive, a view, and a song to give me a much-needed boost, a reminder that He's got this. Every bit of it.
Recently, COVID-19 has us all down. Tired. Stressed. Ready to get out, get away. Just be done with it all.
I don't know about you guys, but because of this I have been feeling very weary. This whole pandemic was indeed something I didn't see coming. I resent the new normal - face masks, closed doors, restrictions everywhere. Things just seemed to change overnight, and I don't like it. At all.
But, as God used this little road trip to remind me, the season of my life may have changed, but He still hasn't. The God who made all creation, the God Who is continuing to put breath in our lungs and a beat in our hearts, the God Who promised never to leave or forsake us . . .  is the same God Who reigns today. Nothing that happens in this life can ever change that.
And as hard as things may seem now, He has a plan. 
Mark Hall (lead singer of Casting Crowns and the author of the song I quoted above) wrote "Oh My Soul" during a trying time in his life, when he had just discovered he had cancer in one of his kidneys. It was a hard struggle for him, yet God used it to bring about a song that now, years later, is ministering to so many all around the globe. 
Including me.
We're not alone, and God is calling us to lay our burdens down at His feet. We're in the valley, and currently heading down a very windy, bumpy road, but soon we will enter glory, and all this pain will be forgotten. 
Don't lose heart, my friends. He is working in and at all moments of our lives. Trust Him, for He has promised to be our Peace. <3
Praying for each one of you!!

Blessings,

Ellen S.