In The Crucible - Re-posted

We pray He shields them from the flames

And keeps all harm away.
We ask that they be spared the pain
That we felt in our day.
 
We hope the children we gave birth,
And those we love so well,
Will never have to face the heat
Of their own private hell.
 
Yet it is in the crucible
That silver’s purged of dross.
And metal finds its strength within
The forge’s fiery gloss.
 
So let us pray they face the flames,
And come through them alright;
Let them not be warped by its heat,
But burnished by its light.
 
Psalm 12:6
And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.

Both the photo and the inspiration for this praise come from my dear friend TAF, who has blessed me in so many ways.

In My Shame - Revised and Re-posted

I hide my face from You in shame

For I have lived in doubt.
When I should have had faith in You
I’ve let life stress me out.
When I should have given You praise,
I'd think, “That was all me!",
And when I heard You call my name
I'd rush by hurriedly.
 
But through all that, You loved me still,
You answered every call,
And each time that I tripped on pride
You’d hold me through the fall.
So, Lord, I hide my face in shame.
I'm grateful You love me,
And I'll strive from this moment on
To be who I should be.

The Long, Steep Path - Re-posted

The way is long, the grade is steep,

Broken and overgrown.
I know that I will not climb it
If I try it alone.

The way is difficult to scale,
I long to turn away
As it seems many have before.
They didn’t come this way
 
For it has clearly not been trod
By any foot in years
And trying to climb that way now
Will bring me pain and tears.
 
And yet that is the path I seek
The way I choose to go
For that’s the path you chose to walk
Because you loved me so.
 
So I will follow where you’ve walked
Whatever the travail,
For that is what you’ve asked of me
And with you I’ll prevail.

Clinging To The Rock - Re-posted

I’ll build my house upon The Rock

For I have seen the sand 
Swept out to sea in crashing waves,
Forever lost to land.

I would not live tossed by the sea,
With no hope of the shore,
Where my Lord will not only guard,
But will, by Grace, restore. 

So I choose to build on The Rock
And, when the storms blow through,
I’ll watch the sands wash out to sea
While clinging, Lord, to You.  

Matthew 7:24-27 

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Not A Squeak - Re-posted

There are those days when I have thoughts

That would best go unheard. 
They probably should not be thoughts,
Much less become a word. 
 
I try my best to hold them in,
Though sometimes they slip out,
And I regret them instantly.
Of that, there is no doubt. 
 
I mean them to be just a joke
Or some flippant comment, 
But what I think and what comes out
Don’t sound like what I meant.
 
So help me, Lord, to think it through
Before I start to speak,
And if there’s any doubt at all,
Don’t let me make a squeak!

Twisted, But True

My life’s been filled with twists and turns,

That I could not make straight,
No matter how hard I might try.
It seemed to be my fate.
 
But all the time I kept my eye
Clearly fixed upon You,
So, even on that twisted path,
I’ve managed to grow true.
 
We may not all grow straight as rods,
Because life is that way,
But, if we keep reaching for God,
We won’t go far astray!

This wonderful photo and the praise concept were both a gift from Laure B. She offered them to me and as soon as I saw them I knew she was right! Thank you, Laurie

A Glimpse of The Light - Re-posted

I watched the panoply of stars
That swept across the sky
And recognized how small I am
Within the Lord’s great eye.
 
I heard the rushing of the wind
Crushing all in its wake
I recognized how weak I am
And I began to quake.
 
I saw the sea rush to the shore,
Singing unceasingly.
I understood what faithful means
As it applies to me.
 
I live within the twilight world
Trapped between day and night
But now and then I glimpse the truth,
A heavenly insight.

James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

This photo was kindly shared with us by KLS. It intrigued me and I just loved the precious imagery it called to mind. Thank You, K!!

What's At my Feet - Re-posted

I’m always dreaming of the day

I’ll have what’s not now mine,
While, at my feet, there’s something else
That would suit me just fine.
 
It’s not that I need something more,
That’s just a pleasing thought,
But that thought distracts me from all
That I’ve already got.
 
So, Lord, today I ask of you,
Keep me in gratitude.
For I have all I need right now,
Except my attitude!

Matthew 6:33-34
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

In A Foreign Land - Re-posted

I’ll sing to You where I am, Lord,

For You have sought me here.
I wasn’t looking to be found
And yet I found You near.
 
You sought me out, here in my shame,
When I denied Your call,
And though I tried to run from You
I never ran at all.
 
For You are there before me, Lord,
Wherever I might run,
And I surrendered to Your Grace
Before I had begun.
 
I don’t know why You love me so,
But, despite me, You do.
So I would sing to You, from hell,
because, Lord, I love You!
 
Psalm 137:4
How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?

Abundantly, Unceasingly - Re-posted

I stand upon the shore in faith

That this is where You’ll be,
And wave on wave of Your deep love
Comes rushing in to me.
 
Abundantly, unceasingly,
It rushes onto shore.
There’s always more Grace than I need,
And still You send me more.
 
I did not ask to be born, Lord,
I do not seek to die,
But in between please keep me close
Beneath Your watchful eye,
 
And I, in turn, will linger near
The ocean of Your grace,
Until the time comes that I see
Your Glory, face to face.