Breath of Heaven

December 10, 2024November 22, 2024 / Mark Brady / 2 Comments

I have traveled many moonless nights,
Cold and weary with a babe inside,
And I wonder what I’ve done.
Holy father you have come,
And chosen me now to carry your son.

I am waiting in a silent prayer.
I am frightened by the load I bear.
In a world as cold as stone,
Must I walk this path alone?

I can’t imagine what Mary went through. God asked her to do a lot. To accept being part of His plan. To be willing to get pregnant without having been with a man and then to try to explain it all to her fiancé. Why should he believe her? Or her parents and friends, for that matter. This had never happened before. She must have felt alone for months, at least until she went to her cousin’s house, who believed her. (Luke 1:39-56)

Mary’s prayer probably went something like this:
Breath of heaven,
Hold me together,
Be forever near me,
Breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven,
Lighten my darkness,
Pour over me your holiness,
For you are holy.
Breath of heaven.

Do you wonder as you watch my face,
If a wiser one should have had my place,
But I offer all I am

For the mercy of your plan.
Help me be strong.

Has God asked you to do something as part of his plan? Does it sound outrageous or ridiculous? Many years ago, He asked me to accept a youth pastor’s position in a young church that could not afford to pay me a salary. My father was angry and thought I was nuts. I had completed college with my associate’s degree and had started a promising career with the area’s electric company. I obeyed God, and He was with me then and faithful to meet my needs, but I never stopped praying a similar prayer to Mary’s, and I, too, wondered if there was someone more qualified than I.

So, are you hearing a breath of heaven? Are you being called? I challenge you to trust God. Take his hand and start the most incredible adventure of your life. Yes, there will be times you will wonder if you made the right decision, but it is in those moments that God will do something extraordinary in you or through you that will leave no doubt in your mind that you did. You may feel as if there is someone better or smarter but remember this, God asked you. Besides, they may rely too much on their strength instead of on God’s.

“Breath of Heaven”
Songwriter: Christopher Eaton.

The End

December 29, 2023December 27, 2023 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Reaching the end of something can evoke many emotions. The end of a good movie, a job, a family or friend’s life, or perhaps even a marriage. There may be mixed feelings about the end of the year. Most people said they were so happy to see the end of 2020!

We will come to the end of 2023 in a few days. In some ways, it was a challenging year for April and me, but we got through it. I remember at one point feeling as if God had turned away from us and left us to ourselves because we had made a wrong decision. We know now that He was busy orchestrating our lives, intersecting with another’s in order to fulfill His will.

At the time, it seemed so difficult to wait upon the Lord. I cried out many times for His help. For God to deliver us from ourselves and to set us back on the right track. God proved himself faithful again. God helped us. He gave me a clear mind to make sound decisions on what to do that would give us a chance to recover.

I have no idea what 2024 will have in store for us, but I know God is already working on our behalf. If you have never accepted God’s gift of Jesus Christ into your life and have asked for forgiveness, then now would be a great time. Wow! That would be a great way to end 2023 and start 2024.

Just think—you don’t need a thing, you’ve got it all! All God’s gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale. And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that. 1 Cor. 1:7-9 (MSG)

You Are the Same God

November 4, 2022October 31, 2022 / Mark Brady / 3 Comments

Yesterday at church, I was so encouraged by the lyrics to the following song, “Same God.” It was good to remember that despite what is happening in the world, in my country, or in my personal world, God is still God. He is not affected by current events or swayed by popular opinions. He is still the same God; if He did it before, then I know He can do it again for me, my country, and my world.

I’m calling on the God of Jacob
Whose love endures through generations
I know that You will keep Your covenant

I’m calling on the God of Moses
The one who opened up the ocean
I need You now to do the same thing for me
For me, for me

O God, my God, I need You
O God, my God, I need You now
How I need You now

O Rock, O Rock of ages
I’m standing on Your faithfulness
On Your faithfulness

I’m calling on the God of Mary
Whose favor rests upon the lowly
I know with You all things are possible

I’m calling on the God of David
Who made a shepherd boy courageous
I may not face Goliath
But I’ve got my own giants

You heard Your children then
You hear Your children now

You were providing then
You are providing now

You moved in power then
God, move in power now

You were a healer then
You are a healer now

You are the same God
You are the same God

You were a savior then
You are a savior now

You’re faithful God
Jesus, You’re the same
Yesterday, today, and forever

You freed the captives then
You’re freeing hearts right now

You touched the lepers then
I feel Your touch right now

Never changing
Oh, forever
We feel You now
You’re the same God

I’m calling on the Holy Spirit
Almighty River, come and fill me again
Come and fill me again

(Let that be your prayer)

Songwriters: Patrick Barrett, Christopher Joel Brown, Steven Furtick. For non-commercial use only.

More Than Enough!

July 26, 2022July 23, 2022 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

I love the true story, as told in the Bible, of the time Jesus fed the 5000. Of course, that was just the men. There are so many thoughts to consider when reading this miracle.

One, I seriously doubt that no one else had any food with them. They hid it, or worse, lied about having it. They looked at the situation with natural eyes and thought, “There is no way what we have is going to feed this huge crowd!” And honestly, they were right. But those same individuals didn’t fully know who Jesus was. They didn’t understand what could happen if you place what you have in Jesus’ hands and then trust him. Yes, even to do the impossible!

Two, The boy who gave the small lunch he had brought did know and therefore trusted Jesus. He also believed Jesus was the son of God. The lad had a giver’s heart, and I think he gave it cheerfully. In fact, he probably had to convince Jesus’ disciple to take it. They, too, were looking with natural eyes.

You could count the boy’s lunch. Two fish and five loaves of bread equaling seven pieces. Seven, the number of completion! Jesus took what was given, and He blessed it, and it was multiplied.

“How many vs. how much. How many you can count, how much comes by faith!” Steven Furtick

God will meet your needs when you place what you have in His hands and then trust him. He may not give you all of it at once. Like manna that fed the children of Isreal, He will provide for the needs you have for one day. I wake up, and I realize my bills due today are paid. We have food to eat and gas in the car; for today. Of course, my greatest need was salvation, and forgiveness of my sins, and He provided for that as well.

“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. Mat. 6:34 (MSG)

I am currently in a situation I never saw coming or planned for, and if I had known it was coming, I would have resisted it, or worse, said, “No, God.” For I would have looked at it in the natural and had seen the “how many” and have thought, “There is no way! I can’t afford that!” Yet, I have to admit God is making a way. He is funding this project because it is His project! It is genuinely day by day, but His faithfulness provides. “Great is Thy faithfulness!”

brady, mark a.

Words to inspire you

God's faithfulness