This has been a tough month with way too much going on, but I've managed to get something down for the challenge. I'm not much of a guitarist, but I don't have a keyboard where I currently am so I borrowed my daughter's little 3/4 classical and did my best. All help/feedback welcome (is the original song too obvious?)! 1] You are my shelter in times of trouble, You are the stronghold that keeps me safe, Holding me steady through every trial; You are my hiding place. 2] You offer peace when the ground is shaking, Rest, though the earth and the sky give way. You will surround me when fires are raging; You are my hiding place. CH] You are my Savior, My rock, my defender. God, my protector, You are my hiding place. You are my hiding place. 3] Even through days when I doubt your goodness, Even though mine is a fragile faith, You hold me fast like a mighty fortress; You are my hiding place. CH 4] Guarding my soul, through my final journey, You'll not abandon me to the grave. Even through death I will keep on singing, “You are my hiding place!”

Hey Writers! For June I thought it would be fun to do what I'm calling a "copycat" challenge. It's a great way to learn and give yourself a structure that works to start from. Here's what I'm thinking: Pick a congregational song you love to sing. Then study the structural parts like syllable count per line, rhyme scheme and overall form. For example: Your copycat song could be based on "His Mercy is More". In that case, you'd be writing a 6/8 song at about 121bpm. You'd have 3 verses and a chorus. The verses would be 4 lines of 11 syllables each. Your verse rhyme scheme would be AABB. The title of your song would be in line 2 and the end of line 4. Like last month, writing within these kinds of boundaries can often spark creativity, AND the strictness also gives you a solid start. What also would be fun is when you post, DO NOT tell us what song you are copying. Let's see if we can figure out what the song is just based on your own finished product. HAPPY WRITING!!

Update: pasted lyrics & recording inline below. How do you endure suffering, when God gives no answer? This song attempts to capture the dark emotions and unsettling questions of such times. But even in the depths of despair, the lament exercises faith by continuing to cry out to God. 4/4, 65bpm Here's the outline: - Verse 1 - God, I am in great distress - Verse 2 - God, You have caused all my suffering - Chorus - God, I cry to You. How can any good come from this? - Verse 3 - God, if You don't save me, I will die - Verse 4 - God, why have you afflicted me? Lyrics: V1 My soul is full of trouble, my life draws near Sheol. O God of my salvation to You I raise my cry. I am a man without strength like one poured out to death, like those whom You remember no more. V2 My soul is full of anger, I suffer by Your plan. By friends I am forsaken, You've taken them from me. Your waves have overwhelmed me, Your wrath I can't escape. You've shut me in behind and before. Chorus Let my pray'r come to You, incline Your ear, Lord, to my cry. Ev'ry day I call upon You, O God! Is Your love known in the grave, or Your wonders in the dark? Ev'ry night I call upon You, O God. V3 My soul is full of anguish, my eyes are dim with grief. God, when will You deliver and lift me from the pit? How can Your faithfulness, Lord, be told by one destroyed? Or Your goodness by those abandoned? V4 My soul is full of questions, You've put me in the dark. I seek but can not find You, have You not heard my cries? Why do You hide Your face, God and cast my soul away? Oh, why must I endure affliction? Final tag Ev'ry night I seek Your mercy Ev'ry day I seek Your love Ev'ry night I call upon You, O God.

Oh to live more to you, O Lord For you have redeemed my soul Oh to live more to you, O Lord I was saved to do your will Chorus Everyday I live by mercy Everyday I live by grace Working out what you’ve done for me At the cross, my debt erased

I was thinking about how one of the fruits of the Spirit is joy, and how I long for joy to be present through life's uncertainty and pain. -I sang "loose" (as in "release") since it's a nice active verb, but something about it isn't sitting right - does it sound too demanding? Too easily confused with "lose"? 😅 -Seemed like it needed a refrain as a break from all the words, but I'm not sure about it... -I've tried several different melodies for this thing and am still not sure! I think I accidentally recycled a bit of melody from my last song...help! -I appreciate help with anything else you notice! Loose (Let/May?) your joy, O Holy Spirit, Like (Be?) a never-ending stream Through our brightest days of blessing And our darkest nights of pain, Flowing, steady, through our deserts Of anxiety and doubt; Lord, refresh us through our journey On this hard and holy ground. In the shadows of unknowing, In the shifting of the sands, When our lonely path is hidden And we cannot find/feel your hand, Let your fountains of rejoicing Sweeten even every fall, When we find our every misstep Fit your purpose all along. Placeholder: Spirit, loose your joy Spirit, loose your joy Through the fire of our trials Let it mingle with our tears, Through (For) the sting of loss and sorrow And the ache of wasted years Nothing can undo the promise (Cannot burn away the promise) Sealed with Jesus’ precious blood: All our grief will turn to gladness In an/your everlasting flood. Spirit, loose your joy...