When the forgiven learn to forgive,
When the poor give everything away,
When the broken learn to mend,
That’s when Jesus has his way.
When the striving let go,
When the conflicted surrender,
When we befriend our foes,
Then our hearts become tender.
When all seems to be defeat,
When expectations don’t meet,
When sorrows grow, with tales of woe,
Then our victory is near.
Cling to the cross
And trust its might power.
Remember what He did for you
In every minute, hour.
Focus on Him
And keep your eyes above.
Let earthly cares now fall away,
And drink His cup of love.
Take up your cross;
With grace your burdens bear.
Let not your cross bring bitterness —
Have hope, and don’t despair.
Carry your cross,
And one day there will be
A glorious crown, a shining light;
Make love your destiny.
Holy Spirit, carry me –
I cannot walk alone.
Son of God, deliver me
Unto my heav’nly home.
Father God, create in me
Love that for sin atones.
Saints in heaven, pray for me
For graces needed here.
Saints on earth, please do the same
Else I will fall, I fear.
Holy ones, in heav’n, on earth –
Help me love Jesus dear.
The road is long, the way so hard,
With sin and strife replete.
Yet, Jesus does a work in me,
A work He will complete.
Those little things
With six thin legs
Seem just at night
To like me
Each night I find
One on an arm
Or leg, or ear –
They fright me
And then I cannot
Sleep a wink
For fear that they
Will bite me
[Unless I say
A little prayer
And then that act
Will calm me]
A modern covered wagon,
An RV just as long.
You rent it for a fortnight,
And bring your dog along.
You’re crammed into close quarters;
Your food you have to plan.
You bump into each other,
But trav’lin’ round is grand.
Your home is your conveyance,
The road leads on and on.
Sometimes you meet new people,
Or friends who’d said, “So long!”
You learn about your nation —
Its people varied, great.
Don’t stop too long or often,
Or for your camp you’re late.
Some nights you’re almost shiv’ring,
And others, sweating lots,
But all along it’s worth it
To see fantastic spots.
So come along and travel
In RV, car, or plane,
But don’t forget to walk along
God’s glorious nature trail.
The fruit and vegetable lady
Sells amaranth leaves,
Plums and lemons,
And other things.
She smiles when I ask her name.
“I have lemons for you,” she says.
She sits or stands in the shade,
Most days.
Her garden must be quite a thing.
Daily, abundant things she brings.
But always, the amaranth leaves.
(She calls them spinach.)
“Hot peppers today,”
She says with a grin,
Bringing them from
A bag within.
I hope she is making
Her livelihood,
By grace of God,
In the neighborhood.
If only I could speak —
To tear down strongholds,
To shatter darkness,
To shred the webs of dread deceit.
God’s words alone have this power.
His power brings His blinding light,
His breath — it scours away our sin,
And shatters clever, insidious lies,
Enlight’ning places dark within.
If only I had the power, but —
Surrend’ring humbly to His grace,
Letting my weakness gain His strength,
Perhaps I help the human race.
Can you hear the moon at night?
Its bright beams crashing in noisy light?
When sleepless eyelids long to rest,
With jangled thoughts – unwelcome guests.
Can you feel the soft night air,
The gentle breeze upon your hair?
At least in restless night you feel
Some hint of comfort, the air surreal.
And then beyond the restless fears,
Or aching leg, or head, or ear,
You find inside a solid place
That lets you sleep, with God’s good grace.
