You Will Be Saved

 
The plan is not complicated,
It’s quite a simple one,
Belief and confession are what
You need for redemption.
 
Yet, we can make it so complex
By focusing on “me”
And not on what we’re called to do
Or who we ought to be.
 
He laid the path and paid the toll,
But still we turn away,
Thinking that we can handle things,
By doing it our way.
 
Eternity is a long time
To live without His grace,
And those who follow their own path
Will never see His face.
 
Life’s everyday temptations can’t
Replace the peace and joy
That walking with Him through this life
Assures we will enjoy.  

 

Turn back to Him while there is time,
His arms are opened wide
To welcome home His sweet redeemed
And keep them by His side.
 
Romans 10:9
because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

These photos are a gift from ATF from her trip to Africa a few years ago. They are still wonderful!  

Seeking His Presence

 

Let my heart seek You always, Lord,
Let me rejoice in praise.
Let there be no doubt in my mind
That You guard me always.
 
Let me seek You in all I do
And in all that I pray,
Let Your light be what marks the path
That I walk every day.
 
Psalm 105:3-4
Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!

Especially The Little Things

 

A day of blessings and of grace,
A night of joyful cheer,
And with each step along the path
I felt You always near.
 
You blessed me with good friends and fun,
With neighbors to cherish.
Even in the smallest of things,
Granting the unasked wish.
 
Thank You for love without ceasing
And for the eyes to see
All of the blessings and the joy
That You’ve poured out on me.
 
Psalm 100:5
For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Make Wise Choices

 
He stood there trying to decide
On which side he should stand.
One side offered risk, adventure,
The other safe, well planned.
 
To boldly venture in the world
Might, at first, seem like fun,
But there’s more to making this choice
When all is said and done.
 
What he can’t see from where he stands
Are all the dangers that
Lie waiting for a victim in
That rattler habitat.
 
I’m not suggesting “take no risk”,
Just weigh them thoughtfully.
Take stock of what matters the most,
Then you can choose wisely.
 
Ecclesiastes 10:2
A wise man's heart inclines him to the right, but a fool's heart to the left.

This delightful photo of a heron looking over the rattlesnake habitat toward the beach is from ATF! Such fun! 

Fixed On You

 

Great is the peace in my heart, Lord,
For I walk in Your grace.
When pain and torment punish me,
I turn to seek Your face.
 
You are there with me in the dawn,
The sunrise on the sea.
You are the whisper of new light
That brings comfort to me.
 
Out of the sorrows of last night,
Peace rises with the dawn.
I turn my eyes toward Your light
And my despair is gone.

 

I know that sorrow may linger,
But joy has a place, too.
There is a healing sense of peace
When my sight’s fixed on You.
 
Psalm 30:5
For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

These two lovely photos of sunrise over the gulf are a sweet gift from ATF.

Another Loss, Another Heartbreak

 

The blows keep coming, on and on.
My heart finds no relief,
For each new day seems to lift up
Another cause for grief.
 
I feel as if my heart might drown
Beneath the weight of tears.
This one was far too young to leave
Too much grief, too few years.   
 
Oh Lord, You are our sole refuge,
The strength on which we lean
When all the world comes crashing down
And no hope can be seen.
 
We fall before You in our pain,
Our tears are all we bring
To offer in exchange for peace
And comfort from our King.
 
Please hold in love those we have lost
And pour Your peace into
Those who now walk a lonely world.
Our hope, Lord, rests in You.
 
Psalm 119:28
My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!

They Delight In His Light

 

The heavens whisper of His grace,
And burst forth in delight
Reflecting back His pure essence
In its bright, joyous light.
 
The ocean’s face is dark and grim,
Tossed in the wind’s rough wake,
But it will soon burst forth, as well,
In joy for heaven’s sake.
 
The heavens and the earth are His,
They answer to His voice.
He is their King, their Creator,
And in Him they rejoice.
 
Psalm 96:11
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it

This joyful photo of the light bursting across the dark gulf is another sweet gift from ATF! 

Respite And Rain

 

Stillness and rain, that’s what I need,
And that’s what You gave me.
Not great successes or wonders,
Just one day worry free.
The music of the falling rain
Sings peace in each refrain.
My gift today, born of Your grace,
 Was just respite and rain.
 
2 Corinthians 9:15
Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

Under The Son

 

I found myself feeling alone
As I moved through the day.
Worry building from a fear of
What might not come my way.
 
I caught myself, almost in tears,
Stopping to realize
That all these worries mean nothing
Beneath the endless skies.
 
The world has turned without my voice
For all but a few years,
And it will turn even longer
When I’m forgotten tears.
 
My life, my worries mean nothing
By the standards of earth,
But beyond rubies, pearls, or gold
Am I, by heaven’s worth.
 
I will not let this world tell me
That I hold no value,
When He, who formed the universe,
Has told me that’s not true.
 
I won’t let fear put chains on me
When His grace set me free.
Though we take nothing from this life,
He gives eternity.
 
Ecclesiastes 1:2 & 9
Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.

Peace, Joy And Praise

 

The night whispers to me of peace,
The stillness of a soul
That rests, despite this world’s chaos,
Because it’s been made whole.
 
Night sings a song of silent joy
That only those can hear
Who have first heard the Shepherd’s voice
Calling them soft, but clear.
 
There was no peace in the long nights
Before I called His name,
But now His loving peace is mine,
His mercies I can claim.
 
I am not worthy of such love,
Nor could I ever be,
But He took all my fears away 
And shares His peace with me.
 
Now I can hear the night whisper
Its songs of loving praise
For they are the songs of my heart
And will be all my days.
 
Isaiah 32:17
And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.