There is beauty in every day...
Beauty in sunrise,
Beauty in a rested body,
beauty in health, strength,
Beauty in being able to serve, give, love, help,
Beauty in that smile, that touch, that kind gesture,
Beauty in that conversation, that idea, that memory,
Beauty in the goodness of God surrounding us.
Strife takes the beauty away,
Selfishness takes the beauty away,
Offended feelings, victim feelings, "poor me" feelings take the beauty away,
Telling lies, believing lies, harsh words,
All destroy the beauty, destroy the treasure, destroy the poured out goodness.
Allow me God to see the poured out treasures of Your grace today.
Thank you God for Your beauty!
Monday, November 25, 2013
Monday, November 18, 2013
The Good Shepherd
My Good Shepherd doesn't send someone else to find His lost sheep,
No, He goes Himself, pursing, searching.
He does not give up on the search,
Or only look in the safe places.
There is no limit to the distance or the deepness He will go to search.
He promises success... rescue... found.
He brings them home, carrying them in His arms because of their wounds, malnutrition, and disease.
He brings them back to the green pastures of His love and acceptance.
He brings them back to the cool waters of refreshment and cleansing.
He brings them back...and begins to restore them:
Singing over them His songs of love,
Reminding them of who they are, who He is, and what He wants to do for them.
He nourishes them with His words.
Comforts them with His compassion,
Heals them with His truth,
Forgives them with His power,
Restores them with His strength,
Sending His streams of living waters for their continual provision.
The Good Shepherd makes a covenant with His rescued flock,
Surrounding them with His blessings, favor, prosperity as they trust in His wisdom, His care, His direction,
His provision.
He promises showers of blessings...just when needed,
bumper crops of fruit to share,
peace and rest
Rescued, restored, provided for...such a wonderful Shepherd!
Ezekiel 34
No, He goes Himself, pursing, searching.
He does not give up on the search,
Or only look in the safe places.
There is no limit to the distance or the deepness He will go to search.
He promises success... rescue... found.
He brings them home, carrying them in His arms because of their wounds, malnutrition, and disease.
He brings them back to the green pastures of His love and acceptance.
He brings them back to the cool waters of refreshment and cleansing.
He brings them back...and begins to restore them:
Singing over them His songs of love,
Reminding them of who they are, who He is, and what He wants to do for them.
He nourishes them with His words.
Comforts them with His compassion,
Heals them with His truth,
Forgives them with His power,
Restores them with His strength,
Sending His streams of living waters for their continual provision.
The Good Shepherd makes a covenant with His rescued flock,
Surrounding them with His blessings, favor, prosperity as they trust in His wisdom, His care, His direction,
His provision.
He promises showers of blessings...just when needed,
bumper crops of fruit to share,
peace and rest
Rescued, restored, provided for...such a wonderful Shepherd!
Ezekiel 34
Monday, November 4, 2013
Comforting Love
Thank you for Your comforting love, Father!
Your love that comes alongside and says, "I am here, I will never leave you."
Your comforting love that hugs me tight when the grief hurts,
Your comforting love that does not reject me when I question,
Your comforting love that keeps me steady when I feel faint,
Your comforting love that lifts my head and breathes hope into me,
Your comforting love that allows me to see your eyes of compassion...
And as I gaze into your eyes...
Into the eyes of the One who loves me completely,
I am surrounded with Your truth... and peace comes.
Thank you for Your comforting love!
Your love that comes alongside and says, "I am here, I will never leave you."
Your comforting love that hugs me tight when the grief hurts,
Your comforting love that does not reject me when I question,
Your comforting love that keeps me steady when I feel faint,
Your comforting love that lifts my head and breathes hope into me,
Your comforting love that allows me to see your eyes of compassion...
And as I gaze into your eyes...
Into the eyes of the One who loves me completely,
I am surrounded with Your truth... and peace comes.
Thank you for Your comforting love!
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
He Reveals the Treasure
Today on my walk, I rounded the corner and exclaimed, "Wow! How did I miss this before?"
I was walking north facing the hills before me and they were ablaze with color.
I did not see this treasure earlier on my walk, although I was walking the same direction.
The difference was the time. Earlier the sun was not high enough to cast its light on those trees.
So without the light I could not see the beauty.
Made me think about life...
When I am looking at my circumstances through the lens of love,
Seeing as Christ sees,
I find the treasure, I can find the beauty.
When I look at certain circumstances with just my eye sight...
Things can appear dark, dreary, not fair, barren...
His Light makes all the difference.
His Light reveals the treasure, the blessing.
His Light makes the drab, the everyday,
Into good, better, best.
His Light removes the negatives, and replaces them with a treasure.
Sometimes the treasure is not as obvious as my "Wow!"
When the light of the sun revealed the beauty of the leaves.
Sometimes I have to ask the Lord to reveal the treasure.
I always find the treasure when I gaze upon Him.
When I rejoice in Him ,
When I believe and trust that He has something for me INSTEAD of this negative...
He has treasures waiting to be discovered.
I don't want to miss them...
I was walking north facing the hills before me and they were ablaze with color.
I did not see this treasure earlier on my walk, although I was walking the same direction.
The difference was the time. Earlier the sun was not high enough to cast its light on those trees.
So without the light I could not see the beauty.
Made me think about life...
When I am looking at my circumstances through the lens of love,
Seeing as Christ sees,
I find the treasure, I can find the beauty.
When I look at certain circumstances with just my eye sight...
Things can appear dark, dreary, not fair, barren...
His Light makes all the difference.
His Light reveals the treasure, the blessing.
His Light makes the drab, the everyday,
Into good, better, best.
His Light removes the negatives, and replaces them with a treasure.
Sometimes the treasure is not as obvious as my "Wow!"
When the light of the sun revealed the beauty of the leaves.
Sometimes I have to ask the Lord to reveal the treasure.
I always find the treasure when I gaze upon Him.
When I rejoice in Him ,
When I believe and trust that He has something for me INSTEAD of this negative...
He has treasures waiting to be discovered.
I don't want to miss them...
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Gardening
I love the garden.
I love the planning, the expectation of the harvest,
I love the excitement and patience involved in watching those seeds sprout and begin to grow.
I love the nurture, the watering, the weeding, the fertilizing, and trimming...
I love seeing the fruit develop, watching it grow, protecting it from the weather and animals.
I love the harvest...
the feeling of eating fresh grown produce from the backyard,
the security of mind that this produce is pesticide free,
the convenience of stepping outside the back door and gathering the herbs needed for a recipe.
But most of all I love the sharing!
A garden is about sharing...sharing the gifts, the bounty, the provision, the ideas, the recipes,
And learning to receive the bounty from another...
My Heavenly Father loves to garden.
He is the supreme Gardener.
Lovingly, He plants us into His garden with so much excitement.
He has great plans and purposes for our life because He know what He put within us.
Patiently, He watches us grow.. teaching us, encouraging us, cheering us on.
Tenderly, He nourishes us as we grow...
revealing His love and truth to us,
refreshing our spirit,
removing the chaff,
cultivating the ground,
fertilizing us with the circumstances in our life that deepen our walk with Him.
He loves the process of us becoming.
He is always willing to wait.
How faithfully He protects our fruit in the seasons of drought and barrenness.
How He rejoices when the harvest begins, the fragrance is sweet, the taste delicious.
And Yes, He is ecstatic when we share the fruit, the harvest, our gifts, our talents.
Creation dances when these plants of His declare that, "God is good! God is great! God is love!"
Declaring, sharing and blessing their world, as they display a beautiful showcase of their Gardener!
I love the planning, the expectation of the harvest,
I love the excitement and patience involved in watching those seeds sprout and begin to grow.
I love the nurture, the watering, the weeding, the fertilizing, and trimming...
I love seeing the fruit develop, watching it grow, protecting it from the weather and animals.
I love the harvest...
the feeling of eating fresh grown produce from the backyard,
the security of mind that this produce is pesticide free,
the convenience of stepping outside the back door and gathering the herbs needed for a recipe.
But most of all I love the sharing!
A garden is about sharing...sharing the gifts, the bounty, the provision, the ideas, the recipes,
And learning to receive the bounty from another...
My Heavenly Father loves to garden.
He is the supreme Gardener.
Lovingly, He plants us into His garden with so much excitement.
He has great plans and purposes for our life because He know what He put within us.
Patiently, He watches us grow.. teaching us, encouraging us, cheering us on.
Tenderly, He nourishes us as we grow...
revealing His love and truth to us,
refreshing our spirit,
removing the chaff,
cultivating the ground,
fertilizing us with the circumstances in our life that deepen our walk with Him.
He loves the process of us becoming.
He is always willing to wait.
How faithfully He protects our fruit in the seasons of drought and barrenness.
How He rejoices when the harvest begins, the fragrance is sweet, the taste delicious.
And Yes, He is ecstatic when we share the fruit, the harvest, our gifts, our talents.
Creation dances when these plants of His declare that, "God is good! God is great! God is love!"
Declaring, sharing and blessing their world, as they display a beautiful showcase of their Gardener!
Sunday, September 22, 2013
My Secret Strength
You are the bedrock under my feet,
You are my castle on the cliff,
You are my mountain I escape to...
You are my secret strength!
You are the hidden shield around me,
You are my ray of brightness,
You are the champion that is beside me...
You are my secret strength!
You hear my every sigh,
My sobs come right into Your heart,
Your ear is attuned to my every need,
You hear, and turning Your face toward me
You come... right into my darkness...
You are my secret strength!
The brilliance of Your presence breaks through
Exploding with lightning arrows...sending my enemies running.
Reaching in, You draw me up from the pit,
Rescuing me You draw me into Yourself...
You are my secret strength!
Even on the days when my spirit is willing but my body is weak,
When I am easy prey for the enemy,
You hold me tight.
You are my secret strength!
You surprise me with this love,
I can only choose to walk forward and follow this love, this light.
You lead the way...bringing me into the brightness, the beauty, the open place.
You delight in my rescue
As You reveal the brightness of Your truth.
Oh, You are my secret strength!
Psalm 18 (TPT)
You are my castle on the cliff,
You are my mountain I escape to...
You are my secret strength!
You are the hidden shield around me,
You are my ray of brightness,
You are the champion that is beside me...
You are my secret strength!
You hear my every sigh,
My sobs come right into Your heart,
Your ear is attuned to my every need,
You hear, and turning Your face toward me
You come... right into my darkness...
You are my secret strength!
The brilliance of Your presence breaks through
Exploding with lightning arrows...sending my enemies running.
Reaching in, You draw me up from the pit,
Rescuing me You draw me into Yourself...
You are my secret strength!
Even on the days when my spirit is willing but my body is weak,
When I am easy prey for the enemy,
You hold me tight.
You are my secret strength!
You surprise me with this love,
I can only choose to walk forward and follow this love, this light.
You lead the way...bringing me into the brightness, the beauty, the open place.
You delight in my rescue
As You reveal the brightness of Your truth.
Oh, You are my secret strength!
Psalm 18 (TPT)
Saturday, September 7, 2013
New
I can sing a new song to you today God, because You are always new.
Your strength is fresh, empowering, not a leftover from the day before,
Not weary with yesterday's troubles,
No, Your strength is new for me this morning, new for me to step into.
Your strength restores,
Not only gives me what I need today, but restores the energy, vision, and dreams that were stolen by
yesterday's pains.
Your grace comes straight from Your heart to me today.
Grace that is fresh, untouched, rich, love-filled, infused straight into my spirit at just the right moment in this
new day.
Your mercies are always new, not stored-up, frustrated mercies,
But fresh coming from the longings and desires of Your heart for me.
Yes, God, You are new for me today!
But this is how You have always been...from the beginning of time...
Always new, but always constant in Your goodness, Your grace, Your power, Your glory.
I sing a new song to You today, God, because You have again awakened my heart to all that You are.
You have kissed me again!
Your strength is fresh, empowering, not a leftover from the day before,
Not weary with yesterday's troubles,
No, Your strength is new for me this morning, new for me to step into.
Your strength restores,
Not only gives me what I need today, but restores the energy, vision, and dreams that were stolen by
yesterday's pains.
Your grace comes straight from Your heart to me today.
Grace that is fresh, untouched, rich, love-filled, infused straight into my spirit at just the right moment in this
new day.
Your mercies are always new, not stored-up, frustrated mercies,
But fresh coming from the longings and desires of Your heart for me.
Yes, God, You are new for me today!
But this is how You have always been...from the beginning of time...
Always new, but always constant in Your goodness, Your grace, Your power, Your glory.
I sing a new song to You today, God, because You have again awakened my heart to all that You are.
You have kissed me again!
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