A Cry For Help

 

Tonight, I lift up a few prayers
For those along my way,
The family and friends I love
And folks I met today.
 
The warriors, our brave Sheepdogs,
Who guard us near and far,
Please keep them safe and bring them home
From wherever they are.
 
The Shepherds, too, who lead their sheep
Through this world, by Your Word.
Please keep them faithful to Your truth,
Protect them and their herd.
 
The sick, the lost the broken souls,
The heavy laden, too.
I lift them each into Your care.
Oh Lord, we all need You.
 
Tonight, I sit with You, dear Lord,
And offer my heart’s prayer
For healing, grace, and comfort for
Your children everywhere.
 
Psalm 34:17-18
When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

To Keep It Holy

The sun slowly begins to set
Beneath the horizon.
My daily chores complete at last,
And the clean up is done.
 
Now, as the sabbath settles in,
I praise the King of Kings
For His blessings throughout this week
And the peace sabbath brings.
 
A day of rest, but even more,
Time to recognize
That He who formed the sun and stars
Sees our souls as His prize.
 
That He loved us enough to die,
Then rise up once again
To clearly show that He values
Our place within His plan.
 
I will rest in the sabbath’s peace.
I’ll give voice to the praise
That fills my heart, my mind, my soul,
And will through all my days!
 
Exodus 20:8
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 

But Of Peace

 

I needed something all day long,
But what, I couldn’t tell.
I felt it weighing down on me.
The day did not go well.
 
I stayed the course, did what I should,
And helped out here and there,
But I was walking on the edge
Of personal despair.
 
When I, at last, sat down to think
And lift a prayer or two
I realized what I’d needed
Was just some time with You.
 
I get so caught up in the world,
The things I do each day,
That I often forget to just
Be still, listen and pray.
 
I’m grateful that I have a chance
To help, to work, to love,
But I clearly need to make time
Outside life’s push and shove.
 
A little time to just be still
And rest within Your grace,
To let Your light wash out the noise
And Your peace take its place.
 
1 Corinthians 14:33a
For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.

Still Under Your Wing

 

This was a day that made me glad
I live beneath Your wing.
Too many times I felt tears rise
From all this life can bring.
 
I got distracted once or twice,
When things almost went wrong,
But I stayed safe, shielded by grace.
I faltered, You were strong.
 
Most days I keep my eyes on You,
But not so much today.
I focused on this world’s chaos
And almost went astray.
 
I find myself sitting tonight
With some tears lingering,
But You still have your eye on me.
I’m safe beneath Your wing.
 
Psalm 91:4
He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. 

My Plans Are Ducks

 

My ducks are nowhere near a row.
In fact, they’re running loose,
And there is a very good chance
That one might be a goose.
 
I seem to tie myself in knots
Then knot the knots, also.
Even my best plans fly away.
That’s just the way ducks go.
 
Yet, in the midst of my chaos,
I know Your plan’s in place,
So, while all my ducks run amok
I’ll hold on to Your grace.
 
My plans may hinge upon my ducks,
But Your plans are more vast.
I pray that both my ducks and I
Line up with You, at last.
 
Proverbs 16:9
The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

Count Your Blessings Daily

 

Take a moment to stop and count
Your blessings once each day.
Not just those you’ve already seen,
But those still on the way.
 
Once you begin to stop and see
The gifts and not the woes,
You’ll be surprised at just how fast
That list of blessings grows.
 
The things we seek, we tend to find,
So, look for your blessings
And take the time to count them all,
The gifts that His grace brings.
 
Psalm 144:15
Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!

This photo is another blessing from KK and his recent trip to Jamaica! 

Your Steadfast Love Is Mine

I found myself, again today,
Hiding my face in shame
For sins long past, that I’ve confessed,
Yet, for which I feel blame.
 
I know that You’ve forgiven me,
Washed my sins in Your blood,
But I still feel those sins, some days,
Sweep me up in their flood.
 
Your sacrifice, Your cleansing grace
Has cast them far from me.
Why then do I still cling to them
When You have set me free.
 
Did Peter weep with shame each time
He recalled Calvary?
Did Paul feel grief when he recalled
The man he used to be?
 
I know that You have cast my sin
As far away from me
As the heavens are from the earth.
Too far for me to see.
 
Yet, now and then I think it helps
That I recall my sin,
Then lift my voice in prayer that I
Won’t be that me again.
 
With that reminder, I then need
To let go what You’ve cast
As far away as east from west,
Let go of what is past
And hold instead to what is mine,
Your love true and steadfast!
 
Psalm 103:11-12
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. 

This beautiful photo of heaven and earth is a gift from KK, from his recent trip to Jamaica

While Still A Sinner

 

Sometimes it’s hard to see You, Lord,
When this world closes in.
It’s hard to focus on Your grace,
When all I see’s my sin.
 
I know that You are always there,
You have been all along,
But I let sin obscure my view
When my faith wasn’t strong.
 
I know that You see so much more,
But life obstructs my view
Of who You know that I will be
When I walk close to You.

 

There have been days when I doubted
I’d ever get it right,
Until the fog of sin broke lose
Beneath Your perfect Light.
 
Lord, in this world I pray that I
May change my point of view,
To focus less on all my sins
And keep my eyes on You.
 
Romans 5:8
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

I Trust And Rest In You

 

That point in time when the work’s done,
Cleaned up and put away.
Tomorrow’s work will come in time,
But that’s another day.
 
That quiet breath when suddenly
You can hear your heart beat,
Instead of just incessant noise.
That moment, still and sweet.
 
I’m almost to that point today
When I can hear Your voice
And feel the perfect peace in which
My soul starts to rejoice.
 
Another day, another week
That You have brought me through,
And now my heart and soul can rest
Rejoicing, Lord, in You.
 
Isaiah 26:3-4
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

Stand Firm In The Lord

Stand firm within the world’s chaos,
Keeping your faith in Him
Who formed the earth, mountains to sea,
The heavens, rim to rim.
 
Stand not in your own arrogance,
But secure in the Lord,
For each lost soul who calls His name
By His grace is restored.
 
Do not rely on your insights,
What you hold to be true,
But seek His counsel, walk His path,
And He will walk in you.
 
The world will try to lure you back
To live within its shame,
But those who stand firm in His Word
May call upon His name.
 
For He is Lord, the Creator,
And we are His children.
There’s no other, nor will there be,
Nor has there ever been.
 
Stand firm, then, in His holy name,
Hold fast to Him alone,
Until we come at last to stand
In peace before His throne.
 
Isaiah 46:8-9
“Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me

What's In Your Reflection

 

In this world we seek different things
Than He wants us to see.
We focus on appearances,
Not who we’re meant to be.
 
If the mirror in which we gazed
Showed what He sees in us,
I wonder if we’d spend so much
Time making all that fuss.
 
What if, instead of well-groomed hair
And a perfected face,
We saw a humble heart within
A spirit touched by grace.
 
It’s in conceit and vanity
We spend time dressing up
A mind absorbed in selfishness.
Now that’s a bitter cup.
 
A heart of love, that walks in grace,
As all His children should,
Reflects more beauty than fine clothes
And jewels ever could.
 
A humble spirit, giving heart,
And compassionate soul
Are a reflection of the grace
That truly makes us whole.
 
So, comb your hair and wash your face,
But then, before you go,
Be sure that you also reflect
What He wants you to show.
 
Proverbs 27:19
As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man.

This sweet photo of 2 gulls reflected in the water covered beach is another gift from DE. 

Too Much Sad News

 

Oh Lord, tonight I have no words.
My thoughts, scattered and frayed,
Are drowning in the waves of grief
That will not be allayed.
 
The sorrows rush in ceaselessly,
A never-ending flow
From which I fear I can’t escape
However far I go.
 
I know that these storms, too, will pass,
But right now I feel lost.
In wave on wave of pain and grief,
My poor spirit is tossed.  
 
Lord, hold me close within Your grace
Until once more I stand
Far from the ocean of my grief,
Beyond this shifting sand.
 
You are the rock to which I cling,
The anchor that won’t fail.
I know that Your love is greater
Than this passing travail.
 
I’ll cling to You within this storm
Until You cry, “Be Still”,
Then all my tears, my grief will cease
In answer to Your will.
 
Psalm 107:28-29
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.