Each Time I Call

I whispered to You in the night

And You were there for me.
You answer me each time I call,
Wherever I might be.
You may not answer as I’d like,
But I still know you’re there
And that You listen patiently
To each and every prayer.
 
You love me without condition,
I’m blessed beyond my due,
And I am thankful you are there
Each time I call to You.
 
Psalm 86:5
You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.

This amazing photo is a blessing from NLB, of Racing for Jesus Ministries. A wonderful friend and a wonderful ministry.

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Looking Up

I climbed as high as I could climb

To catch a glimpse of You.
I wanted to see heaven from
An unobstructed view.
I turned my eyes toward the stars
Hoping I might see through
All of the sinful things I’ve done
That block my view of You.
 
I could not see You, though I climbed
As high as I could be,
But somehow, in my heart, I knew
That You could still see me.
So I stood there, within Your sight,
And prayed someday I’d see
The face of Christ, who knows my sins,
Yet died to set me free.
 
Job 22:12
“Is not God in the heights of heaven? And see how lofty are the highest stars!

This wonderful photo is a blessing from our meme creator, TAF. It was just too perfect to pass up. Thanks, T, for sharing it with us!

The Test... Again

You’ve asked this of me once again,

Though I’ve failed in the past.
Is this a test I must retake
Until I pass, at last?
 
I don’t know if it is the test
That is important now,
Or if it’s just learning to trust
That it matters somehow.
 
Whatever it might be, my Lord,
That brings me here again,
I’ll face the test and do my best
Knowing it’s in Your plan.

In Spirit and Truth

I seek Him in the flesh and bone,

In stone and rock and tree,
But I have only found Him in
The love He gives to me.
The love that left His gloried state
To walk the earth with men,
Living to show us how to live,
Then dying for our sin.
I see the worlds formed by His hand,
The universe displayed,
But it’s in His enduring love
That my redemption’s made.
So when I seek Him in the world
I find what He has done,
But I can only find Him when
I seek Him through His Son.
 
John 4:23-24
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

A Moment to Keep

Looking for the quiet moment,

The stillness born of peace,
When all the worries of the day
Give way to sweet release.
You know the moment that I mean,
As if the world stands still
And you would keep it just that way
If such could be God’s will.
Although you know that it will pass,
A moment can’t last long,
But you can keep the memory
Alive and sweet and strong
To carry you until day’s end,
When you lie down to sleep,
And thank the Lord He gave to you
A moment you could keep.

Simple Thank You's

I thank You, Lord, for this day’s gifts,
The bounty of Your Grace.
I thank You for sheltering me
In such a lovely place.
I thank You for the blessing of
Living in Your embrace
And now and then to catch a glimpse
Of Your reflected face.

That Kind of Day

I wish I knew what to say, Lord,

Today has been that way.
I’m just relieved to have achieved
The ending of the day.
So I will rest in the stillness
Of evenings simple grace.
Then start again, with the sunrise,
And a smile on my face.

Less Obvious Blessings

The parking space near by the door

When I parked in the rain,
Funds that came unexpectedly
Easing a money strain,
The job that I love still is mine
Though baseless fears remain,
The friendly hug when I was sad,
All these blessings are plain.
 
But there are blessings in my life
That are harder to see
And I want to thank you now, Lord
For showing them to me.
 
The loved one fighting cancer now
Whose heart is fierce and strong,
The fact that I still have a home
Though so much has gone wrong,
The old car, battered now by time
That still runs like it should,
The simple food I can afford
Is healthy, hot and good.
 
I could so easily just weep
For all the lack I live,
But You have blessed me with the gift
To see the good You give.
So where there might be troubles, Lord
I know there’s blessings, too,
And when I choose what I will see,
I see blessings from You.

Blithe in the Bitter Days

How blithe the spirit of the wild

Though winter nips its wing.
Still it will go forth brazenly,
Lift up its voice and sing.
 
It plays amongst the scatterings
Of humanity’s toys,
Yet still maintains exuberance
For all its wilder joys.

Of give me, Lord, the same blithe joy
This bold rascal displays
That I might know his joy myself
When I face bitter days.

Romans 15:13

Though wrapped inside the evening mist

And pinned within the tree,
The moon still shone with joyful light
As if reminding me
That my joy is not bound by life,
Indeed, my joy flies free.
For, though life has its ups and downs,
God love gives joy to me.
 
Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Putting the Past Behind Me

I’ve put it all behind me, Lord,

Though some of it won’t stay.
No matter how hard I might try
Some pasts get in my way.
 
They pop up out of nowhere, Lord,
Then beat me to my knees.
I try to push myself back up,
Hoping the pain will ease.
 
It isn’t until I call You,
Praying that You will hear,
That I can rise up from my knees
To find You standing near.
 
Then I can strain forward again
Along the sacred way,   
And put behind me, one more time,
The sins of yesterday.
 
Philippians 3:13-14
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Pausing to Reflect

I pause sometimes just to reflect,

To say a prayer or two.
I need to remind myself of
How much I call on You.
 
Sometimes I think I ask too much,
And thank You not enough,
For You have always stayed by me
Through times both smooth and rough.
 
So in these times of reflection
I try to thank, not ask,
To count my blessings instead of
Appointing You a task.
 
I focus on the little things,
For the big gifts I see,
But it’s the little blessings that
Often slip right by me.
 
Even the moments such as this,
When all the world is still,
Are blessings I that I only find
When I live in Your will.
 
So let me pause and take a breath,
One more blessing, I know,
Then thank You that You’ll walk with me
When I rise up to go.
 
Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

By Faith, Not Instinct

Their long journey lies ahead,
But they rise in the dawn
And turn their faces to the wind.
Their instinct leads them on.
 
They do not doubt the way ahead,
Nor question why they go.
They simply know they’re called to fly.
That’s all they need to know.
 
I’m not a creature of instinct,
But some things still hold true.
While they rise up because they must,
I rise by faith in You.

Always Here

Where were you when the clouds rolled in
And I was trapped in fear.
I called to You in my despair.
Lord, did You even hear?
The storm was raging all around
And I needed You near.
Oh Lord, where were You when I called?
 
“My child, I’m always here.”
 
I held you safely in my arms,
You had no cause to fear,
And when you called me in despair
I heard you loud and clear.
I caused the worst storms to pass by,
They never drew too near.
And I did not come when you called,
 
“For child, I’m ALWAYS here.”
 
Psalm 38:21
Lord, do not forsake me; do not be far from me, my God. 

Lean Into the Storm

Sometimes headway is hard to make

When the storms just won’t end,
But I have found the best way through
Is lean into the wind.
 
There will always be storms in life,
Just shift your sails and go.
Don’t let the storms toss you about,
Lean in against the blow.
 
Matthew 8:24-25
Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

A Chance Passing

Yes, it was but a passing thing,

A moment in the day.
Someone that I met fleetingly
As we passed on our way.
 
But she was such a bright moment,
She made my day better,
And I find myself thanking God
For the chance to have met her.

The Thorns and The Bloom

When I begin to listen to

The dark whispers of woe,
I step back and remind myself
Of something I well know.
 
However rough my world may seem,
My life is still easy.
There are so many in world
Who suffer more than me.
 
When I wake up, I’m safe and warm,
As when I went to sleep.
And I don’t spend my days in fear
Fighting the urge to weep.

No life is perfect, without pain,

Yet mine is quite replete,
For though I walk among the thorns
The blossom is still sweet.

Above the Mist

Although the clouds may shroud the land

Until I cannot see,
I know that up above the clouds
You can still see clearly.
 
I see my life from ground level,
You have a better view.
That is the reason why I choose
To take my lead from You.
 
So as I struggle through the mist,
Moving from day to day,
Please see the path ahead of me
And lead me on my way.

Knowing Stillness

There is a stillness in the rock

Enshrouded in the snow
That I don’t truly understand,
But that I ought to know.
 
The long slow years without a change,
Though seasons come and go,
Borne up by roots that burrow deep
Within earth’s molten flow.
 
It does not fear the changing world,
With bitter winds that blow,
Nor dread the years that mark its face
With scars that clearly show.
 
It stands in perfect stillness there,
Beneath its robes of snow,
Living a peace and faithfulness
That I so long to know.

Seeing

I sat within the long dark night

Praying to see Your face,
And, as the dawn lit up the sky,
I recognized Your Grace.
 
I heard Your voice, soft, on the breeze
As You reminded me
That You’re in all things, every where.
I need but look to see.
 
So now, when I feel most alone,
I look more carefully
And as You promised, there You are,
As clear as You can be.

Giving Back the Time

I think I’m calling it a night

The bright moon is astir,
And there is someone asking me
To spend some time with her.
 
The day is busy, lots to do,
But night time finds us here
Where we can spend together time
And none will interfere.

She never asks too much of me,

But gives with all her heart.
If I could be a better me,
She’d be the perfect start.
 
Before I slip off early, Lord,
To give some time to her
I thank You for the blessing of
My precious girl with fur.

Ashes For Beauty

When the flames rise up around me,

Searing me with great fear,
I lift my voice up to heaven
In faith that You will hear.
Since You promised crowns of beauty
For the ashes I have here,
I know that, when flames rise higher,
There are blessings drawing near.
 
Isaiah 61:3

… to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

Awed By You

The mists have filled the days and nights,

Like blankets in the cold.
Yet even when the mists are worst,
You turn them into gold.

There is no darkness You can’t light,

No mist You can’t burn through,
And I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Oh Lord, I’m awed by You.

1 Samuel 12:16

“Now then, stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes!

From My Busy Meme Maker!

Missing Someone

We all have precious ones we've lost,

Whom we miss every day,
But, if we don’t let go of them,
They’re never far away.
 
We hold them closely in our hearts,
Remembering their love,
Until we see them once again,
When God calls us above.

My Stumbling Walk

We walk together every day

Both knowing what to do,
But when the day’s end comes around
There’s me, calling to You.
 
For once again, I’ve failed to live
The life You’ve shown to me,
Yet You have stayed beside me still
And loved me faithfully.
 
I know the path that I should walk,
Though I am prone to stray,
Yet, with a patience beyond mine,
You never walk away.
 
I see myself as staying close
And walking faithfully,
But we both know I’d quickly fall
If You weren’t holding me.
 
So thank you, Lord, for being there
Beside me all the way,
For never giving up on me
And casting me away.

Storm Clouds and Rain

I don’t know why I feel this way,

But tears beat at my eyes.
There’s nothing I can say is wrong,
Yet dark clouds fill my skies.
They hover just out of my sight,
But I still know they’re there.
They seem to weigh me down as if
They thundered with despair.
 
I know the storm clouds will pass by
And take with them their pain,
But for the time being I live
Within the pouring rain.

Psalm 18:11
He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him— the dark rain clouds of the sky.

Sparks of Light

When the dark of night settles in

And all the fearful thoughts start
I listen to You speak to me
Between the beats of my heart.
 
You tell me that the dark will pass,
And that the light is not lost.
You say that You will hold me close
While I am storm blown and tossed.
 
You tell me to open my eyes
And see what my faith will bring…
I see a spark light up the dark
And I cease my fear and sing.
 
Psalm 112:4
Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.

Meme!!

Nourishment

For all the bounty of the earth

That sustains my body,
It’s the beauty of creation
That feeds what’s best in me.
 
The joy of sunshine on my wings,
The sweet bloom, the cool grass,
All fill me with a sense of peace
That I know will not pass.
 
For I was shaped by God’s own hand,
His breath gave life to me,
And He still feeds me what I need
To live life joyously.

Unfulfilled

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had this hope for winter snow,

But when, at last, it fell
It washed away in misty rain
With no trace left to tell.
 
So I will think on winters past,
When snow fell fast and deep,
And maybe I will dream of snow
When I drift off to sleep.
 
Some dreams are better left unfulfilled.

Numbers To Value

Teach me to count the passing days

That they might matter more.
I cannot value them enough
If I think them a chore.
Remind me how precious each is
That I might know its worth,
For You have only given me
Finite days on this earth.
 
Psalm 90:12 Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Rise In Praise

I will rise up and praise His name

For He is Lord on high
And I am but a child of grace
Whom He gave wings to fly.
My wings will lift me to the sky
And closer to his face,
That I might praise Him for His love
And thank Him for His Grace!