Creekmont : New Chapter

When I was in school, report cards were sent home every six weeks. Today was our sixth Sunday service.

Creekmont would get Triple A grades across the board. We are both feeling more and more embraced and connected with our new church family. Mark even helped with the collection yesterday.

Given my journey to Jesus included Rich Mullins, it was wonderful to open our worship with “Awesome God”. Randy read from Psalm 31:24 — “Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord.”

The hymn we sang was Blessed Assurance.

On the left side of the page was Trust and Obey; on the right was Blessed Assurance.

We then sang I Know a Name, and it just felt like the Lord was weaving something gentle and sure through all of it — obedience, trust, assurance, and the power of His name.

When the sermon began, Shad preached from Matthew, where Jesus speaks about divorce and Leviticus 19. I love that he taught straight from Leviticus.

Something that caught my attention — he said that divorce is like a death, like visiting a funeral home every day. It was a hard truth, but filled with compassion. He reminded us that there’s no “R” branded for “robber,” or “A” marked for “adulterer.”

And right then, the Lord whispered something to my heart:

“The only letters that matter are the ones in red.”

The words of Jesus — those red letters — are what redeem and restore. They don’t label or condemn. They give life.

And I realized something humbling: every letter I’ve ever written that the Lord told me to write — He gave me the words. That’s why those letters reached people and impacted action. It had nothing to do with me, only Him speaking through me.

That reminder was grounding and good. It was one of those days when heaven felt very close.

It was so good, we returned last night to take part in their Fall Festival, despite not getting a much needed nap. When my daughter dropped by unannounced, it was a blessing to visit with her and her boyfriend. That said, it did take our nap time option!

Once we arrived home, I was rather fascinated with learning about Fanny’s life. She was blind and wrote countless hymns under numerous names. I stumbled across a few articles and videos about the stories behind hymns.

This one was so powerful to me, I sent to our pastor, with the request he share with the Worship Leader.

Today, I cleaned out one of the cabinets which must be moved tomorrow or Wednesday. Seeing it completely empty and waiting for us to fill it up again almost feels poetic.

Just as God will remove our dross, it feels like dross is being removed from our business. This is a rebirth and not a death.

That’s how it feels and I am going to embrace it.

Jesús, I could never thank you enough for all you’ve done, all you are doing and all you will do. thank you for letting me rest in your promises. I love you.

9:19 Scriptures

I have written about Rich Mullins many times. He was killed 28 years ago on September 19. Leaving home to go to work, I have a sixteen minute video talking and singing both The Color Green and Creed. To be clear, you can hear my car giving safety alerts, clearly hear my iTunes playing and hear me singing.

I know what The Holy Spirit was saying to me. He has been singing over me for over three months. Here is just the last minute.

The Lord clearly used Rich Mullins and his music in my faith journey. Today, I want to honor my Father in Heaven and thank him, again, for how He used Rich to grow my faith.

When we pause to look at chapter 9, verse 19 across the Scriptures, we find a chorus of voices crying out to God — for justice, for mercy, for guidance, and for strength. These verses together form a testimony of His sovereignty and our dependence.

Psalm 9:19

“Arise, O Lord; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight.”

➡ A call for God to rise up against human arrogance and establish His justice.

Jeremiah 9:19

“For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we spoiled! we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings have cast us out.”

➡ A lament of deep sorrow, acknowledging the consequences of forsaking God.

Nehemiah 9:19

“Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.”

➡ A testimony of God’s unfailing mercy and guidance, even when His people strayed.

Daniel 9:19

“O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.”

➡ A bold intercession, pleading with God to act quickly for the sake of His name and His people.

Job 9:19

“If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?”

➡ A confession that God alone holds ultimate power and authority in strength and justice.

✨ Reflection

Taken together, the 9:19 Scriptures give us a pattern:

Psalm calls for God’s justice. Jeremiah mourns the cost of disobedience. Nehemiah remembers God’s mercy. Daniel pleads for God’s swift action. Job acknowledges God’s supreme strength.

They remind us that in every season — lament, wandering, intercession, or confession — God’s sovereignty and mercy remain steadfast.

Oh, Father God, your loving kindness makes my heart sing.