Changeling

Dear Lord, sometimes You seem so near,
And sometimes far away,
There are instances when I
Can feel You as I pray.
And there are also interludes,
In which it seems that You
Have turned Your back upon me,
 ...And I don't know what to do.

Dear Lord sometimes I am on fire,
And sometimes icy cold,
And many times I am perplexed,
On pausing to behold
Such very changing attitudes,
My soul seems to possess,
Would that I could always feel
Your presence in my breast.

Dear Lord, sometimes I feel that
I am surely Heaven-bound,
And then I most abruptly find
Me face-down on the ground.
I have so many highs and lows,
I am surprised that You
Can keep me on a steady course,
The way You always do.

Dear Lord, I am a changeling,
And a creature of this earth,
And yet within me is a soul,
That is of priceless worth.
And sometimes if I falter,
When the way grows rough and long,
Just pick me up and hold me
To your heart, where I belong.

 

~ Grace E. Easley

 

Trust

 

When you've lost your zest for living,
And no one seems to care
Life seems to go on without you
It's more than you can bear.

You can not make the grade alone,
It's much steeper than you think
You need extra strength from somewhere,
For you're almost on the brink.

So after trying everything,
And you've come to your wit's end
Turn your downcast eyes heavenward,
And meet a faithful friend.

A sincere prayer for just a moment,
Can create such a change
The burden gets much lighter
And you can breathe with ease again.

Amid the stress of earthly life,
That taxes one so great
You really need to only,
Pray, fear not, and simply wait.

Christ gave His life to save us,
For our sins He did atone
Trust in the Lord, do not despair
God does not forsake His own.

 

~ Fern Robinson Ackerman

 

The Sweet And Simple Things

 

Little treasures that we keep,
Remind us of the times
We can't forget, because our lives,
Were much like valentines.

A small child's rocker on the hearth,
A lock of baby's hair
Bring back the times when every day
Was like a whispered prayer.

A seashell, on a nearby shelf,
Brings back the memories
Of walks along the sandy shore,
And singing of the sea.

Ah yes, it is the little things,
Which bless us through the years
Such as the precious memories,
Which bring both smiles and tears.

For tho' the years may come and go,
Which smiles and heartaches bring
We should recall our God of love,
Who sanctions simple things!

 

~ Sancie Earman King

        

Creation Prayer

 

Each morning is a fine new creation -

A fresh canvas on which to paint my day.

Help me look upward for inspiration.

Master Artist, guide my plans, I pray.

 

May I begin the work with grateful praise,

Apply my brush with fervent prayer,

My hand held by Your steady hand, Lord,

Warm colors spread with loving care.

 

Though  may paint no masterpiece,

The art that's wrought is Yours and mine.

I humbly ask, "Help me erase

My willful flaws in our design."

 

~ Louise Pugh Corder

 

O Lord,

in the morning

I will direct

my prayer

to Thee.

Ps. 5:3

 



Flying Flowers

 

Butterflies are

Like flying flowers,
Dancing about

In the daylight hours.

Their parchment wings

Are free at last
From prison cocoons

That held them fast.

They'll kiss a rose,

Then light as a breeze,
Fly to share nectar

With the honeybees.

Their wings may be

Yellow, red, or blue,
        Like stained glass windows

When the sun shines through.

These flying flowers

So delicate and free
Are God's special treat

For our eyes to see.

~ Grace Lee Frank Smith

 

The Blossoms Of Springtime

 

Gaze into the wonder

Of the stillness of the night,

And then survey the beauty

Of a new day filled with light.

The thrill of fun and laughter

Is etched deep within our mind,

Then a note of passing sorrow

Will soon leave the joy behind.

The springtime and the winter

Oh how far apart they seem

But soon one is just arriving

And the other one just a dream.

The gift of life is awesome

A treasure to behold,

So just keep cultivating

And new chapters will unfold.

Like the autumn, spring and summer

Oh how quickly they pass by,

Until the barren winter

Reveals a mournful sigh.

But there's life beyond the winter

For God willed it to be,

And a new spring will keep on blooming

For all eternity.

 

~ Chris Zambernard

Today Is The Day

 

Today is the day

the Lord has made,

and it holds a blessing for me.

 

~ Roxie Lusk Smith

After The Darkness

 

After the darkness

The daylight shines through

After the showers

The rainbow's in view

After life's heartaches

There comes from above

The peace and the comfort

of God's healing love.

 

The Half I Cannot Tell

 

My heart is overflowing

With gratitude and praise,

To him whose loving kindness

Has followed all my days;

To him who gently leads me

By cool and quiet rills,

And with their balm of comfort

My thirsty spirit fills.

 

I feign would tell the story,

And yet I know full well

The half was never, never told --

The half I cannot tell.

 

Within the vale of blessing,

I walk beneath the light

Reflected from His glory,

That shines forever bright.

I feel His constant presence

Wherever I mat be;

How manifold His goodness,

How rich His grace to me!

 

My heart is overflowing

With love and joy and song,

As if it heard an echo

From yonder ransomed throng;

its every chord is vocal

With music's sweet lay;

And to its home of sunshine

It longs to fly away.

 

~ Fanny Crosby 

 

Holding Your Hand

 

Sometimes God puts you with the flowers,

Sometimes He lets you walk with the sunlight,

But often you are in  the shadows,

And then you walk in deepest night...

But He is there in every valley,

Even when you do not understand...

Trust Him... because He's always there...

Guiding... leading... holding your hand.

 

~ Marion Schoeberlein

 

In Quietude

 

I know not how by hand or arm
God sweetly doth console;
It's not by worldly happenstance
He pacifies my soul...

Deep within, there cometh peace --
A child of His I be --
He worketh all to my own good
And sets my spirit free --

What ere I am, God views the whole;
My wilted soul takes wing!
He lifts to bless my earthly ways
What heaven's best can bring.

 

~ Roxie Lusk Smith

 

Walking With God

 

O for a closer walk with God,
A calm and heavenly frame;
A light to shine upon the road
That leads me to the Lamb!

Where is the blessedness I knew
When first I saw the Lord?
Where is the soul-refershing view
Of Jesus and His word?

What peaceful hours I once enjoy'd!
How sweet their memory still!
But they have left an aching void,
The world can never fill.

Return, O holy Dove, return!
Sweet the messenger of rest:
I hate the sins that made Thee mourn,
And drove Thee from my breast.

The dearest idol I have known,
Whate'er that idol be,
Help me to tear it from Thy throne,
And worship only Thee.

So shall my walk be close with God,
Calm and serene my frame;
So purer light shall mark the road
That leads me to the Lamb.

~ William Cowper

 

Cultivating Friends

 

Sow a word of praise today,

Plant a kindness-seed;

Listen to a troubled friend,

Help someone in need.

 

Compliment a weary soul

Too fatigued to try;

Shine forth rays of hope on all,

Comfort those who cry.

Scatter deeds of love each day,
Plant each row with care;
Sprinkle joy along your way,
Soak each one in prayer.

Ask the Lord to bless each one,
And one day you'll reap
A harvestful of loving friends
To cherish and to keep.

~ Connie Hinnen

"But this I say,
he which soweth sparingly
shall reap also sparingly;
and he which soweth bountifully
shall reap bountifully."

(II Corinthians 9:6)

 

Life's Tapestry

 

Glancing at the pattern

Of my life's rare tapestry

It seemed the threads of darkness

Were all that  could see,

 

I failed to see the glitter

Of the gold beyond the grey

The myriad lovely colours

Of life's joys along the way,

 

Until I saw the pattern

Formed by God's forgiving touch

That showed me, Oh so clearly

God has given me so much.

 

~ Gert Holaday

 

I Thought Of A Rainbow

 

I thought of a rainbow today,

As I watched the rain coming down,

Someday my life would be better,

I would not be all alone.

 

The sparrows in November trees

Seemed so discouraged, just like me --

I think that they were looking for

God's little bit of poetry --

 

No matter where I looked beauty

And nature preached  sermon, though,

Even in dark discouragement

I saw HIS beautiful rainbow!

 

~ Marion Schoeberlein

 

 

The Power Of Littles

 

Great events, we often find,
On little things depend,
And very small beginnings
Have oft a mighty end.

A single utterance may good
or evil thought inspire;
One little spark enkindled
May set a town on fire.

What volumes may be written
With little drops of ink!
How small a leak, unnoticed,
A mighty ship will sink!

Our life is made entirely
Of moments multiplied,
As little streamlets, joining
Form the ocean’s tide.

Our hours and days,
our months and years,
are in small moments given:
They constitute our time below --
Eternity in heaven

 

The Heavens Declare Thy Glory, Lord!

 

The heavens declare Thy glory, Lord!
In every star Thy wisdom shines;
That when our eyes behold Thy word,
We read Thy name in fairer lines.

The rolling sun, the changing light
And nights and days, Thy power confess;
That the blest volume Thou hast writ
Reveals Thy justice and Thy grace.

 

(Psalm XIX)

 

~ Isaac Watts

 

By The Sea

 

I walked alone beside the sea;
And as I walked there seemed to be;
An unseen Friend walked by my side
As I wondered at the changing tide.

He rules the sea, the sky, the land,
The moon and stars hear His command.
All else, but man, joins His melody
Of love and faith and harmony.

His gentle voice spoke from the sea,
"Be not afraid just follow me."
I noticed not the time or way
As we walked and talked that day.

I lingered there until the sun
Dipped in the sea, and day was done.
My cares, my fears all slipped away,
 Because I walked with Him that dy.

I hurried home, by duty called,
 All seemed right within its walls.
My hopes renewed, tears washed away
  Because I talked with God that day.

 

~ Grace Holt Litchfield

May Your Faith

 

May your faith in God

sustain you.

In time of grief and pain,

For faith in God that you possess

Is never placed in vain.

 

God's always standing by your side

In moments of despair,

To strengthen and to comfort you

For He does truly care.

 

He's always there to lend a hand

Ad be your friend and guide,

So don't believe you walk alone

For God walks by your side.

 

~ Harold F. Mohn

Living Water

 

That none need

suffer in spirit

His agony of thirst

on the cross,

to all that ask

He gives

living water

of the Spirit.

 

~ Edward A. Gloeggler

Our Only Way

 

The dust of dying memories
May blur your eyes with tears,
Praise God, there's One

who can bring peace
And quiet all your fears.

He yearns to comfort and to guide
Your pathway everyday,
He is the Truth, He is the Light --
And still, our only Way!

~ Esther B. Heins

 

This Worry

 

If you could take this worry
That is eating at your heart,
Wrap it up, and throw it away,
Then from it completely depart, --

Wouldn't this just be wonderful, --
Imagine the great relief,
The quietness within your heart,
The restfulness and peace!

My friend, this all is possible
Thru our Saviour Jesus Christ,
The One Who would take each burden
That comes into our life.

So wrap your every burden up
And give it over to Him
Who promised when we trust Him,
To give God's peace within!

~ Ruth V. Eaker

1 Corinthians 10:13; Philippians 4:6 & 7

 

Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

 

Whenever I am troubled
and lost in deep despair
I bundle all my troubles up
and go to God in prayer...

 I tell Him I am heartsick
and lost and lonely, too,
That my mind is deeply burdened
and I don't know what to do...

But I know He stilled the tempest
and calmed the angry sea
And I humbly ask if in His love
He'll do the same for me ...

And then I just keep quiet
and think only thoughts of peace
And if I abide in stillness
my "restless murmurings" cease.

~ Helen Steiner Rice

Life's Fulfillment

 

Of all the prizes that earth can give

This is the best; to find Thee, Lord,

A living Presence near and in Thee rest!

 

Friends, fortune, fame

Or what might come to me --

I count all loss if I find not

Companionship with Thee!

 

~ Ralph Spaulding Cushman

If I Could Never Talk To God

 

 

I often wonder what I'd do
if I could never pray,
If I could not depend on God,
to guide me every day.

And, O, how dark the night would be
if His light did not shine,
I could not sleep because such fear
would fill this heart of mine.

My heart would never sing a song
I'd feel so all alone,
If I could never talk to God
and claim Him for my own.

But all these things I need not fear
my burdens He doth share,
I only have to whisper low
He heareth every prayer.

Thus, He always walks beside me
He never lets me fall,
He gently takes me by the hand
My love, the God of all.

And though the night around be dark
His light will ever shine,
I sleep in peace and need not fear
Since I know that He is mine.

 

~ Mary E. Harrington

My Prayer At Dawn

 

I pray this day will brightly shine

With little deeds well done,

And thoughtful love for others,

So that the setting sun

And all the lengthening shadows

Will bring a peaceful rest,

Knowing that God guided me

To truly do my best.

 

~ Mary H. Wittner

God's Work Of Art

 

There's so much beauty to be found

In this world of ours --

In winding streams and field of green,

And oh, so many flowers.

 

In fluffy clouds -- like "cotton puffs",

And skies of azure hue.

There's beauty in the rolling hills,

And God's green valley's too.

 

There's beauty in a tree's attempt

To reach majestic height.

There's beauty in the sunshine

And the moon and stars at night.

 

Surely beauty such as this

Could only have been planned,

And brought into existence

By God's own loving hand!

 

~ Doris A. Orth

Because

 

Because I have received kindness,

I have been spurned on to be kind.

 

Because I have caught the smile

on another's lips,

I have found myself smiling.

 

Because I have known

the joy of receiving,

I rejoice in giving.

 

Because I have felt pain,

I know what pity is.

 

Because I have tasted humiliations,

I know what consideration is.

 

Because I have seen Christ suffer,

I have had the courage to go on.

 

~ Sister Mary Gemma Brunke