The Drought

The drought has lingered on so long,

And, though I’ve prayed for rain,
There seems to be no end in sight
To my grief and its pain.
 
I keep on praying in the faith
That someday it will end,
For God is faithful to His word.
On that I can depend.

I watch the far horizons for
The first signs of the rain,
Yet every day the distant sky
Is clear and without stain.
 
But I will not give up the faith,
There’s dampness in the air,
And when God deems the time is right,
There’ll be rain everywhere.
 
1 Kings18 43-44
“Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked.
“There is nothing there,” he said.
Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”
The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.”

Surrounded by Blessings

I spend so much time trapped in fear

That paralyzes me.
When all around me blooms the grace
That I’m too blind to see.

Your bounty surrounds me, oh Lord,
Breathtaking in array,
But most often my eyes are on
The problems of the day.

It’s not until the day is done
That I look back and see
How boundlessly Your loving grace
Had been all around me.

Meet Me Here

The hills sweep to the mountain’s rise,

A rich and rolling land,
And over all, the arching sky,
Formed by the Maker’s hand.
 
There are no towers made by man
Cathedrals, grand and bold,
Sufficient to encompass all
The majesty they hold.
 
How great the sweep of sky and earth,
My hearts beats to the thrill.
I feel You closest to me here
And, Lord, I always will.
 
Though I live in the world of man,
Still I hold this place dear.
And I will come back often, Lord,
If You will meet me here.

The photo is a blessing and a gift from an old friend. MM thank you, so much, for letting me use your perfect photo!

Wings

Oh lord give me the wings to soar

Up toward heaven's eye.
For, by myself, I have no strength,
Or even will to try.
But if You lift me in Your hand
And lead me to the sky
Then I will spread my wings in joy,
Rise heavenward and fly!

Matthew 5:6

I hunger and I thirst for You,

I seek to know You more.
For in You my life overflows,
With so much more in store.
 
I know that by seeking You, Lord,
I find a better me.
And I have grown enough to know
That’s what the quest should be.
 
So I will seek You constantly,
Hunger and thirst for You,
Until I kneel within Your grace,
My quest finally through.
 
Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Storms and Faith

Faith is not born in what we know

But in what we believe.
It is the truth that grace exists,
Despite what we perceive.
 
I watched the storm clouds gathering
And fear grew in my heart,
For I knew, if that wild storm hit,
I would be torn apart.
 
My faith was weak, my fear was strong,
Until I saw the light;
My glance touched on a single cloud
Turning the darkness bright.
 
And, when I saw that one bright cloud
Nestled within the storm,
I knew that all hope was not lost,
And I felt my faith form.
 
What I knew really hadn’t changed
From what it used to be,
But my faith had grown strong enough
To make a change in me.

 

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see

 

Blessings and Bounty

Thank you for the bounty, Lord,

With which you’ve filled my days
And for the blessings I see grow
In oh so many ways.
 
I may not often stop to say
How much they mean to me,
But they don’t go unnoticed, Lord.
They’re obvious to see.
 
I may not count them every day,
But I’ll say, for my part,
That everyone is noticed and
Is written on my heart.
 
So, from the bottom of my heart,
I thank you, Lord, on more
For all the blessings I’ve received
And for those still in store!

A Bit of Fun

The world’s gone topsy turvy, Lord.

What once was up is down,
And I would try to smile on through
But, like this, it’s a frown.
 
I don’t know what to make of this,
The world’s all wrong somehow.
I’d love for You to set it straight….
And, by the way, right now.
 
I guess I’ll have to be patient.
That’s harder than you’d think,
And if I rise to carry on
While upside down, I’ll sink.
 
Oh yes, the world’s topsy turvy,
It’s all gone to my head.
And I could give up without shame,
But I’ll trust You, instead!

A friend challenged me to write a praise about this upside down accidental "selfie" that she took. I opted to pick up the gauntlet! It was fun! Thanks CS for the photo, the challenge and the joy it brought me!

Leap of Faith

I’m going to take a leap of faith,

And put my trust in You.
I’m not sure if I’ll fall or fly,
But You will see me through.
 
I was afraid to take that leap,
But I now understand,
Though I leap into the unknown,
I’ll land right in Your hand.

On My Way

I don’t know where I’m going, Lord,

But I am on the way.
For, since I heard You calling me,
There’s no way I would stay.
 
I don’t know what lies up ahead
Except that You are there,
And that alone would buoy me
To follow anywhere.
 
In faith I’ll step out on the path
That you have set for me.
Since You are right beside me, Lord,
There’s nowhere else I’d be!

Engraved

Rest gently in the morning light,

Be still and understand
That You are safest where you are,
In the palm of my hand.
 
There’s time enough to seek the world,
Travelling sea and strand,
But for the moment stay and rest
In the palm of my hand.
 
And when you’re strong enough to fly,
No matter where you land,
Remember that I have you still
Engraved upon my hand.
 
Isaiah 49:16 
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.

This gorgeous photograph is a blessing from LRS. Thank you, so very much, for letting me use this photo.

Looking Around

I felt my worries piling up

And then I looked around
At all the troubles of the world
That are plain to be found.
 
The sorrow of the broken hearts,
The crippled and the poor.
The lonely, lost within themselves,
With no hope left in store.
 
The children without tomorrows
Where they can grow in peace.
The old, whose minds have gone ahead,
Seeking longed for release.
 
I know my worries are all real,
And must be faced head on,
But I will most likely live still
When those woes are all gone.
 
And, though my troubles seem to mount
Up exponentially,
Yet I have no doubt I am blessed
More than I ought to be.
 
So, as I look about myself,
I see my troubles still,
But I see them in different light,
And, from now on, I will.  

Isaiah 41:10

The seas are rising in the storm

They’re rough and tossed with foam.
I sometimes wonder if I will
Ever find my way home.
 
The winds batter me as I fly
I cannot flee their force,
But if I let them carry me
Then I’ll be blown off course.
 
Oh Lord, if I did not have You
To hold me in Your hand,
Then I would have no hope at all
Of ever reaching land.
 
But You have promised to hold me,
So I won’t quake in fear.
I’ll call Your name, knowing full well
That You are near, and hear.
 
Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Kingdoms

We build our kingdoms out of stone,

The turrets tower high,
Proclaiming we are mightiest
To every passerby.
 
In arrogance we build them up,
But time tumbles them down
And generations that follow
Find no kingdom or crown.
 
But such is not the way it is
In the kingdom of God.
There is no shattered edifice
To mark where Jesus trod.
 
There is no tower, no turret,
Nothing to mark its place,
Beyond the children who proclaim
His never ending grace.

His kingdom is not here or there,

But lives within them all
Who walk within the everyday,
Yet listen for His call.
 
Luke 17:20-21
Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

Deep Water

The sea is roughest near the shore,

But the deeps hold more fear.
And, though I’m terrified to go,
I know I can’t stay here.
 
The waves will crush me on the rocks
If I don’t get out deep,
But how can I get past them with
All of the fears I keep.
 
The task that You have asked of me
Will lead beyond the shore,
Yet I can’t know what the deep holds,
Or what fate lies in store.
 
Yet I must find the faith I need
To cross the crashing foam,
And sail out into deep waters
That may not bring me home.
 
Oh Lord, I rise. I’ll face my fears,
Then head on out to sea,
And I will cast my nets with faith
That You watch over me.

Luke 5:4

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

These Remain

They lay there, just above the tide,

Shaped from the drying sand,
And scattered almost carelessly
By their creator’s hand.
 
They were not going to last too long,
The tide was rising fast,
And when the waves wash over them
Their time would soon be past.
 
Yet though they’ll wash into the sea
They fill my memory,
Where, like the sentiments they bore,
They’ll linger timelessly.
 
1 Corinthians 13:13
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Living Water

The river that runs through me, Lord,

Originates in You.
And though I bathe within in its Grace
The river flows on through.
 
It spills into the many lives
That touch my day to day,
Reminding me how many lives
We reach along our way.
 
The living waters of Your grace
Wash over me, and through,
Until I have a better sense
Of who I am in You.
 
John 7:38
Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.

Rooted in Faith

They’re rooted in the muddy earth,

Yet still they bloom with glee
For, though they’re bound to one small space,
They’re spirits are still free.
 
They bloom with joy because they can
Despite their place in life.
They never let their colors fade
Through all life’s weeds and strife.
 
I don’t know if they grow by faith,
But faith is what I see
And I hope that I’ll someday grow
To live as faithfully!
 
Colossians 2:6-8
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

I'm Too Afraid

Why did you ask me to do that?

Lord, that task seems too great.
If I were to try doing that
I’d be tempting my fate.
 
Oh Lord, please ask somebody else,
Please don’t ask this of me,
For I am much more frightened than
I ever thought I’d be.
 
Oh Lord, If I must be the one,
Please strengthen me to try.
I’m terrified to do it, Lord,
But for You, I will fly!
 
Isaiah 35:3
Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way;

His Word

There are so many who, today,

Think wrong truly is right.
That’s what they tell themselves rather
Than forego false delight.
 
They call themselves Your children and
Claim to live by Your Word,
Yet still they live life as if they
Had listened, but not heard.
 
It’s easier, sometimes, to live
Within the wayward world
If we keep Your name under wraps
And hold our faith unfurled.
 
But I’ll try to live in the light,
Though all the world grows dark.
Believing, in the darkest night,
Your Word can strike a spark.
 
Matthew 4:4
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Old Age and Faith

I may be getting a bit grey,

My hair is growing thin,
But there are seeds of boundless faith
Still blooming deep within.
 
I will not give up on the faith
That life’s a gift of grace.
No matter how old I may grow,
That faith remains in place.
 
I know the Lord gave me this life
As part of His great plan,
So I will live it to the last
With all the faith I can.
 
2 Thessalonians 1:4
Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.

Where From Here?

I don’t know where to go from here,

Or if I need to go.

I’ve finally found a settled place

Where I have room to grow,

But do I need to move instead

Where I can hunker down,

In case the storm clouds should move in

And there’s risk I might drown.

Oh Lord, I’m ready to take flight,

If that’s what I should do,

But I will seek your guidance first,

My plans are made in You.

For there’s no right choice I can make,

If You’ve a different plan.

I’ll follow only where You lead,

And not the lead of man.

 

Ruth 1:16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.

Perfectly In Place

The moment when it all aligns,

When things fall into place
And suddenly I understand
How perfect is His Grace.
 
The world moves in seeming chaos,
But He controls it still
And all the chaos falls in place
According to His Will.
 
So I am never too surprised
When the proof’s clear to see,
That God controls heaven and earth
And does so perfectly.

 

Ephesians 3:20

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

 

This wonderful photo of the moon rising over Mt Rainier is a blessing from CS, and a delightful one at that!

Morning Light

The morning peeked into my dreams

And whispered rise and sing,
For you have no idea yet
What this day is to bring.
 
The glory of the Lord is here
To lead you through the day,
That you might not slip off the path
And somehow go astray.
 
So rise up now and greet the sun,
The Lord waits patiently.
But you must be about the day
Before this day can be.
 
Proverbs 4:18
The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.

Live Faithfully

It’s often just a little thing

That touches heart and soul,
To fill an empty place in me
And make the broken whole.
 
The simple blossom, bright and sweet,
Among her faded kin,
Still blooming, purple in the dusk,
The daylight growing thin.
 
She could have given up, herself,
But she bloomed cheerily.
Making the best of her last days,
By living faithfully.

This Too Will Pass

I watch it rise, large in the night,

Above the fringe of trees.
Though far from earth it wields a force
That can move all earth’s seas.
 
Such power seems beyond belief
And yet it’s transient,
For it will crumble into dust
When its time has been spent.
 
There is no force, however strong,
That will not fail one day,
Except the hand that formed them all…
The Word won’t pass away.
 
Matthew 24:35 
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Day of Rest

After the labors of the week

I took a day to rest.
It might not have been perfect, Lord,
But it was still the best.
 
I laid around while others worked,
Okay my work was done,
But I was so exhausted that
Not working was such fun.
 
I know we need a day of rest
And one day just for You.
I’m grateful that I had the time
For You and some rest, too.

Genesis 2:2
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.

Fireworks And Chaos

I need a place of silence, Lord,

Where I can be at peace.
I’m trapped within the chaos
And there’s no hope for release.
 
It seems as if the world’s on fire,
Exploding all around,
And I am running frightened, Lord.
Over whelmed by the sound.
 
Please help me find that peaceful place,
Where my heart longs to be.
And let it so fill up my heart
That Your peace lives in me.

Rising Above

I feel the rush beneath my wings

Of every word You’ve said.
They lift me above the mundane
And carry me ahead.
 
The world may live within its lies
And follow them to death,
But I will rise up on Your word,
To take a cleaner breath.
 
I’ll hold the Love You’ve shown to me
Secure within my heart,
And know that, even in dark days,
That’s the best place to start.
 
Yes, Lord, I’ll ride upon Your word
Above the mortal fray,
Praying this world will heal somehow
And know a better day.

Thinking of Me

Lord let me see only myself,

Though that may sound perverse.
Thinking of others can, at times,
Turn out to be much worse.
 
I mean, when I think of someone
Who seems greater than me,
And dwell on all the things they have
Or what they’ve come to be,
 
Then I will find that I seem less
Than who I was before,
Though I’ve not changed, I’m who I was.
Not someone to abhor.
 
Or I might linger smugly on
One whose plight is far worse,
And there’s no doubt vanity is
A soul destroying curse.
 
Again, I know I have not changed
From who I was before.
Though either case may make me feel
That I am less or more.
 
Thus I cry out, Lord, help me keep
My thoughts on only me.
For I am blessed in my own life,
And that I clearly see.

Smiles and Better Days

A smattering of simple joy

Is all it took today
To take the worries dogging me
And chase them far away.
 
Their cheery faces smiled at me
As I was passing by.
And willingly I relinquished
My last unhappy sigh.
 
How did He know that I would pass
This spot on just this day
To set such joyful little blooms
Where I’d pass on my way.
 
With nothing now but hopeful faith
To carry me on through,
I have a feeling better days
Are coming, thanks to You.