My Place of Grace

In the world of the great unknown Seeds of doubt are sown Scattered and thrown Deep within the heart Of man. In the world of the great unknown Where the fiercest winds have blown Away all courage shown In the stand Of man. In the world of the great unknown Those rooted seeds have grown Creating walls of stone, Around the heart Of man. In the world of the great unknown It's faith in Christ alone, that sets the tone Crashing through those walls of stone Freeing the heart and soul Of man. In the world of the great unknown May our eyes rest on God's son Seated on heaven's throne Revealing the way to go to man.

Forever in my Heart...Song May Your peace reign forever in my heart May Your peace reign forever in my heart Lord you came, you took the blame For all my sin and shame Thank You Lord May Your peace reign in my heart May Your peace reign forever in my heart May Your peace reign forever in my heart Lord You came You bore the pain That was tearing me apart Thank You Lord May Your peace reign in my heart. May Your peace reign forever in my heart May Your peace reign forever in my heart Lord You came You called my name And You gave me a new start Thank You Lord May Your peace reign in my heart.

Landing in a crack in the sidewalk Nestled between two concrete walls Thirsty for some water To help me grow strong and tall. Waiting, rather lonely Wondering when it will arrive, The wet of rain I've longed for To make my rise up towards the sky. Above, the sun is beating down Feet trample over me No one sees this little seed Just waiting for it's need. One day the sky grew black. The clouds poured forth their tears I was there to catch them, After waiting for what seemed years. Something began to happen My insides started to change The shell that kept me safe Started feeling strange. It could no longer hold me. I was busting out. I grasped for something to hold on to. And found a hole in the sidewalks grout. My roots grew deep beyond the concrete, And once they were secure My dream began to happen. Skyward I began to soar. It was a slow process. Nothing much to see. Until the day of blooming, That's when they noticed me. Everyone that passed by Marveled at the sight Of th

What do you think about when you think of fire?...all consuming, spreading, intense heat, melting, crackling, powerful, destruction, desolation, light? These are just a few words that come to mind. Today I'm going to write on the subject of fire, specifically...How to walk through the fire...Come out ON fire...Without getting burned! Based on the Story in the Old Testament from Daniel 3...Shadrack, Mishack and Abednigo in the fiery furnace. These 3 characters give us a practical example of going through the fire. I've created an acronym to help us to remember some steps we need to take when our situations resemble walking through the raging fires of life's circumstances. F- Fan the flames of faith - Hebrews 11:1 tells us that Faith is being SURE of what we hope for and CERTAIN of what we do not see. We need to be sure and certain that our God is greater and will handle all circumstances in our lives. Faith is the fuel that takes us through the fire so that we can count it p

Busily, this little bee, gathers pollen dillegently. Flower to flower landing, pollinating for expanding; Beautiful color, fragrant smell, fostering growth, all is well. God's creation works together, intricate complexities untether... Before our eyes, the once concealed; Becomes a gift of awesome wonder revealed.

If you've got an itch then scratch it Take a lesson from this squirrel. That nagging little feeling Could be the making of a pearl. Just as a grain of sand Get stuck inside a shell, The itch unscratched will bother But with scratch, the itch will quell. Giving time to question, Why the itch was there? Was it just a passing notion Or something meant to make aware? Just as the grain of sand, Over time becomes a pearl. The itch unscratched can fester Causing damage to this squirrel. Thank you God for speaking to me the way you do, through photographs and nature to get Your message through. No one else may get it...and for me that's quite OK. Just like to share the words You spin into my brain each day. Thank you for the pleasures that knowing You affords. I pray that we come to know you better as you open all closed doors. The itches could mean something that you intend to teach, so that we may grow close to You, should we dare to reach; and s

Thank You Lord, For twilight moon. Shining bright Through dark of night. Shedding light Upon the earth, Assured that morning sun Will be there soon.

Boats sit in wait for occupants to hop on in and take them for a spin. Patiently still, they reflect themselves on mirrored lake. Anticipating the voyage they will take.

I love You O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, My stronghold. Psalm 18: 1-2

Perched upon her stand peering at world grand Wondering eyes Wagging tail Ears peaked Attuned to the world outside. Seeming perfectly content But wasn't she meant for free for roaming for experiencing What's on windows other side? We are much the same Trapped within lifes game Longing to feel Things seen From inside out Throw open window wide. Leaping from it's sash Exilaration fuels the dash Wind on face Grass tickle feet Pure sun soaks Joy rolls in like ocean's tide.

Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world...Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father in Heaven."

An island is the home to these gangly looking trees. An ugly mess to some, but beautiful to me. Their roots sunk deep into the earth, sipping water every day. Free to grow in all directions creating this display. They've stood the test of time, with flood and wind and storm. They've been shed bare in winter, and in spring they've been reborn. Drawing all their nourishment from the river they call home, They've become a sanctuary, a refuge all their own. Shade for weary visitors, shelter from the sky. Their branches shield from predators, providing ample place to hide. Trunks have made a fortress, surrounding lapping shores; To sit and watch the world outside, till minds becomes restored. I never would've found this place, had I not explored, The island full of tree's with my kayak and my oar. These trees are an example of how God wants us to be Planted by His living water, sipping continually. Then we too will grow in righteousness and strength Proving a place

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me....This picture speaks volumes...About God...About circumstances...About will. What does it speak to your heart?

Slipping through the waters Free to roam... Explore, The mighty Susquehanna With my kayak and oar. I glide upon the surface Eyes and ears attuned, To the detail of the landscape And creations lilting tune. Thank You God for days away Warm sun Time to play Good friends to share with, On a perfect summer's day.

Graced by his presence this regal bird looks on Perched atop the wire, stretched across my lawn. Chirping periodically, in his sweet singular note. Letting me know he's watching in his red feathered coat. Thank You God for the detail, and creative fashioning Of every living creature, that upon this earth You bring. May we just enjoy the beauty and revel in the prize Of experiencing Your artistry that's right before our eyes.

Watermelon... Fresh, pink, drenched with juicy drops of sweetness. Thank You Lord God for this yummy summer treat!

Photographing out the car window really captured the picture of what my life often feels like. How do we slow it? How do things get to this fast pace to begin with? After looking at this picture a while I noticed something. Maybe you will notice too. Outside the window life is racing by as the car moves, but inside all is still. I think God revealed this to me as one of those aha moments when things of His Kingdom become clear. Though our lives become crazy, chaotic, fast paced and running at warp speed, if we are attuned to God, inside we too will feel still, at peace and OK to deal with our fast paced life. Let's face it, life happens and we don't always have control...but God does, everything is in His control and when we trust Him with that...He works things out for our good so His purposes will be fulfilled. Thank You Dear Lord for Your revelations through Your Holy Spirit.

Unknowingly, I dropped a crumb of a chip on the ground. A few minutes later I looked to find this team of ants taking the spoils back to their nest. I watched them work for a long time. these little creatures pulled and nudged this large feast with all they had. This display of strength and perseverance reminded me that God is our provider and in Christ nothing is ever wasted. Like the ants we need to keep our eyes on the prize(Jesus, eternal life) and never give up. Things may look impossible but with God's help and perspective we can make it through.

I love water, any kind. Trees too. The branch in this picture reminds me that God's arm is long and always ready to reach, rescue, and lift us from trouble. We are never too far from His reach. Even when we're running in the opposite direction...He taps us on the shoulder and redirects our path. Thanks God for the way you show yourself to us through your creation.

All across America flags are flying, speckling and dotting front door posts of houses, town squares and government buildings. July the 4th, Independence day, a day of celebration and commemoration of the birth of our country's religious freedom. We love to celebrate. We love our freedom. But do we remember how it came about? How we achieved it? The sacrifice our first settlers made and why? God...The desire to worship and serve God Almighty was the driving force behind the Declaration of Independence. I often think of the saying that freedom isn't free...and that's the truth. Our country started with nothing but a faith in God, they didn't know where they were going, when they'd get there, or even if they'd get there. But in faith they went. Jesus Christ, too paid a dear price for our freedom. For us to take that for granted with Jesus, with our forefathers, our service men...etc...is in itself a tragedy. Let's take this day to remember all that it cost for

Sometimes it's hard to see the forest from the trees. Till we step back from the thick of the branches, Then we can finally see There's alot more going on in there, Than the tangled limbs and leaves. .

I'm a bridge kind of person. Making connections, creating a way for people to get from one side to the other. Carrying them safely along the way till they are established on the other side. Thinking about it, isn't that what Jesus was? He was our bridge to restored relationship with our Heavenly Father. He was the greatest, strongest bridge I know and I am thankful for His example of true humility and love for us to follow. Thank you Jesus for being our bridge to eternity.

God can make beauty from ashes and make good come from bad. In His upside down from this world Kingdom it's the mystery of opposites that are captivatingly beautiful! Thank You God for your wonders...

My friend and I were walking by a pond and spotted these curious bubbles making their way to the surface. Being a photogragh fanatic I saw opportunity...and siezed it! We watched the bubbles for quite a while to see if anything recognizable surfaced...to no avail. Later when downloading the pictures from our walk, this one got me thinking. Isn't it so in our lives too, that all the things buried under the surface must eventually bubble up? Sometimes these bubbles take the form of things like anger, stress, worry, guilt, poor self image, withdraw all evidence of what ever it is thats underneath the surface. My point is when the bubbles come, don't ignore them. Name them for what they are and explore the deep. Investigate what's causing the bubbles...and bring it to the light. My friend and I never found out what was causing these bubbles in the pond, but I'm sure had we more time and patience we would have. When our life bubbles surface...remember to take time,

Psalm 46 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see what the LORD has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Psalm 46 is a song of victory and triumph for those w

This is Jackie(or swedish, as my oldest son calls her)...She's been part of our family for 12 years now and has remained a steady source of joy and comfort for all of us. Every morning without fail I wake up and as I approach this trusting creature, wether I acknowlege her or not, her tail shows her appreciation for me. She is always there and always predictable. Isn't that one of the characteristics of God too? Always there, always predictable, steady, you can count on Him everyday, and when we come to Him he leaps for joy. I thank God for sharing glimpses of himself to me through His creation...When we attune ourselves to the things of God even our dogs can show representation of Gods nature. Thanking God for loving me and my faithful pup today.

As this bird surveys it's surroundings from atop the roof on which it's perched; we too must sometimes step back and look at our situation from a distance. It's then we are able to see the grander picture of what is going on. Taking the time to do this reminds us that God has a plan for our lives and our present circumstances are often times a tool used to achieve the means to the end. Take notice the cloud to the right in this picture...it's almost as if God Himself is giving the thumbs up. Looking through the lens of a camera can capture more than the eye can see at first glance, in the same way looking at our circumstances through the lens of God's plan can reveal the deeper meanings and help us through those seemingly impossible situations...All things are possible with God. It's for us to trust and believe.

Feeling the darkness inside, Confined by the walls I abide Built over years of time, Keeping me from the world outside. The window holds the view Of all that I'd like to do Seen from inside out My heart longs to fly but dark brings doubt. Wandering ever near To the glass in panes so clear, Evokes a burning desire To break the walls of fear. To open window wide Where fear and free collide Climbing upon the sash Dare I spread my wings and fly?

Sun is on the rise Breaking cloud filled skies Instilling awesome wonder, Dazzling the eyes. Capturing this moment... Of Divine surprise.

Daring to Believe Eager little things Waiting for the food Their faithful Mama brings To fill her hungry brood Mouths open to receive, Trusting Mama's care. Daring to believe, She'll always be there.

I pray amidst your busy days, You take some time to breathe, The fragrant aroma of springtime's Flowers, it's soft and gentle breeze. To gaze upon the landscape That sits within your reach, And marvel at the wonders That God's grace gifts beseech. Taking time for moments To recognize His hand, Helps us in the seeing Of what's hard to understand. I pray for you remembering , Cause we all tend to forget; The Creator of our universe Is busy too...Working for our best.

Thank you God for friends.

Sometimes we have to look hard to see...the wonders and beauty God has graced us with.

Like children... we must come...to Jesus...with wondering eyes and listening ears... eager to learn...experience...and grow... In love and joy and peace in Him who is our Maker...