"I Will Praise You in This Storm" by Tania
Sunday, August 16, 2009 at 3:00AM First off, thank you all so much for the outpouring of support! It means so much that we can all come together through this. To start off our more in depth look at this challenge's layouts, here's Tania's layout, as seen in "In Loving Memory: A Journey of Remembrance" (an online class at www.debbiehodge.com).
(Don't forget that your own projects need to be linked up under the original challenge post, though, okay? To be eligible for the awesome Prism prize, you need to link us up by August 25th.)
;)
Now, here's Tania:
Hello friends! Unfortunately we are all here together because we share a common bond----losing a loved one. But, I'm so very thankful to be able to share together and inspire you to document the life and memories of your loved one(s) through this blog. I assure you, putting these details down onto paper will be a very cathartic and healing process.
This is the very first layout I sat down to create, just one month after Mom’s passing, and I created it for no other reason than to come to terms with myself (and God). I had to acknowledge, through my ultimate sadness, that my faith tells me that God is in control and He alone will be my strength in all the days and weeks to follow. Do you remember a point after the passing of your loved one where you realized you needed to pull yourself up out of the mire of grief and get busy celebrating the life of your loved one? For me, this was that moment.
It was the hardest layout I've ever sat down to create just because there was so much emotion behind it. I had to walk away many times during the creating process to gather myself and wait for my emotions to come back in check before sitting down once again to work some more. BUT, it was also the most healing layout I've ever completed in my 13 years of scrapbooking.
Design Note: I based the foundation of this layout after a song lyric by Casting Crowns called “Praise you in this Storm.” A song lyric that rang so true in my heart and mind, one that I listened to (and cried to) many, many times in the weeks following her passing.
Lyrics:
I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining
As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to you
And you raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You
But as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth
Reader Comments (11)
One of the things I love about this is you are openly talking about healing and that is something I ALWAYS scrap about . .. especially with self healing through personal tragedys done TO YOU.
This is fabulous challenge site.
What a wonderful site! I wish you had been here when my Dearly Loved Husband and Soulmate died from Renal Cancer 2 years ago on 4 Sept 2007. I have lost loved ones before, but I never realised how deep my grief would be, this time, and the depths of unhappiness it would take me to. The pain is still like a knife in my heart!
Although Scrapbooking saved my sanity these past 2 years, when I just wanted to curl up and die, (other than when I wasn't demanding from God "Why? Why? Why?!")
It took me 15 months to be able to scrap any photos of him.
But I have managed to start. I'm remembering the love we shared, and my sweet, sweet memories of him, and my pages are helping me heal, one day at a time! Even though I am usually howling as I make them! As I am while I write this now!
What a beautiful layout! I'm so thankful that we have scrapbooking to help us thru the difficult times...it'a a great way to heal and leave a legacy. Fabulous site!!
Thanks for this wonderful layout! This song is my top song on my favorites on my ipod. My 17 year old son sang this song on a youth mission trip which changed the lives of many teenagers. He had been in a very serious car accident 2 weeks before leaving for the trip and had staples on his arm and down the center of his head and had to wear a bandana to cover them up for a while. He used the story of how God placed his hands around him and protected him while his car was hit, split into many pieces, totally demolished everything except the driver's seat. He was only cut from the glass and mirror. When we got to the accident, the radio on his car was still on and Christian music was playing.
It is truly amazing the impact that songs can have on our lives and the comfort we can receive from these words and music inspired by God.
May God Bless You!
this is such a wonderful and gorgeous layout, what a wonderful way to remember your mom's memory, tania. i love it, so.
Such a gorgeous LO and song and a beautiful tribute to your mom, Tania!
I love this verse! Last summer, I used it (with a number of others) when creating a mini-book for my daughter after the loss of her son. It would have been helpful to have this side then.
What a wonderful memorial your Mom ... I can feel the rawness of your loss. Those lyrics are perfect.
Tania, this song is so special to me, too. I love your layout. SK
I'm so glad I found this site and after the passing of my dear beloved husband in May, 2009 from colon cancer, this song I sing to myself through my healing helps so much. This would inspire me to do a layout on my husband when I'm ready to do it. Thanks for sharing the lyrics and the inspiration to share with others' sorrow and grief.
WOW This is the most amazing song.....We lost our son, Joshua, who was 19 on a Friday evening, he was going to be preaching his very first sermon the next day and we went to church the Sunday after his passing and this is the song that a dear friend of ours sang that morning.....Having no idea that we would actually be there that morning since it was only 2 days after the accident and he was to be laid out that night, she cried throughout the song and so did we. This is truly a healing song, and very true for my family....God is so very much working in our lives, even through the worst circumstances, He is in control.