May Your Will Be Done

I can remember when the movie The Passion first came out. One of the things that critics complained about was how violent the movie was. The movie does have graphic violence in it, but I must say it has less violence in it than a lot of slasher movies that did not come under attack by the critics for the violence that these movies had. The thing that Christians really need to remember and meditate on, is that the movie The Passion showed very little of the violent torture and suffering that our Savior went through so that we might be saved.

It is very hard for me sometimes to deal with some of the trials that I face in life when I can't see an end to them. It is hard when we must live our lives during trials with blind faith to know that God is there for us and that He is in control. I know that I can never fully imagine the weight that Jesus felt on His shoulders the night that He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. I do know that even though Jesus was under severe stress with the burden He was carrying and that He was struggling with it as He prayed, Jesus turned His burden over to His Father's will. It says in Matthew 26:39, "Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, 'My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.'" Jesus knew what was to happen and the pure Hell He was facing. Yet Jesus humbled himself to God, and although He wished that He did not have to go through it, Jesus accepted His fate knowing it was God's will. Matthew tells us that later Jesus again turned it all over to God. Matthew 26:42 says, "He went away a second time and prayed, 'My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.'"

There are times that I am fully convinced that the reason God does not reveal everything to us all at once is that God knows we are not strong enough in our faith to deal with it all at once. God knows that we must first learn to trust Him so that we are able to turn it all over to Him. I will admit that for me, that is not always the easiest thing to do. I will also tell you that it is easier today than it was yesterday, a week ago, or a year ago. It is easier because God continues to work in my life and with my faith. I am a stronger person than I was a year ago. My faith is stronger than it was a year ago. Through our trials God loves us, guides us, makes us stronger, builds our faith up, and brings us closer to Him. The more we die to ourselves the more alive we become in faith for Him. Jesus is our model as He gave His life for us so unselfishly so that we might be saved.

When we face trials and carry heavy burdens on our shoulders all we need to do is pray and turn it all over to God. He is waiting for us to come to Him. He loves us and intercedes for us even when we are not aware of what is going on behind the scenes of our trials. As we walk through our valley in the darkness He will be our light and lead us if we turn to Him. When we feel overwhelmed by trials that we face we need to remember the prayers Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. We can pray for our burdens to be lifted but we must also turn it over to God. Let HIS will be done. May God's light always shine on you and may you feel His love with the blessing of this Easter Holiday.

FaithfulToOne©2007


The Journey

How many chances will it take
How many mistakes must I make

For my journey to be done...

The lonesome nights I have faced
The restless times my brain has paced

Where peace has found no home...

The things that faith now must change
The ways my life must rearrange

As I prepare to face the climb...

How many steps will it take
What sacrifices must I make

Resisting Satan's subtle calls...

My courage I will seek in prayer
I know my Savior's always there

To lead and be my guide...

Oh yes my journey has a cost
To find what with sin once was lost

His cross and nails paid my price...

True faith brings joy when suffering
I now sing praises to my king

In the darkness He is my light...

From the valley to the mountain peak
Lord it's always you that I will seek

You'll be there when my journey's done...

Looking down to see how far I've come
Through the journey what was won

His love and blessings my reward...

Until again God's call I will hear
With a new journey drawing near

A new mountain I will climb...

FaithfulToOne©2007

Remember to look for the link below to More Footsteps In The Valley for the prayer that goes with this post.

For Our Soldiers Far Away And Their Families

This is going to be a short post tonight because I have a wonderful blessing to celebrate. My son is back in the states and just arrived home. Praise the Lord. I have been praying for him since he left right after Christmas 2005. He is active with the Army National Guard. As blessed as I feel tonight, I would ask that everyone takes time to pray for those husbands, fathers, mothers, wives, sisters, brother, friends, etc. that are still giving of themselves for our country. Please pray for the families too that have made so many sacrifices. We know by faith that God's hand is on it all, but we need to offer our support and comfort to those in need. Pray for those that have lost a loved one too. I remember the first time I saw my son in uniform when he was training at Fort Knox. I cried with Mommy tears to see that my baby had become a man. How much love God has for us to give the ultimate sacrifice as said in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."


Our Path With Him

Our prayers are many
Our days are few
The time I have
My heart's with you

Our blessings are many
Our love is strong
Directed by faith
To right the wrong

Our distance still is far
As the moment grows near
When you finally join me
How I wish you were here

I have faith in our love
For the plan God has set
To one day be together
By the goals we have met

Learning to trust God's plan
His Love eases my fear
Our faith ties this love knot
God brings faithful hearts near

Our eyes keep focused on God
Our heads bow humble in prayer
Walking together God’s path
For special blessings we'll share

So as you face today's trials
Don't let temptations sneak in
I’m sending prayers and my love
Through my faith first in Him

FaithfulToOne © 2007

Through The Eyes Of A Child

I think one of the things I enjoyed the most when I use to teach young elementary children was their sense of wonder and the simplicity of their lives. There is something to say about enjoying adult company but there is also something special when you see things through the eyes of a child. Things are so much simpler in a child's eyes. There are times when stresses and trials we face as adults overwhelm us and we find ourselves wishing we could escape to earlier days when we did not have the world ganging up on us.

We need to just stop for a moment and remember that we are children and we will always be children in God's eyes. We are His children and it is that easy to let go of the things that are overwhelming us. We just need to have faith and trust in our Lord. Jesus calls us to Him so he can show us His love, hope, peace, guidance, courage, and so much more. All we have to do is reach out to Him.

When I was going through some old poems that I wrote before I was saved I came across a poem titled Child's Play. I added the addition to the title of the first poem when I wrote Child's Play Part 2- The Invitation in response to the original poem. If we would just stop and look at things through a child's eyes we can often see more clearly. When we see things through a child's eyes we see things in a pure form before the thinking of the world stains and taints it. Don't let the things of the world come between you and your Heavenly Father's call. He is calling. Will you answer?

Child’s Play
Part 1- The Plea

It use to be so easy to live
Doing as all little children did
Having fun and playing games
Never a care or worry came

Since I’ve grown older life’s changed somehow
The games I play aren’t so simple now
Confusion and pain are all I find
I wish I had a peace of mind

Pushed and pulled
Night and day
I need to live
To find a way

It use to be so simple then
I wish I were a child again…

FaithfulToOne © 2000

Matthew 19:14
14Jesus said, “Let all the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”


Child’s Play
Part 2- The Invitation

Let all the little children come to me
I am the way, the truth, and life you see
I heal the sick and give strength to the weak
Come to me if it is peace you seek

Long ago I accepted your pain
Forgiveness offered with my bloodstain
For what was gained from the loss
Is forever written on the cross

Love and salvation
Hope, mercy, and peace
Come to me now
Let torment cease

I am the way, the truth, and life you see
Be born again and come to me.

FaithfulToOne © 2000

John 14:66
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Do You Hear The Knocking? Open The Door!

Being an artist I admit I can be a bit out there sometimes. Just ask my students. Henry David Thoreau said, "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." Well a friend of mine once told someone, There are those that hear and move to the beat of a different drummer. Glo goes to the beat of a totally different band, but it is a good thing when you get to know her. " Yes, God made me creative and unique. In many ways I felt different from others growing up. I was a happy outgoing child but often I felt I did not fit in. I had friends but I was alone too. There was always this nagging hole of emptiness that would eat at me when I was alone. It felt like I was searching for someone that was lost and I could not find him/her. I could hear my mind calling out to him/her, I could hear an unintelligible response far away, but I could not figure out the direction to go to get to him/her. I often wondered why I had to be so different from others around me? Why can't I just be normal then more people would like me? There is no one that will ever really understand me. This continued on and on as I was younger and sometimes I picked the wrong path and the wrong people to be around searching for who was lost in that empty hole never realizing it was me that was lost in the empty hole and it was my Lord calling out to me. It was not until I realized this and called out to Jesus that I heard the knocking. The knocking was always there. He never once gave up on me. He knew me. He knew how different I was because God created me special and good that way for a reason. So what did it matter how different I was? It wouldn't matter once I had faith and a purpose for my life. I heard the knock this time loud and clear. I ran to the door and flung it open wide. My Lord and Savior please come in were the word said with tears of joy in my eyes. The emptiness was filled till it overflowed with the love of God. As my faith has grown I have become comfortable with who I am and now understand the blessings He has given me that make me different. I feel blessed now because I understand why He gave me these blessings. He is the one that always truly understands me and accepts me, because He created me that way.

Do you feel an emptiness inside you can't fill? Have you tried to fill it with all the wrong things of this world in your life? Are you searching for someone lost only to find out it is you? STOP! BE STILL! OPEN YOUR MIND AND YOUR HEART! DO YOU HEAR THE KNOCKING! OPEN THE DOOR AND LET HIM COME IN!



I Knock

I know your sorrow
I know your sin
Open the door
Let me come in…

I know you’re lonely
I know your strife
Be born again
Give me your life…

I know your heartache
I know your lost soul
Come humble to me
And give me control…

I offer you grace
I forgive your sin
Open the door
Let me come in…

FaithfulToOne © 1998


Revelation 3:20
20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.




Choices

Our lives are full of choices

Each new one directs our path

Rewarded with God’s blessing

Or consequence’s wrath


Choices echoing their message

Something should be learned

Take heed to stop and listen

The ignorant get burned


Stubborn pride brings only folly

Fools let temptation be a guide

Trust faith to be your compass

The Lord’s always at your side


FaithfulToOne © 2005

My Personal Testimony

Who we are by our faith is shared with others through a personal testimony. I have been saved now for almost 23 years. It is with great love and faith that I can also tell you that God still hears my cries and He is always there for me. He always hears the cries from my children and He is with them too. He hears your cries and He is with you.

Salvation

It was a cold and early winter mourn
The day this little girl was born
Fresh from the womb I opened my eyes
Lord you were there to hear my cries

My first steps you were there to walk with me
Still way too young I could not see
You knew each hair upon my head
Though I saw no path or where it led

Growing up on Sunday Bible stories and hymns
Learning about verses, laws, and sins
At six I said grace and nighttime prayer
Still unsure wondering if you were there

Yet at this age you showed mercy and grace
Keeping death’s cold hand from touching my face
Still my heart and soul would not yield to you
Oh Lord I’m so sorry if I only knew

My teenage years were cold and dark
Your words were there but left no mark
Yet you knew the tiny seed was there
And one day the fruit that it would bear

So when sin’s folly summoned death
To come and take my youthful breath
You looked with love on this black sheep
Sending death away you let me sleep

Patiently waiting with outstretched hand
Time trickled by like golden sand
Still my heart and soul would not yield to you
Oh Lord forgive me if I only knew

Wild days of college in the past
With shadowed memories that they cast
I look back now with loving tears to see
You never once gave up on me

With thought I have this regret to say
True faith was not present on my wedding day
Still my heart and soul did not yield to you
Lord I was so blind if I only knew

Your love still there to beckon me
Opening blind eyes to let me see
When life’s small miracle began to kick
It tumbled sin’s wall brick by brick

Then came the prayer with tearful eyes
Would it be too late to hear my cries
For all the chances that you gave
Was it now too late for this soul to save

Forgive me Lord for I have sinned
Did I wait too long Oh Lord don’t rescind
I believe in your sacrifice and your love
Your place to God’s right in heaven above

I give you my soul willful and stained
I give you my heart tired and pained
Lord take them change them as you will
The believer’s promise I wish to fulfill

Then heaven rejoiced as he called my name
He took my sin and cleansed my shame
Welcomed with loving arms open wide
Lord be my savior and my guide

It was a late night early in spring
A new little girl the doctor would bring
From my womb she opened her eyes
Lord you were there to hear her cries

FaithfulToOne © 2004