God Gave Me You

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:11-13

A few days ago, I was talking to a friend of mine about God's plan for us.  He had suffered an anxiety attack over some issues going on in his life.  I told him that I used to regularly have panic attacks as well.  The world would race around me, and I felt that I could not breathe.  It was in those time that i thought of my greatest comfort, my mother singing "You Are My Sunshine."  I would begin singing the song, and my panic attack would subside.  However, that was only a temporary measure, and the problems were not going away.  I took a long hard look at myself and realized that I was nothing without my faith in God.  Talking to God had gotten me through the fear and confusion of coming to terms with being gay, and many other issues I have faced in my life.  And I realized that I needed to turn to God and depend on him more.

As Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." I told my friend that God has a plan for us.  Matthew 7:13-14 says, "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."  We must look and pray to God for guidance if we want to enter through the narrow gate.

This discussion eventually turned to a discussion of if part of God's plan had been for us to meet and become friends.  Without hesitation, I said that it was.  I am fortunate for all of my friends and I believe that God had a purpose in bringing those loved ones into my life.  Sometimes life can be so difficult and stressful, but when we have faith in God, He has a way to relive that pain and stress.  I certainly believe that friends are one of the many, and maybe one of the most important, ways he does this.

"God Gave Me You" is a song written and originally recorded by American contemporary Christian music singer Dave Barnes. Barnes wrote the song after the title came to him while he was walking through London, England. He told Country Weekly that "the lyrics just flowed together with the melody" when he wrote it. Barnes also said that he was inspired by his wife, Annie, who supported him "through all the ups and downs of an artist's career." After releasing it, he said that he received mail from fans who said that the song's message "saved marriages or became a theme for a couple's relationship."  In 2011, country music singer Blake Shelton covered the song for his album Red River Blue. It was released in July 2011 as the second single from this album. Shelton heard Barnes' version of the song on a contemporary Christian station, and said that it inspired him to propose to then-girlfriend Miranda Lambert; the music video included footage from Lambert the night before their wedding.

Both Barnes and Shelton use the song to show the love and support their wives have given them, but I think the words are so universal for anyone who is important in your life.  I have several people in my life that I am lucky that God gave me, and I hope that you too have someone that God gave you to help you through troubled times and in the good as well.  God has a plan for each of us, so ask Him for his guidance in following the right path.

"God Gave Me You"

I've been a walking heartache

I've made a mess of me

The person that I've been lately

Ain't who I wanna be

But you stay here right beside me

And watch as the storm blows through

And I need you

Cause God gave me you for the ups and downs

God gave me you for the days of doubt

And for when I think I lost my way

There are no words here left to say, it's true

God gave me you

Gave me you

There's more here than what we're seeing

A divine conspiracy

That you, an angel lovely

Could somehow fall for me

You'll always be love's great martyr

And I'll be the flattered fool

And I need you

Yeah!

God gave me you for the ups and downs

God gave me you for the days of doubt

And for when I think I lost my way

There are no words here left to say, it's true

God gave me you

On my own I'm only

Half of what I could be

I can't do without you

We are stitched together

And what love has tethered

I pray we never undo

Cause God gave me you for the ups and downs

God gave me you for the days of doubt

God gave me you for the ups and downs

God gave me you for the days of doubt

And for when I think I lost my way

There are no words here left to say, it's true

God gave me you, gave me you

He gave me you