Tag Archives: Tears

RELEASE

14 Sep

 

“And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands.” 1 Samuel 17:47 KJV

✝

Rise up my bride, soil not your gown.

Release the sword from your delicate fingers.

Rest in peace as I stand guard.

✝

Your war is finished, the battle finally won.

Now the chamber waits with sweet fragrances

Of sanctioned prayers,

Washed clean with bottled tears.

✝

Step up with me,

Safe within my arms,

In the place you never doubted would come.

✝

Today we stand as one,

Faith upon Faith,

Truth within Truth,

Life into Eternity.

✝

 

Written 2-6-2002

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FOR GRANTED

5 Apr

…

“The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.”  Psalm 18:46

…

Have I taken you for granted, Lord?

Can You forgive me?

…

Do you understand the pain of Circumstance,

That clouds reason.

…

You patiently wait as I blame you,

For events You had nothing to do with.

…

You sing to me songs of Love,

When I feel the depths of worthlessness.

…

You send me tender arms,

When I feel unloved and unlovable.

…

You send me songs of joy,

When tears steal my night.

…

You wake me with a tender caress,

Inviting me to intimate times with You.

…

You speak into my life the words of strength,

Courage and wisdom,

As I open the pages of Your Word.

…

You fill my mouth with the tongues of Angels,

A private language that only we understand.

…

Lord, do I take you for granted?

Will you forgive me.

Written 6/15/2002

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A LITTLE BIT MORE

3 Nov

 I will declare your righteousness and your salvation every day, though I do not fully understand what the outcome will be.  Lord God, I will come in the power of your mighty acts, remembering your righteousness—yours alone.    Psalm 71:15-16

—

Lord, in my temptations you hold me,

Thru sorrows and tears You are there.

When all of the world is against me,

I truthfully know that You care.

 

As each day unfolds I find trials,

And burdens to heavy to bare.

I humbly come in Your presence,

And lay them before You in prayer.

 

I’m nothing without You beside me,

You teach me Your words that I share.

When falling, I pray that You’ll guide me,

And I’ll shine just a little bit more.

—

Lord, each day you give life new meaning,

My old life’s a memory gone past;

My worldly possessions lose value,

Your love is all that will last.

 

You touch me each morning with fire,

And rivers of water run thru;

I can’t even think of tomorrow,

Without knowing that I have You.

 

You’ve lifted me out of dark shadows,

And endless confusion and strife;

Your mercy and grace has renewed me,

And shown me the beauty of life.

—

Lord, now has come time to witness,

And share the beauty I’ve found;

It’s happiness, free for the asking,

Where joy and blessings abound.

 

I’ll teach with honest persuasion,

Myself, an example of praise;

Teaching Your word and Your promise,

Your miracles, works and sound faith.

 

I’ll conquer if You stand beside me,

No enemy dares to cause harm;

Your children will follow in victory,

Wrapped in Your arms safe and warm.

—

Written 1991 as a song

—

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“HAVE YOU SEEN MY SERVANT . . .”

20 Oct

“I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.” Psalms 40:1-2 (KJV)

All my life I have been drawn to birds. My great desire was to have my own chickens and ducks. A few years ago my Mother’s Day Gift was the converting of a shed into a chicken coop. We bought baby chicks and raised them in the bath tub until they were big enough not to escape through the fence openings. We learned that just because a sign says “Pullets” you are only guaranteed that 80% of the birds are hens – we weren’t that statistically fortunate – more like 75%. If you’ve ever had to deal with territorial roosters, you will understand the importance of that.

About 8 months ago we took in a foster-adopt dog named Patches. She was over a year old and had been seriously injured on a number of occasions by other dogs. At first she would just lay on the floor for hours, not moving. The vet recognized that she had an eye problem where the lid of her eyes would turn all the way inside, causing large sores on her eyeballs. After her eye surgery she took on a whole new hyperactive personality. We grew to love her and her silliness very much.

A few days ago I was heading out to put the dogs in the house and let the chickens and ducks out of the coop and pen to wander the yard and eat their fill of bugs – but something was wrong. On the back porch lay one of my little banty hens, dead. I looked toward the pen – Patches was inside.

I ran as fast as I could to get her out and protect my little flock – but what I saw completely devastated me. All 3 ducks were dead. 7 hens were dead. 2 hens were horribly mutilated but breathing. One rooster was mildly hurt.

How could this happen? We so carefully built the coop and pen to keep out predators, but our own dog got in. On the side of the pen was a hole about 12” wide that she had ripped with her teeth.

We latched down all the coop doors and blocked the hole – but she went back in several times. The other 2 hens died that night, only the rooster remained. We thought we had the pen secure again and I opened the little door from the coop to the pen, so the rooster could walk around. He wasn’t much interested in venturing. He was still so scared.

I checked on him every few hours to see how he was doing, and on one trip found a duck egg in the corner. I took it in the house, washed it and opened the egg carton to put it away – every egg in the carton was cracked open, somehow they had frozen on the top shelf of the fridge. Overwhelming grief struck me. All but one of my chicks and ducks were dead. All of their eggs were destroyed. It was as if God was erasing a section of my life.

That night I kept hearing noises and kept checking the coop. At about 2am I finally fell asleep. At about 4am I woke again – the dog was back in the coop and had mangled the rooster after ripping a 3’ wide hole in the fence. The rooster lived until late in the day. We took the dog to a foster agency that morning, being sure to tell them that she should not be placed in a home with any kind of birds. I could no longer trust her and knew I could not keep her inside either as I have a large collection of domestic birds.

I was filled with pain. I could not understand what had just happened. I had lost all 13 of my flock and I had lost a dog I loved. Even the broken eggs in the ‘fridge seemed to be a message. I was so overwhelmed with grief and cried out to God “Why?”

I pray over my home and animals every day. I pray over the land and the safety of everything on it. I stand in faith believing that when I pray, my prayers are heard and honored. I couldn’t understand why my God would allow this.

I prayed and cried for hours – until I heard God’s voice. “Have you seen my servant Job?” What? Was this merely a trial?

“But God I prayed.” Job prayed and even sacrificed for each of his children so that they would be pure before God as they did not live holy lives.

“But God, you said if I prayed believing . . .?” Job said that God gives us all, and He can take it all away (Job 1:5, 1:8 & 1:21).

God and I spent a lot of time together that day. I was so confused and hurt; He was patient. I was angry; He was loving. I finally said “God, if this was Your will, please take the hurt away and give me peace.”

A soft cloud of peace wrapped me like a blanket. The pain slipped quietly from my heart and I felt such comfort.

I don’t understand why we are given such trials of faith. I don’t know why some things have to be so hard. But I know that when we cry out to God, He is there to bring comfort and peace.

I’m already planning my new flock. This time we’ll use heavier gauge fencing. I will still pray over them every day. I will still trust in those prayers. And, if God allows me to be tested again, I will cry out again for peace – knowing in Who’s hands it rests.

——

NOTE:  Since this piece I have raised several flocks of chickens and ducks.  It is such a blessing to see them roam around and enjoy life.

———-

By Linda J. Humes

Written 7-5-07

**The Road To Emmaus”

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Friends

29 Sep

“A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”   Proverbs 18:24

 

When I was happy,

You rejoiced with me.

..

When I was troubled,

You listened.

..

When I was sad,

You shared my tears.

..

When I saw despair for tomorrow,

You reminded me of yesterday.

..

When I saw hopelessness,

You turned my face toward Jesus.

..

Thank you for being . . .

My Friend.

 

 

..

Written 4/22/2002

..

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YOU’RE THERE

23 Sep

 

And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:  And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.   1 Kings 19:11-12 (KJV)

 

I can't hear You, Lord,

I can't hear You today.

Just a quiet whispering;

A rustling.



There was a day when we walked together, 

Talked together,

Closest friends.



Your words were loud and sure,

I knew Your will,

No doubt which path to take.

But I can't hear You, Lord,

I can't hear You today.



There were joyful times,

Times of tears,

Times of intercession,

And deepest prayers.



I felt You then,

You heard my cries and held me tight.

But I can't hear You, Lord,

I can't hear You today.



Somewhere I fell faint,

Neglected to listen,

Perhaps I disobeyed.

Or is this a testing time,

To see if I will remain,

Even in Your silence.

How will I know, Lord,

I can't hear You today.



I'll go on, as You've taught me,

I'll overcome,

Walk in joy,

Sing Your praises,

Again and again.



And when You've finished,

Testing and trying,

Pruning and purging,

Loving and lifting,

I will know.



Even in silence You are there,

Even in darkness You are there,

Even in diligent unanswered prayer,

You are there.

In Your word,

 And in the hearts of Your children.

Written 9-3-91

 

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WHEN GREAT MEN FALL 

5 Aug

  

“And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.”  Mark 9:42 (KJV) 

    

“Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive,” Sir Walter Scott. 

  Heartbreaking.  Lives destroyed, families lost, everything gone.  How many times does the news report on the fall of great men?  Cities, states, and countries crumble with the fall of corrupt political leaders.  Companies close with the fall of unscrupulous officers.  Most devastating are the falls of pastors, evangelists or great religious leaders – taking down the faith and confidence of their congregations or followers.  Churches split, people walk away from the very beliefs that they drew strength from, never to return.  People become lost. 

  Falling men don’t have to be leaders, celebrities, pastors or figures of authority to cause the lives of others to be affected and destroyed.  Any man who has made a lifelong commitment to touching the lives of others, however big or small, can be the reason others lose their faith and trust in men.  A husband who chooses to quit work and leaves the responsibilities of caring for his family to his wife – as he sits and watches TV all day or plays for hours on the computer.  It could be a father who drowns his disappointments with drugs or alcohol, leaving his children and wife to fend for themselves.  It could be a good friend who betrays that friendship with deception and lies.  It could be a mentor who falls to temptation, either destroying the lives he’s dedicating to help grown strong or turning away from them at a critical moment in their lives, leaving them alone and afraid.  It could be a school teacher or a Bible study teacher.  How do you think they will feel about men in general when the very man who God placed in their lives to love and protect them causes them hurt and pain? 

  Truths turn to lies.  Laughter turns to tears.  Hope turns to despair. Trust turns to disappointment and distance.  Friendships are disrupted and not sought out again.  Families destroyed.  Strong futures lay ruin.  What happened?  How did temptation and pride override common sense and a strong moral system and lay waste the promises of a strong and fruitful life?  Lust.  Greed.  Pride.  Addictions.  Lasciviousness. 

  “Never happen to me,” you say?  What did they say not long ago?  “Not me” . . . “I would never” . . . so easy to say, and an open invitation for the enemy of our soul to take the challenge to find that weakness and chip away at it. 

  It is never a sudden decision, usually a little give and take over a period of time.  Things that were once so black and white become less definitive.  Priorities change.  Family and friends loose importance.  Everyone else in their world becomes collateral damage. 

  Can the fallen be restored?  Of course, if they have the desire.  Restoration can only come through a humble heart and a deep relationship through Jesus.  All other attempts are just vanities – a vapor in the wind – without substance. 

  The real question is, can they restore all those whose lives were damaged and changed because of the fall.  Can trust ever be completely returned to the hearts of all who know them?  I don’t think so.  Those lives have blown away like sand in the wind – you may be able to collect some of them back, maybe even most of them – but so many will be lost forever to the hurt that can only be healed through Jesus. 

  Dear Lord, let me always remember that my words and actions are being watched by far more people than I could ever imagine.  Help me to understand that if I should ever fall, I would be responsible for every person that may stray from you because of my actions.  Help me to always remain humble.  In Your Precious Name.  Amen.

 

Written 2-23-09

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A SINGLE MOMENT OF PRAYER

7 Jul 


Giving thanks always for all things unto 
God and the Father, in the name of our 
Lord Jesus Christ; Ephesians 5:20


I look out into a world,

of drugs, alcohol and murder.

Fear grips my heart, 

there is no avenue of safety.

What to do, Lord?


A silent prayer, 

eyes closed to the dangers at hand.

A cool breeze flows,

born in the rising of angel’s wings.


Sweet music, somewhere distant,

ripples closer, from the depths of my soul.

Whispering, Sweet Jesus,

floating above the circumstance.


A strengthening rises,

as the Spirit renews it supreme peace.


I gaze out again,

at what the enemy has wrought.

Fear has faded to compassion,

terror gave way to love.


Only the tears remain,

knowing that so many will never understand,

the indescribable power

of a single moment of prayer.

-------
Written 5/16/95
By Linda J. Humes
From Moments With The Master

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