Because in each day, no matter how dark or how long, there is a praise to be found. Sometimes our hearts are too weary or too frightened to voice them, but our souls cry out to God... and He is there.
I seek no glory in this world,
But give it all to Him,
For He is my refuge and peace
When everything turns grim.
Without fear or dismay.
He is my strength when I grow weak,
My shepherd when I stray.
I trust Him in all things.
He’s always holds me close to Him
Through all that this life brings.
And His praises I sing,
That all the world may know the peace
Only His love can bring.
On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock,
my refuge is God.
My soul was parched and broken, Lord,
A dry and barren land,
But You poured Your grace out on me
From Your pierced, bleeding hand.
And Your blessings flowed through.
Though I had no reason to live,
I found new life in You.
Your love found its way in
And, though I don’t deserve such grace,
You washed away my sin.
Your mercies for the lost
Have brought life to this barren soul,
And bore, for me, the cost.
For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on
the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on
your descendants.
This lovely photo is a blessing from TAF, taken during her trip to Enchanted Rock.
There, in the spring, wild flowers grow
Amid the waving grass.
They share a moment of bright joy
With travelers as they pass.
They remain still unmown
For, if they mow them, those bright blooms
Will drop where they have grown.
Those weeds will thrive, also,
But when the blossoms are bloomed out,
Then all the weeds will go.
The weeds of sin will grow
Until the last of His redeemed
Are safe. Then they will go.
His barn will overflow
With all the weeds that turn to Him,
And blossom where they grow.
… So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go
and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the
wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest
time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles
to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”
These wild flowers in the field are another gift from ATF.
Though we have never seen God’s face
We see His love each day.
That love is reflected in all
We meet along our way.
In those we easily
See the love we are called to give,
The person we should be.
The lonely, broken soul,
Who seeks a chance to know the grace
That renews and makes whole.
Outside of what we know,
Yet, He is God, lest we forget,
He goes where He will go.
Let His love live in you.
Then you will find He’s everywhere,
In all you see and do.
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one
another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and
his love is perfected in us.
I’m not redeemed by my own works,
I know that is the truth,
But, if I claim to follow Him,
My works become the proof.
If we continue on
The path that we walked while we were
Still sin’s most willing pawn.
And hope to know His grace,
Then we must learn to shift our stride,
And run a better race.
There’s naught our works can do,
Except stand proof that, by our faith,
We’re truly born anew.
But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of
works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.
So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is
dead.
Life offers sorrows to us all,
But it also brings joy.
For we may live within earth’s bonds,
But His grace we enjoy.
My heart is satisfied
Knowing the bounty of His love
Will never be denied.
Nor in the words I speak,
But it lies in my redemption.
His Grace is all I seek.
As does the rising sun.
The battle may be painful now,
But the war has been won.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the
crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord
delivers him out of them all.
The world’s been coming at me fast,
Too much fury and noise.
Today, however, by Your grace,
I can regain my poise.
To most that makes no sense,
But I’ve always treasured the sound
That can make others wince.
They are my lullaby.
I find myself closest to You
Without mankind near by.
Outside the cultured rim
Where I can hear You, loud and clear,
And mankind’s voice grows dim.
I’ll rise and make the choice
To walk the path You’ve set for me.
Today I need Your voice.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the
Lord in the splendor of holiness. The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the
God of glory thunders, the Lord, over many waters.
Sometimes we get too self-impressed,
We think we’ve got it all,
Until we’re in over our head.
Then we give God a call.
And Peter thought he’d try?
If Christ had not leant him a hand,
Pete would have said good-bye.
When we aspire to be
The God who walks on windswept waves,
We’ll sink into the sea.
He’s strong where we are weak.
Yet when we call out in our fear,
He is the grace we seek.
He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked
on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and
beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”
The delightful barnacled shoe photo is from DE, my beach walking friend.
Oh Lord, help me to look beyond
My frustrations each day.
I tend to let them get so big
That they get in my way.
Because I let it grow
Until it takes up all my time
With nothing left to show.
That I can never change
Or how to make the pieces fit
That aren’t mine to arrange.
And set my gaze on You.
Though we each struggle in this life,
You always lead us through.
Make the path harder still
When I can place my trust in You
And walk into Your will.
The stillness that I need
To let go of the distractions.
I pray You’ll intercede.
Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give
me life in your ways.
They cried Hosanna in the streets,
Oh, save us, save us please,
And so He did, eternally.
He gave our lost souls ease.
He saved us, set us free
From all the torment we have earned.
Oh, praise Him joyously.
Unto the king of kings!
He died for us, then rose again
And each grateful heart sings!
Lift up their praise on high
To Heaven’s King our good Shepherd.
He lives that we won’t die.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son,
that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
The things we know, they did not know,
All they knew was despair.
He who had come to save them all
Was, now, no longer there.
In fear of the unknown,
Too frightened to recall His words,
The truths they had been shown.
That He would soon be back,
But hearing and believing Him
Called for faith, not its lack.
So, there they sat by the abyss
Of their own dread and fear,
Not knowing what we know today…
Resurrection drew near.
It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was
beginning. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the
tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and
ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
Though it was noon, the land went dark,
As The Light slowly died
With nothing more than all our sins
And two thieves by His side.
And then the whole realm shook.
This world had shifted forever,
His death was all it took.
Still, most chose not to see
The Light that God sent in His name
Had died on Calvary.
It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness
over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's light failed. And the
curtain of the temple was torn in two.
He knew the path He was to walk
And that they all would run,
Yet still He washed His pupil’s feet.
For that’s how grace is done.
To heal the blind and lame.
He taught them how to call the lost,
All in His Father’s name.
Within life’s raging gales,
And how to light the darkest night
With love that never fails.
The Lord made flesh on earth,
That even those disdained by all
Can know their soul’s rebirth.
And calmed the stormy sea
Bent and washed His pupil’s feet,
And did so lovingly.
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into
his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from
supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around
his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples'
feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
This beautiful photo of waves washing the shore is a blessing from DE. Thank you, D!
Oh Lord, my soul feels so fragile,
But I know that’s not true.
For, though I may be breakable,
My true strength lies in You.
And, in Your peace, reside.
You do not turn Your face from those
Who, in Your Word, abide.
And, in weakness, might break,
You wrap me in Your perfect peace
And strength, for Your love’s sake.
Lord, my strength rests in You,
And when I feel tossed by this world,
It’s You I hold on to.
May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord
bless his people with peace!
You brought me light in my darkness,
And washed my soul in grace.
I may not fit in with this world,
But You give me a place.
And helped me breathe again.
I may not always be my best,
But I trust in Your plan.
And how to face down death.
I may not have it all worked out,
But I’ll give You each breath.
These always were divine,
But it took me reflecting You
To see they’re also mine.
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.
Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
A thank you, again, to AC for this sweet photo from her trip to Africa.
Let me now lift my voice in praise,
To You, Lord, I will sing.
For You called me forth from the void
When earth first knew its spring.
Into heaven’s array.
From earth, I cast them to the stars
To speed them on their way.
And through the darkest vale,
To You, the King of all that is!
May my praise never fail.
When mankind’s voice grows still.
Though those who walk this world won’t hear,
Lord, I know that You will.
He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very
stones would cry out.”
They aren’t the first bird on the list
Of those favored by most,
And yet they come to drink each day,
Blessed by their doting host.
Or the colors they bear
That make them welcome at the fount.
It’s just that their hosts care.
They too were given grace,
And they now share what they can give
To others in their place.
And a safe place to nest.
The travelers have safe haven
To find shelter and rest.
These loving hosts instead
Have offered these birds home and hearth
In which to rest their head.
Sometimes it isn’t the big things
That we are called to do,
But all the little blessings that
We help each other through.
So let it also be with man,
Share the grace you've received.
As it's by His grace we are saved,
Our works show we've believed
Then they’re important, too,
And showing rowdy Grackles grace
Is a kind thing to do.
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and
you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
I want to hold on to Your robe.
To walk close by Your side,
So, I am less inclined to stray,
As I’ve so often tried.
To live in Your shadow.
That is the only hope I have
To flourish and to grow.
The light that guides me through.
The best and only way I know
Is to stay close to You.
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.
Amen.
I lift my voice each day in praise
And joyously I sing
To the creator of this world,
To Him, my Lord and King.
To most who pass me by
He knows each feather on my head
And taught me how to fly.
Too small to stop and see,
And yet He deems me of value
And keeps His eye on me.
And to the Lord I’ll sing,
For He has called me to be His
And I will praise my King.
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of
them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.
They danced with joy upon the beach.
Their footprints marked the sand
Where each step fell as they moved through
Along the windy strand.
Imprinted where they passed,
But, no matter how great their joy,
That remembrance won’t last.
And wash the shoreline clean.
Then it will be as if that joy
Was never felt or seen.
A breath and then it’s gone,
Until even the memory
Has faded and moved on.
To time and winds and tides,
For He has called us His children,
And that blessing abides.
Than footprints in the sand,
But our souls will not wash away.
We’re safe within His hand.
O Lord, what is man that you regard him, or the son of
man that you think of him?
Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.
You saw that I was troubled with
A burden on my heart,
So focused on it that I missed
What You tried to impart.
A voice You knew I’d hear,
To remind me to focus on
The Lord who holds me dear.
Than that which I can’t change.
I need to do what I can do,
The rest, You will arrange.
A mark of weak belief,
And hold instead to Your guidance.
In You there is relief.
My pride and my dismay,
When neither one is greater than
The Lord, the one true way.
And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour
to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that,
why are you anxious about the rest?
I stand before You, once again,
My soul, feeling adrift.
Though I know You are by my side,
It’s as if there’s a rift.
Knowing I often fail
At being who I’m meant to be,
I stressed to no avail.
To those along the way,
But I felt wave on wave roll in
Of worry and dismay.
Gathered to worship You,
And then I went about my day
While grief filled waves swept through.
We both know that I do.
A weary body heals with rest,
A soul needs time with You.
For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every
languishing soul I will replenish.
The simple fact is family
Will never be easy.
We stand so close for all our lives
That we often can't see
The thorns we hide from most strangers
We share with family.
We've known each other for so long
We often do not hear
The painful words and thoughts we share
With those we hold most dear.
We see the faults that we watched grow
In those who shared our life,
While somehow failing to notice
The thorns of our own strife.
Each blossom in the flower bed
Has beauty, that is real.
Yet, standing so close brings in view
The thorns they each conceal,
And those closest, most deeply cut,
Bear scars they'll always feel.
We can't neglect to forgive those
Who grew up by our side.
For we can't trim another's thorns
By using our own pride.
Those thorny blossoms shared the life
In which you learned to bloom,
And if their thorns prick now and then,
Just give them extra room.
For family is always hard,
But they're right by your side
Through all the storms and droughts that come,
With hearts and arms stretched wide.
It might be time to love the blooms
And let the thorns abide.
Oh Lord, my heart sings out to You,
Though I’m a bit off key,
The songs of praise fill up my days
And that’s alright with me.
To lift up with each dawn,
But those old hymns of joyful praise
Help me to carry on.
Though most say I should not,
All of the old songs I still love,
Though many have forgot.
It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing
praises to your name, O Most High
This life keeps coming at me fast,
Sometimes I can’t keep pace.
Yet, I know I stand in Your strength,
And endure through Your grace
For I have lived my past
And learned, thereby, however great,
The hard times will not last
With no one to hear me,
I’ve never cried out for Your help
And not heard You clearly.
What tomorrow may hold,
Because I know that You hold me.
Knowing that, I am bold!
that according to the riches of his glory he may
grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being
Blessings and hard times, they go hand in hand,
But both are a part of life.
You can’t treasure blessings in your heart
Without some struggle and strife.
Though things seem rocky today,
Those blessings of joy and happiness
Are before you every day.
For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so
through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.
I find my peace within Your grace.
A stillness in my soul
That calms the tempest of my thoughts
And makes the broken whole.
The answers that I seek
To all the questions of my heart
That my tongue cannot speak.
And Your word comforts me.
There is no burden on my heart
That Your peace can’t lift free.
I rest in Your stillness.
It is in You that I find peace,
Your name I praise and bless.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me
lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.