Am I Still, Do I Wait?

Tell me Lord,

Do I stay in Your Presence long enough

To hear what You have to say?

Do I start out with a list of my concerns

And not listen to Yours?

Do I feel good because I’ve said my prayer,

I’ve given You thanks,

I think I’ve done

what my faith asks of me to do?

Do I rush off with my list of things to do

Instead of Yours?

Lord, Am I still, do I wait for You?

Heaven

I got a call late one night this week that my mother had passed away. I laid in bed trying to wrap my mind around this news. Although expected, I felt a little lonely. Stories of the past came flooding in. I thought about the joy that now surrounded her and wrote the following.

 

Heaven

God called out your name.

He came and took you home.

Your flame burned out,

But you live on.

Every tear wiped away,

And every fear forever gone.

Now you rejoice in His love,

Surrounded in joy.

You took His hand

And entered heaven's gates.

You saw the face of Christ,

And eternity in His eyes.

You danced on clouds

And celebrated your new life.

The angels sang,

Flutes and harps, too.

Surrounded in love, forevermore.

Loved ones gathered 'round,

Family and friends reunited,

As you celebrated heaven's bliss.

How amazing it is

To see the love in God's eyes.

How wonderful it will be,

To live with Him always.

 

 

 

You Set Me Free

Sometimes I feel like I'm trapped,

Restrained by chains,

Locked in the dark abyss.

I once believed I was in a place

Where light could not exist.

Surrounded on all sides,

By fear, pain, and regret.

I couldn't see through the darkness,

Until I whispered Your name.

Then Your light began to trickle in.

You opened the door

And broke the chains.

You reached out to me,

I took Your hand.

Then I saw Your glorious light.

You set me free.

My Savior walks with me.

You are the peace inside my soul.

You, Jesus, are my living hope.

Amen.

 

 

 

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

 

Growing Faith

 

 

Jesus healed many and blessed thousands. He showed us how to live a life of love, loving God and loving others. He showed us how to live a life of faith.

Jesus and His disciples came upon a man possessed by many demons. He commanded the supernatural to come out of the man. Who is this that upon hearing His voice the demons had to obey?

Later that day, Jesus and His disciples climbed into a boat and rowed into the sea. A terrible storm rose up and tossed their boat around as if it were nothing more than a scrap of wood. The disciples were feared for their lives. Jesus was sleeping in the boat instead of saving them, so they woke Him.  Jesus commanded the wind and waves to cease. Who is this that upon hearing His voice the wind and waves had to obey?

Perhaps Jesus was sleeping at all. Perhaps He wanted to see their faith in action as they faced their fears in a dangerous storm. Sometimes we face frightening storms. Out of our fears we sometimes doubt. Our faith gets shaken. We wonder if Jesus is sleeping in our boat instead of helping us. We wonder if He hears our pleas. Might He have walked away?

Is our faith little or big? Is our faith somewhere in the middle?  Do we have enough faith to keep going when we enter a stormy season? Do we understand that Jesus is in our boat, always with us, even when we doubt?

What kind of training do we need to overcome our fears and live life by faith and hope? Unshakable faith doesn't come from an easy life, it comes from having our faith shaken in the storms. We can be blown over by strong wind, washed out into the deep, or we can stand in the eye of the storm with Christ. The wind is going to blow and the lightening is going to crack. Our world will be shaken, but we can always find a strong shelter, a supernatural shelter, in His arms.

When we weather storms and face our fears with Jesus, our faith grows. We are made stronger. We are surrounded by love. We will learn that hope still exists, no matter the pain, no matter the loss. Jesus is our hope now and forever.

I have been through many storms. I have lost much. I have doubted. I know that Jesus is in my boat, but sometimes I wondered if He was sleeping.

The last storm took my joy, my hope, my love, and my peace. I believed I had nothing left. I was wrong. Jesus was with me through it all. He reached out to me again and again. He held me. He cried with me. He comforted and loved me. He was my hope, my Savior, my God, my everything. He helped me stand and then we walked and we talked. My faith grew stronger.

My life and my future are different than what I had planned. Jesus had something else in mind, a fresh new start. It is full of light and challenges me in ways I didn't believe possible. My problems with dyslexia and writing have vanished. He has called me to write, share, and live my out my faith differently. I didn't believe it possible, but with Jesus in my boat, the impossible, became possible.    

 

 

 

I'll Turn to You

 

Your light dances on sunny days.

I see it glistening on the edge of dark clouds.

Your love breaks the chains that bind.

Your forgiveness sets me free.

When a storm gathers all around,

In the eye, with You, is where I'll be,

Safe and secure as the wind blows 'round.

When my heart is broken,

When life has beaten me down,

I'll turn to You, My God,

My Savior, My awesome Redeemer,

For You are the source of all I need.

 

 

Rise Up!

 

Rejoice!

This is a new day!

Rise up for the Son's light,

Fills our souls with

With love, joy and compassion.

Yesterday has gone away,

But today is a brand new day.

Rise up and greet the Son's light!

And rejoice,

For this is a brand new day!

 

 

My Beautiful Jesus

 

My Beautiful Jesus

Jesus,

Yours is the most beautiful name

In all of creation,

It belongs to the purist of souls.

Eternity can be seen in Your eyes,

Stars shining brightly bringing a sparkle

To Your beautiful eyes.

Every sunrise spreads Your light.

Every rain drop brings love across the land.

Mountains glisten with heavenly snow.

Trees reach up singing Your praise.

The wind carries Your beautiful melody across the skies

Filling my lungs and tingles across my face.

Great joy is found when I walk to the beat of Your drum.

Your presence is here, I can feel you near,

Forever I will sing,

Praises to my glorious King.

Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forgiveness

 

When anger rages from within,

Ears no longer listen in.

You might be angry with another person,

Yourself, or even God.

Though you may hear,

You aren't really listening.

When vengeance or retribution are sought,

Then you are turning away from God.

Let go of anger,

For it will harm you.

Put your anger down, lay it at His feet.

Release the anger and let it flow out.

Let Jesus break the chains that bind.

Forgiveness always frees

The captive heart.

 

 

 

 

 

Your Eyes

 

Lord,

When we invite You in,

You live in our hearts and souls.

You open our eyes to see through Your eyes,

Eyes filled with tears,

As the world turns with pain, anger, and hate.

Life could be so different,

It could be as it was meant to be.

If we desired our hearts to beat with Yours,

We would discover a world filled with love,

Acceptance, forgiveness, and peace.

Brothers and sisters loving You,

Loving others, seeking Your Will.

Every thought, every choice,

Made from infinite love.

We lift our praises to You.

Please guide our lives

To grow to reflect Your love.

Amen.

 

 

 

Beloved Child

 

We sometimes face circumstances

Beyond our control.

Sometimes we feel bound

By chains of darkness and despair.

We may feel deep unrelenting pain.

Don't give up hope.

Jesus is with you right now.

His heart is pure and kind.

His devotion to you is forever.

Look to Him for your strength.

Lift your eyes above the troubles

That surround you.

Look to the One who wants to carry your load.

He will replace your tears and fears

With new joys and peace.

Jesus loves you.

You are His beloved child.

 

 

 

 

Am I Worth It?

Lord,

I see how much You love us.

I know You sacrificed everything for us.

But are we worth it?

Am I worth it?

My beloved child,

Though I created the sun, moon, and stars,

Animals, plants, and humans, too,

You are the sparkle in My eye.

When I consider the valleys we crossed,

The mountains we climbed,

I rejoice because you turn to Me.

I love you more than the sun,

The moon, and the stars.

You are My beloved child.

I walked the earth for you.

I died for you.

I walk with you now.

You are in my heart.

Amen.

Beautiful Diamonds

Lord,

I don't think I'm smart or very pretty.

I'm not shaped the way I would like to be.

I've made mistakes and broken promises.

I don't measure up to others' expectations.

My beloved child,

I love you just as you are.

You are one of My diamonds

That dazzles and sparkles.

My precious diamonds come

In many colors, shapes, and sizes.

They are all beautifully different

And wonderfully unique.

You were created out of love.

I cut and shape every diamond.

The process is often long and arduous,

I use a sharp blade to get just the right shape.

I press each one against the grinding wheel to smooth off the rough edges. I polish each one until I see a perfect reflection of love looking back at Me.

I submerge each diamond in water

And bring it up new.

Color and size don't matter, child,

It's the reflection and sparkle that's in view.

You are beautifully different and perfectly unique. So never doubt your worth,

For you are worth everything to Me.

Amen.

A Promise

You felt defeated

You felt unneeded

Unsure of where to turn

Or where to go

You doubted

You stomped your feet

And shut the door

Oh so stubborn

Refusing to get on board

Then you slowly opened the door

Only an inch or two at first

Your toe peeked out

As if testing the waters

You looked up

A sweet little smile crossed your face

Then you took My hand

A new life

Waiting just for you

Different than before

I made you a promise

To give you hope and a future

Welcome to your new life

Our next adventure

A Pebble

A pebble tumbles through a river,

Falling and colliding with other stones.

Sharp edges are lost

As it battles many storms.

After years of surviving turbulent waters,

It finally finds peace and rest,

When it lays in the soft river bed.

When the pebble emerges,

It is perfectly polished,

Shaped and molded,

Beautifully transformed

To reflect God’s love and grace.

We are Called

God calls us His Beloved,

Children of the Most High.

He offers us freedom,

He offers forgiveness,

He offers us salvation.

He asks us to step forward

And claim His gift of salvation.

When God parted the Red Sea,

The Israelites had to step out in faith

And walk between the parted seas.

We, too, are called to step out in faith

And receive everlasting life.

His invitation still stands.

What will our answer be?

Go ahead, take a step,

And then another,

Claim this wonderful gift,

Receive everlasting life,

Be His child.

A Prayer for the Storms

Lord, I pray to You in the morning,

I pray again most every night.

I thought I was in a good place

And getting most things right.

But before I knew it,

I was drawn into an argument,

Which quickly turned into war.

Hurtful words were spoken,

Tears of pain ran down my face.

They cut right through me,

Then my heart began to break.

I fought my way through it,

Thinking I could fix this,

I could do this on my own.

Then the lightening cracked

And the thunder roared,

Things went horribly wrong.

What I needed was Your guidance,

Your light shining through.

I needed Your help in the darkness,

Showing me a way to get back to You.

We needed Your love in our hearts,

Words of kindness

Needed to be spoken

So healing could begin.

Although I pray to You

In the morning,

And again most every night,

Now I realize I need

To seek You Throughout my day and night.

When the battle lines are drawn

And the storms are pouring down,

I need You more than ever,

I need to hear what You have to say.

God, please guide us

To Your love and grace,

Help us find Your peace today.

Amen.

 

 

 

Turn the Page

 

You hoped for a different outcome.

The pain still lingers.

Your life will never be the same.

You're trying to adjust, but it's a struggle.

You were happy in the past.

Jesus will restore your life,

Happy times will again.

I know you're scared.

You can do it.

Turn the page in your story and

Discover the next chapter.

Yes, it will be different.

Jesus knows you're scared,

But He is right there with you.

Take His hand, He knows the way.

He will help you turn the page.

Discover the future with Him.

It holds new joys and blessings,

So many, there will be plenty to spare.

 

 

Heaven

Sometimes I wonder,

What will heaven be like.

What will I see, what will I feel,

When I hear You call my name.

In that moment when pain and fear

Forever fade away.

You have been with me each and every day.

You have helped me climb mountains,

Then we danced when we reached the top.

You walked beside me,

Even when I doubted Your love.

You took my hand, gave me wisdom,

And helped me understand.

You carried me in the valleys,

And helped me find my way

When I was lost.

You held me close in my sorrows

And healed the holes in my heart.

We shared tears of joy and tears of pain.

When I fell You helped me up

And gave me strength,

You restored my soul.

You filled me with peace on cloudy days,

As we rested in sunlit meadows,

Filled with Your grace.

When I wonder what heaven will be like,

I realize You have been showing

Me all along.

God's Love

Lord,

Your love is patient,

Your love is kind.

You forgive the sin and darkness

I sometimes hide.

Lord, You see right through me,

You see it all,

Yet You love me just the same.

Your love is greater than my regrets,

Brighter than my darkness,

You are greater than all.

Please fill my heart with

Your love and grace.

Help me help others who are in pain.

May my joys and my sorrows,

My wounds and my scars,

Become healing music

In Your magnificent hands.

Amen.

Your Love is the Best of All

 

 

Of all the gifts ever given to me,

Of all the blessings I've ever known,

Lord, Your love is the best of all.

Of all the sunsets I've ever seen,

Of all the flowers

That have ever bloomed,

Lord, Your love is the best of all.

Of all the loves I've ever known,

Of all the friendships I've ever had,

Lord, Your love is the best of all.

Of all the races I've ever won,

Of all the success I've ever found,

Lord, Your love is the best of all.

Of all the starlit nights I've ever seen,

Of all the people I could have been,

Lord, being Your child

Is the best of all.

 

 

 

What Does the Future Hold?

The loss was more than I could take.

The future I knew is now gone.

I am afraid and feel alone.

I know You are here, Lord,

Standing beside me,

Crying with me.

You would never abandon me.

Though I cannot see You,

Or feel You near,

I know You are here.

Lord, what will my future be?

Where shall I go?

What shall I do?

In my heart I heard You say,

"Take My hand

And walk with Me.

Let go of tomorrow,

Spend today with Me.

Tomorrow,

We can bring light where there is darkness,

Hope where there is hopelessness,

Healing where there is pain."

Though, my future has changed,

Though I am unsure and a little afraid,

I know You will guide me

And give me strength.

So I won't worry about tomorrow,

For it is safely in Your hands.

Today, I will spend with You.

 

 

 

 

It Only Takes a Spark

 

God puts a spark down in our souls.

Though it might not realize it,

Though it may seem small at first,

This spark holds the birth of our faith.

It awakens us from within,

And opens our eyes to truly see,

Our ears to truly hear,

And our hearts to truly love.

Our sparks can grow into a flame,

Shining light into the darkness.

It transforms us from within,

It can change those we meet.

When we step out in faith

And give your spark a chance,

We will see our spark become a flame.

It will radiate love,

Spread hope and joy,

More sparks will awaken

And set the world aglow.

 

 

 

 

There is a Mountain I Cannot Climb on My Own

The cross was used for

Sin and shame.

It was an awful,

Sight to see.

Then You came, Lord,

And made it beautiful for me.

Your cross tells a story,

One of redemption,

Because You died for me.

I am forgiven,

Your light lives in me,

You are mine Lord,

Lord of all.

My chains are broken,

Because came to set me free.

There is a mountain,

I cannot climb.

Without Your strength, Lord,

Without Your love,

I am too weak to climb.

You gave Your life, Lord,

You washed me white.

You are with me,

So I can climb.

To the top Lord,

Together we will climb.

At the top, Lord,

I'll shout Your Name,

For You, Lord,

Are my living hope.

Jesus Christ,

Is my living hope.

 

 

Prayer for Love and Light

Lord,

Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose.

Sometimes my faith is strong,

Other times it is not.

Sometimes I feel the warmth of Your love.

Other times I feel only cold from above.

You tell me You are always with me

And the warmth of Your love is always near.

But pain sometimes sows seeds of doubt,

I fear I might have lost Your goodness and grace.

I know You do not cause illness or tragedy,

I know You heal my brokenness from within,

And bring new blessings and hope.

In You I find forgiveness and strength.

Please pour out Your mercy

And shine Your love light down from above.

Amen.