How dear to me is Your dwelling
O Lord of Hosts;
My soul has a desire and longing
For the courts of the Lord.
My heart and soul rejoice
In the living God.
The sparrow has found her a house,
And the swallow has found a nest
Where she may lay her young.
By the sides of Your altars,
O Lord of Hosts,
My King and my God.
We are happy to dwell in Your house,
Singing praises to You.
Happy are those whose strength is found in You,
Whose hearts are set on the pilgrim's way.
Those who dwell in the desolate valley
Will find it a place of springs,
For the early rains have covered it
With pools of water.
They will climb from height to height,
And the God of gods
Will reveal Himself In Zion.
O, Lord of Hosts, hear my prayer;
Hearken, O God of Jacob.
Note: We truly are happy when we dwell with God, finding our strength in the living God. He will bring songs in the night, rain for the dry spells, hope for the downcast, love to cast out all fear. All we need to do is surrender our life to His Lordship. We rest secure as we set our hearts to follow the path where He leads us. All praise to God the Father, through Jesus Christ the Son, in the power of the Holy Spirit, the blessed and undivided Trinity, now and forevermore.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Love for Hard-to-love People
O Beloved of my soul,
This do I desire:
Faith for the impossible,
Love that will not tire.
Jesus, Saviour, Lover, give me
Love for the unlovable,
Love that will not tire.
O Beloved of my soul,
Yet again I come;
Give me cords of love to draw
Many wanderers home.
Jesus, Saviour, Lover, give me
Love that knows nor strain nor flaw,
Love to lead them home.
by Amy Carmichael, Edges of His Ways
This do I desire:
Faith for the impossible,
Love that will not tire.
Jesus, Saviour, Lover, give me
Love for the unlovable,
Love that will not tire.
O Beloved of my soul,
Yet again I come;
Give me cords of love to draw
Many wanderers home.
Jesus, Saviour, Lover, give me
Love that knows nor strain nor flaw,
Love to lead them home.
by Amy Carmichael, Edges of His Ways
Saturday, September 20, 2014
Psalms 42 and 43
Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why do you sigh within me?
Hope in God, for I shall again be thanking Him,
In the presence of my Savior and my God.
By day the Lord bestows His grace,
And at night I have His song,
A prayer to the living God,
A prayer to the living God.
Send forth Your light, O Lord,
Lead me on.
Bring me to Your holy mountain.
Then I will go to Your altar.
O Lord, You are my gladness and joy.
Note: Happy birthday, husband. This song I dedicate to you. I thank you for sharing life with me, and for all the times you encouraged me to put my hope in God. Let us be led by God's blazing light each day and rejoice together as we go to His altar of grace and everlasting love received in the Holy Eucharist.
Why do you sigh within me?
Hope in God, for I shall again be thanking Him,
In the presence of my Savior and my God.
By day the Lord bestows His grace,
And at night I have His song,
A prayer to the living God,
A prayer to the living God.
Send forth Your light, O Lord,
Lead me on.
Bring me to Your holy mountain.
Then I will go to Your altar.
O Lord, You are my gladness and joy.
Note: Happy birthday, husband. This song I dedicate to you. I thank you for sharing life with me, and for all the times you encouraged me to put my hope in God. Let us be led by God's blazing light each day and rejoice together as we go to His altar of grace and everlasting love received in the Holy Eucharist.
Monday, September 1, 2014
Commit Your Care
Commit your care, commit your care,
For I am here, and I am there.
Commit, commit, and do not fear,
For they are dear and you are dear.
Where is your care? Where is your care?
You cannot find it anywhere.
You cannot find it anywhere.
I heard your prayer, I heard your prayer.
by Amy Carmichael, Edges of His Ways
For I am here, and I am there.
Commit, commit, and do not fear,
For they are dear and you are dear.
Where is your care? Where is your care?
You cannot find it anywhere.
You cannot find it anywhere.
I heard your prayer, I heard your prayer.
by Amy Carmichael, Edges of His Ways
Saturday, August 16, 2014
Psalm 133
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together;
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell in unity.
It is like the precious oil
Upon the head of Aaron
Running down his beard
And the edge of his garments.
It is like the dew of Hermon
Descending on the mountains
Of Zion.
For there the Lord has commanded
The blessing,
The blessing -
Life forevermore,
Life forevermore.
Note: I love this psalm and the metaphors used to describe the blessing of Church unity. When the Church unites, the blessing of God descends upon the Body of Christ, just as the oil of God's anointing runs down Aaron's beard and the dew descends upon the mountains. We rejoice with all of our brothers and sisters in Christ who share the blessing of Life eternal in Christ Jesus. Let us strive to be unite our hearts and lives with all of our brothers and sisters in Christ, for we are all part of the Body of Christ.
For brethren to dwell together;
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell in unity.
It is like the precious oil
Upon the head of Aaron
Running down his beard
And the edge of his garments.
It is like the dew of Hermon
Descending on the mountains
Of Zion.
For there the Lord has commanded
The blessing,
The blessing -
Life forevermore,
Life forevermore.
Note: I love this psalm and the metaphors used to describe the blessing of Church unity. When the Church unites, the blessing of God descends upon the Body of Christ, just as the oil of God's anointing runs down Aaron's beard and the dew descends upon the mountains. We rejoice with all of our brothers and sisters in Christ who share the blessing of Life eternal in Christ Jesus. Let us strive to be unite our hearts and lives with all of our brothers and sisters in Christ, for we are all part of the Body of Christ.
Friday, August 1, 2014
Sing I Must
Lover of souls, Thee have I heard,
Thee will I sing, for sing I must;
Thy good and comfortable word
Hath raised my spirit from the dust.
by Amy Carmichael, Edges of His Ways
by Amy Carmichael, Edges of His Ways
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Seeking the Truth
To travel this world over;
This desire burns in her heart.
She wants to experience,
to learn,
to grow.
Yet the flame is smothered by fear.
She becomes dizzy as she gazes
Over the steep climb she has managed,
overwhelmed
by the thought of falling.
Sure enough, she begins to fall,
Tumbling downwards
On this well established slide.
Looking up, she can hardly believe
She was just near the crest
Only an eye's blink ago.
Everything is fuzzy as she peers out
Through tears
That will not shed.
Heaviness weighs her down,
And it takes some time
Even to stand up.
Once on her feet,
She wonders if it is worth trying again.
Her dreams seem lost.
Up over the crest,
A ray of light is shattered
By the thick mist.
It seems so far away,
But essential for life;
So she begins her journey
once again.
by Julie St. John, January, 1986
Note: I wrote this as a young, single person. I had a desire to work overseas, to give my life for the poor of this world. Yet, I lacked confidence and stability. Many years have passed, and now I am a middle-aged mother of six children who are growing up so fast. The Lord, in His kindness and love, has provided opportunity for us to work overseas, to give our life for the poor of this world. We thank Him for opening the way to return to Tanzania for a two-year period. We pray that we will be of use to the Lord in sharing Christ with our African brethren. We pray that our grown children will know the vocation that God is calling them to pursue, and that He will guide their lives step by step just as He has guided our lives through these many years. It is not easy to leave our home here in rural Kentucky, but we are thankful for this opportunity to be a blessing to the African church in the Diocese of Victoria Nyanza (Lake Victoria).
This desire burns in her heart.
She wants to experience,
to learn,
to grow.
Yet the flame is smothered by fear.
She becomes dizzy as she gazes
Over the steep climb she has managed,
overwhelmed
by the thought of falling.
Sure enough, she begins to fall,
Tumbling downwards
On this well established slide.
Looking up, she can hardly believe
She was just near the crest
Only an eye's blink ago.
Everything is fuzzy as she peers out
Through tears
That will not shed.
Heaviness weighs her down,
And it takes some time
Even to stand up.
Once on her feet,
She wonders if it is worth trying again.
Her dreams seem lost.
Up over the crest,
A ray of light is shattered
By the thick mist.
It seems so far away,
But essential for life;
So she begins her journey
once again.
by Julie St. John, January, 1986
Note: I wrote this as a young, single person. I had a desire to work overseas, to give my life for the poor of this world. Yet, I lacked confidence and stability. Many years have passed, and now I am a middle-aged mother of six children who are growing up so fast. The Lord, in His kindness and love, has provided opportunity for us to work overseas, to give our life for the poor of this world. We thank Him for opening the way to return to Tanzania for a two-year period. We pray that we will be of use to the Lord in sharing Christ with our African brethren. We pray that our grown children will know the vocation that God is calling them to pursue, and that He will guide their lives step by step just as He has guided our lives through these many years. It is not easy to leave our home here in rural Kentucky, but we are thankful for this opportunity to be a blessing to the African church in the Diocese of Victoria Nyanza (Lake Victoria).
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