Please and Thank You

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.   

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This Life

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.

Biblical Psychology

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

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

You See

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

Your Embrace

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

Rehabilitation

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.

Hope

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

As a Child

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

Be Teachable

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

He Walks with Me

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

Stand Firm

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.

Single Petition

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

Hope Beyond all Reason

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

How and When to Go

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

Confidence

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

A Love Letter

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.

Sing

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

The Real Enemy

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

Where to Then?

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

Iron, Silver & Fruit

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

Believe

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

Sweet Surrender

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

His Will, Way and Timing

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.”

The Flood

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

God of Certainty

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

Don’t trade what you know for what you don’t know…

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

Beware

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