My Hiding Place

Day 14 Hiding Place

Psalms 32:7-8 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

Psalms 16:6 The [boundary] lines [of the land] have fallen for me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.

“Lord you are my hiding place” sang by Willie Spence https://youtube.com/shorts/jcXMA7g8NBM?feature=shareq

Happy Fourteenth Day of Thanks!

I don't know if you have noticed but we have "Lord you are My Hiding Place" sang by Willie Spence in the worship line up for the second time this week. I can't stop playing this short. It's been on repeat for three days now. "Lord, You Are My Hiding Place" is one of my all time favorite songs. It's neck and neck with "Ordered" by Fred Hammond and usually played when my soul is hungry and thirsty for God and needs to hear Him speak or wrap His loving arms around me.

The Lord put it on my heart to play it while I was worshipping and cleaning several days ago. After putting the song title in the YouTube search engine, Willie Spence's short popped up and I listened. I was completely mesmerized. I remember hearing this voice years ago (which was naturally impossible) waking up from a dream and thought it was Fred Hammond. I remember trying to find the song under Fred Hammond's name and nothing every coming up. This was a deja vu moment. Willie Spence's voice was so angelic! Afterwards, I put his name in the search engine because I needed to know who he was and how that powerful, anointed voice emerged from his soul. I discovered that he was a participant/runner up on American Idol last year. It's too bad that I'm not really a tv watcher because I would have had all the people I know voting for him; I'm sure it would have changed the trajectory of that vote!!!! (Sorry to the person who actually won; I'm sure that person had to be just as good too.)

As I started to research Willie's life a little more, I discovered that God gave him a second chance to pursue his dream of singing. At one point, he was hospitalized and almost died because of fluid on his lungs. Later, Willie moved to Hollywood to pursue his career, believing it was finally his time. But, shortly after, his mother had a stroke, causing him to sacrifice his dream career, move back home and nurse her back to health. He found himself with a second chance on the American Idol stage and blew the judges away. I got to see about ten of his performances and was so excited for each stage of growth and development I witnessed. I saw the Lord elevating this young man and allowing him to usher in the presence of God on that American idol stage each time he performed.

Willie Spence's story was so inspiring. I was crushed when I discovered that this 23 year old man, with the voice of an angel, succumbed to a car accident. My heart broke that Willie would never get to perform in London as he dreamed. However, what really struck a chord in my heart was that shortly before the car accident, he posted a video of himself worshipping the Lord, singing this song. "Lord you are my Hiding Place" was his last declaration here on this earth! Can you imagine, worshipping God with everything you have, loving him to the uttermost, without even knowing that you would be ushering in the presence of God so that, a few hours later, you would have eternal rest in the hiding place you cried out to moments before?

In Willie's last moments, I'm certain that his "Sound/Key of David" ushered him directly into the presence of angelic hosts that ushered him right back to the hands of his Abba, Father.

I say that I am certain of this because as I hear Willie sing this song, it gives me chills and ushers me into the presence of God in a way that I can't even explain. It makes my dry and thirsty soul run to the secret place to find God. Several months ago, when God gave me the revelation about "the key" of David and how it unlocked portals and released open heavens, God began to let me hear sounds/ chords that unlocked His glory and presence. Willie hits a few notes in this song that are reminiscent of some of those sounds I heard.

As I worshipped and prayed with this song, I felt the comfort of the Lord ministering to my spirit. That comfort delivered me and drove out my doubts and fears, concerning the promises of the Lord spoken over my life. I was heavy in spirit, asking God when more breakthrough would come and if he would answer the secret petitions of my heart. Willie's voice and the lyrics of the song reminded me that God could be trusted. The song recalled to my mind the scripture in Numbers 23:19. God is not a liar; He will do what He promised to do just like He always has.

Worshipping alongside this song also drove out the insecurities in my mind that tell me to second guess myself and my decisions, that were in direct obedience to God. This season of my life has been completely different. I obeyed God when He told me to walk out on the water. My faith and trust in God has been tested and has had to soar through the roof. I've had to walk through a reality, contending with a word from the Lord, that looks completely opposite than what God spoke. Hearing the song reassured me that I can do all things through Christ and in the strength of the Lord. When difficulties arise in this world and my life gets incredibly hard, God rejoices over me with singing (Zephaniah 3:17)and gives me songs of deliverance, renewing me in his love.

In fact, when I finished worshipping, having spent quite some time in my hiding place, I felt like I had a good cry (You know the cries that make your lungs feel hollowed out and it's hard to do a real deep breath?) Several of the request that I had at the altar of the Lord were answered. Lilah got a nurse to cover her for school this week. A program that I needed, which cost several hundred dollars that I didn't have, went on sale for one third of the price. The real miracle is that I get to keep the program for a lifetime without having to renew it annually. God also spoke to me concerning a specific area of my life and reassured me that I am moving in the right direction. Also the writer's block that I was experiencing lifted. Ideas and poems began to come like wildfire. That's what happens when I get into my hiding/secret place (Psalms 91)

I have no idea what my next moments or hours hold. But, like Willie Spence, I'm making the same declaration to God right now. "Lord, you are my hiding place; you always fill my heart with songs of deliverance. I will trust in you!"

When I allow Him to hide me in the secret place, all that I need is released. I'm so grateful, Lord, "that you are my hiding place and always fill my heart with deliverance songs."

Today as we give thanks for our hiding place, please consider giving to National Alliance on Mental Illness, NAMI, at naminycmetro.org/donate/ and encourage friends, family members, and clients to join/participate in one of the many support groups they host for folks dealing with mental illness.

Love ya,

Have a Great Day of Thanks!