Painting pretty pictures with some words thrown here and there
Slapped across the canvas/page with just a bit of prayer
I wonder if the colors match or how it all will look
When I’m finished with my paintbrush/pen and finally shut the book
Category: Poetry
According to the words of Christ, in letters printed red,
We cannot call Him, “Lord,� unless we do what He has said.
So heed His warning, build on rock, and stand strong in the flood,
Or choose your own way and you’ll find you’ve built on sand instead.
If we will take the narrow road and follow God’s commands,
He guarantees eternity for those who take a stand.
Crowds of people think that God’s great mercy will prevail,
But Jesus paid the price that perfect goodness still demands.
For many who claim Jesus’ name, the words are meaningless.
When what “seems� right depends on us, no wonder we’re a mess.
Remember now, while there’s still time, to truly make Him Lord,
His heart of love keeps calling us to seek His holiness.
It’s trusting in His sacrifice that helps us find His light,
Though many times, we lose our way or stumble in the night.
This road that we must travel leaves us dusty, tired, and worn,
But grace still leads us home when we resolve to do what’s right.
(Luke 6:46-49)
Pressing in to You I find
A peace I can’t explain.
Although I’ll never understand,
Your rest surrounds me
With a sense of absolute trust.
The turmoil within and without
Slips away to a distant place,
And a solidness settles me down…
Words just aren’t enough to describe
You circumambient to me.
I feel secure and safe
Like a babe in the womb.
Fear, worry, anger, frustration, confusion
Cannot touch me through
The filter of Your very Present Spirit.
O Lord, what blessing compares
When You enfold me within Your love.
I’m here again, Lord,
Wasted at your feet,
Spent in grief and sorrow,
Still clinging…
Somehow.
I feel like the woman
With the issue of blood…
Years deep in this insanity
Some would call my life.
I need you desperately!
This healing thing takes forever.
Though I reach for you,
Though I touch your robe,
It seems my faith is not enough.
I have cried;
You have answered.
I have fallen;
You have caught me.
Still, in many ways, Lord,
I feel as broken as ever.
What healing?
What faith?
What rest is there to find?
I wander the world
Seeking answers.
All I know is you…
You ought to be enough for me!
Please, Holy Spirit,
Refill me with your Living Water
As I am parched
In a desert place,
In a dark place—
The only Light within,
And yet…
I somehow trust you anyway.
I will cling and not let go
Until there is healing
For me,
For my children,
For those whose lives I touch.
Oh God, please hear my cry.
Pour through me
Your love and restorative power.
You are my Shepherd.
As long as I can remember,
Through darkness and light,
In the shadow of death’s company and
Running through bright green pastures,
I have sought You, Lord,
On my knees and on my face,
Standing stiffly against your Spirit or
Wrung out with weakness.
I feel so bereft sometimes
In this vacuum of my soul.
No matter how often You remind me
Your love is bestowed without bias,
Undeserved and unearned,
I keep trying to make You smile at me
Because I have pleased You somehow
In my actions or accomplishments.
I know better.
Or at least, I should know better,
But I know that I know
How very much I don’t deserve Your love,
So some part of me keeps on striving.
Still, You are my Shepherd.
And somehow, some way, sometimes
I remember the tenderness of Your touch,
The graciousness in Your gaze
During my worst moments of fear and distrust.
I keep on seeking You, Lord, and
When You find me, You show me that
The vastness of my internal universe is
Filled up with You.
So even when I can’t see You or feel You,
I can still know You are there…
Here, within my own being.
In spite of my sense of loneliness,
Your Spirit still leads me, guides me
Through paths of righteousness
For Your name’s sake—
Not because I have merit of my own,
But because I am bought with blood.
My gratitude displays itself and
Then gets turned inside out until
All my efforts tell me
I’ve begun striving again.
My Shepherd, You are
So pricelessly patient with me.
When I stumble and fall,
You pick me up again and again.
In the sweet silence,
I can but seek You, Lord.
You strengthen my heart
With loving boundaries…
Those invisible constraints that
Support me in my weakness, and
Shape the nature of who I am in You.
Though I feel alone so often,
I come again to the reality
That You are everywhere I am.
Help me, Lord, to remember
You offer rest for weary wanderers
In body, in spirit, in mind, and
To those like me who are still learning
How to let go,
How to be still,
How to be Yours, and
Leave the striving behind…
After all, You are my Shepherd.
I’ve been a quiet angry mass
Of seething feelings, shattered glass,
And though I seemed a peaceful soul
Within me was a great big hole
Where at some point in my dismay,
I tried to hide myself away.
But it has been a brutal bout—
A battle huge within, without.
For though I tried to shield my heart,
I could not hide from every dart.
The feelings grew; the glass cut deep;
(This bleeding mess of mine can’t keep.)
I long for grace to truly heal,
Let go of bitter hurt I feel.
My Father longs to give me rest,
But I’ve held tight within my chest.
Yet come what may I trust Him still,
Despite the cold, resentful chill.
Soon, I will choose to push away,
My “righteous� anger gone astray.
I’m tired of holding anguish in;
Careworn with what my life has been.
Somehow, Holy Spirit, take
The painful feelings and heartache.
Please fill me with forgiveness, Lord,
For self and others; speak Your Word.
Light the darkest part of me
With Your sweet love so I can see.
Give me hope and make me new.
Unite my heart to worship You.
I was going through a folder of some things I had composed on the computer, but never published officially and the preceding seven poems posted, with the date of composition added to the title, are the result of my gleaning. Please take a little time to read them and do, kindly please and thank you, let me know if anything has touched you or if you just like something more. Lots of love, Cara
Sing a song, a pretty song,
To tell the world you love Me.
Sing it strong; sing all day long,
Sing “just because� and freely.
With great sacrifice, You saved us, gave us,
A wellspring of hope, You lift us, gift us
With faithfulness and mercy, Lord
With generous compassion, Lord
You work within us by Your Spirit.
Sing a song, a pretty song,
To tell creation’s story.
Sing it strong; sing all day long,
This gift of life from Glory.
O Light of our lives, we raise You, praise You
Love from above, we meet You, greet You
With everything we have to give,
With never ending awe we live,
For Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Sing a song, a pretty song,
With all you have within you.
Sing it strong; sing all day long;
Faith, hope, and love will shine through.