amazing grace

amazing grace, how sweet the sound
that saved a wretch like me
i once was lost, but now am found
was blind, but now i see
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saul, who later became the apostle paul, was blinded, literally, by God Himself on the way to damascus (syria) to persecute early Christians. after saul's conversion, "something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight." he was blind, but because of grace, his sight was restored. he was lost and had to be led by the hand the rest of the way to damascus, yet he found his way via grace alone.
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twas grace that taught my heart to fear
and grace my fears relieved
how precious did that grace appear
the hour i first believed
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i just spent a month with high schoolers from all over the country and was able to see lives literally changed forever in front of my eyes. i am grateful for the privilege to be in just one week of so many kids' lives, when fears were relieved forever. if you're one of those kids i got to hang out with, thank you for being who you are.
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through many dangers, toils, and snares
i have already come
tis grace that brought me safe thus far
and grace will lead me home
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if i heard one story of home life gone completely awry in a kid's life while at camp, i heard a hundred. seeing them go home, though, after giving their lives to Christ gave new meaning to "grace will lead me home." one new friend in particular was so scared about what awaited her in her home that she said she didn't want to leave such a beautiful, accepting place and go home. but, she also knew that God would take care of her and love her for who she was, flaws and all. grace led her home.
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when we've been there ten thousand years
bright shining as the sun
we've no less days to sing God's praise
than when we first begun
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my favorite verse of all of 'em. time, fear, worry, everything will go by the wayside in the life to come. ten thousand years will seem like a blink of an eye and a blink of an eye will feel like ten thousand years. time out at malibu seemed a bit like that at times...but no matter how awesome that place was (and is), it's NOTHING compared to heaven. nothing as in our-minds-can't-even-process-it-nothing. love it.