Please reconcile all that’s gone wrong
Please heal hearts that have been hurting too long.
Please give peace where there are no answers
Please fill our hearts with grace for one another.
Please pave a new road for relationships gone bad
Please infuse hope for new memories to be had.
Thank You for wanting to hear our prayers.
Thank You for welcoming us into Your care.
One day I’ll see You as You are
No hidden veil, healed battle scars
One day, I’ll join You in eternity
Until then, You have plans for me
Mountaintop views, treacherous terrain
Tests, trials, blessings – all for Your name
You refine, redefine, give new life and rebirth
Preparing my soul for heaven’s will on earth.
Lord, destroy the monster in me. One I have fed over time. Break the bonds that grew deep roots so I’d be of clear and sober mind.
Let my fears not rule or transform my thinking into my worst enemy. Instead let me dwell in peace and live in beautiful harmony.
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Phillipians 4:8
The Lord is my Helper, I shall not be afraid.
What a statement! Just as I write it, my mind is filled with potential fears.
Fears of losing those I love, fears of falling ill, fears of financial strain and fears of failure.
But… the Lord is my Helper, Whom (or what) shall I fear?
The Bible is full of statements that seem to contradict our human experience.
Yet, He shows up time and again proving His Word is true
And on this Rock, we stand.
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart rejoices, and I give thanks to Him with my song. The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.” Psalm 28:7
“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.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Psalm 23:1
Strengthen me to be your vessel
Strip away selfishness
So life is not lived in vain
Train my mind in honor and wisdom
Tune my heart to glorify your name.
You know my heart, You see my pain
In faithfulness Your love remains
You heal, restore, open up the doors
Your power breaks chains, I am sustained
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.”
2 Corinthians 4:8-10
Inside my weakness, struck with flaws
Your power and plan considers them all
Never blind nor deaf, not surprised by defeat
But with a smile and a nudge,
You get me back on my feet
You knew the path, You knew the way
You knew what it would take
to prepare me for this day.
I am grateful
For life, second chances
And beautiful sunrises
I am grateful
For family, friends
Mercies that never end
I am grateful
For moments of blessings and truth
Lord, I am grateful for You
When the crown turns into thorns
And the payment owed
Is more than I have to give
When my trials find me on my knees
And failures make each day so hard to live
I look to my Savior
Grateful I am His
When a mountain top is reached
And blessings shower down all over me
I stand in awe
Your grace too much to bear
Overwhelming joy mine to declare
I look to my Savior
Grateful He brought me here
Behind these walls
There may not appear to be freedom
No freedom to leave
No freedom to breathe
Only restrictions and people watching me
Behind these walls
I miss my family and friends
I miss my house and my boyfriend
But the confinement has kept me safe
Although I’d rather be any other place
No walls can take away God’s grace.
It’ll be a hard road
There will be plenty of tests, I’m sure
But I’m prepared for the battle
And all else I may endure
This is my rehab story
And I plan for it to end well
Then my overcoming
Will be a great story to tell.
He collects our tears in a jar
To one day be redeemed
He sees who we truly are
And loves us all the same.
He sees our struggles
He sees our pain
He heals, restores
His faithfulness remains.
You are near to the broken hearted
You are near to those lost
Your faithfulness to us
Came at a great cost
You don’t see our iniquity
You don’t see our faults
Your Son paid that price
On the cross
We live in a world
Where questions abound
Doubt seeps in
And hopelessness is found
But Your Word and truth
Gives hope
Your voice and forgiveness
Helps us to cope
Every moment brings a new promise
A new sunrise and change
Every prayer makes us feel heard
And gives us hope for the next day
Although His timing may be different
He works everything into his picture
We are here to be moved at His will
We just need to keep trusting and be still
Many have tried
While others have stayed
But the ones who run the furthest
Will still never get away
Because you can’t outrun his love
No matter the distance or the sin
God’s love and grace always wins
Can we find the words of faith to utter yet one more prayer?
Is our seed of faith big enough for one more trial to bear?
You say come to You as a child, believing in your care.
Your forgiveness, your provisions, your promises are waiting for us there.
“But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” Matthew 19:14
You give me what I need
When I need it
Even though my understanding
may be wrong
You teach new truths
And clarify questions
You lovingly show me
Where I belong
I’ll acknowledge the signs
And accept the corrections.
I’ll allow myself
To hear what You say
I’ll let go of the past
Knowing it was all direction
To develop me more
And brighten tomorrow’s day
Don’t let the past define you
But your eyes of faith provide you
Hope for each new day
Let the lessons teach you
But not the pain beseech you
To fall into doubt or dismay
Let your heart be renewed
Through the grace He gives to you
As He washes yesterday away
A secret way by which You lead
Off the beaten path
Where no other traveler has set foot
Just You and I together at last
A place where You tell me
Of things long ago
And give me glimpses
Of where we’ll go
We sit by a stream
to refresh and renew
Where I bask in Your presence
And give my praise to You
You vanquish anxiety
Self will and doubt
You love with no reservation
No demand or expectation
I want to love like that
Stand firm, He says
Do not be swayed or dismayed
Stand firm, He says
Knowing I command the waves
Don’t let impatience have its voice
Calling you away or aside
Don’t rush ahead to force change
Convinced by your own pride
No, stand firm, He says
In my will and in my way
Stand firm, He says
For I rule this and every day.
Two are better than one, they say
So please send someone my way
But not just any man will do
He must know, seek and follow You.
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
I can’t hear a thing
When did it get so silent in here?
All the answers disappeared
Just waiting for a message from up there
Are my ears clogged
Did you pull the curtain?
Maybe my speech is too flawed
Of this I’m pretty certain.
Thank you for loving me where I am
You remove all rules and regulations
The broken woman that I am
Needs no excuse or explanation
I am free to live and trust in You
I am free from my past restraints
You’ve designed the perfect life for me
The narrative I don’t need to repaint
Sometimes
we just need little pushes
little touches
from the unknown
to inspire us, to remind us
we are not alone
Just as I am
I find your embrace
You’ll use me here
In this very place
Not by my merit
But by your grace
“From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace.” John 1:16
If the Lord wills it, it will come to pass
Although his timing looks different than mine
While in the waiting, I can rest assured
Knowing at his determined time, his promises I’ll find
“Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.” Romans 4:19-21
Let my hunger drive me to You, to bow at your throne of grace
But when I’m full and satisfied, may I remain in that place.
Let my blindness lead to a renewed and strengthened faith
But once my vision is clear, may I continue to see your face.
It was time to go, but I stubbornly stayed
Even when the land around me went dry
Abandoned to this wasteland
Endlessly searching for signs of life
But no sustenance would be found
Only drought and silence would abound
In this dry and fallow ground
With reluctance and tiny steps
And a good bye to all buried below
I gathered up my belongings and heart
And found His footsteps to follow
““ ‘If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over. I will break down your stubborn pride and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze. Your strength will be spent in vain, because your soil will not yield its crops, nor will the trees of your land yield their fruit.” Leviticus 26:18-20
I will not wait for You to rescue me
For You already did so on the cross
You’ve given me everything I need
To thrive, succeed and not be lost
My heart and my life
Are under the blanket of your care
I have freedom to move in confidence
And strength for all trials to bear.
“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7
I love you more then you can grasp. My love is unwavering, unchanging.
And, nothing you can do will alter it or take it away.
When you walk or run away from me, I hurt because I long to be with you.
I chose to face death to be with you.
I chose to see your sins no more.
I chose to speak until you heard me.
I chose to never close the door.
Let my tears melt the grief
Let my steps erase the memories
Let your truth destroy the lies
Let my prayers heal the sadness
Let your grace remove the regret
Let my faith give thanks for the goodbye
You give me a song to sing
When my heart is trembling
When sorrow is knocking on the door
—
You give me a song to sing
When my life is struck by thunder
When I can carry on no more
—
You give me a song to sing
To rise my tune above this plane
And on your wings of gladness soar
“But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31
Our enemy, the deceiver
Always with something up his sleeve
Seeks to destroy and divide
And works to steal our peace
—
Be on the lookout, be alert
Hedge your heart so he can’t get in
Once inside the disguise is greater
And manipulates our lean to sin
—
Remember who the enemy is
Before his attempts begin
Our fight is not against each other
But principalities of darkness around and within.
“Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12
“A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another.” John 13:34
I was blinded
because I chose not to see
I didn’t want to acknowledge
The sin in me
I let it’s roots take hold
And what a grip they grow
But thank God, He sets me free
The truth of our redemption
Is the perfect picture of beauty
It embodies the fullness of your grace
To all who will receive and believe
—
It represents a new covenant
Through your Spirit and sacrifice
It is You ending our lawless attempts
And uniting us as your bride
He’ll take the leftovers, the cast aways, the ones forgotten and thrown away
He’ll take the hopeless cases, the given up, the accused, the strays
He’ll take them all, bandage their wounds, love them fully and still have room.
He’ll stand beside them as their proud bridegroom and offer them life outside the tomb.
When He doesn’t raise the dead
But stays longer on his journey instead
When He doesn’t end the suffering
Or the drought with a fresh lain spring
When He allows the boat to capsize
And sits silently while we cry
Where does our faith, then, abide?
To the tomb, to the inner room
To the cross where He was forsaken
To the moments before victory
Where his believers sat unshaken
We sharpened each other
Like an axe to the grind
Bearing down all the edges
Smoothing sin we tried to hide
Our weaknesses surfaced
But in grace we loved anyway
As little by little his righteousness
Burst forth and took the stage
For you, my friend, bore fruit in me
And I the same in you
I’ll never forget and always be thankful
For the refining we went through
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17
“This third I will bring through the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are My people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’ ” Zechariah 13:9
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the keeper of the vineyard. He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful.” John 15:1-2
Let not my pride rob me
Nor my unforgiveness blind me
But my eyes of faith provide me
Vision to hope and believe
Let not my doubt corrupt me
Nor my selfishness drive me
But my call of grace guide me
To more than I can think or dream
“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,” Ephesians 3:20
To walk with You is my greatest desire
Receiving the wisdom of my faithful Father
No other fortunes or earthly ways
Satisfy this heart like your embrace
You humble every lofty idea
Reminding me I am but dust
All while loving and blessing me here
What a gift! The simplicity of trust
“More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ” Philippians 3:8
It will disappear with the wind
If it is something I want to make believe
Unless it is God-breathed
If it is his will
And of this, I’m convinced
I no longer need to see the evidence
I envisioned the path I wanted, so I toiled day and night to prepare it. I cleared out the brush, smoothed the gravel and started to put on my shoes.
I knew exactly what this path would bring, or so I conceded: love, long life, happiness, everything a girl could dream.
So I began my petition “Please Lord, oh bless this road I built. Let me have it. You see how perfect it is to be used for your will.” But He just kept telling me “Be still”.
The brush kept growing over. Soon barriers started popping up. “Lord what are you doing? Are You saying no to my request?” So, I’d clear it again, pray harder this time, keep working, never to rest.
Until the brush grew so tall, there was no way around it. My way was blocked with no recourse. This wasn’t the way it was supposed to be. So, I sat and mourned, questioned and screamed.
Then one day the brush shriveled up, the weeds crumbled to dirt and the path was clear. But now it looked like a brand new road – a tree lined path with a refreshing breeze. And this is what the Lord said to me:
“While you were toiling and spinning your wheels, I saw just what was in need. I saw the undergrowth that would be popping up on your way. I saw hazards and choking weeds. I allowed the brush to stop you, so I could finish my work and make this path the best it could be. Now go on my dear, we’ll journey from here on this path you’ve entrusted to me.”
You’re working in each of our lives
For You know all the changes needed
Still in the storm, clinging to the one branch left
You’ll let us know when the waters have receded
“When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth.” Genesis 8:11
He is not a God of confusion
He clearly lays his plans out
He whispers his intentions
And is faithful to bring them about
So don’t let the waiting or the shadows
Fill your heart with doubt
“Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” Hosea 6:3
Maybe this part of the past
Won’t be reconciled
Looking back
there may still be gaping holes
But time to let go of the questions
And focus on the truths I know
Although many days
seemed meant for evil
He’ll use them to produce good
Though oft it appeared
the enemy was winning
I’ll see his purpose in the end withstood
With an increase in wind
All my doubt rushed in
Harder pressure on all sides
Surfaced my pride
Humbled to find
The battlefield
In my mind
“The greatest challenge in receiving great things from God is holding on for the last half hour” selected from Streams in the Desert
Broken,
Missing a beat
Defeated,
Can’t even weep
Faithless,
With no sight
Wishing for answers,
Night after night
Hope is gone
You can’t be found
Only darkness surrounds
“He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; he has shrouded my paths in darkness.” Job 19:8
Every bright light
Has to be tested and tried
Held up to your Word
So the darkness can’t hide
“And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” 2 Corinthians 11:14
“We tear down arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5
I don’t need to make a plan or design my life
My best laid plans are mere rags in His sight
For if I know what He wills will surely come to be
I have nothing to worry as my Savior leads me
Closer closer, Lord to Thee
My spirit gets every day
Trusting You for the desires of my heart
And my earthly needs while on the way
To an ever after in glory bright
Where I’ll behold You, your beauty
Your radiant light
Christian Poetry, Thoughts & Analogies 