Safety is a word that I have always bought comfort in. When I was younger, I was never one to take chances in something if it was going to risk me getting hurt, lost or even discouraged.

The other day as I was planning a trip that I was needing to take – I realized something serious. I don’t travel by myself at all! Some may say, “Amy, that probably isn’t a bad thing.” Others will say, “will you put on your big girl panties and deal with it – break out of your shell.”

That can be a good situation or a bad one. Good, because I am always conscious of my safety, but bad, because it keeps me from participating in a lot of awesome opportunities that God may be using to bring about a bigger picture.

I really haven’t realized this fear till just lately. Shocking! I know! But I can totally see where God is breaking this fear so that I can do more things He is calling me to do.

With the age of technology and the help I can receive from the wonderful phone device I have – this should bring great comfort to me, this should help me in stepping out of my comfort zone to travel in the wild blue yonder….it doesn’t! I have seen technology fail. Especially a navigation device. You know how upset that Garamond lady can be! “Recalculating…recalculating!”

This revelation that I have had has happened at the same time that I have been playing a specific song on my iPod, (another wonderful technical invention!) as I exercise in the mornings.

The song that keeps stopping me dead in my tracks is a song that has been out for a while called “Safe” by Phil Wickham. It takes me back to a place when God first taught me about the RAW AUTHENTICITY of the Truth that we are Safe with God.

In 2002 when I became sick with Gallstones stuck in my bial duct and developed Pancreatitis, I realized I had no other choice but to trust God to feel SAFE. I was down at Shands Hospital in MICU where we didn’t know anyone. I was heavily medicated and having a hard time making much out of what was reality and what was the medication playing with my mind.

Kevin along with others began praying over me that angels would surround my room. He prayed that God would bring us the best doctors and nurses to help me. He prayed that God would keep me SAFE in God’s arms. God amazingly answered these prayers! In miraculous proportions!

I was so sick… I couldn’t pray. I had to rely on others to carry that task.

Let me back up some 4 months….

I was pregnant with Carson (daughter #2) and a friend of mine, that had been meeting with me for several years to study the Bible together, wanted to pray over me and the baby before I delivered.

I knew in my heart that our prayer time was going to be precious but had no clue how DEEP it would be!
God delivered a message through her that would be the catalyst of many, many things to come.

This woman walks with a mightier faith than I have ever witnessed. She walks in the gift of prophecy. God used her as a vessel to share His words with me to encourage me. This is one of the gifts of the Spirit that is still very much alive today.

Prophecy is used for edification of the body. It is used to encourage, admonish, and uplift.
The Greek and Hebrew meaning of “prophecies” is “forth and to speak”. As stated in Strong’s Concordance (fancy word for a large book that holds all the Greek and Hebrew definitions of words in the Bible) Prophecy means ”not predictive, in the sense of foretelling, but interpretative, declaring, or forth-telling, the will and counsel of God.” Click here to read more in Strong’s Concordance.

We began to pray that day and God’s Holy Spirit presence showed up. What do I mean by that? There was an overwhelming peace that filled the room and my heart. It was just as simple as that.

God spoke these words through my friend. “You about to begin a time when you will walk through fire. This fire will be very hot and will seem like it will kill you. It will NOT. You have to remember this word that I am speaking to you. I will never leave you, I will never leave you, I will never leave you. “ (Guess He thought I didn’t catch the message the first time and needed to emphasize it 3 times!)

The Word that I received from my God was more than just those sentences, but these words are what I am focusing on today in sharing this message with you.

You see it was 3 months later that the fire did indeed come….with vengence!

This fire was REAL. When those pancreatic enzymes seeped through my body is was like battery acid that was burning my entire insides. It was like a fire burning inside my body. The doctors explained it just like that. It HURT. I will never forget the pain but more importantly I will not forget the message that he gave me that February day before walking through this trial.

Those words continually ran through my head day after day for those 49 days that I was at Shand’s Hospital fighting for my life. He used those words to bring me back to that “Safe” place.

He reminded me of the examples that Phil Wickham so eloquently put in his song. These stories that I learned years prior gave me such strength on days when I didn’t think I would make it another hour.

He is the one that calms the raging seas – (Luke 8 )
He gives sight to the blind – (Psalms 146:8 )
He pulls the lame up to their feet – (Acts 14)
The voice that brings the dead to life and healed the leaper (Matthew 15)

So many times we doubt the God that did all this is capable of handling our problems! Huh?! Makes you want to think twice before worrying about things.

I had to live in the place of remembering the precious encouraging words that God spoke to me through that precious obedient woman. I had to remember I was SAFE.

I am still SAFE in His arms…even when traveling. 🙂

Here is this song. It gives you the whole story at how Phil wrote this song. Very inspiring story! Worth the time to listen. I pray all that hear it today will be renewed in their walk to trust the God that made the heavens and the Earth! I want to just SHOUT …GLORY!