faith

This Race, this War.

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Do you not know that those who run in a race all run,
but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way
that you may win.
1 Corinthians 9:24

I’ve run too far with you Lord,
to risk looking back now.
I’ve trusted you more than my feelings.
These hands hold tightly to your word
for within is the essence of healing.

Each day I expect a battle Lord;
some days I’m a victor, others, bloody and sore.
I’m confident of this always,
as I step out my door,
fights will come and go always,
You Lord, and Your’s have already won the war.

See Through Me, Lord.

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I am strong, because I’ve been weak.
I’m fearless, because I’ve been afraid.
I’m wise, because I’ve been foolish.
Ritu Ghataurayu

See through me, Lord. Lay waste all my devices of hiding.
You, the one who sees in me what I cannot, bring forth
what is worthy to serve.

See through me, Lord. When I insist on complication, let
the child within me express enthusiasm and simple, powerful
faith.

See through me, Lord. Encourage me to be foolish, when I
would rather waste time calculating risks, than boldly do what You ask.

See through me, Lord.
Lord, see me through.

Destiny Please Part 2

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Destiny please,
what you see, is just the beginning.
Now that I can see
the purpose in the pain
and I’m not foolin’ around anymore.

Destiny please,
The seed that God planted
and nurtured with the sun and the rain
is bursting forth and spreading its wings.
Soaring to
where the air is thin
and it’s terribly hard to breathe.

Little do you know,
but great you should expect
from the One
Who invented miracles.

Destiny please,
When the rain’s falling,
and tragedy’s calling
out its siren song,
help me remain steady,
as a tide pool’s eddy,
content in the knowledge
with God I’ll carry on.

Fully aware of the past,
not forgetting, but moving on,
rejoicing in His healing power,
leaning on His Word
hour by hour.

Destiny please,
complete in release,
He is worthy
to be praised and
all creation sings its song.
Despite what goes wrong.
I’ll continue…
in faith.

Destiny Please Part 1

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Destiny please,
what you see, is just the beginning.
Now that I can see
the purpose in the pain
and I’m not foolin’ around anymore.

Destiny please,
The seed that God planted
and nurtured with the sun and the rain
is bursting forth and spreading its wings.
Soaring to
where the air is thin
and it’s terribly hard to breathe.

Little do you know,
but great you should expect
from the One
Who invented miracles.

The Inside

You’ve hit the gym.
You’re counting all the calories
that you consume.
You’ve got a walk-in closet
to get lost in, it’s bigger than most ordinary folk’s
bedrooms.
But at the end of the day
even though it all looks fine,
the only thing that could use work
is what’s not showing, it’s on the inside.
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They told you just work hard
and things will be fine.
But though you’ve made it
you’re not making it… You don’t know why.
Your friends are telling you to chill
but if you stopped paying their bills,
would they know your name?
All you know for sure… Something’s gotta change.
Give yourself to Jesus.
It’s in His Word.
Trying to avoid God is worse than absurd.
He’s always been around you, and He’s now knocking on your door.
Give it all to God and run
to a relationship, not religion.
For the first time in your life
it’ll all make sense, not just for the future
but in the present tense.
Give it all, give it all.
Give it all to Jesus.

Your Word

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So will My Word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:11

Your Word
Lord
sustains me
without it my likeness is poorly drawn

Your Commandments
direct me
push me
to run on

let me hide your Word
inside my heart
may it fill me from within

let it soothe the ache
caused by this world and
expose the damage of sin

help your Word
complete in me
what You’ve seen from the start
a destiny not of this place
but kept safe in Your Heart

Well Met

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rise
child of God
as the sun rises
meet your Maker with meditation

quiet your mind
child as you meet Him
that the first steps
into your day
are blessed

sacred moments
bereft of discord
burnished bright
with praises
to birth
a joyous dawn

Thank You

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Just before or after last Christmas I decided to be more consistent with my writing by resurrecting a WordPress blog that had been dormant for quite some time. I had recently received a lot of encouragement and it gave me the incentive to write more poetry. While putting together the new blog I noticed a challenge put out by WordPress to post every day for 2013. I decided to give it a try and let everyone who read my blog know by putting the badge on my cover page. Today will be my 137th post. Accounting for a few days that I’ve posted more than once, that means I’ve posted over 130 days in a row. I’m looking forward to doing the whole 365.

There have been a lot of great things to come out of writing and publishing every day. For one, it has forced me to investigate different kinds of writing. I’ve explored poetry, song writing, devotionals, and humor. Along the way, I’ve gotten to know fellow bloggers who also believe strongly in writing, especially writing that moves them. I’ve had days when I thought I had written something relevant, only to get little in the way of results. But then I’ve had other days when I wasn’t all that thrilled with what I had put out, only to get lots of positive comments. It continues to be a fantastic learning experience and I just want to sincerely thank everyone who has read, commented, and shown me how fun and rewarding blogging can be. God continues to bless it. It’s my prayer that He is honored by what I write.

How Great Thou Art

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Tonight, I was listening to Pandora background music as I began my post. I was about to write about another hymn when “How Great Thou Art” began to play. That led me to remember that George Beverly Shea passed away recently at the age of 104. For years his beautiful bass-baritone voice highlighted the Billy Graham crusades. As magnificent as his voice was, the words of the hymns he sang were always the star, because the message they conveyed helped lead others to Christ. He was able to remain humble because he understood what a gift and responsibility it is to represent the gospel to the world. No matter how large or small you may believe your sphere of influence to be, someone is affected by the message you represent. Being a child of God is a gift, privilege, and responsibility. As we begin a new week, let’s all pray a little longer and reach a little higher. God does have a plan for you, short term and for the rest of your life.

How Great Thou Art

O Lord my God
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds
Thy hands have made
I see the stars
I hear the rollin’ thunder
Thy power throughout
The universe displayed.
Then sings my soul
My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art
How great Thou art
Then sings my soul
My Savior God, to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art!
When Christ shall come
With shouts of acclamation
And take me home
What joy shall fill my heart
Then I shall bow
In humble adoration
And there proclaim,
“My God, how great Thou art!”
Then sings my soul
My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art
How great Thou art
Then sings my soul
My Savior God, to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art
How great Thou art!…