Plant, Praise, And Pray

 

The light is hiding behind clouds
Who grumble in the sky.
A distant whistle can be heard
As the train passes by.
 
A country home, a simple life,
Enough to make it through,
And all of this they have because
They’ve placed their faith in You.
 
We plant, we water, but You grow.
It’s always been that way.
We work at what we can do here,
Then bow our head and pray.
 
You bring the sunshine and the rain,
Only You can do so.
We clear the weeds and guard the crops,
But they need You to grow.
 
It is the same way with Your church.
We plant Your Word each day,
But the harvest relies on You,
We plant, we praise, and pray.
 
1 Corinthians 3:7
So, neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.
 
Psalm 67:6   
The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us.

Fellowship And Rest

 

I want to thank You for today,
For fellowship and peace.
I truly needed both of them,
Your blessings never cease.
 
The path I’ve been upon lately
Has been one of such joy
That even a weary body
Can’t distract or annoy.
 
Yet time to rest and catch my breath
Was such a great blessing,
And spending time in fellowship
Helped my weary soul sing.
 
For fellowship and rest today,
I lift my thanks and praise.
You always know just what I need,
Your blessings still amaze!
 
Philippians 4:19 
And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
 
Psalm 145:9 
The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.

Set On Things Above

 

I keep Your word within my heart,
Your counsel on my mind.
It is Your peace that my soul seeks
When things start to unwind.
 
There’s no place where my soul can rest
Outside of Your mercy,
And when the world seems upside down
You’re where I want to be.
 
Oh Lord, despite the world these days,
All praise I give to You.
For in You I find rest, and hope,
And strength to walk on through.
 
Colossians 3:2 
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
 
Psalm 62:5 
For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.

Blessed By An Angel

 

You never know when they’ll stop by,
Angels sent by His grace,
But You will know by the blessings
That they leave in their place.
 
An angel stopped by here today
To lend a helping hand.
She just showed up, by chance it seemed,
But clearly as God planned.
 
She just appeared and then pitched in
With a kind, joyful heart.
She didn’t ask, she just stepped up,
And did more than her part.
 
Then she was gone. She flew away,
Leaving joy in her wake.
She’d helped out in a time of need,
And just for mercy’s sake.
 
He said that we’re to lend a hand
To those who stand in need,
And she stepped up to do just that.
She blessed us all, indeed.
 
Thank you, sweet lady, for the grace
With which you blessed our day.
We’re so grateful we had the chance
To meet you on your way!
 
Matthew 25:40 
And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you did it to me.’
 
Philippians 2:4 
Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
 
To Bernadette! Thank you for being so amazing and funny and grace filled.

Blessed and Content

 

My home is not grand in design,
Nor have I any wealth,
But what I have, by God’s sweet grace,
Is a home and good health.
 
I don’t have lots, I have enough,
And that makes my heart sing.
For just enough is all I need
To count it a blessing.
 
Above all else, He calls me His,
So, I’m blessed by knowing
That I’m loved and redeemed by Him
The universe calls King!
 
Philippians 4:11-12 
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
 
Isaiah 43:1 
But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.

Holding To Faith

 

The world is getting to me, Lord,
I’ve felt my anger rise
At the hate and the wickedness
Born out of satan’s lies.
 
I want to shake the world’s shoulders
And tell it to wake up
Before it’s too late to turn back.
Don’t drink that poison cup.
 
Yet, I have no authority
To shape the course we’re on,
Other than to give it to You,
And, in faith, carry on.
 
When I let this world get to me,
I lose sight of Your way,
But, when I let go and trust You,
The path is clear as day.  
 
That’s what I’m doing right now, Lord,
I’m giving up to You
All that which distracts my thoughts from
Letting faith guide me through.
 
2 Corinthians 5:7 
for we walk by faith, not by sight.
 
Psalm 75:3 
When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants, it is I who keep steady its pillars.

This photo is a gift from TAF at Enchanted Rock

The Light And The LIGHT

 

The heavens are the Lord’s canvas,
Flowing with His design,
And I can’t help but gaze in awe
At His artwork, divine.
 
He brings light to the darkened clouds,
That sweep across the sky
Lifting them from their dreary state
As they fly softly by.
 
I’m thankful that I see His light
In all its grand display,
But I am grateful, even more,
That His Light, marks my way.
 
The light that shines in the heavens,
Though grand, matters much less
Than that Light which shines on my soul
And turns back all darkness!
 
Psalm 145:5 
On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
 
John 1:4-5 
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Miracles Of Each Day

 

Why does it take so long to see
What’s right before our eyes?
How can we live a miracle
And still not realize?
 
The sun rose up again today,
I saw it in the sky,
But I was busy complaining,
So it just passed me by.
 
Why must a miracle be huge,
Just what we want to see?
Why do the wonders seen each day,
Seem boring as can be?
 
Young children laughing as they play,
The sea upon the shore,
Or even the songs of the birds
That we’ve all heard before.
 
Just because they are familiar,
Doesn’t make them less dear.
I promise you would grieve their loss,
If they should disappear.
 
Stop focusing on what you want
And pause to look around.
The miracles we see each day
Continue to abound.
 
Make it a point to notice them
And I suspect you’ll find
There are more miracles each day
Than ever crossed your mind.
 
Job 37:14 
“Hear this, O Job; stop and consider the wondrous works of God.
 
Psalm 77:14 
You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples.

Great And Hidden Things

 

This Sabbath peace was what I need,
One day of rest and praise.
Your gift of knowing before me
Never fails to amaze.
 
Prayers answered before I ask,
Provision for each need,
And grace beyond my deserving,
All with no need to plead.
 
I know that we’re to pray always.
Yet, knowing You know all,
I think we’re praying to draw close.
It’s not a “help me” call.
 
You already know what we need
And have Your plan in place,
But we can’t see that if we’re not
Able to see Your grace.
 
Thus, spending time praying each day,
Lifting them up to You,
Helps us to recognize that You
Will always see us through.  
 
That’s why my prayer, this Sabbath,
Is one of thanks and praise,
For peace today, strength tomorrow,
And to seek You always.
 
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
 
Jeremiah 33:3 
Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.

Growing Closer To Him

 

Forgive me, Father, for my sins,
They seem vast in array,
And, though I try to do better,
They still pop up each day.
 
I know You see them, every one,
Like the hairs on my head,
But You washed all my sins away
When Christ rose from the dead.
 
I still feel shame for each of them,
And try to sin no more,
Yet, for each time I stop one sin,
Two more knock at my door.
 
Some are the same old sins today
That I sinned yesterday.
While others seem to randomly
Put on some big display.   
 
You formed the heavens, named the stars,
And keep watch on sparrows,
So, I have no doubt that You know
How my strength ebbs and flows.
 
I’ll rest upon the promise of
The forgiveness You give,
And try to grow closer to You
Every day I live.
 
Ephesians 2:8 
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God
 
Psalm 73:26 
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.