It’s been a troubled year
And I have been astray,
But You have brought me here
By pouring out Your grace.
Although I’ve found it hard
To let go of it all,
Your love, my guiding star,
Still lifts me when I fall.
So help me, Father God,
To keep my eyes on You
And when I find they’re not
Refill my heart with Truth.
For all I am and do
Is pointless on my own,
But You can make me new…
I bow before Your throne.
Your deep, abiding love holds me close,
Even when I bit and claw,
Nip and scratch at Your gentle hands.
Like bird with broken wing,
I have forgotten how to fly, O Lord,
But You whisper Your grace,
Let Your mercy wash over my soul,
Cleanse me by Your Word,
Heal me by Your Spirit,
Until the memory of freedom calls me forth
To stretch my stiff muscles, and
Soar on the strong currents
Of Your broad, forgiving love once more.
(Psalm 25)
Sometimes it’s not enough to say…
The words just run across the page.
Their meaning seems to fall far short
No matter what I try… O Lord!
And I cannot, can NOT convey
The burden of my heart that weighs,
So I can only groan in prayer,
Casting on You every care.
My Shepherd sweet
Meets all my need,
In pastures green,
By quiet stream… Always.
He heals my soul,
Keeps my path whole,
All for the sake
Of His great name… Always.
Though death draw near,
I will not fear,
For You’re my guide,
Right by my side… Always.
Your staff and rod
Give strength, O God!
Provisions flow
Before my foe… Always.
Oil soaks my head.
Your blessings spread,
My cup to fill
To over spill… Always.
Your goodness and
Your mercy stand…
No matter where,
They’ll meet me there… Always.
And I’ll exist,
In You subsist,
Your secret place,
Your house of grace… Always.
I still my mind, when I can’t sleep,
To seek my Lord’s embrace.
He whispers with a voice so sweet,
“Come, tell me all your care.”
With grateful heart I throw it all
Before His throne of grace.
In answer to my Lover’s call,
I give Him every prayer:
The lonely hearts that I can see
And others that I know
Who battle with the enemy…
For grace and peace and rest;
For any who can serve or lead,
From high down to the low,
I feel a need to intercede,
And so, I give my best.
Then finally my heart grows still
And sleep begins to come,
Now I’m content, I’ve done His will.
I let myself succumb.
The faith of a newly-emerged butterfly cannot be denied
As it stretches forth its wings and trusts to flight
Somehow knowing there is strength once they have dried.
Though it never flew before, it knows it’s made to soar,
So up… up… up… it goes without a second thought
Just trusting its inherent natural form.
I, too, was made to float on the wings of God’s wind.
It is my inherent nature; therefore, I will doubt no more,
But trust instead that I can do what He has made me to do
Without worry or concern that I might not be able to.
I can. I must. I will.
Though waves wash over me,
Though fire surround me,
Though my enemies attack me from every side,
My eyes, O Lord, stay fixed on You.
There is no other way.
There is no other how.
There is only You, only You, only You.
Though I weep uncontrollably in my failure to understand,
Something in me refuses to let go of You.
I cannot because there is no other I can turn to,
No other worth bowing to,
No other worth clinging to.
In all my weaknesses and failures,
I can only be me,
And I…
I trust You somehow that I cannot explain.
I believe in You, Lord God,
Creator of heaven and earth.
When You wake me with Your presence,
Your purpose shines in my heart like a beacon—
Drawing me onward towards Your light,
Weighing my heart with compassion for Your people…
I cannot be still!
I ache for You to reveal Yourself
To those my heart loves,
To those I have known through the years.
It feels like time is so short,
Sometimes I quiver inside with the effort.
The names and faces wander through my heart, and
I feel so desperate for them to wake
To a new awareness of Your reality in their lives!
You can move them, Lord Jesus;
You can shake them, Father God;
You can show them, Holy Spirit,
The authenticity of WHO You are!
So, my lips move in a silent plea,
My spirit aches with a fierce compassion,
Words fail me completely as I groan speechlessly
With a Holy Spirit travail inexpressible any other way—
Till at some point I feel release,
Finding rest again in Your arms.
…And Abba, I invite You to continue to awaken me, too,
Each new day to a greater awareness of You.
In the violet sky with all its royal hues covering earth below,
I see wispy cloud like invisible wings spread across my vision,
Enfolding all creation in unseen comfort
As distant starlight begins peeping through fading sunlight
In the oncoming rush of night…
Beautiful, splendid brilliance of Your universe unfurled before my eyes.
You hold me close in Your arms—
Quieting my spirit to hear the singing stars,
Cradling me so I can feel Your heartbeat in the pulse of their radiance—
And You let me lean my weary head against Your chest
Till all the colors and sounds melt together into a tranquil lullaby.
Lord Jesus, indeed Your yoke is easy and Your burden light…
Illuminating my soul and my world.
