Slipping Away

In the midst of the business of the day,
The demands of the massive crowds,
The pleas for rescue from the infirmities of sickness and disease,
Yes, in the midst of tremendous need and demand...

Jesus slipped away...
Slipped away to pray...

He slipped away to that secret place
That place where He could snuggle up in the arms of His Father,
That place where He was reminded of the truth,
That place that was safe to leave all His cares and concerns,
That place where He knew He was completely loved, completely accepted....

And then He returned
To the crowds, the demands, the chaos...
He returned strengthened...refreshed...
Happy and triumphant...
Ready to continue pouring out His life of love.

Jesus did what I need to do
In the midst of my everyday,
Even when I physically can't retreat...
I can hide away in that secret place with Jesus,
And turn my eyes to gaze upon Him,
And allow His truth and affection to wash over me...

Yes, when I remember
To slip away
In the business of my day
To my secret place...

I return to my duties
With renewed strength,
I receive answers to my problems,
Peace reigns instead of worry,
And the song of my Savior is on my lips...

"In His shelter in the day of trouble, that's where you will find me,
For He hides me here in His holiness.
He has me snuggled in His secret place where I am safe and secure
out of the reach of my enemies." Psalms 27:5

Radiant Hope

Lord, You are our radiant hope...

A hope that is glowing with promise, with sunshine,
A hope with expectations of overflowing goodness...

It is not a hope that barely believes
With doubts, fears, or anxious thoughts,
With thoughts of the hoped for to be extremely slim in coming to be.
No, radiant hope is not a famine,
A famine surrounded with a hope in self or a report, or the news.

No, radiant hope is wide...broad...joyful...strong...
Hoping in a Strength within
Put there by a knowledge and trust in a God who is good, a God who is kind,
A God who is able.
Radiant hope...is confident
In a God who cares, a God who hears,
A God who is love,
A God who is strong,
A God who is willing to bless and prosper...

Radiant hope holds on...rejoicing, dancing, singing...

Yes, the Lord alone gives me radiant hope...
My trust is in Him!

Countless Expressions of Love

Yes, Father,
Your countless expressions of love
Far exceed our expectations...
We expect judgment
We expect anger
We expect You to get impatient
With our constant moaning, bickering, and self righteousness
Or our constant failure to believe and trust.

Yes Father,
Your countless expressions of love
That you blanket us with
As You think of us...constantly
Far exceeds our expectations of how we think You should see us...

"And You think of us all the time, with Your countless expressions of love
 Far exceeding our expectations." Psalms 40:5

I Find My Home in You, God

When I am sad,
I find my home in You, God, and you deliver hope to me.
When I need answers,
I find my home in You, God, as you deliver answers.
When I am lonely,
I find my home in You, God
Wrapped in Your Presense,
When I am rejected, accused, condemned,
I find my home in You God with Your acceptance.

When I cannot see clearly and life feels bleak and dark,
I find my home in Your truth and encouragement.
Yes, in the midst...
I find my home in Your embrace,
I find my home in Your kisses...

Yes, when I am home with You, God,
I remember...
I remember that You love me magnificently...always and forever
I remember that You are there for me...always and forever
I remember that You are providing and protecting me...always and forever

Home and intertwined with You, God...

"Lord I love Your home, this place of dazzling glory, the splendor and light of your Presence"
 Psalms 26:8

His Footsteps of Righteousness

He leads me along

In His footsteps of righteousness

No, it’s not my righteousness that my Shepherd wants me to walk in today…

My footsteps of righteousness are tiny, barely visible

With spans of “missing, missing” in the track book…

He leads me along in His footsteps of righteousness

That are firm, steady, very distinguished.

They have the proof of nail-scared hands, a pierced side,

A laid down life of love, of suffering…poured out…

Lining the inside of each step…

His footsteps of righteousness

Pave a path of victory for me,

Pave a way to freedom,

Freedom from the power of sin, guilt, condemnation and shame.

His footsteps of righteousness

Let me put my feet into them, as I believe who He is and what He has done…

And become righteous…

Yes, my Shepherd leads me here,

To His footsteps of righteousness

He invites me to receive the gift of His love

And step into His righteousness…and become righteous forever!!

Shepherding Love

Out of the prison, the pit, the dungeon,
Out of the tyranny, He leads me.

Carefully,
Restoring my dignity, healing my wounds, mending my brokenness...

Carefully,
He carries me bringing me to safety...

In His shepherding love...I feel secure,
Safe from the terror of the lurking enemy and the stealing thief...

His shepherding arm of love leads me
To the green pastures and the still waters...

His shepherding voice sings His love song to me...

Abundance...
Is the goal of this shepherding love,
As He fills me with renewed strength, joy, peace, and hope.

His shepherding love wants me with Him,
Promising that He will never leave me...

His shepherding love,
Draws me out...restores...goes before me...stays with me.

Shepherding love that guides me toward the promised land,
Safely and carefully...

Shepherding love

Kind Love

You are kind to me, Father,
You are not rude, rough, or careless with me.
You are not self-seeking, impatient, or angry.
No, You are kind...You are good.

Kindly, You draw me to Yourself, pulling on my heart to come into Your embrace...

Kindly, You accept me where I am...

Kindly, You wash, cleanse, heal, restore, remake me into the plans and purposes You have for me.

Kindly, You bestow all the riches of heaven upon me
As You adopt me into Your family.

Kindly, You see me through each day with abundant grace...

Kindly You orchestrate my day...my week...my year...my story...

Kindly, You provide everything I need for the journey
Opening and closing the doors, connecting the dots.

Kindly, You turn what the enemy meant to harm into good...

Kindly, You grow me, teach me, prosper me...

Kindly, You stay by my side...

Kindly, so kindly, You take me into Your eternal home
Where I can gaze into those kind eyes
And feel the warmth of Your kind embrace...

Such kind love
Along the way of the journey!

Fresh Morning Grace

I receive fresh morning grace today
To cover the uncertainties and unknown of a new day
Fresh morning grace
That removes the offenses of yesterday
Fresh morning grace of anticipation
For the open doors, the God appointed moments, the welcome of angelic help and Holy Spirit guidance.
Fresh morning grace floods my heart
As I see His faithfulness in the brilliance of each sunrise
That breaks through
And destroys the doubts, the fears, and unknown that looms...

Fresh morning grace
That breaks through the dawn
And shines brighter and brighter...until the noonday...

Fresh morning grace
Poured out upon me today
By the magnificent Father
Who desires His beloved one to be free, whole, and thriving.

Fresh morning grace
Poured into my heart
By the One who loves me completely.

Fresh morning grace!

Life With You Keeps Getting Better and Better

Oh God of my increasing salvation…

This journey that You have me on

To experience Your plans for my life

Is Your path of increasing salvation…for me.

You have plans to increase my experience of this gift,

This gift of salvation, that You gave me as You bled and died on my behalf.

You lead me forward…

Not with a label of “the difficult one,” or as a slave, or with accusation…

You lead me forward as a Father…

As a Father leading His beloved son or daughter…

You lead me forward with hope, with joy, with laughter,

With anticipation of the goodness of my increase

As I learn, trust, and receive…

You lead me forward…as You take my hand…and patiently teach me,

Delighting in me all the way…

Oh God of my increasing salvation…

My life with You keeps getting better and better!

He searches for one...

He searches…for One

Who will stand…

Stand in the gap

The gap in the wall…of your tent, your family, your city, your country,

And believe the promise

The promise of restoration and return.

He looks for One

Who will not whitewash the crack

With the lies and philosophies of the world

With smallness of mind or intellect.

He looks for One

Who knows the Source

The Source of true healing, the Source of all strength

The Source of wholeness, repair, restoration…

Yes…

He is looking for the One

Who will not give up, not get tired, not become distracted…

He is looking for One

Who has experienced His love, His strength, His care,

And knows…and believes

The impossible is possible for this gap too.

He is looking for the One

Who will stand in the gap,

And joyfully believe with expectation!!!

Ezekiel 22