Why the ongoing dissent in so many families? Irreconcilable differences, anger, unforgiveness, walls of not-talking. Where are You, LORD, as family members estrange each other?
We are all broken people trying to survive. It hurts when some choose others as their “family,” distance themselves, and leave us bewildered. Our hearts are shredded when differences crucify our relationships.
Nothing can be mended if people won’t hear one another, put aside judgment, and listen. Can we find forgiveness? What if our woundedness is so great that human intervention is too puny?
I think of Jesus’ suffering when He was nailed to the Cross. Jesus, who demonstrated perfect Love, was judged, rejected, and crucified. Misunderstood. Abandoned. Estranged. And yet, He forgave.
I pray the fracturing blows families experience will not be a death knell, but the laying bare of wounds to be cleansed. That by facing truth, families may be made whole. Only with hope of healing can we bear the pain. May we seek God that we may better love one another.
I share more about healing family wounds in my 21-day devotional “Walking Through Shadows: Finding Hope When Life Seems Dark.” Grab your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FT515VPQ/
And…if you know someone who is walking through shadows, please consider surprising them with a copy, or share this email with them. Thank you!
Have you prepared your will? Put things in motion to leave an inheritance?
When my parents passed, their gifts were set according to their desires. God, our Heavenly Father, also has bequests for us. His Will began before our conception. He already knew us.
While reading Ephesians 5, I was reminded of receiving an inheritance in God’s kingdom. This world is temporal—it will crumble. Yet our spirits will live on, in eternal life with God or separated from Him.
God has revealed His Will. An inheritance none of us earn. It pivots on our accepting His terms. As we come to know Him, He teaches us, prepares us to receive our eternal inheritance, and allows us to begin enjoying it now.
How do I respond? Am I a toddler throwing a tantrum? A belligerent teenager? An angry adult refusing treatment from the Great Physician? Perhaps I am all of these at various times. Yet, God is generous and loving, and has paid the ultimate price for you and me.
Learn more about God’s inheritance in my 21-day devotional “Walking Through Shadows: Finding Hope When Life Seems Dark.” Grab your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FT515VPQ/
Some days the clarion call in our lives is “Incoming! Take cover!”
Battle worn and weary, we wonder: “When will it end? When will peace come again? How do we navigate through?” How do we find our sea legs in an unending storm?
Second Samuel 16:5–14 records King David’s experience when his son Absalom conspired to overthrow him. Though bone weary and sick at heart, David led his loyal followers to safer ground.
Enter Shimei. This divisive man threw clods, kicked up dust, and cursed at David during his weary march. Yet when David’s servants proposed killing Shimei, David trusted in God’s purposes, ignored the attacks, and obeyed God’s law as recorded in Leviticus 19:18 (NLT): “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.”
Shimei, from the tribe of Benjamin, was one of God’s people.
When clods are being thrown at me, I’m tempted to return fire, NOW! But this story gives me pause.
Might there be a greater picture than I can see? Do I need to consider what my tormentor is doing, and why? Rein in my fight or flight and seek God’s wisdom and perspective?
Even under fire, one can tune their heart towards peace.
Still pertinent for today are biblical accounts of people facing challenges. The Bible provides wisdom and lessons to bless and preserve us.
Consider more biblical wisdom for your daily challenges in my 21-day devotional “Walking Through Shadows: Finding Hope When Life Seems Dark.” Grab your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FT515VPQ/
Recently I read something fascinating about caterpillars becoming butterflies, versus pollywogs becoming frogs.
Pollywogs simply transform—lose their tails and grow legs. These are natural changes of a young creature maturing.
But the caterpillar? It actually dies, and its body liquifies into “caterpillar soup” inside its cocoon or chrysalis. In the process, specialized cells survive, and from these cells, butterfly body parts develop. A caterpillar’s metamorphosis reflects death and resurrection. Being made completely new.
Something magnificent like this happens when we are born anew in Christ. I remember when I finally yielded my life to Him. I stepped into a vibrancy of life I’d never known.
Being born again isn’t a pollywog alteration. The essence of one’s inner being changes as one is made a new spiritual creation. Like the caterpillar that dies before becoming a butterfly, one’s spirit, once dead in sin, is given new life.
Interestingly, some moths remember their caterpillar days. No surprise we struggle with old habits even after our rebirth. As our metamorphosed spirit grows into maturity in Christ, God transforms us to be all He created us to be.
Consider your spiritual journey in my 21-day devotional, “Walking Through Shadows: Finding Hope When Life Seems Dark.” Grab your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FT515VPQ/
Why does the word “sin” carry such weight? Why won’t the dread of it let go, no matter one’s culture or belief?
The penalty of sin is spiritual death. No one can avoid it.
Thankfully, God has provided the way of escape…the gift of salvation through Christ’s sacrifice. A free gift for all who will accept it and believe.
But what happens when believers make mistakes or sin after being saved? How do we cope with the guilt and new condemnation?
How does God respond when we fail or turn away from Him?
A wise friend recently explained: While believers are oriented to following God’s ways, at times we veer off course. We are learning to walk in the Kingdom of God while simultaneously living in the empire of this broken world.
Sin demands condemnation. But an error is a mistake that looks for correction and realignment with God’s truth.
God does not condemn those who seek His forgiveness. He is gentle, waits with open arms, is full of mercy, and everlasting love. He longs to grow us, not condemn us.
As He realigns us with His truth, He transforms us, and walks with us through any consequences we might face from our wrongdoing. God makes a way. His love never fails. He is the Light in our shadows and delights to make our paths straight.
Explore more about God’s tender care in my 21-day devotional, “Walking Through Shadows: Finding Hope When Life Seems Dark.”
I looked at my husband with those words hanging between us. My heart pounded. I was about to enter a situation I wasn’t ready for, face something I didn’t have the strength to handle.
The biblical Daniel faced actual lions—thrown into their den for praying to God instead of the king. And miraculously, God shut the mouths of those lions. Daniel survived the night and greeted the king at morning light.
I wasn’t facing physical lions. But the anxiety felt just as real, just as threatening.
Feeling desperate, I talked to God. And by “talked,” I mean I honestly told Him EVERYTHING. (God is a great listener, by the way.) I admitted I was afraid. I confessed I had no idea how to handle what was ahead. I asked Him to go before me and give me peace.
As I stepped in faith, He reminded me that the battle was His all along. Not mine to orchestrate, not mine to win through my own power or intellect or creativity. His.
I survived. I’m alive and well. My fears—instead of me—were thrown into the pit.
Friend, if you’re facing your own lion’s den today, I want you to know: Fear doesn’t come from God. It’s a weapon designed to diminish and destroy us. But when we ask the God of Daniel—the Creator God, the God who sent Jesus, the God whose Spirit lives in those who believe—He walks with us into those terrifying places.
Moment by moment. Step by step. His faithfulness, His power, His love carrying us through.
Lions may roar. But God is still shutting their mouths. What lion’s den are you facing today?
I share more stories of God’s faithfulness in the midst of fear in my 21-day devotional “Walking Through Shadows: Finding Hope When Life Seems Dark.” If this resonated with you, I hope you’ll grab your copy here:
Thank you to all who joined me during book launch week. Like after birthing a baby, I’m catching my breath since sharing the book into the world.
What joy to share this walk through life with you! For the next several weeks, I plan to share thoughts garnered from “Walking Through Shadows: Finding Hope When Life Seems Dark.” I hope they will encourage you.
Today’s thoughts reflect Chapter 3–Walking in Light:
There are times when the light feels far away.
When fear whispers “there’s no hope” and the shadows seem too heavy to bear.
I’ve been there—wandering through uncertainty, heart weighed down, trying to find my footing again.
And right in the middle of it all, God gently reminded me: “I am still here. My light never dims.”
1 John 1:5b NKJV says,
“God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.”
Even when I don’t understand my circumstances, Jesus remains the same—steady, faithful, and near. Like a loving parent comforting a frightened child, He wraps His arms around us until peace begins to rise again.
If you’re in a dim season right now, lift your eyes toward Him. The Light hasn’t left—you may just need to pause long enough to feel its warmth.
Darkness doesn’t get the final word. Keep walking in the Light, one small, steady step at a time.
I’m excited to announce my new 21-day devotional, now available on Amazon! Inspired by my journey through different life shadows (challenges), I hope these devotions will help you walk through yours.
Where is the light when darkness of the world overshadows you and steals your joy? Do you feel confused, lost, overwhelmed? Have answers eluded you? Do hard seasons seem to never end?
You are not alone.
Life’s shadows cause us to pause. They bring an invitation to draw closer to God. Confusion and pain are a signal to pay attention. God holds the answers to your physical, emotional, and spiritual concerns.
You are deeply loved and valued, no matter your problems.
• God cherishes you.
• His arms are always wide open.
• He knows how to guide you towards healing.
• It is never too late to come to Him.
In this 21-day devotional, you will find quiet space to sit with God, and honestly bring your shadows to Him. Each day’s devotion offers Scripture, reflection questions, action steps, and prayer.
Come. Walk through shadows. Let God gently restore your peace, strengthen your hope, grow your faith, and shed light on your path.
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An official “launch” will happen later this month (October 20-24).
If you’d like to be a part of my launch team (leave a review on Amazon and share this book to your platforms), I’ll be dropping the ebook price to 99 cents during that time. My prayer is that the LORD will encourage many to find hope in their shadows.
Time rewound and there I stood, in a New York City apartment, fellowshipping with others and singing praises to God in Holy Spirit song. The JOY of the LORD washed through the room and cascaded through us.
It was 1972. I was in New York for a work-study program at Sloan Kettering Memorial Hospital, the summer before my last year in nursing school. Somehow, God connected me with other born-again believers while I was there.
Walking in the Spirit was more lighthearted then…before the cares of jobs, marriage, family, and world events tried to snuff out the flame and fire of Jesus in me.
More recently, years of despair and grief over the living loss of our estranged daughter and three grands, and ongoing concern for unbelief and trials in our family, has left my soul and spirit isolated and flat. Sharing with others and several visits with a counselor brought insight, yet the despair remained. Was there no where I could find relief even though I was doing the “give it to God” thing? Then, a precious miracle touched me.
I sat on the couch in the dark and quiet one night after dear hubby retired, and opened a social media post I’d been sent. Another post automatically flipped up and caught my attention. The heavenly song, You are the Almighty God, by Nikos Politis of Thessaloniki, Greece, poured out of my phone and deep into my heart. I played the song over and over, stretching to learn the words and sing along. Pure joy filled and radiated from my spirit as I overflowed with praise.
The next morning, tears washed my face as I explained the experience to my husband. And about the tangible connection I felt to the Holy Spirit…like I had in 1972. The Spirit met me in the depths of my despair, pulled aside the veil in my spirit, and lifted me in holy joy.
“I don’t want to leave this place,” I cried to my husband. “This, this is what I wanted for our family. To be together and worship in the joy of the LORD.” Not just in the rituals and platitudes of expected church behavior, but in the sheer delight of personal, holy, vibrant joy. Jesus calls us to His higher place, to grow and dwell in His Kingdom.
What a demonstration of the LORD’s faithfulness to us! In my weariness of battle and waiting for answers to prayers, that night and since, the LORD showed/s up to reveal His goodness. His peace has remained. He is trustworthy to care for all my loved ones.
It has been so many years since I’ve sensed the freedom of the Spirit in this way. The way I believe we are meant to walk. It has nothing to do with me or my ability or my spirituality…it is all a gift Jesus holds out to every person individually…a vibrancy of life, different than the day to day. In an ongoing season of prayer and trusting, I want to be that person…filled to overflowing with the joy of the LORD.
~~~
LORD, that our family and all could experience You this way. Bring us into community to walk in Your Spirit openly with others whose lives are like ours…who need You desperately and can find solace only in You. Let us lift one another up, be free from the enemy’s 24/7 assaults, and breathe Your Presence. Revive us, again!
Thank You that in our trials, YOU NEVER LEAVE US. All of Heaven’s armies are here to battle for us. WE ARE NEVER ALONE. Let us walk with You every step, every day. Please, Holy Spirit, continue to show us how. Thank You, LORD Jesus. In Your Holy Name, I pray. Amen.
“Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” Galatians 5:25 NLT
“Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.” Ephesians 5:18-19 NLT
How do I live, LORD Every day When here, this place This mundane world Compares not To the joy Of beholding Your face
How do I live More willingly When I’d rather sit Never stray from Your feet Listen, refill Listen, learn Listen, heal
How do I live To leave behind Something outlasting The breath of my life Something that magnifies The delight found only In glorious You
You called me young To seek and find To know You, LORD Show me How to live these remaining days Fulfilling Your purpose For Your glory
Let not my choices defer me from The assignment You’ve given Shepherd me always Keep me aligned Soften my heart Sharpen me ears Hold me close in Your arms
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LORD Jesus, all glory, honor, and praise to Your Holy Name. You are the King of Glory. Open all hearts to You. Amen.
Psalm 24:7 NLT “Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter.”
Matt Tommey’s reelon The Thriving Christian Artist today on Facebook reminded me of who I am…clay in the Potter’s hands.
It gave me pause to consider again the “design of my life, the position of my heart, the gifts I’ve been given.”
LORD, am I malleable clay, is my heart soft, does my mind follow willingly? Am I living life as I should, fulfilling the purpose and design you have for me…within the freedoms of choice You have given?
This gift of life is incredible. So easy to grab on to the world’s shiny things, run after what feeds my wants, take advantage of what builds me up, speeds me along…till I realize LORD…You are the very air I breathe, and without You there is no life.
In the quiet days, or busy ones, or hard ones where my strength is swallowed up, am I malleable clay, is my heart soft, does my mind follow willingly? Is my decreased enthusiasm to go and do reflect failure, or are these times of gentle rest a gift from You?
Thank You, LORD, for being here when life is different than I thought, when I am different than I thought, when my choices have brought me to where I am. Thank You for being here, remembering me…I am not a forgotten vessel, old and of little use…Your hands hold me still. You never let go. Please, let me remain malleable, for Your purposes, for Your design…a vessel recognizable as made by You. Not a counterfeit, but genuinely Yours, reflecting You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Isaiah 64:8 NLT “And yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand.”
2 Corinthians 4:7 NLT “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.”
Fighting the “I don’t want to” Selfish tantrums reveal Unredeemed parts of me Needing to bow down Before the LORD For His will
Immature places Not yet transformed Humble me Frustrate, yet Broken places are where Living water may pour in
Come, Holy Spirit, come! Redeem my earthly soul Make my mind, emotions, will Align with transformed spirit life Cease the fighting twixt My self and reborn me
~~~
Thank You, Holy Spirit, for Your light shining in my dark places, revealing hidden things, releasing them to fly away. Illuminate the labyrinth. Let me dwell and be and always reflect Your Light of day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Romans 8:13-15 NKJV “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’”
Help her to rise, again, from the floor In Your strength, LORD Not just her own Help her to realize every breath Is a gift from You
Guide and direct her every choice Though she might deny Your name Land her where she’ll safely grow Into the warmth of Your embrace Find her rest in You
Keep her children close at hand As they enter a different world Surprise them with joy and meet them there Reveal Your presence guiding them Protect and keep them safe
Soften hearts and open eyes Cast off fear and want to flee Give them wisdom to clearly see The paths You open up for them Draw each close to You
Surround them with those who know You well Speak into their wounded hearts Let their adventure be the start Of coming home, LORD Of coming home to You
~~~
LORD, thank You for holding my loved ones in Your everlasting care. Nothing separates them from Your Love. I love You, LORD. I trust You. Into Your hands I give my loved ones…again. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Proverbs 16:9 NKJV “A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.”
Proverbs 19:21 NKJV “There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the LORD’s counsel—that will stand.”
Hebrews 4:13 NKJV “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”
The clouds were soft today A gift, to gentle sun’s blinding rays Take the spotlight off reality Loved ones soon moving far away
Excitement and despair Waves lapping and cresting Leak tears held at bay Lest emotion bring a drowning flood
The clouds know this gathering weight Wisps turned cottony then pregnant with rain Not yet free to fall Slowly anticipating release
Suspended they wait at mercy of the wind Gathering together evaporated tears Shielding broken hearts Choosing to be brave
Moments and memories silently drift Arise with discarded and donated things Forgotten then repurposed To share the blessing
Over all, the gathering clouds Whisper a reminder All is well even now in the midst Of changing things
~~~
LORD, thank You for the ongoing assurance that in You all is well. You are our Light and tend the light each of us carry, whether it is flickering or flaming bright. Thank You we can rest in Your unchanging Love. Bring those who do not yet trust Your gift of grace into Your indescribable peace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Psalm 36:5 NLT “Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.”
Psalm 32:8 NLT “The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.”
“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1 NLT
NO CONDEMNATION! My heart burst this morning as the Holy Spirit reminded me of this truth. No matter the state of my world, my soul can rejoice in this unmatchable and astounding gift Christ gives through His death and resurrection.
NO CONDEMNATION! Think of it! Have you allowed yourself time to soak in this truth? Wrap your mind in it? Receive it, claim it, speak it…let it sink into every part of you? And when the accuser throws his darts and wounds, brings up all your hidden guilt, regrets, and offenses and tries to steal your joy in the LORD, can you stand up to him and proclaim, “I am a beloved child of God! In Christ, I am forgiven!”
If you struggle with self condemnation, or the accumulation of condemnation from others, bring whatever condemnation you hold within yourself, name it and set it before God. Talk with Him about it. RECEIVE the forgiveness and freedom Christ brings to you. If you must ask for forgiveness from others, or extend forgiveness and grace to them, and find that difficult, ask the Holy Spirit to help you. He will walk with you through the process, no matter how long it takes. He will heal you from every condemnation, every last shred of it.
What a GIFT! Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!
~~~
LORD, thank You for freeing us from all condemnation. Help us claim this freedom, believe it, and walk in newness of life. Heal our minds, emotions, and spirits. Bring us fully into Your Light. Let joy and gratitude overflow. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
“I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.” Isaiah 44:22 NLT
God bless and keep you and yours this Holy Week, and all your days!
Lord, You have created me On purpose for a purpose To glorify You, share Love Be a part of bringing The Kingdom of God to earth As Your Holy Spirit lives in me
Who am I, LORD But a tiny flower blooming In Your endless field of grace One small addition Exquisite and unique Created for a lifetime To bloom in Your design
I can only fulfill as You infuse The purpose for my being How the expression emerges The colors, the fragrance, the form Supple or brittle In arid places or valleys green
When winds and storms Darkness of night Near break me And I’m unsure if my roots will cling Or if will I be flung away You reach down and hold me
Your favor, LORD, unending Helps me to be All You’ve created in me I am content to bloom, a small flower Tended always by You My Creator and Loving King
~~~
Thank You, Father for Your mercy, grace, and unending love. May You be glorified in every way. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Isaiah 40:8 NLT “The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.”
“Oh, I thought you were a human,” tripped through my sleepy brain. My eyes fluttered open, then shut again. Who spoke those words? Were they for me, or for someone or something else? How weird. It made no sense.
Yes, I am a human. I sat up in the silence, covers wrapped to my chin. What was the significance of this odd phrase? And why was I chewing on it? A few possibly related scenarios floated in and out of my mind: Pinocchio, Peter Pan’s shadow, a dog meeting a robot, a cat snuggled in a statue’s arms, the way my numbed self feels when life goes sideways.
At a Bible study meeting yesterday, the words God the Holy Spirit caught my eye. When LORD Jesus departed earth, He sent His Spirit to dwell in, teach, help, and comfort believers; to remind them of all Jesus taught of God’s Truth. I know and have have experienced Holy Spirit in many ways through decades of honestly talking over my problems with Him, and relying on Him to guide and teach me. This morning, my understanding of our relationship shifted a bit. The Spirit is not a tag along to Jesus. The Holy Spirit is God.
It might seem “elementary, my dear Watson,” yet this small revelation was another glimpse at our amazing God. As I paddle foot through my days, long to understand life’s challenges, stay afloat through relationship lessons of guilt and grief, and endeavor to land on all fours when life upends, God the Spirit loves me enough to dwell in me.
I realized, in my dependency on and friendship with Holy Spirit, my neglect of properly worshipping Him. Not in place or form so much as in taking my intense focus off searching to understand and taking more time to honor God the Spirit, who loves and cares to live in me every second of every day. To worship Him in new ways…give back to Him. I recognize the Holiness of God the Father and Jesus the Son. How do I see the Holiness of the Spirit living within me?
Has my comfortable intimacy with Him been reduced to, “Oh, I thought you were a human” in the sense of a casual attitude rather than holy relationship? Slogging along with less than proper gratitude for His sticking with me? Or, may I simply say “thank You” for this peace that passes all understanding…evidence of His transforming grace?
It’s thrilling to grow deeper in the Spirit, this Third Person of the Trinity, and pour my gratitude and love back into Him. To open my heart more, become more teachable and willing for Him to grow me to be more like Christ. God the Father desires this for each of His children. LORD Jesus the Son bridged the way for intimate relationship with the Father. Holy Spirit dwells within to complete the transformation of my reborn spirit.
What a way to wake up!
A few minutes later, still sitting in bed and thinking on these things, I had to laugh. Had God humorously let me off my self-condemnation hook with a flash of insight and a wry remark…?
“Oh, I thought you were a human…”
Indeed, I am. And He, Praise God, is God!
~~~
LORD, thank You for loving and lifting me. Help me to worship You in Spirit and in Truth. To bow my heart before You in gratitude. And to know You fully. Thank You for Your unending Love and Grace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
John 4:23 NLT “But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.”
Grabbed onto or slowly faced Honesty is but the start Of healing wounded shattered selves Of clearly seeing hearts
From retreat to near approach With trembling questions wondered Do I really want to face Those buried hurts down under?
Please…I do…I must for sure If ever to be free From the seep of festered wounds Into the heart of me
Like onion layers peeled back Slowly or with vigor Overwhelming airs reveal My bitters to surrender
When leaning into honesty My guard tenderly withheld Those fearful awful things I’ve hid Fly free through Truth beheld
When someone spears my wounded heart Or I have caused them pain Forgiveness birthed in honesty Builds bridges once again
And if the other won’t receive Give forgiveness back to me Still the hand of Love’s reached out Frees me in honesty
~~~
LORD, You know my heart, the ways I try to protect myself, cling to my point of view. Let me come before You in honesty. Give me courage to see where I have erred, and to seek forgiveness to those I’ve hurt. Help me to forgive others, and myself, and place in Your arms the consequences of torn relationships. Please pour out Your grace and reconciliation to heal our wounded hearts. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Zechariah 8:16 HCSB “These are the things you must do: Speak truth to one another, make true and sound decisions within your gates.”
Colossians 3:13-14 NLT “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.”
Have you been dwelling Deep in the coal mine Blackened by hard things So dark you can’t see
Stuck in the mud pits Like mastodon captured Doomed to be buried Beneath sucking muck
Lost in the desert Dying for water Stung by the scorpion Vultures wait near
Frozen to standstill In icy weather Snow heaped upon you Ice forming its shell
Or deep underwater Pulled low in regrets Hope all expended While you drown in the depths
It’s never too late To say YES to the Savior Cry out for JESUS is all you need say He’s with you already Reaching to lift up To clear all the burdens And give you new breath
He’s there in the coal mine Walks through the mud pits Waters the desert Heals all the stings Thaws all the coldness Breaks all the barriers Reaches and rescues Is there in the deep
Nowhere to run to To hide from His presence His hands are outstretched Bidding all come All that is needed To receive His salvation Is willing submission… New life His to bring
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LORD Jesus, I come now My weary soul battered From pride and my self will Rude, uncouth things Draw me, please, closer Show me Your true Love My heart in Your Heart Where Holiness sings
Teach me to live, LORD Let me bow humbly Ask for forgiveness In all honesty I’m embarrassed and frightened Yet truth deep inside me Cries, save me, LORD Jesus Beyond worldly things
Lift my eyes upwards To gaze at Your Beauty I give You my whole self Confess all my sins I accept the refinement That comes with Your Fire Trade my marred garments For Your Righteousness
Come, Holy Spirit Teach my spirit Your ways Give understanding Of eternal things And help me draw others To know of this freedom Rejoice with You always In new life Christ brings
Thank you, God, Father For making the way clear To be rescued and transformed From my lowly state To be all You’ve desired Reflect Your love through me Gladden this dark world With Your Holy Light
~~~
Thank You, LORD, for Your unfailing mercy and grace. For coming into this world not to condemn, but to save. Thank You for Your indwelling Holy Spirit to teach and transform us…Your everlasting presence within us. Thank You, LORD, for Your amazing Love! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
John 3:16-17 NKJV “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
John 14:26 HCSB “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit—the Father will send Him in My name—will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.”
Isaiah 41:10 HCSB “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.”
Writing prose and poetry has long been a rich place for me to mine for the truth of things and explore hidden depths of emotions. Inevitably, God teaches me as I hold up my thoughts in the light of His Word, the plumb line of truth…all things are measured by it.
Throughout my lifetime, coming to know God personally through His Word and His Holy Spirit teaching my spirit, I have come to know a Righteous God who is also a Loving Father. I see evidences of Him everywhere, from the microscopic to the vast wonders of nature. More importantly, He has given me His “peace that passes all understanding.” The peace of knowing His deep love for and acceptance of me…through Jesus’s propitiation for all the things that separated me from God, my sins.
Mountain Reflections: Poems From My Heart is a collection of poetry written over several years. It is an offering to the Father, a reflection back of things I have learned as my heart becomes more and more open to Him, and of the delights I see. I hope this book might bless you as you trek through this world, find awe in nature, and wrestle with internal mountains and valleys of your own. Perhaps we have traveled some of the same trails.
Sun has wended cross the sky Dipped below to mornings new Before the moon and starry lights Crested up into view I saw through lowly window frame A glorious pastoral sight
What’s so grand of porch light stream On trees and leaves and darkened day Stillness like a comforter Pulling close the night our way Nature holding breath it seems Before the moonlight beams
‘Tis in these times of in between Seconds till next breaths are taken When stillness offers open doors Minute glimpses into heaven And gives us pause at beauty rare Streams of pastoral light
Oh, Abba Father, give us eyes In the hubbub of our days To see your presence everywhere In loneliness or disarray Light within our darknesses And give back pastoral praise
With all nature’s beauty seen That stirs our hearts to hope beyond Come close, LORD, and whisper please Let us hear Your welcome long In the stillness and the breeze Hear Your pastoral song
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Thank You, LORD, for the beauty of Your love and grace. Open our eyes to see You, Jesus. To behold the glory of Your holiness. In Your name. Amen.
Job 19:26-27 NLT “And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!”
What’s this lonely languishing As I drift on endless waves No port in sight No winging birds Just endless endless sea
Beneath me churns those hidden things What might come to snatch me whole While sun beats hot And thunder booms And lightning strikes repeatedly
Missing those who’ve turned away Rejecting still my poured out love Will I ever leave this place This sea of endless grief That wants to deaden me
My raft is gone I feel alone Is nothing left to hold onto A test again of faith, dear LORD Help me to believe
Reminders come that ocean waves Are part of God’s creation too Assuring me I’m still secure As I float precariously Bobbing, wondering listlessly
Father God see me please Isolated in my grief Help me embrace Your suffering too The grief You’ve borne for me
Let me not lose Your hand Knowing LORD, You’re holding mine And if I slip beneath the waves Even there You’re still with me Beyond the deepening deep
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Father, thank You for never leaving nor forsaking me even when my capricious feelings challenge Your truth. Thank You for the innumerable times You have saved and strengthened me, tangible reminders of Your presence and Love. No matter my loss, help me to respond in faith and trust. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT “Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
*** Addendum: Later in the evening, the same day I wrote this poem of lament, the LORD brought encouragement to me in a totally unexpected way. Dear husband forwarded several America’s Got Talent reels to me, and after the last was another: a choir from South Africa singing Nightbirde’s song, “It’s OK.”
Intrigued with the story, and wondering about Nightbirde (Jane Kristen Marczewski, an AGT contestant who sang her original song, “It’s OK,” received a golden buzzer, had to later drop out of the contest as she battled cancer, then passed away not long after), I listened to her AGT audition as well as her funeral on YouTube, then looked up the lyrics of her song about it being ok to feel lost at times.
Jane, a Christ-follower, and mentor to many young people, also said, “It's important that everyone knows I'm so much more than the bad things that happen to me...You can't wait until life isn't hard anymore before you decide to be happy.”
Copy this into your browser to find the words and listen to her music: “It’s ok lyrics nightbirde”
Thank You, LORD, for Jane’s honest sharing throughout her journey; for blessing us still with her joy, faith, and encouragement.
Dew Upon The Arbor 