New Music Friday:

There's something about TobyMac's new song, "Lord It Feels Good," that caught me off guard.  It's not because life suddenly got easy.  It's because this song reminds me that God's goodness isn't measured by smooth sailing.

When Toby sings..."I'm feelin' loved when the walls shake... Love when my heart breaks in arms that are open wide..." I think about the moments I've stood beside hospital beds as a chaplain.  I've watched families say goodbye.  I've had days when my own plans didn't work out, when my health reminded me I'm not twenty-five anymore, and when I wondered if I was still making a difference.

The walls shake. Our hearts break. But God doesn't run from broken hearts—He pulls them closer.  Sometimes I've felt God's embrace more in the valleys than I ever did on the mountaintops.

Then he sings..."I'm feelin' loved in the chaos, when I'm feelin' anxious, a river when my heart runs dry." If I'm honest, I'm a planner.  Many years in the Navy taught me to anticipate problems before they happen.  But ministry has taught me something even more important:  “you can't plan away every storm”.

There are days when the news overwhelms us, when family concerns weigh heavy, when finances tighten, or when we're wondering what tomorrow holds.  Yet somehow, God keeps pouring peace into places that should've run dry a long time ago.

Isaiah said God's peace is like a river.  Rivers don't stop flowing because the weather changes.  Neither does God's grace.

And then these words may be my favorite in the whole song: "Man, I know I don't deserve all o' these blessings... I put my faith in You so I can stop the guessing... I got a good life, but, Father, You're the best thing... I don't say it as much as I should."

That one hit home.

I've been blessed with a wonderful family.  I've had the privilege of serving my country. Now I get to serve the Lord through Hope FM, my church, and in hospital rooms where people need hope more than answers.

I've caught a lot of fish over the years, watched some beautiful sunrises on the water, and laughed with my grandkids.

God has been so good to me. But if all of those blessings disappeared tomorrow...I'd still have the greatest blessing of all—Jesus Christ.

Sometimes I spend so much time thanking God for what He's done that I forget to thank Him simply for who He is.

Maybe today we all need to say it a little more often: "Father, You're the best thing."

Not because life is perfect. Not because every prayer has been answered the way we wanted. But because when the walls shake...He's still there. When our hearts break...His arms are still open. When our strength runs dry...His river never does.

And friends...that feels good.

Check out the video!