A Calling, A Joy

 

When I first saw this sweet photo
My heart burst with delight.
That precious pup sat in the field
With sunflowers and light!
 
Yet, when I spoke with his human
I understood much more,
For he’d been flushing out the birds.
Doing what he’s trained for.
 
Though it is not that season yet,
He works at it each day,
Because that’s what he's called to do.
For him, it’s work and play!
 
It called to mind a simple truth
The Word offers to me,
The joy that comes from serving God
Comes to us innately.
 
He’s called us to love Him and those
Who share this life we live,
To praise Him and rejoice in all
The grace He’ll freely give.
 
I find I’m happier by far
When standing in His grace,
Then I have been at any time
Or any other place.
 
Lord, like this pup, let me do first
That which You’ve called me to,
Then rejoice in the vast blessings
I always find in You.
 
John 15:10-11
If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
 
Numbers 6:24-26
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

This sweet photo is a gift from TT. Such a joyful blessing! 

On The Wrong Path

 

We all have walked down the pathway
Where we should not have been,
Seeking the praise we would receive
From the voices of men.
 
Alas, that path does not end well.
Despite all we have done,
When we are focused on ourselves,
We lose sight of the Son.
 
We are not called to please mankind,
But share with them the grace
That's only found when we live life
In our Savior’s embrace.
 
We do not serve others for praise
Or the fame we might claim,
But because we want to share Him
That they might call His name.
 
Don’t seek the praise of mortal man,
For it holds no value,
But seek instead to serve The Lord
As He’s called us to do.
 
Galatians 1:10
For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
 
Matthew 6:1
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.”

A Time To Rest And Heal

 

A time to rest, a time to heal,
A time to be patient.
The perfect time to just be still
In the peace You have sent.
 
It isn’t always easy, Lord,
To just be still and wait,
But Your timing is always right,
Never early, nor late.
 
So, I will just be still in You
And trust in You always.
Then, when the time for healing comes,
I’ll lift another praise.
 
Until then please help me be still
And trust in Your timing,
For I know Your plan is in place,
With the peace it will bring.
 
Philippians 4:6
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
 
Psalm 27:14
Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

Standing In Faith Through The Storm

 

In tribulation I will stand
And keep my eyes on You.
For, in my weakness, You are strong,
And You will help me through.
 
Today I stand within travail,
But my roots still run deep
In the Word and the promises
That I know You will keep.
 
You never said it wouldn’t hurt,
But that You’d see me through.
Lord, I will stand on that promise,
And hold, in faith, to You
 
Psalm 71:3
Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.
 
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

A Simple Procedure, A Needless Worry

 

Tomorrow may be a rough day,
But nothing I can’t face
If I do so within Your strength
And through Your loving grace.
 
A little thing compared to all
That others have walked through,
And even I have faced worse things.
Still, I’m glad I have You.
 
You are the calm within my storm,
The laughter, midst my fear.
When I am anxious, I recall
That You are ever near.
 
Tonight I’ll sleep, then rise at dawn
To prepare for the day.
Before I leave, I’ll take a breath
And a moment to pray.
 
Then I will step out in the faith
That Your peace will abide
And all my worries mean nothing,
For You are by my side.
 
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
 
Romans 8:18
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

His Word, Unchanging

 

The forest burned beyond the hills
And smoke filled up the sky,
Skewing the perspective of those
With smoke stinging their eye.
 
The rising sun peaked through the smoke,
Hot pink, as you can see.
Yet, above the line of the smoke
The clouds glowed goldenly.
 
This world can sometimes influence
The way we perceive things
And that can cause some confusion
With the fallout that brings.
 
Much like the sun seen through thick smoke,
God’s Word can be obscured
By all that we want it to mean,
But that truth is secured.
 
The sun does not change what it is
Seen through smoke or clear skies,
And God’s Word is unchanging, too,
Despite all this world’s lies.
 
Don’t be distracted or deterred
By what this world shows you,
But hold to God’s unchanging Word,
For it alone stays true.
 
Hebrews 13:8-9
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.
 
Psalm 119:89-90
Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; you have established the earth, and it stands fast.

Hard Truths, Still True

 

That time will come without warning,
But come it shall one day,
And it won’t be some random date.
He’s planned it out this way.
 
If you are out there in your sin,
Then in sin you will stay.
Yet, by His grace and through His blood,
There is another way.
 
He’s calling to you, will you stop,
Listen, and turn around?
Don’t stand there thinking you have time.
You’re in the lost, unfound.
 
I know that it’s been said before,
But I’ll say it again,
The time is running out to get
Your ducks in a row, Man!
 
Your name will be called at His throne
And, by His grace alone,
You can be counted with His sheep.
Give Him your heart of stone
 
And He will heal it, make it whole,
Declare your sins as paid.
Tetelestai, the debt is cleared
And in His tomb it’s laid.
 
The time is running out, oh Man,
To get your ducks in line.
Give your heart to the Redeemer
Before You face the fine.
 
Matthew 24:36
 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.”
 
Ezekiel 36:26
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Mocked By The Rain

 

The sky went dark, the air grew still,
The clouds begin to speak
In soft, but deep and rumbling tones.
I knew that, soon, they’d leak.
 
Which is, actually, quite funny
Since I had just been out
To water the flowers and yard,
And stave off a small drought.
 
Sometimes I know You laugh at me
And I laugh right along,
Because I think my plan’s perfect,
When, clearly, that is wrong.
 
The rain now taps soft on the pane
And I smile with delight.
For, though the rain is mocking me,
You’re still perfectly right.
 
Lord, we so dearly needed rain,
To me it’s a blessing
To have it splashing on the spot
Where I’d been watering!
 
Psalm 68:9-10
Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad; you restored your inheritance as it languished; your flock found a dwelling in it; in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.
 
James 5:18
Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

When Stayed On You

 

When all the worries piled up
As the day moved along,
I felt like I might sit and cry
If one more thing went wrong.
 
Then, just as that last thing went wrong,
I felt Your peace once more.
I closed my eyes and turned my heart
To You, whom I adore.
 
The world slowed down, Your peace poured in
And my wild thoughts went still,
For Your perfect peace only comes
When I trust in Your will.
 
The world may try to block it out,
To pile the worries high,
But when that perfect peace rolls in,
Then I know You’re near by.
 
Tomorrow might bring more worries,
That seems to be the way
The world tries to control my thoughts.
Your peace drives it away.
 
Tomorrow is another day,
Tonight, what I will do,
Is rest my weary spirit in
The peace that’s born in You.
 
Isaiah 26:3
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
 
Jeremiah 31:25
For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.

He Strengthens Me

 

A day can go crazy so fast
It’s hard to just hold on,
But He has strength to see me through
When all my strength is gone.
 
More than once or twice I have
Felt like this little leaf
Holding on with nothing more than
His word and my belief.
 
Each time I think I might give up
I hear His still, small voice
Reminding me I’m not alone.
I hold on and rejoice.
 
For my strength rests in Him alone
And He’s faithful always.
His strength is mine when I’m in need…
Which seems to be most days!
 
Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
 
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.