Being Strong And Courageous

Getting up and stepping out
Would be too hard to do
Without knowing that where I go,
I’ll be going with You.
 
I’m not sure I could rise and go,
As I did in my youth,
Without having You next to me,
An embarrassing truth.
 
The road can be long and quite rough,
When faith calls us to go,
But it is easier to walk
A path I know You know.
 
Lord, I have called upon Your name
To guard and lead me through
Too many times for me to count,
But I can count on You.
 
So, if you tell me to get up
And go do as You’ve asked,
I’ll get up and step out to do
That with which I’ve been tasked.
 
I’ll face all of the things I fear,
And take them all in stride,
But only because You’ve promised
You’ll be right by my side.
 
Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
 
2 Thessalonians 3:3
But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against evil. 

His Light Shines Through

“The night is coming,” said the Lord,
Knowing what was to be.
Yet, knowing, too, how much this earth
Needed His light to see,
He set His light to shine on through
In folks like you and me.  
 
It cannot shine in us quite like
It shone when He was here,
But still, we can reflect His light
To others, far and near,
Who remain trapped within the dark,
With all its pain and fear.
 
Those who walk with Him in this world,
Take up His light and shine.
Reach out to those who don’t know Him,
For that was His design,
That they, too, may come to live in
His light, pure and divine.
 
As long as He was in the world,
His light shone bright and true.
Even now, living in the night,
You’ll see Him shining through,
And, from each heart that calls Him Lord,
He’s reaching out to you.
 
John 9:4-5
We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
 
John 8:12
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 

My Eyes Are Fixed On Him

 

Let me keep my eyes on the Lord,
Not on what this world’s planned.
For there is nothing in this life
Greater than His command.
 
I’ve been known to let my gaze drift
Beyond His call to me
Only to find it fixed upon
Places it need not be.
 
I don’t need to fix my heart on
The treasures of this earth,
When His grace offers more to me
Than all of this world’s worth.
 
Because I’ve kept my eyes on Him
And trusted in His will,
He has poured His grace out on me,
And it keeps flowing still.
 
So, I’ll keep my eyes fixed on Him,
My heart fixed on His Word,
And I’ll keep my feet on His path,
Walking it undeterred.
 
Jeremiah 29:13
You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
 
Colossians 3:1-2
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

Blessed With Rest

This is the day the Lord has made,
He made it just for me.
For it contains all that I need
To be still gratefully.
 
No place to go, no chores undone,
Nobody dropping by.
Just Him and me, a cup of tea,
And a thunderstorm sky.
 
The lullaby of rumbling clouds,
Leftovers warming up.
His Word reminds me that my life’s
An overflowing cup.
 
Tomorrow will be busier,
This week holds a fast pace,
But for today I can be still
And rest within His grace.
 
Psalm 118:24
This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
 
Psalm 23:5
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 

Creation And The Creator

 

Your creation, in its glory,
Can take my breath away.
From mountain peaks to ocean depths,
I’m awed by its display.
 
From tiny bees to elephants
And everything between,
There’s more than I can comprehend,
Much more than I have seen.
 
Yet, when I stand in deepest awe
Of what I most adore,
It isn’t Your creation, Lord,
It is the Creator.
 
You are the Lord, the only God,
The creator of all.
For life was without light or form
Until it heard Your call.
 
You were the first, You called to life
All that my eyes can see.
You filled the earth with a small glimpse
Of Your vast majesty.
 
Yet, even that was not enough.
What we broke, You made whole
By giving us the redemption
That heals a damaged soul.
 
There is one Lord, one God on high,
That fact I know is true.
You were the first, You’ll be the last,
And I’m in awe of You.
 
Genesis 1
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
 
Isaiah 44:6
Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.

The Lord Watches Over Us

We do all that we can in life,
We work, worry and pray,
But His plans supersede our own
At the end of the day.
 
We lay the patterns of our lives,
Yet, despite every plan,
His is the final say in all
The paths of mortal man.
 
How blessed are we that He keeps watch
Over those who love Him,
And more so that the plans He’s laid
For us are rich, not grim.
 
They are not always what we’ve planned,
But they are made to bless
Those who call upon Him as Lord,
Through good times or distress.
 
We make our plans, then trust in His,
Knowing that what we do
Will never prosper without Him
To guard and lead us through.
 
Jeremiah 29:11
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.
 
Psalm 127:1
Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. 

The Desire Of My Heart

 

Noise and unneeded distractions
Keep getting in my way.
The things that my mind trips over,
They’re a part of each day.
That’s why, when each day gets too loud,
I try to slip away.
 
I could go sit within the woods,
Nestled beneath a tree,
Or seek the silence of the shore
Beside the wind-swept sea.
Yet, my preference is that old barn,
Where I can just be me.
 
It’s surprising how much silence
I find where horses graze,
beneath a blue sky, on green fields
That stretch beyond my gaze
Into the stillness and the peace
That my soul seeks most days.
 
I’ve wandered far in this life, Lord,
And found You’re everywhere,
But there beside that old red barn
I find my answered prayer.
In safe pastures and perfect peace,
Lord, I can hear You there.  
 
That’s all I look for in most days,
The chance to hear Your voice,
And step beyond the distractions,
Just be still and rejoice.
 
Psalm 37:3-4
Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and find safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Grounded In Him

 

The world is filled with so much rage
That rushes in at me,
And I must stay above the waves
Or be lost in that sea.
 
I see the evil frothing there
And hear it call my name,
Demanding that I wade on in
To share its wrath and shame.
 
If I keep my eyes on the waves,
I tend to drift down near,
But if I keep my thoughts on Him,
His peace is all I hear.
 
I struggle with anger, some days,
No matter how I try,
But I hold to His strength, not mine,
And let it wash on by.
 
When I fear I might let Him down
And give in just once more,
He leads me back from the tempest,
Farther up onto shore.
 
His is the hand to which I cling,
His is the strength I need.
His is the peace that turns the tide,
And assures I succeed.  
 
I walk upon that windswept shore
And watch the rage roll in.
If I were not grounded in Him,
I would be drowned in sin.
 
Isaiah 41:10
fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
 
Isaiah 26:3
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

Tears And Gratitude

 

Though we know that our broken souls
Have been restored by grace,
We’re still inclined to see the sin
Lingering in its place.
 
It’s not that we doubt we are saved,
But know we’re unworthy
Of the grace You’ve poured out for us,
The blood that sets us free.
 
We’ve lived so long chained to our sin,
It’s our habit to feel
That weight bearing down on our souls,
Though it’s no longer real.
 
We hear satan reminding us
Of all the ways we’ve failed,
That we deserve eternity
Hellishly bound and jailed.
 
It is with tears of gratitude
That I stop and recall
I am no longer stained by sin,
But redeemed before all.
 
I need to shift my focus from
Seeing the worst of me,
And fix it on my Savior ‘til
His glory’s all I see!
 
Romans 4:7-8
“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”
 
Colossians 1:13-14
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

His Word Is My Light

 

His Word is light upon my path,
Golden as dawn’s first glow,
And I’ll follow with faith filled heart
Where I am led to go.
 
I’ll rise up and I’ll start each day
Rejoicing in His light,
Then follow where His light leads me,
Even into the night.
 
For there is no darkness yet formed
That can subdue His light.
Even when buried in the tomb,
It burst forth with His might.
 
It shines its brightest in the dark,
For those lost on the way.
Though others may not see it there,
To me, it’s bright as day.
 
His Word is the eternal light
That leads us to His grace,
And I’ll keep walking ‘til I’m home,
Then rest in His embrace.
 
Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
 
Proverbs 4:18
But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.

A Glimpse of Insight

 

By Your command the mountains rose,
The rivers flowed in spate.
All the heavens gathered in awe
At what You would create.
 
Even today, I hold my breath
Amazed by such displays.
When I am soaring through the clouds,
Your works stun and amaze.
 
It was in recounting my awe
That I caught a brief view
Of something I’d not thought before,
As it applied to You.
 
I rode there in the cloud swept skies
Thinking man has come far,
That we now ride above the clouds.
What wonders we now are.
 
Until it hit me, Your design
Is what has brought us here.
You gave us minds that learn and grow
Because You hold us dear.
 
We are not close to Your power
Nor we will never be,
But You still give us glimpses of
The wondrous things You see.
 
You’ve marked each step that we will take
With echoes of Your grace
That we can hold onto until
The day we see Your face.
 
Romans 11:33-36
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
“For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”
“Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
 
Psalm 139:16
“Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

Rejoicing In The Crazy Times

 

Those crazy days when life’s sideways,
I can’t tell up from down.
Yet still my heart rejoices and
I’ve no time for a frown.
 
Though all the world is in turmoil,
Yet still my heart will sing
For all the blessings and the grace
That loving You can bring.
 
I don’t think they can understand
Who place no faith in You,
But those of us who know You well,
Clearly see all You do.
 
Lord, I will praise You with delight
Despite what life may bring.
Yours is the grace that feeds my soul
And gives me cause to sing.
 
Psalm 35:27
Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, “Great is the Lord, who delights in the welfare of his servant!”
 
Jeremiah 15:16
Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.

For The Newlyweds - Re-Posted

 

As you step out on this new path
Keep a few things in mind.
Foremost being to hold tightly
To all the ties that bind.
 
The ties to parents, friends, sisters,
And, of course, every brother,
But, most of all, hold to those ties
That bind you to each other.
 
Speak with your Father frequently
And listen to His word.
That may seem rote, but His word holds
The greatest truth you’ve heard.
 
Set your course on the path knowing
That long and unseen road
Will have plenty of rough terrain.
Be sure you share the load.
 
Remember, when the storms set in,
Together you can stand.
Walking the path as one you’ll find
Strength in each other’s hand.
 
Give freely of the love and grace
That you know you will need.
For loving hearts and patient souls
Will help you both succeed.
 
Walk through this world with faith, with hope,
A joyful, loving heart,
Count your blessings, forgive often,
And let God do His part.
 
1 Corinthians 13:4-7, 13
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things…. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

May God bless your marriage and bring perfect joy to your life together, A & KT

Like Judas's Kiss

 

You have the right to speak your mind,
The law says that is true,
But keep in mind, the rights you hold,
Those are rights I hold, too.
 
I’m often told to hold my tongue,
Keep my thoughts to myself,
On most days and on most topics
I put them on the shelf.
 
Yet, when you speak my Savior’s words,
Then twist them, just know this,
That’s an evil I hold equal
To Judas’s vile kiss.
 
I’ll speak out in condemnation
Of everything you say,
While still seeking your salvation
Each time I stop and pray.
 
You may call yourself a teacher
Of my God’s holy word,
But, when you weave in satan’s lies,
That claim becomes absurd.
 
Turn back from walking that dark path,
Let His light guide your pace.
The law will let you hang yourself,
But healing comes from grace.
 
Romans 6:14
For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
 
Matthew 27:5
And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.

This amazing photo is a gift from AC and her trip to Africa a few years back. 

Plans And Worries

Another trip, another plan
All laid out by my hand,
But it is by Your strength that all
Will go as I have planned.
 
Did I pack all that I will need,
Or did I pack too much?
If I have forgotten something,
Will I have failed, as such?
 
Then there will be an airplane ride
With people everywhere.
I think I’ll just stay home and hide.
I’ll rest easier there.
 
Ok, I’m kidding… just a bit,
but I’ll say this, at length,
I’ll ask You to give me Your peace
And, too, some of Your strength.
 
My going out and coming in
I lay into Your hand,
And ask that You will watch over
Everything I have planned!
 
Psalm 121:1-2 and 8
I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth….
The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. 

To See And Understand

 

You woke me up again today,
Thank You, Lord, for that gift.
 
You gave me enough food to eat,
Thank You, Lord, for that gift.
 
You gave me shelter from the storms,
Thank You, Lord, for that gift.
 
You gave me work, a chance to help,
Thank You, Lord, for that gift.
 
You kept me safe and brought me home,
Thank You, Lord, for that gift.
 
My chores are done, and I can rest,
Thank You, Lord, for that gift.
 
They seem mundane, just little things,
But still my thanks, I lift.
For little things become big things.
When lost, they cause a rift
That turns my peace to anxious fear
As my world goes adrift.
 
The fact that I understand this…
Thank You, Lord, for that gift.
 
James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Love Your Neighbor Anyway

 

Love your neighbor as yourself, yeah,
That’s what we’re called to do,
But have you seen some of the folks
Who share this world with you?
 
They drive slowly in the fast lane,
Or right up on your tail
When you are stuck behind a truck
Right beside the guard rail.
 
They count out pennies while you wait
In the express check out.
They tell you how you ought to think
And what to live without.
 
I know the commandment is clear,
But this is also true,
There are many annoying folks
That we each run into.
 
Yet, let me say it once again,
For those who didn’t hear,
Just love your neighbor as yourself.
His instructions were clear.
 
It wasn’t a mere suggestion
Though we may wish it so,
It was a commandment from God.
That’s what you need to know.
 
You wake up each day needing grace
So, share that grace with all,
And give it with the same patience
God uses when you call.
 
Matthew 22:39
And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

In His Creation

 

Sweet is the water spilling down
Into the rocky pool,
While all around the trees rise up,
Keeping it fresh and cool.  
 
There is a peace to be found there
Beside the water’s flow.
The stillness born outside the rush
Which I have come to know.
 
I leave behind the man made world,
Step into creation
Which pays small heed to mankind’s voice
And all that he has done.
 
Instead, it listens to the Lord,
And to His voice alone,
As water softly spills into
Its pool of moss and stone.
 
I learned this lesson years ago,
And I’ve not forgotten,
We all need time spent in His peace
Far from the noisy din.
 
Great is the glory of the Lord,
Vast is His creation,
And I still find I hear His voice
Where rocky stream beds run.
 
Psalm 114:7-8
Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water.