Advent Week 4 2025 - Love

 

The seasons change as God has planned,
The universe aligns.
Yet, all were called forth by His hand.
His wonders and His signs.
 
We stand in this year’s darkest day,
But, with tomorrow’s dawn,
The light half of the year returns
And darkness will move on.
 
It is not fear of the darkness
That lingers on my mind,
But, instead, love and awe for Him
Who can, such forces, bind.
 
Yet, calling light into the dark
Was not a one time thing.
For man can’t always comprehend
The gifts such love can bring.
 
When we forgot who formed it all
Then turned back to the dark,
He sent His Light once more to us,
To rekindle the spark.
 
He stepped down from the infinite,
To be a child of man,
And bring us back into God’s Light.
Fulfilling God’s own plan.
 
The darkest days of winter lay
Upon the lives of those
Who wandered through the cold, dark hills.
Yet, they were who He chose.
 
He sent His angels to sing out
Across the dark of night
And call His children back to grace
By following His Light.
 
Now, each year as the light returns
We’re reminded again
Of love so great, it’s redemptive.
He Is the Light of man.    
 
John 1:4-5 4
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Christmas Emotions

 

There is a whisper of sorrow
Nestled into my heart.
It’s always there, soft, but present,
When the holidays start.
 
My world is filled with joy and light,
And each year they both grow.
Yet, I know that, tucked in my heart,
Lingers that small sorrow.
 
It’s not a deep, unhealing scar,
More a sweet memory
Of those with whom I’ve shared these joys,
Who, now, aren’t here with me.
 
The whisper isn’t loud or strong,
They would not want it so.
It’s just enough to remind me
That such love won’t let go.  
 
The holidays are filled with joy,
As they are meant to be,
And I will hold my loved ones close,
In life or memory.
 
Psalm 34:18
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

Stillness And Prayer

 

Quiet moments and gentle thoughts,
The week draws to a close
As I find what I’ve been seeking.
Your peace is my repose.
 
I have, at last, started to rest
And, as the night draws nigh,
I find I am content to spend
This time, just You and I.
 
Tomorrow I’ll start out again
With new chores on my list,
But, for tonight, my world is still.
Its chaos is dismissed.
 
Thank You for giving me so much
To get done every day,
But, even more, I thank You for
Time to be still and pray.
 
Matthew 14:23
And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,

To Dance With Joy

 

Tonight, I seek the joy and peace
That rest within Your Word.
The world has spoken, all day long,
And noise is all I’ve heard.
 
The busy rush of everyday
Can weigh upon my heart
Until I feel the stress born tears
Slowly begin to start.
 
That is my clue to just step back
And rest upon the rock.
Read Your words of hope, peace, and joy,
In which my soul takes stock.
 
I read the wisdom of prophets,
The insights of old kings.
I speak the words You spoke to us
And feel the hope it brings.
 
The world begins to fall away
When I focus on You
And listen with heart, mind and soul,
As You taught me to do.
 
Then, as the world grows to silence,
I feel the joy unlock
Until Your hope, Your peace fill me.
I dance, Lord, on The Rock!  
 
Romans 15:12-13
And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.” May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

The Wages Of Sin

Be careful who you choose to serve
As you walk through this life.
Serving the Lord, sharing His grace,
Or serving satan’s strife.
 
Oh, you who walk the roads of sin,
Of hatred and of wrath,
Will find yourself unsatisfied
At the end of the path.
 
For those dark longings cannot feed
The hunger in your soul.
You will just magnify that lack
With hate and sin, your goal.
 
He’s warned us more than once or twice
To turn from that dark way.
The price for serving satan takes
Eternity to pay.
 
There is a dark heart in us all,
That Christ’s grace can make right,
But only if you turn back from
The darkness to the Light.
 
If not, prepare to face the wrath
You seek to sow in life.
Eternity is a long time
To live beneath that knife.
 
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Your Love Is Greater

 

My heart grows heavy, now and then,
When I look at the world.
The anger and the violence,
Both stones and slanders hurled.
 
Our lives grow darker every day,
And our thoughts more unkind.
That light that’s at the tunnel’s end,
Is difficult to find.
 
Yet, when I fear all hope is gone,
I feel Your perfect grace
Fill up the darkness with Your light
‘Til hope reclaims its place.
 
The hope born of a faith filled heart
Returns to me once more.
There is no joy this world may take
That Your love can’t restore.
 
Your love is greater than my fear,
That faith will heal my pain.
With Your love as my guiding Light,
Faith, hope and joy remain.
 
1 Corinthians 13:13
So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

When You say Go

 

Each time I seek to hide away
I hear You call to me,
You have a task for me to do,
Somewhere I need to be.
 
I tend to try to be alone,
To hide from the world’s eyes,
But You know what is best for me,
Despite what I surmise.

 

I tend to panic, just a bit,
But I have learned one thing…
When You tell me it’s time to go,
I go with rejoicing.
 
I give the panic and complaints
Enough time to be heard,
Then send them off while I head out,
Grateful and undeterred.
 
I may come home a bit weary,
But I am so blessed, too,
For You trusted me to get done
What You sent me to do.
 
While I may hide out from the world,
I’m always in Your sight.
When You call me to stop hiding,
I dance, Lord, with delight!
 
Jeremiah 23:24
Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord.

Advent Week 3 2025 - Joy

Lift up your voices to the Lord,
Rejoice in His blessings,
And never let your hearts forget
All that His mercy brings.
 
A hope, a peace, a joyful soul,
His promise never fails
To lift us up and lead us through,
Even life’s worst travails.
 
Join with your brothers and sisters
To praise His name in song
And let the joy of thankful hearts
Rise up all the day long.
 
Let every praise be filled with joy
And let that joy increase
Knowing His love for you is fierce
And His love will not cease.
 
Psalm 98:4
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
 
Psalm 71:23
My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed.

Follow Me

 

I never heard the angels sing,
Nor followed a bright star,
But I too found Emmanuel
Without travelling far.
 
I wasn’t out watching my sheep,
But I still heard His call.
His quiet voice said “follow me”,
And so I did. That’s all.
 
There was no fanfare, no rich gifts.
All that He asked of me
Was that I follow where He leads,
And that’s where I will be.
 
Just as those who were called before,
I don’t know what I’ll face,
But I know who I’m following
Into the Lord’s embrace.
 
John 12:26
If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

Life's Maelstroms

 

When we stand in the maelstrom
We often curse and cry.
Instead of asking for Your help
We blame You and ask why.  
 
When times are good we sail on by,
Thinking we’re in control.
It’s almost as if we can’t see
The picture, clear and whole.
 
It may be that times of distress
Are meant to teach us to
Stop thinking about “poor old me”
And turn our thoughts to You.
 
Acknowledge we aren’t in control
Of most that this life brings,
That we need You to guide us through
This life’s arrows and slings.
 
If we reach out to You in faith
Instead of rage or pride,
We find that we can withstand life
With You there by our side.
 
The tempest eases, the path clears,
And we find our way through.
Maybe the storms are meant to teach
Us how much we need You.
 
To show us that we’re not the one
Who’s in control each day,
But, He who is, stands close enough
To help us find the way.
 
There will be maelstroms, now and then,
That pop up in this life,
But You will always be the peace
We need to brave such strife.
 
Numbers 6:24-26
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Lead Me To The Rock

Wherever I may find myself,
I call out to the Lord.
For He it is who redeemed me
And all my hope restored.
 
When life is easy, I rejoice
And celebrate His name,
But when troubles rise around me,
It’s His refuge I claim.
 
I turn my back upon my fears
And turn my eyes to Him.
I follow Him as He leads me
Along the rock’s high rim.
 
He’s my fortress, my high tower,
My refuge in despair.
In Him I find respite and peace,
For His love’s always there.
 
Lead me, Oh Lord. I’ll follow You,
Though my heart’s faint within.
For my faith rests within the grace
That healed me of my sin.
 
Psalm 61:2-3
from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.

Hold On In Faith

 

I try to share with all I meet
The grace I live each day,
And demonstrate the truth I’ve learned
To others on my way.
 
I do these things to live my life
As You’ve called me to do.
Yet, even more than all of these,
I hold in faith to You.
 
I cannot claim healing from sin,
Other than through Your grace.
All my good works won’t be enough,
Your mercy, to replace.
 
That’s why I strive to live Your Word
And hold in faith to You,
Believing in the promise that
You hold onto me, too!
 
Romans 3:28
For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

A Light To My Path

 

However dark the world may seem,
However deep the night,
I’ll find the path I need to take
When I follow Your Light.
 
I know that I will walk dark roads,
And climb steep, rocky trails,
But I will keep my eye on You
Throughout this life’s travails.
 
Then, when I have reached this trail’s end,
I’ll praise You with delight,
For You kept me upon the path
And lead me by Your Light.
 
Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

This sweet photo of the sun lighting a dark path is a blessing from DE

The Three Are One

What seems coincidence to man,
Has always been His plan.
For He has seen both start and end,
As only the Lord can.
 
The three of them were nestled there,
Awaiting winter’s frost.
The branches upon which they hung
Shaped much like my sin’s cost.
 
All three were there and bound as one
Upon the cold fir bough.
The image, vivid in my mind.
I see it even now.
 
The presence of the Trinity
Reflected on that limb
Which bore the shape of that old cross.
Father, Spirit and Him.
 
It’s not a miracle to find
Pinecones upon a tree.
The blessing comes in knowing that
He set them there for me,
In just that place, at just that time,
Where He knew I would be.
 
John 10:30
I and the Father are one.”
 
John 1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

Advent Week 2 2025 - Peace

 

We speak of peace when all is still,
The peace that’s of this world.
Far greater still it is to live
His perfect peace unfurled.
 
The peace of earth’s a fleeting thing,
And often hard to find,
But that born of the Father’s grace
Is the eternal kind.
 
That peace is granted by the Lord
To those who walk His path,
It holds them even when they stand
Within this cold world’s wrath.
 
It fills your heart and mind and soul,
Despite what you walk through,
And keeps you focused on His Word.
His peace will not leave you.
 
For it is not a passing peace,
Fickle and petulant.
It is the peace poured out from Christ.
Indeed, it’s heaven sent.
 
Philippians 4:9
What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

To Finish The Week

I’ll finish on a note of hope
With a bright splash of joy.
Meet life’s challenges with all of
The faith you can employ,
And let your heart be not troubled
By what each day may bring.
Stand in the hope He’s in control,
And you have cause to sing.
 
For you are His. Despite your fears,
He will not let you go.
Keep your hope fixed upon that truth
And just let your joy grow.
 
John 14:1
Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

Ever New

 

The stillness of a winter’s eve,
The snow brushing the bough,
And quiet time to spend with You,
If just for here and now.
 
There are so many disruptions
That slip in every day
To distract me from time with You,
All to my great dismay.
 
So, I am making it a point,
In this season of noise,
To make time to spend in the peace
Which my soul so enjoys.
 
That peace I find only when I
Open my heart to You.
While this world’s distractions grow old,
Your peace is ever new.
 
2 Peter 1:2
May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

Reaching For His Light

 

I saw it reaching for the light,
As I have often done.
It was reaching toward the moon,
While I reach for the Son.
 
We’re each seeking heavenly light,
But, of the two choices,
Only one shines within the praise
Of heavenly voices.
 
One casts its light across the night,
And one lights creation.
He healed what we had torn apart,
And then He said, “It’s done”.
 
His is the Light that does not fail,
However dark the night,
And I will never stop reaching
For Him with all my might.
 
John 8:12
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Life On The Run

 

Another day spent at full speed,
And still my work’s not done.
There isn’t much time to be still
On days spent on the run.
 
Yet, even with that pace in life,
I feel Your grace wash through
And, even though I’m running fast,
I’m running next to You.
 
You guard me in my going out
And bring me home safely.
With all the crazy in my days,
I know You’re watching me.
 
The days will come when I can’t run
And I’ll have to sit still.
Yet, old and slow, You’ll stay with me.
Always have, always will.
 
I tend to whine about the pace,
Whether it’s fast or slow,
But, if the truth were to be told.
I’m just grateful to know
That You are watching over me
Whether I stay or go.
 
Psalm 121:8
The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

To Which I Cling

 

The answered prayer, unending grace,
A hope made manifest,
And now a precious little life
Rests on her mother’s breast.
 
There is no fear You cannot calm,
If I give it to You.
I need to learn to just be still
And trust You’ll lead me through.
 
Your mercy is my hope, Oh Lord,
Your grace is mine always.
The strong refuge in which I rest,
Even on fear filled days.
 
You are always right here with me,
I need but call Your name
To feel Your presence strong and clear.
Your help is mine to claim.
 
Your grace and peace, my hope and faith
All cause my heart to sing,
But it is Your enduring love
To which my soul will cling.
 
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Be Not Far

 

My heart cries out within me, Lord,
In my worry and fear.
I lift up to You those I love.
I pray, Lord, that You hear.
 
Please guard them in their times of pain,
And heal each wound they bear.
Let them not walk the dark valleys
Without knowing You’re there.
 
Stay close to them in times of grief,
In loss or deep sorrow.
Give them the comfort of Your peace
Wherever they must go.
 
In hope, I give You those I love,
As You gave them to me.
Please keep them close beneath Your wing
Where they are meant to be.
 
My heart cries out to You, Oh Lord,
My soul sings songs of praise
In thanks to You for guiding them
And guarding them always.
 
Psalm 38:21
Do not forsake me, O Lord! O my God, be not far from me!