The Night That Jesus Came

As many of you may or may not know, in 2009 I had an actual encounter with Jesus that led to the transformational change of my entire life. This piece that you are about to read is my poetic, simple version of the encounter with Jesus that is still engraved within my mind and my heart, today. But first, allow me to set the foundation for you..

In 2009 I was without any type of relationship with God. I had no interest in Him or what He had to say in regards to my life. I was an alcoholic, addicted to prescription drugs, in a very toxic relationship, living in sin, in and out of jail, and suffering from very dark depression. One night, just like any other, I fell asleep in the same bed, inside the same room, located in the same house, within the same town I had been in for years. Yet this night, was very different.

What started as a dream, transformed into an appointment with Eternity...

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The Night that Jesus Came

Wrapped in shame

I entered His courts.

Trembling with fear

I knew who He was.

Radiating with wonder

Ancient power so unyielding

Yet a simple man,

A strong man

He stood.

Clothed in white linen

Eternity held together

By the holes in His body

Where love poured out

Onto my soul.

Yet there He was.

Truth in flesh

God in motion

I had His attention

Nothing could be hidden.

In His presence all is revealed

Perfection knowledge in existence.

His eyes burned right through,

My heart of wood, hay and stubble

He saw the years of all my trouble

And there I stood...undone.

Entirely shattered

All that I had hidden

Unraveled before His mercy

He found me out completely.

Too ashamed to look up

I hung my head low

Yet even looking down

I was reminded once more

The holes in His feet 

looking through them to the floor.

An apology in order

A feeble mind could only conjure

With an unpure tongue

Infinite words I tried to utter

Yet in intimacy, He interrupted.

Eternity was smiling.

HE was smiling.

Unashamed of my stature

His eyes of fire

Burning with desire

for me.

His pursuit, now over.

His intercession, drew me closer.

Centuries of eternities

He waited for me.

I was His victory.

More than a prize to obtain

Or as a deed to be signed

Instead a Bride,

His Bride.

With His arm stretched forward,

He reached.

The Creator 

reunited with the created.

Healing hands of power

anointed my head with love.

Holy was He

I responded in fear

Hiding from His splendor

Yet I was covered in glory.

As a dead man lie

Motionless I died

Yet my body still alive

For my soul to be revived,

He spoke.

Words uttered in the Heavens

Whispered among angels

Unconceivable to a mortal,

He spoke.

Creation formed through His lips

A universe balanced upon His fingertips

Yet He drew near to my ear, 

and He spoke.

Quiet as a whisper

Echoing with great volumes

His power shook my bones.

Gentle enough to awake me

Stern enough to break me

Yet strong enough to save me,

He spoke.

As a diamond has it’s facets,

His voice an infinite of dimensions.

No pause to be found.

Not a breath to be caught.

Dripping with words as honey

Smooth and profound did He speak.

His native tongue I could not conceive

These words unfamiliar to my ears,

Yet I was filled.

For the first time,

I was filled.

My purpose had been stated.

The commission, made clear.

He called me.

Summoned by the One

Whom sits upon His throne

His dominion, my new home

He called me.

Glory captured my heart

A servant to His will

His plans I would fulfill

He called me.

And just like that,

In an instant it was over.

An age-old mystery

no longer concealed.

Ears still ringing

Barely breathing

My heart set on fire.

His presence lingered.

I met my Shepherd 

I knew His name

Forever changed

The night that Jesus came.

Amy Basel

So Just Believe

Ever receive a Promise from the Lord, yet waited and witnessed nothing come to pass? Ever feel…

Hopeless?

Helpless?

Frustrated?

Weak?

Overwhelmed?

Forgotten?

Then this is for you.

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(If you are not interested in the story behind this, although I highly encourage you to read it, just skip to the bottom for the actual song. Other than that, read on.)

So, I wrote a song.

Now, allow me to make something very clear. I have never considered myself a songwriter of any sort. I do love to write, and even poetry is something I enjoy, but never have I attempted to write an actual song. That is, until the day the words were ringing out so loudly in my heart that I could not contain them.

May 31, 2014 - I stood in my bedroom in Michigan and stared out the window into the cloudy and lifeless sky. I felt so hopeless. As a matter of fact, hopeless cannot suffice to the feelings that were overwhelming my heart. “Where are you Lord?” I asked Him as I turned away from the window and sat down at my old wooden desk. This desk had seen my best and my worst days. This desk was my sanctuary. Whenever I would sit there to meet with the Lord, pen in hand and a fresh page in my journal, this is the place where my fear would meet His beckoning voice. This is the place where my peace was reinstated. Always.

You see, as like many of you, the Lord had given me a specific promise. And also like many of you, I had not seen this promise come to pass yet. One month prior, the Lord had spoken to me that in a certain amount of months, everything in my life would drastically change. My atmosphere, my friendships, even myself. He declared that He had a great opportunity for me on the horizon, if I would just hold fast and wait upon Him. Of course one month seemed like it turned into forever, so at this moment in time, I felt frustrated. “Did you really speak that to me, Lord?” I dropped my head into my hands as if it weighed 100 pounds. And at the moment, with all of the frustration and fear, it very well could have. I sighed deeply as tears flowed from my eyes, down my cheeks, and one by one dripped onto my desk like an old leaky faucet. Ironically enough, I felt old. I felt tired. I felt defeated. Waiting has a way of doing that to you. It has a way of convincing you that the entire world is living “the dream” and somehow, you slipped under the mighty radar of God. Ever felt like that? Maybe it was just me.

But then…there He was. You see, when the Lord speaks to me, it comes from deep within. My heart was filled so full with…something. Have you ever wanted to eagerly express what you were feeling, yet opening up your mouth to form the first word seemed impossible? Yeah…it was kind of like that. You see, when the Lord sustains, He also empowers. He doesn’t just leave you where you are, He strengthens you to continue on. And in that moment, He did just that.

“I feel You beckoning me in…” is all I could whisper through trembling lips. “You want me to do more than this…” I opened my eyes as my body surged with an energy of hope and assurance that, until then, I had no idea existed.

And then, in the silence of my brokenness, in the center of my weakness, He spoke… 

Write these Words down, Beloved. For I am giving you a song to sing and a reminder that I mean what I say, and I always say exactly what I mean.

I trembled, as I usually do, as His words comforted and rang through every piece of my once troubled heart. I was filled with a song…His song. I grabbed my pen and flipped the page of my notebook to a new fresh page. The words flowed from my lips as my hand desperately tried to keep up. 

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One Year Later: It's time to share. 

You see, His promise came to pass. God uprooted me and showed forth what He declared. New atmosphere, new friendships, new me, and even the brand new opportunity. Everything He promised, not one word returned void.

God moved me to Tennessee for 6 months to reveal to me who I was without all of the "crutches" I comfortably leaned on, back home in Michigan. Then, after that lesson was completed, God moved me right back to Michigan to prove to me just how much He had changed me. I tried to jump back into all that I had left, but nothing seemed to fit anymore. It was kind of like the "New Wine in old Wine Skins", story. I wasn't meant to fit back in with my old life. I wasn't supposed to try and open a locked door. No one understood it, and I was criticized and rebuked immensely by many people whom I used to run the race with. But you see, you can't let the chatter slow you down. 

When God calls you to step out in faith, it will almost never make sense to those who aren't walking your journey. You just have to learn to not let that bother you.

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And so, I am once again embarking on another adventure.

God is calling me out of Michigan, yet again, and I am heading back to Tennessee for about a month.

I can't help but laugh, because this whole "Pilgrim" Lifestyle is quite interesting. Sometimes I have to remind myself that some of the great men of faith in the old testament packed up their lives and moved at the sound of God's command. So why not me, as well?

Yet I want you to realize something; it never looks like what you think it's going to.

It's good to have a plan for the future; but don't allow it to get in the way of God's plans. Things are subject to change without a moment's notice, are you willing to go with the flow?

His leadership has never once failed, and that's all you need to know.

So, with all of that being said, I wanted to give you the background story to this song before I share it because it means something to me.

This song is personal. 

Very personal.

And without you knowing the foundation of it, this song would merely be just a clever group of words, pieced together. 

So, here it is. A large piece of my heart in the form of a song, that I believe is going to help someone just like it has to me. 

Enjoy and take heart. Our God is a faithful, and loving Father. 

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SO JUST BELIEVE

And I feel You, beckoning me in..

You want me to do more than this…

So much more than this

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Harbored on my shores of unbelief

The anchors are raised - You say “Come to Me”

“Oh won’t you come to Me”

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Designed outside of time 

Limitations are now disguised 

You’ve given me wings of my own

And now it’s time to fly

__

So I hear You now…

Finally, I hear You now

__

You say

“Rest assure - there’s so much more

My voice is an invitation, for I am standing at your door

All things have been made new - My hand’s extended unto you

Nothing can hold you back if you don’t want it to

Look beyond the horizon - I’m giving you a clearer view

You thought this was the end - but here is your breakthrough

So just believe.”

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Trying to fit into the crowd - yet I was born to stand right out

Searching for love in a broken world - my itinerary of doubt 

But then You rushed right in

Abolished my slavery to sin

You’ve been calling unto my weary heart

“Beloved arise - and choose to LIVE”

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So I hear You now…

Finally I hear You now

__

You say

“Rest assure - there’s so much more”

My voice is an invitation, for I am standing at your door

All things have been made new - my hand’s extended unto you

Nothing can hold you back if you don’t want it to

Look beyond the horizon - I’m giving you a clearer view

You thought this was the end, but here is your breakthrough

So just believe.“

__

And every wall - You’re walking right through them all

Running this race before me - I’m answering Your call

You never wanted my perfection - in Your love there’s no rejection

Standing upon this Rock - oh, I am free

To love You back - is all You’ve asked of me

I’m learning to trust - although my eyes, they cannot not see

but I believe 

Oh Lord, now I believe.

Amy Basel - 2015

I Found "The One"

Has it been 1000 years?

Or has it been 1 day?

Time has blurred with it's reality.

I have no reason to keep track.

You can take it all,

Because now I have him.

It’s like he came out of no where.

I didn’t even have a chance.

He had his eye on me for a quite a while,

But I was really none the wiser.

You see, I was so wrapped up in “life”.

So tangled up in myself that I never ventured out.

I had an eye for beauty, but that of the world.

Till he came across my path and  and I saw beauty within.

He wasn't like the rest...

He was different.

He was greater.

My heart abruptly fell in love.

Who is this man?

I waited for so long.

Where have you been this entire time?

He was finally here.

I sought out so many others.

Settled for seemingly "good",

my faith lacked in waiting for "great".

Searching for the unconditional in the conditional man.

But then he opened my eyes to more.

An invitation to seek what I was promised to find.

He loved me whole. 

He loved me past restoration,

Instead He loved me new.

I was not some last choice,

I was a diamond in the rough.

A pearl of great price.

His desire was to see me flourish,

Not to hide me and diminish my light.

He asked me to be his bride,

And for my life he has committed to fight.

The world...they think I'm crazy.

Too obsessed for my own good,

They tell me to slow down.

"He's all you talk about!"

"He's all you think about!"

"You've fallen too hard!"

"You love him too much!"

But then I smile.

I nod to agree.

Their words are a melody to my ears.

They couldn't be more right.

If loving him means I've lost my mind

Then tell me again, where do I sign?

Because it gets better.

Oh, does it get better.

Do you know the best part?

Have I told you the greatest secret of all?

You see, we’ve never actually met,

Yet my heart knows him well.

He is closer than my breath.

Closer than the very skin on my bones.

He is coming, yet is already here.

He calls out my name, yet holds me close.

He lifts me higher, yet beckons me lower.

His invitation to live, orders me first to die.

The more that I lose, the more with Him that I gain.

He is the servant of all, yet the King of Kings.

His upside down Kingdom,

The world cannot comprehend.

Nor can He be contained. 

Yet He loves me.

Isn’t that wild?

Who am I to be desired by this man?

Yet his thoughts toward me run endless.

You see, I’ve never met Him,

Yet I’m spending eternity with Him.

My Savior

My Redeemer

My Healer

My Husband

My Love

My Peace

My King

My Friend

My Confidence

My Protector

My Everything…

My Jesus

Amy Basel

In Love and In Waiting: The Prayer of a Single Woman

Out of all the distractions in this world, Lord I want to be distracted by You.

Out of all the things I could gaze upon, I love to gaze upon You who makes me new.

Out of all the men I have ever seen, Lord You’re the only One that my soul will forever need. 

For who could possibly win my heart? Who could ever compare?

Only You hold a position at the center of my life that no one shall ever share.

Yes, my desire is that I shall be captivated by a man who walks in Truth…

but Lord I declare, I would rather be alone than to have someone who doesn’t look like You.

I feel the moment is coming, the day when all will be revealed.

All of the promises You spoke to my heart of the man whose identity You have concealed.

I pray, Lord continue to mold me. Turn me into the woman You’ve called me to be.

Make me a wife who will one day add to his life, abundantly past what his eyes can see.

The cry of my heart is to love him; to honor, to cherish, and to submit.

But I refuse to settle, so in faith I will wait for the one who You should see fit.

Your faithfulness has taken me over, You’ve counted me worthy to walk in Your peace.

There’s no need to worry, in Your patience I wait, for Your blessing to soon be released.

And as I sit in the silence, Your presence reminds my heart that I’ll never be alone.

No matter how long I wait, I stand here in faith, lavished in love that You’ve already shown.

So it is here that I rest at Your feet. For abiding in You I have grown to see…

I have all that I want, and all that I need in this life because Christ lives in me.

Amy Basel

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