Be Strong

Be strong!

We are not here to play,

to dream, to drift;

We have hard work to do,

and loads to lift;

Shun not the struggle - face it;

'tis God's gift.

Be Strong!

Say not, "The days are evil.

Who's to blame?"

And fold the hands and acquiesce - 

oh shame!
Stand up, speak out, and bravely,

in God's name.

Be strong!

It matters not how deep intrenched

the wrong,

How hard the battle goes,

the day how long;

Faint not - fight on! To-morrow

comes to song.

~ Maltbie Davenport Babcock

God is Love

God is love; his mercy brightens

All the path in which we rove;

Bliss he wakes and woe he lightens;

God is wisdom, God is love.

Chance and change are busy ever;

Man decays, and ages move;

But his mercy waneth never;

God is wisdom, God is love.

E'en the hour that darkest seemeth,

Will his changeless goodness prove;

From the gloom his brightness streameth,

God is wisdom, God is love.

He with earthly cares entwineth

Hope and comfort from above;

Everywhere his glory shineth;

God is wisdom, God is love.

~ John Bowring

Love Is...

Love is... a tiny seed God planted in the mind;

It blossoms into flowers and makes a person kind.

Love is... compassionate - has hope for those who fall;

Love is the effective, most Christ-like way of all!

Love is... not resentful, it readily forgives;

It brings great happiness to those with whom it lives.

Love is... ever patient, it's found in trustful hearts;

It is most unselfish, the finest of all arts!

Love... like the sunshine - it shines on good and bad

It dissipates the darkness and makes the whole world glad!

Love is... the childlike way- secure in Father's care,

For God is almighty His love is everywhere!

His love is everywhere!

~ Sister Mary Gemma Brunke

The Larger Prayer

At first I prayed for Light:

Could I but see the way,

How gladly, swiftly would I walk

To everlasting day!

And next I prayed for Strength:

That I might tread the road

With firm, unfaltering feet, and win

The heaven's serene abode.

And then I asked for Faith:

Could I but trust my God,

I'd live enfolded in His peace,

Though foes were all abroad.

But now I pray for Love:

Deep love to God and man,

A living love that will not fail,

However dark His plan.

And Light and Strength and Faith

Are opening everywhere;

God only waited for me, till

I prayed the larger prayer.

~ Edna D. Cheney

God's Love

God's love is like an island

In life's ocean vast and wide -

A peaceful, quiet shelter

From the restless, rising tide...

God's love is like an anchor

When the angry billows roll-

A mooring in the storms of life,

A stronghold for the soul...

God's love is like a fortress

And we seek protection there

When the waves of tribulation

Seem to drown us in despair...

God's love is like a harbor

Where our souls can find sweet rest

From the struggle and the tension

Of life's fast and futile quest...

God's love is like a beacon

Burning bright with faith and prayer

And through the changing scenes of life

We can find a haven there!

~ Helen Steiner Rice

My Journey

I walked one day with Pleasure,

We sang a lilting song,

But, at our parting, not a measure

Remained to help my steps along.

I walked one day with Sorrow,

The journey sad, and long,

But the faith she had for tomorrow

Left me with a song!

I walked one day the road alone,

Or so I thought I did,

But soon God's love-light shone:

My sadness disappeared, and hid.

I know I'll never walk alone,

For I can hold His hand,

And, when my burden seems a stone,

On the Rock of Faith I'll stand!

~ W.R. Goodman

Hope

'Tis better to hope,

though clouds hang low,

And keep the eyes uplifted,

For the sweet blue sky

will soon peep through,

When the ominous clouds are rifted.

There was never a night

without a day

Or an evening without a morning,

And the  darkest hour,

as the proverb goes,

Is the hour before the dawning.

Petition in Faith

When your problems rise up

To bog and depress,

And your spirit gives way to despair;

When your mind is a vent

To a burden's intent,

And your lips can't give voice to a prayer -

Turn away from the thoughts

That cause you distress,

They hinder the self in repair;

Trust God to provice

What the heartstrings conide;

With assurance, you're still in His care.

~ Roxie Lusk Smith

Omnipotent

Somebody listens to every prayer,

When you are ill and burdened with care,

When your soul is bent with its weight of woe,

Tell it to Someone who loves you so.

Someone will tell you that He understands,

He'll hold your heart in His gentle hands,

Just like a child when the father's near,

With God at your side, there's nothing to fear.

When days are long and nights have no end,

When things go wrong, there's always one friend.

Just lift your eyes and you'll see Him there,

With His gentle smile as He hears your prayer.

~ Nick Kenny

Contrast

Doubt cries, "It is impossible!

You can't, you can't go on!"

Faith softly whispers, "Yes, you can.

Just trust in God. Be calm."

Doubt cries, "Look down! Your path is steep

And rough with stones and briar!"

Faith gently says, "I'll take your hand..

It's beautiful up higher."

Doubt has not one thing to give

But "going back" alone;

Faith has God, eternal life,

And heirship to a throne!

And so, on unseen eagle's wings,

These feet of clay are borne.

While faith within me sings and sings,

We rise above the storm!

~ Alice Hansche Mortenson

Live By Faith and Not By Feelings

 

When everything is pleasant and bright
And the things we do turn out just right,
We feel without question that God is real,
For, when we are happy, how good we feel...
But when the tides turn and gone is the song
And misfortune comes and our plans go wrong,
Doubt creeps in and we start to wonder
And our thoughts about God are torn asunder-
For we feel deserted in time of deep stress,
Without God's presence to assure us and bless...
And it is then when our senses are reeling
We realize clearly it's Faith and not Feeling-
For it takes Great Faith to patiently wait,
Believing "God comes not too soon or too late."

~ Helen Steiner Rice

A Prayer for Faith

God, give me back the simple faith

that I so long have clung to,

My simple faith in peace and hope,

in loveliness and light -

Because without this faith of mine,

The rhythms I have sung to

Become as empty as the sky

upon a starless night.

God, let me feel that right is right,

that reason dwells with reason,

And let me feel that something grows

whenever there is rain -

And let me sense the splendid truth

that season follows season,

And let me dare to dream

that there is tenderness in pain.

God, give me back my simple faith

because my soul is straying

Away from all the little creeds

that I so long have known;

Oh, answer me while still I have

at least the strength for praying,

For if prayer dies from my heart

I will be quite alone.

~ Margaret E. Sangster

God's Promise

He never said the way would be
A straight and easy one for me.
He never meant that I should rest,
When work is what I do the best.
He never planned the best there is,
For me without my hand in His,
And never once did He ordain
I'd taste the joy but not the pain.

He never told me I would find
Contentment without peace of mind,
Nor did He issue a decree,
Compelling time to wait for me.
But He has promised life beyond
This fragile earth I walk upon,
And through the darkness of the night,
To be the Way, the Truth, the Light.

~ Grace E. Easley

Perfect Peace

O Lord, how happy we could be,

If we would put full trust in Thee -

If we from foolish fears would rest

And be assured that Thou above,

In perfect wisdom, grace, and love,

Art working for our best.

Lord, make these faithless hearts of ours

Good lessons learn from fields of flowers;

First, let our worries cease;

Then, like the flowers, let us be still

And leave all things to Thy good will

And so find perfect peace.

~ Marion Schoeberlein

Be Calm My Soul

Be calm my soul -

Tho' all around,

Nations may fall -

Thrones tumble down.

E'en in the midst

Of life's troubled sea -

Have faith in God,

And know He keeps thee.

Be calm my soul -

Be firm and stand fast!

He'll keep thee now -

He has in the past.

He rules the wind -

And calms the great sea;

Be calm my soul -

God will keep thee.

~ JoAnn Carlson