I once had the experience of losing my best friend. It wasn't like I knew it was going to happen...it just did. One day at school, she stopped talking to me. She didn't reply to my texts or emails or anything.

I was fortunate to have this friend back again, closer than ever. We got to know each other more and how to prevent things like this from happening again. But that didn't mean the pain of losing her was gone. It was hard for me; I cried for about two hours one night after our last conversation until two months later. Now, I realize that God has given me hope, and I want to share that with someone who's just lost her friend. I don't know her personally and I don't know what's going on AND I know she probably won't ever read this, but I want to tell her that things are going to be okay.

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[To the one who's dreams are falling all apart]
[And all you're left with is a tired and broken heart]

She was tired. Looking ahead at the track, the distance she still needed to run, she bent down and rested her palms on her knees as she tried to even out her breathing. Again, she raised her head to look towards the finish line that loomed in front of her still some distance away.

Blowing out a quick breath, she straightened up and started running again, keeping her eyes on her goal.

[I can tell by your eyes you think your on your own]
[But you're not all alone]

As she ran, her eyes fell from the race's end and looked instead at the ground under her moving legs. She strained, struggled to take oxygen into her needy lungs. Her tired arms and sore legs moved on their own accord, screaming at the pain they felt. She almost gave in, wanting to stop.

[Have you heard of the One who can calm the raging seas]
[Give sight to the blind, pull the lame up to their feet]
[With a love so strong He'll never let you go]
[Oh you're not alone]

Every time she looked around her, there was no one. The land was barren save for her running hard to get to the finish line. There was no one watching her, no one waiting for her, no one cheering her on to complete her race. She was utterly alone.

[You will be safe in His arms]
[You will be safe in His arms]
['Cause the hands that hold the world are holding your heart]

She was on the verge of giving up. There was no motivation for her to run further, nothing to encourage her to finish the run she had started.

[This is the promise He made]
[He will be with you always]
[When everything is falling apart]

Her stride was broken as she tripped over an unseen rock in the near-darkness in her path. Falling down, her knees skidded onto the cold, hard ground. Her hands broke part of her fall, but she ended up lying down, heavily panting on the deserted road. The view of the ground blurred as something hot trickled down her cheeks.

[You will be safe in His arms]

A pair of arms came around her as she was crying, sobbing on the ground. Looking up, a familiar, warm face smiled back at her as she was placed back onto her feet.

"Daddy," the little girl whispered softly as she sniffed and wiped her own tears away.

There were no arms to lift her up now. Instead, a warm breeze blew through, drying her tears up. It seemed to push her forward, threatening to blow her away if she did not run in the direction it beckoned her to. Regaining part of her strength, she stood up and continued at a slow jog.

[Did you know that the voice that brings the dead to life]
[Is the very same voice that calls you to rise]
[So hear Him now He's calling you home]
[You will never be alone]

The wind blew gently in her ear, as if whispering to her as she ran down the road.

[You will be safe in His arms]
[You will be safe in His arms]
['Cause the hands that hold the world are holding your heart]

As she ran, she felt a spark ignite somewhere deep inside her. A light was lit in the darkness, trying to find its way out.

[This is the promise He made]
[He will be with you always]
[When everything is falling apart]
[You will be safe in His arms]

Slow confidence came with the longer strides she took as she covered more distance. The small spark of fire burned just a little brighter, expelling the darkness.

[These are the hands that built the mountains, the hands that calm the seas]
[These are the arms that hold the heavens]
[They are holding you and me]

Now, the warm winds were blowing harder, pushing her towards the finish line. She could see rocks and boulders in her path of travel, but the flame now roared inside of her, the light filling her eyes and allowing her to see. Her eyebrows furrowed in determination as the wind practically picked her up and carried her as she leapt over the tall rocks, not one of them touching her feet.

Just a few feet further, the veil in front of her eyes were lifted. No longer was the land around her deserted, no longer was she alone. People were all around her, cheering her on as she sprinted towards the end of the race. There it was, the finish line.

[These are hands that healed the leper]
[Pulled the lame up to their feet]
[These are the arms that were nailed to a cross to break our chains and set us free]

The cloud of darkness was lifted, and the fire inside of her raged to an almost threatening degree. It burned inside of her heart, urging her on as the wind carried her feet and crossing the finish line. Cheers exploded around her, and from every direction, people she knew and loved ran towards to her envelope her in their arms. Laughter sounded in the air, and as she looked up into the sky, she could see someone smiling down at her.

Her heart leapt with joy, and a radiant smile came from her, responding to the person who looked on her with love. The wind blew again, caressing her arms as if someone was there, holding her tightly.

[You will be safe in His arms]
[You will be safe in His arms]
[The hands that hold the world are holding your heart]
[This is the promise He made]
[He will be with you always]
[When everything is falling apart]

[You will be safe in His arms]

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