My Light, My Rock - Re-Posted

You are the light along my path,

The rock on which I stand,
You are my refuge in the storms,
I hide within Your hand. 
 
When storms rise up and tempests rage,
Your light breaks through the cloud,
And I am not afraid of them,
However fierce or loud. 
 
For I rest on the hand of God
And, for me, that’s enough,
No storm can wash me from His hand,
However dark or rough. 
 
John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

In Troubles, Peace - Re-Posted

The troubles of this world are mine,

As they belong to all,
But when they come to seek me out
I do not fear their call.

For, though they weigh upon my mind
As they have always done,
I’ve learned to face them with more calm
By resting in the Son.

He knew the torments of this world
And faced much more than I,
So, if He bids me Trust in Him,
That trust I’ll not deny.

And I will face my own troubles
With His peace in my heart.
It may not hold my woes at bay,
But it’s the place to start.

John 16:33
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Depiste the Pain - Re-Posted

Singing’s easy in times of joy,

You lift your heart in praise,

But it is harder to sing out

On life’s more tortured days.

When worries mar the finest day

Or troubles knock us down,

It’s hard to rise back up and sing.

Our instinct is to drown.

But that is when it matters most

That we should rise and sing

For praises raised, despite our pain,

Are such a precious thing.

They lift us back up to the heights

And closer to the Lord;

When we can sing despite our pain,

We feel our faith restored.

Psalm 137:3-5

for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

Restless, Seeking Peace - Re-Posted

Oh Lord, I’m weary in this life,

That seems so filled with strain.
I long to rest, but find no peace
Wherein I can remain.

I rush from problem to problem
And cannot seem to rest.
It’s as if my life is becoming
Some sort of constant test.

And yet I know, if I just pause
To try and seek Your will
The world may not stop spinning fast,
But my mind will be still.

For, in Your Grace, is boundless peace,
Even for those like me
Who cannot seem to stop racing
The constant, churning sea.

So Lord, I give my stress to You,
I’ve done my very best,
But right now, Lord, the thing I need
Is time with You, to rest!

Matthew 11:28
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 

Beneath the Ice - Re-Posted

Ice and beauty, beauty and ice;

Her heart is filled with both.

She knows that she should let one go,

But, to do so, she’s loathe.

For all the ice that coats her heart

Was formed through years of pain

And she’s afraid that if it melts

She’ll feel it all again.

But still, beneath that sheath of ice

Born from her years of strife,

The beauty of a loving heart

Still glows with vibrant life.

Jeremiah 8:18

You who are my Comforter in sorrow, my heart is faint within me.

Blown and Tossed - Re-Posted

As waves of fear crash over us,

The winds of pain will moan
Until we feel tossed in the storm,
Battered and all alone.

But if we call, in faith, on Him
Who calms the stormy sea,
Then we shall find we’re not alone,
As our fear said we’d be.

For, he who calls upon the Lord
With heart, through faith, unbound,
Will ride the storm out in God’s hand
While waves crash all around.

The storm tossed souls, who live in doubt,
Will scatter on the shore,
But he who stands upon God’s hand
Will rise to fly once more.

James 1:6
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

Cold and Deep - Re-Posted

The night was cold, the snow was deep.

They huddled by the fire to sleep
While watching over flocks of sheep.

Then there, above the snow’s cold creep,
Waves of Angel songs did sweep,
Proclaiming vows that God would keep.

Then they rose up and left their sheep.
Such joy required they take a leap
And find the child who lay asleep.

Though the snows were cold and deep.

Luke 2:15
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

As The World Watched - Re-Posted

They settled in amid the straw

And darkness in the shed,
Preparing for the birth to come,
The child who’d have no bed.

He swept a space, in the twilight,
And smoothed down some fresh straw,
While she was fighting back the pain
That stirred both fear and awe.

A new child was about to breathe
The first sharp breath of birth,
Within the small barn, all alone,
As twilight draped the earth.

They settled in beneath the roof,
The colored sky peered in,
The whole world held its breath to wait
For that life to begin.

Luke 2:5-6
He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,

A Breathless Pause - Re-Posted

The earth lay quiet in the dawn,

Its breath held at the sight,

As if it knew that very soon

His birth would bring new light.

And so it waited, still as mist,

To see, in coming days,

The birth of him for whom the world

Would lift its voice in praise. 

John 1: 4-5

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The Word and The Light - Re-Posted

I’m the wind in a winter tree

I’m the waves on a frosted sea

I’m the sun swinging through the sky

I’m the bird just learning to fly

I’m the mountain sheathed in white snow

I’m the desert where nothing will grow

I’m the light that dances so bright

I’m the strength that you need to fight

I’m everything that you can't see

I’m every place you long to be

I’m the infant born long ago

I’m the answer that you should know

I’m the Word the angels proclaim

You are the reason that I came.

John 1:1-5

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

A Glimpse Into You - Re-Posted

I caught a glimpse into You, Lord,

As I thought through my week.
And when I saw You in that flash
Lord, I could barely speak.

There are no words that I can use
To describe that insight,
But, Lord, it left me shivering
With awe and with delight.

I can’t say what, specifically,
It was that touched my soul,
But this I know, without a doubt,
Its touch has made me whole.

I thank You, Lord, for giving me

That glimpse into Your light.
It was a moment of true Grace,
And I'm blessed by the sight!

Leave My Safe Nest? - Re-Posted

What was it that you asked of me?

I didn’t understand.
I thought you said go spread the word 
Throughout the entire land,
But that would be so frightening
It can’t be Your command… 
Unless You’ll go along with me 
And hold me by the hand.
 
For though I am afraid, my Lord,
Of things more fierce than I,
I’ll gladly face them for You, Lord,
If I know you’re nearby.
So, let me ask You, one more time,
If You want me to rise,
And I will leave my comfy nest.
With You, I’ll brave the skies!
 
Psalm 73:28
But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

A Little is Enough - Re-Posted

It wasn’t what you’d call a pond,

Puddle would be the word.
And spending any time in it
Was patently absurd.

Yet there they sat, happy to splash,
Not counting what they lack,
For they had water, just enough,
To roll right off their back.

They were content with their puddle
And, as such, took delight
In relishing the things they had,
Not missing what they might.

Lord of Light - Re-Posted

In defiance of the darkness

That consumes the winter days

I offer a song of sunlight.

To You, Lord, I sing my praise.

Born upon a distant morning

Deep within the cold of night

Was the answer to the darkness,

Jesus Christ, the Lord of Light.

All the colors of the heavens

Captured in the morning sky

Join with me in exaltation

Praising Him, the Lord on High!

Chaos and Grace - Re-Posted

“Seriously”, I said to Him.

“This is how it’s to be?
A day that’s seems turned upside down
Is what You’d planned for me?”

I know that I looked quizzically
At heaven’s clouded face
Without quite understanding, yet,
That in chaos there’s grace.

The Grace that comes when all else fails
And we reach out to Him;
When He reminds us we are loved,
Our cup spills past the brim.

That was the point at which chaos
Slipped quietly away
And I no longer questioned Him
On His plans for my day.

What I Saw That Night - Re-Posted

I watched the night, as usual,

For tempting, careless prey.
I swept the trees and nearby fields
For small things gone astray.

But, as I rode the silent breeze,
The heavens burst with light
From angels singing to the world
Of a child born that night.

The heavens rang with boundless joy.
I settled in a tree
And watched the shepherds in the field
Rise up that they might see.

I watched them, washed in holy light,
Rush from the frozen hill
And hurry down into the town,
Where all was hushed and still.

The angels sang into the night,
I listened and I heard
That heaven had come down to earth
And now I spread that word.

Luke 2:13-14

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Dancing and Praising - Re-Posted

Dancing on the Rock

Praising His Holy Name
Dancing on the Rock
His glory to proclaim!
 
Dancing on the Rock
His Name rings in the air
Dancing on the Rock
Rejoicing everywhere
 
Dancing on the Rock
Blessed to live in His Grace
Dancing on the Rock
My soul seeks His embrace
 
Dancing on THE ROCK!

Psalm 149:3

Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp.

Next to You - Re-Posted

I asked You, Lord, to stay by me

And You are always here.
There's nothing I should fear on earth
With you always so near.
And yet, sometimes I am afraid,
For just a thought or two.
Until something reminds me that
I'm still right next to You.

Psalm 16:8
I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

My Bad Hair Days - Re-Posted

I keep thinking tomorrow’s it,

The one where things go right.
Yet every day some new problem
Steps in to pick a fight.

So if I look a bit wild eyed
My hair a bit astray,
Just assume that I fought back
Against what came my way.

Though I may look worse for the wear,
Still I know that I’ve won,
Because I’ll stand and fight again
When each new day’s begun!

Proverbs 24:16
for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.

You Hear Me Call - Re-Posted

How can you not be overwhelmed

By all who call your name?
How do you keep track of them all,
Treat great and small the same?
For each voice that calls out to you
Is precious to your ear,
Their pleas rise as a rushing wind
And yet, each voice you hear.

I feel so lost at just the few
Demands life makes of me,
I cannot fathom how you hear
And answer every plea.
But I am grateful that you do
For, though my voice is small,
I whisper my payers to you, Lord,
And trust You hear me call.

To Reach for You - Re-Posted

Everything I think that I want

Seems just beyond my reach,
Which leads me, Lord, to understand
You still have much to teach.

For when I stretch beyond my reach
I see what I had missed,
And what I’ve learned when I’ve struggled
Is not lightly dismissed.

So let me reach with joyful heart
To come closer to you
And give me strength and wisdom for
The reaching I must do.

Psalm 119:48
I reach out for your commands, which I love, that I may meditate on your decrees.

Child of Grace - Re-Posted

Dear Child of Grace,

I know your day was so hectic,
But I kept watch on you.
I set my name along your walk
That you’d find your way through.

I kept the real harm from your path,
But let some struggles in,
For when you need to call on me
You know who brought the win.

I smoothed the bumps that you would face
But left a curve or two,
So that you could move forward, yet
Not see the whole way through.

I know you didn’t see me there,
Doing the things I do,
But I kept you well in my sight.
And PS… I love You.

Luke 2:40
And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

My Plan - Re-posted

I thought I had the perfect plan

With everything in place
Until the moment that my plan
Collapsed right in my face.

Oh yes, I thought I’d try again…
It was a perfect plan,
But I’d forgotten the first rule
That binds the plans of man.

Perfection is not born on earth,
It lives within God’s heart.
My plan is perfect only when
His plan is where I start.

So now I’ll put my plan in place,
This time with His in mind.
I’m sure “my perfect plan” will be
More perfectly refined. 

Some Day - Re-Posted

Some day I want to find myself

Upon a peaceful shore
Where wave and tide have spent themselves
And trouble land no more.
 
To sit and listen to the song
Of wind and wave and sand
While time stands still and I can hold
A moment in my hand.
 
But God needs me now for His work,
So that’s where I will be.
Until the day when I can sit 
In stillness by the sea.

A Prayer of Thanks - Re-Posted

Today my praise is short and sweet,

Thank you for everyone I meet
Who seems to go out of their way
To lift me up, Lord, every day.

Thank you for those who let me grieve
And yet teach me to still believe.
Thank you for those who do what’s right,
And those who give me strength to fight,

For those who lend a helping hand
And those who try to understand.
I bow my head now, Lord, to pray,
Please guard them on their walk today.

Standing Firmly - Re-Posted

I thought I’d be swept out to sea

If I stood on that shore,
Lost to the turbulence of life
And heard from never more.

I felt the waves tug at my feet,
Drawing me out to sea.
I knew if I did not find help
There’d be no hope for me.

And so I called out through the waves,
Salt tears burning my eyes,
“Oh Lord You are my only hope
Of seeing clearer skies.”

The crashing waves rose up again
Then fell back from the shore
And I stood firmly on a rock
I had not seen before.

Now I no longer fear the waves
Or the wild, churning sea,
For I live my life on The Rock
And He will shelter me.

Psalm 31:2
Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.

Transforming - Re-Posted

I find myself, when thinking back,

Seeing a different me.
I’m not the person I once was,
Nor, yet, who I should be.
But like the butterfly in spring
Preparing to burst free,
I’ll keep changing til I become
The me He wants see.

Philippians 3:21

who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Your Light, My Tunnel - Re-Posted

There is light at the tunnel’s end,

But I still can’t take ease.

Though the torrents of headlong winds

Have settled to a breeze.

I’m facing still more ups and down,

But that light’s growing bright

And if I just keep stepping out

I’ll break through to the light.

I’d not have made it through these days

If Your light wasn’t there,

It made all the difference in

Those dark days of despair.

Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

The Rock and Me - Re-Posted

I thought that tree clung to the rock,

Holding on faithfully,
Until I saw it was the rock
Who held on to the tree?

As if the rock’s love was so great
It wouldn’t let the tree
Fall from the cliff, and from its arms,
But held it tenderly.

I don’t know why I’m comforted
By the rock and the tree,
But I am awfully glad My Rock
Keeps holding on to me!

Isaiah 26:4
Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.

His Glory - Revised and Re-Posted

I often feel like I live trapped

Between the dark and light.

I’m never certain which will win,

The daylight or the night.

But I have come to realize,

Maybe it’s not a fight.

In fact, I think I’ve come to see

That it could be just right.

For it is when the dark and light

Mingle at dusk and dawn,

That some of life’s greatest beauties,

From those contrasts, are drawn.

So, I will let my heart rise up

From the depths of despair

And turn my eyes toward Heaven.

His glory lingers there!

My Answers - Re-Posted

I raise my eyes to the heavens,

In faith I turn to you,
And you have always answered me.
Your righteousness shines through.

The answer is not always that

For which I’ve raised my prayer,
But I have always heard your voice;
I’ve known that you were there.

So, from my earthly point of view,

I faithfully believe,
That you will, in your righteousness,
Give all I should receive.

Psalm 85:11

Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven.

Ever On Watch - Re-posted

There’s something stark about the scene

That touches me deeply.
I can’t pin down quite what it is,
Only that it moves me.
A solitary figure stands
Surrounded by the snow.
Despite the dark, the bitter cold,
He chooses not to go.
It is as if he stands on guard,
Watching throughout the night.
A quiet figure, dark and still,
Against the frozen white.
                                 
What is he watching in the night,
What does he see coming?
Is it something that I should fear,
Or joy to make me sing?
Will it take strength I don’t yet have,
A faith that’s growing still?
Or is it something I can face
If I stand in God’s will?
Or is it just a moment caught
Within the photo’s frame?
A moment now a memory
That lingers just the same…
 
Luke 21:36
Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

The Outer Snow - Re-Posted

The mountain stands sheathed in cold ice,

Yet deep beneath the snow
The fires of its molten core
Bubble unseen below.
 
It seems too still, almost serene,
To hide such fire within,
But that is often how it is
With mountains, and with men.
 
We all hold secrets in our hearts
That no one else can see,
Secrets of loss, of fear, of shame,
Of painful memory.
 
Walk gently then, with those you meet,
For you may never know
What burns at them from deep within,
Beneath the outer snow.
 
Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Where To Build - Re-Posted

I built my house upon the sand

And it seemed good to me,
But then the waves rose up in rage
And washed it out to sea.
 
I built my house upon the sand,
But farther up the shore.
Yet still the waves rose up until
My house stood there no more.
 
I built my house upon the sand,
Only to watch it fall
So many times before I learned
To answer when You call.

I left the sand behind me then,
And built in a new place,
Upon the Rock that is Your love
In the shade of Your Grace!
 
Luke 6:48
They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.

My Journey Ahead - Re-Posted

A journey lies ahead of me,

To where, I don’t yet know,
But since You’ve called, and I am Yours,
I’ll stand up and I’ll go. 
 
The world is large and I am small,
But this thing I will do,
Where ever You are bound, Oh Lord,
There I will follow You. 
 
I’m frightened sometimes at the thought
Of what I’ll face ahead,
But when I feel most overwhelmed
I think of You instead. 
 
For if You walk that path, then I
Will travel at Your side
And this great earth will never be
Too big, too far, too wide.
 
John 12:26
Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

Strong, Yet Fragile - Re-Posted

It seems so solid, like the rock

From which it has been wrought,
And yet that mountain can be lost
Without a second thought.
 
It can be shattered to the ground
By fires at its core,
It can be broken by its flaws,
To rise again, no more.
 
The greatest forces of the earth
Are fragile in their place,
But God has built for us a home
That’s safe in His embrace.
 
So let us praise him joyfully,
With reverence and with awe.
Our God has built for us a realm
Without a single flaw.
 
Hebrews 12:28
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,