I will restore to you

the years that the

  swarming locust has eaten.

                 Joel 2. 25

(God has not just brought us through,

    but has been with us

                        all along,

   and He is still with us now,

      past, present, and future tense.

No expiration date.

     No place beyond His grace.

Not just the promise that

God will redeem,

   but He is already redeeming,

even in ways we cannot yet see,

      even in this,

                  right where we are.

New saplings and a great forest

   emerge from

  the stumps of old growth trees.)

O LORD,

We so easily lose sight of

     our joys and Your wonders

and listen only to the sorrows,

             and not to You.

But we can stake our lives on You,

     send down roots

     and bear fruit

           even in this broken world.

And sing Your glory in this place.

May others see a light and a hope,

      something very different in us,

                      and let that be You.

We are not stuck.

We are coming through the hard places,

    bringing others with us,

and helping others with Your strength,

          right into Your Kingdom.