Ever On Watch - Re-posted

There’s something stark about the scene

That touches me deeply.
I can’t pin down quite what it is,
Only that it moves me.
A solitary figure stands
Surrounded by the snow.
Despite the dark, the bitter cold,
He chooses not to go.
It is as if he stands on guard,
Watching throughout the night.
A quiet figure, dark and still,
Against the frozen white.
                                 
What is he watching in the night,
What does he see coming?
Is it something that I should fear,
Or joy to make me sing?
Will it take strength I don’t yet have,
A faith that’s growing still?
Or is it something I can face
If I stand in God’s will?
Or is it just a moment caught
Within the photo’s frame?
A moment now a memory
That lingers just the same…
 
Luke 21:36
Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

The Outer Snow - Re-Posted

The mountain stands sheathed in cold ice,

Yet deep beneath the snow
The fires of its molten core
Bubble unseen below.
 
It seems too still, almost serene,
To hide such fire within,
But that is often how it is
With mountains, and with men.
 
We all hold secrets in our hearts
That no one else can see,
Secrets of loss, of fear, of shame,
Of painful memory.
 
Walk gently then, with those you meet,
For you may never know
What burns at them from deep within,
Beneath the outer snow.
 
Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Where To Build - Re-Posted

I built my house upon the sand

And it seemed good to me,
But then the waves rose up in rage
And washed it out to sea.
 
I built my house upon the sand,
But farther up the shore.
Yet still the waves rose up until
My house stood there no more.
 
I built my house upon the sand,
Only to watch it fall
So many times before I learned
To answer when You call.

I left the sand behind me then,
And built in a new place,
Upon the Rock that is Your love
In the shade of Your Grace!
 
Luke 6:48
They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.

My Journey Ahead - Re-Posted

A journey lies ahead of me,

To where, I don’t yet know,
But since You’ve called, and I am Yours,
I’ll stand up and I’ll go. 
 
The world is large and I am small,
But this thing I will do,
Where ever You are bound, Oh Lord,
There I will follow You. 
 
I’m frightened sometimes at the thought
Of what I’ll face ahead,
But when I feel most overwhelmed
I think of You instead. 
 
For if You walk that path, then I
Will travel at Your side
And this great earth will never be
Too big, too far, too wide.
 
John 12:26
Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

Strong, Yet Fragile - Re-Posted

It seems so solid, like the rock

From which it has been wrought,
And yet that mountain can be lost
Without a second thought.
 
It can be shattered to the ground
By fires at its core,
It can be broken by its flaws,
To rise again, no more.
 
The greatest forces of the earth
Are fragile in their place,
But God has built for us a home
That’s safe in His embrace.
 
So let us praise him joyfully,
With reverence and with awe.
Our God has built for us a realm
Without a single flaw.
 
Hebrews 12:28
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,

Prayer in the Storm - Re-Posted

I’m caught within the rising storm,

Pelted by driving rain,
But I will stand within your grace
Despite my fear and pain.

I’ll hunker down before the wind,
But keep my eyes on You.
I feel the storm tear at me, Lord,
But You will see me through.

I don’t ask that You turn the storm,
That lack of faith is wrong,
But what I do ask of You, Lord,
Is that, in You, I'm strong.

Cause For Thanks - Re-Posted

Enter His gates with thanksgiving,

Rejoice and praise His name,
For He’s the source of salvation
That’s yours and mine to claim.

See His glory shine before you,

Praise Him with great delight,
For He has redeemed all sinners
And washed them in The Light.

Enter His courts with thanksgiving,

Rejoice, For His love is yours,
It is the cup overflowing
That redeems and restores.
 
Psalm 100:4
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

Bring The Light - Re-Posted

I watched the sun rise into clouds,

Thinking its light would dim.
Instead the clouds began to glow
From rim to golden rim.
 
We too can be just like that sun,
Rising to face each day.
When darkness lies across our path
Our light can still hold sway.
 
We can refuse to give the dark
The chance to hide our light,
Instead we can light up the clouds
And make our whole world bright.
 
Luke 8:16
No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.

Blessing Stars - Re-Posted

For every star that fills the sky

I’ve counted a blessing,
As God has touched me every day,
Through every little thing.
 
There are times I forget I’m blessed,
When life leads me astray,
But without fail another blessing
Is headed right my way.  
 
So when I start to feel my life
Has been measured in scars,
I turn my eyes to heaven and
I count my blessing stars!

Our Secret Lake - Re-Posted

After the flurry of each day

When I, at last, am still,
Your peace spills round my like a lake.
I bide and drink my fill. 
 
Within my mind I find that place
Where silent waters flow,
And, when I need to see Your face,
That is the place I go. 
 
My world is filled with busy days,
That make me long for peace.
And, when I’m with You on that shore, 
I find, at last, release. 
 
So I will meet You every day 
Beside our secret lake,
And all the peace You offer me,
Lord, I will gladly take.

Psalm 23:2

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul

Standing Strong - Re-posted

My roots run deep, high on this ridge,

Though I stand here alone;

I’ll hold my ground in this high place,

I’ll make this crag my own.

And though the winds may whip me here

I’ll stand against their might

For I am mightier than they,

You give me strength to fight.

Though bitter rains tear at my roots,

Or drought makes dust of loam,

I will stand where you planted me;

And make the rocks my home.

Job 39: 27-28

Does the eagle soar at your command and build its nest on high?

It dwells on a cliff and stays there at night; a rocky crag is its stronghold.

Faith, However Flawed - Re-Posted

I know it isn’t without flaw,

But my faith rests in you.
I know the storms will come and go
And that you’ll see me through.
I know that my faith wobbles some,
That it is sometimes frail,
But, with my faith or without it,
Your love will never fail.
 
Lamentations 3:22
Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.

Where We Are - Re-posted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He finds us where we go to hide
Within our tears and pain
He finds us in our dark despair
And brings us home again.

So like the Wise men years ago
Pursued a distant star
He hears the crying of our soul;
He finds us where we are.

Although the way is perilous
And though it’s wrought with fears
Still He will find us where we are
And love us through our tears.

He will not notice our disgrace,
The dark and bitter scar,
He only sees the soul He loves.
He loves us where we are.

 

Luke 15: 3-6

Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’

Walking In Faith - Re-posted

I need to keep “walking in faith”,

That’s not an easy thing,
It seems instead I walk in dread
Of what each day might bring.
 
They say that faith will heal my fear,
I must keep that in mind.
Why am I still inclined to doubt,
When You have been so kind?
 
I know the way, You walked it first,
And I should follow You,
But I, instead, still walk with dread.
A sad fact, but it’s true.
 
You have shown me, time and again,
That You’ll be here for me,
Maybe I should let go the doubt
I’ve clung to pointlessly
And take that first step back on track
To walking faithfully.

The Little Things - Re-posted

There are miracles unfathomed

In every little thing:
Who chose the colors leaves would turn
And taught the birds to sing?
What makes the river, fresh and sweet,
Spill into ocean’s salt?
Why are some mountains robed in green
While others show each fault?
Who picked the petals for each bloom
And tucked them on the stem?
Why do the mushrooms, bright and red,
Grow when the world’s most grim?
 
Who laid the plans for each of these,
And formed them with his hand?
Who could have known so many things
That we don’t understand?
What mighty force of will and mind
Worked with each small aspect
So that each part fit in its place
With no flaw to detect?
We look for miracles profound
His glories to proclaim,
But I find it’s the little things
Which justify His name!
 
Psalm 147:5
Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit

Coming to Port - Re-posted

I once set sail upon a sea

And knew not where I’d land,
But I knew that both ship and I
Were sailing in God’s hand.
 
I knew the wind that filled my sails
Was born within His heart.
So even when the tides ran slack,
Those winds would not depart.
 
Within the rising of the gale
When all my seas grew rough,
I knew that His strength would be there
And it would be enough.
 
And when I came at last to port,
My final journey done,
I knew that I would find my rest
Beside His shining Son.

Photo is a blessing from C.M.. Thank you!!

Don't Let Go - Re-Posted

It alone keeps lingering on

When all the rest are done.
It’s long since past that moment when
The bragging rights were won,
And yet it lingers on the branch
Where winter’s left its mark.
The only spark of color in
A world gone grey and dark.
 
It don’t know what its purpose is,
Its plan or its intent,
I only know its message is
Most surely heaven sent.
For I was close to giving up
With nothing left to show,
Until I saw what faith can do
When it will not let go.
 
1 Timothy 1:19
holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith.

Look Up - Re-posted

Things often seem precarious

When we’re perched on the edge,
And we think we might just get by
If we could reach the ledge.
Yet there’s a trick known by the few
Who always seem to thrive,
They simply choose to look to God
And thank Him they’re alive.
 
So don’t give up, look up instead.
Don’t fear life on the edge.
When you grow up toward His light
You’ll grow right past the ledge.

Finding My Faith - Re-Posted

I try to soar without a fear,

Letting faith be my guide,
But there are days when I just want
To hunker down and hide.
It’s in those days that I reach out,
My need drives me to call
To ask You to lift me again,
Or catch me when I fall.
And every time I say that prayer,
Humbled by worry’s wraith,
I find You’ve cleared the skies enough
For me to find my faith.
 
Isaiah 57:14
And it will be said: “Build up, build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.”

Don't Be That Bird - Re-Posted

They met upon a windy shore

As if purely by chance,
But it was not the swirling wind
That stirred their little dance.
 
No, it was the half loaf of bread
That brought them face to face
With one offering blessings to
The one demanding grace.
 
How like the prayers we raise to God
With all our “Lord, give me’s”.
He gladly offers what we need
Even without our pleas.
 
And though He gives generously,
We keep asking for more
Instead of saying, “Thank You, Lord”.
We’re that bird on the shore.

Changing Me - Re-Posted

Today had started out quite rough,

It seemed so black and white.
I wanted things to go smoothly,
Yet nothing would go right.
 
I felt my temper start to fray,
My voice was growing shrill,
So I took a deep breath and prayed,
“Lord, guide me if You will.”
 
“Please set this crazy day to rights, 
The way it ought to be.
I’d be most grateful to You, Lord,
If You’d do that for me.”
 
But as I finished up my prayer
I noticed the blue skies.
And all the colors of the day
Dancing before my eyes.
 
I realized, the day was fine,
As grand as it could be.
The flaw was not within the day,
The flaw was within me.
 
I got the word, then, loud and clear.
God’s answer came right through;
He’d left the day as it had been
But changed my point of view.

The Hard, Rocky Spot - Re-Posted

There is a stone still in my heart

That causes me great shame. 
It keeps me from the perfect peace
That is born in His name.
 
There, in that place, there is no room 
For love or joy or grace.
There’s only room for hurt and pain
In that cold, hardened place. 
 
There is no space where joy abounds
For darkness there holds sway
And I must break up that hard rock
Or live in bleak dismay. 
 
The rest of my heart is just fine,
It answers to His call,
But there is one hard, rocky spot
That undermines it all. 
 
Ezekiel 36:26
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh

Strong Enough - Re-posted

However strong I seem to be

I still break easily.
My heart’s more fragile than you think,
My spirit’s not as free.
 
I’ve cried myself to sleep some days,
Hoping dawn would not rise.
Yet still I found reason to sing
As the sun touched the skies. 
 
For I don’t let it hold me down,
I don't let it hold sway.
I wipe my tears, pick up my heart
And make a better day. 
 
God promises that tears will pass
And I trust Him always.
For He has not abandoned me,
Even on my worst days. 
 
2 Corinthians 4:8-9  
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

His Love Remains - Re-Posted

Light at the end of the tunnel,

Cloud breaks after the rain,
Happiness after great sorrow,
Healing after the pain,
All stand as proof of the promise
That God’s love will remain.

Hold up your head through the hard times
Walk in faith through the rain,
Smile as if you've known no sorrow,
And keep breathing through the pain,
For life is not always easy,
But His Love will remain.
 
Psalm 30:5
For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime;
Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Hiding In Shame- Re-Posted

I hope You didn’t see me, Lord,

When I did what I did.
I’m old enough to know better,
But behaved like a kid.
 
I hope You didn’t hear me, Lord,
When I said what I said.
I had a mean thought deep inside
That popped out of my head.

I hope you didn’t notice me,

Lord, I just misbehaved.
I want to act as You’d expect
From one that you have saved,
 
But I too often realize
That, much to my dismay,
I have behaved so poorly that
I hope You looked away.

On His Wing - Re-posted

Let me stay close upon Your wing,

I have so far to go.
I might need to call on Your strength
When I feel mine run low.
 
Let me stay close upon Your wing,
The skies ahead are grim.
If I am not right next to you
My chances will be slim.
 
Let me stay close upon Your wing,
Don’t let me fly off track.
If I lose sight of You right now
I may not get it back.
 
Oh Lord, the way’s obscured ahead,
Who knows what it might bring.
I know I’ll only make it through,
If I stay on your wing.

Brighter Days - Re-posted

When I am wearied by the world

I turn my eyes to You;
You are the pathway through the pain,
The light that will break through.
You are the arm on which I lean
When I can barely stand,
And there is no place I can rest
Except within Your hand.
When I am weary and heartsick,
Wandering in the haze,
I know that Your light will break through
And show me brighter days.

No More Tears - Re-posted

Please help me, Lord, to only weep

When I have nothing left,
For I can truly say, my Lord
I’ve not be that bereft.
 
Don’t let me weep for silly things,
Things I should give to you,
For there’s no problem that’s so great
That you can’t see me through.
 
Don’t let me weep in self pity
Or when I’m feeling down,
For you have raised me from my sins
And offer me a crown.
 
So help me, Lord, to still my tears
When they begin to spill,
For crying won’t help me at all
And I know that you will. 
 
Psalm 116:8
For you, LORD, have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling,

Precious Moments - Re-posted

They hold on to their hope and joy,

Though winter’s drawing near.
It’s just the way that they live life,
Counting each moment dear.
 
We take for granted every day
The moments that we live.
Without our notice they slip by
With so much more to give.
 
But for them each new day’s a gift,
One that passes so fast.
They cherish every moment lived,
Make memories that last.
 
Perhaps it’s time we take the time
To treasure every day
The little moments that we’ve missed
That blossom on our way.

One Voice Cried Out - Re-posted

A voice was crying all alone,

Prepare, He’s on His way
And He will turn the darkest night
Into the brightest day.
 
He does not come to make the path
Smooth all along the way,
But He will guide us as we walk
The rock strewn path each day.
 
He comes to lift the weight of sin,
That’s become our great load,
But we must follow as He leads,
Not wander our own road.
 
One voice cried out to all the world,
But few were listening.
It seems today we might just face
Very much the same thing.
 
Isaiah 40:3
A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.