Source: christmaswow.com via Isa on Pinterest

Beauty from Ashes

Tears like waves come pounding against the shore of my heart—
Strong and fierce, they threaten to sweep me under.
Yet, as the currents wash over me, stillness calms my soul,
And I hear Your gentle voice calling through the crashing thunder.

Day after day, stormy seas batter with their endless fury—
So sudden, so final, the unrelenting, all-consuming grasp of death.
About to drown, I catch a glimpse of sunlight through the clouds,
And Your hand reaches me as, once again, I catch my breath.

As the days turn to weeks, then to months, and finally years—
Ceaselessly the waves keep coursing steady to the shore.
Still, wet and salty, though now dancing with shimmering light,
Reflecting beauty, carrying comfort from memories of before.

I welcome them now, for they are precious, they are sweet—
They bring hope built on love and joy borne from sorrow,
Reminding me who awaits in a future not so very far away,
When the stain of tears will forever cease in our eternal tomorrow.

I'm learning to embrace all You give, even when it's taken away—
Discovering grace in sovereign love, when Your plan deals me pain.
For beauty does come from ashes, and morning dawns from the night,
And in the end life's fullness yet unknown shall unite us once again.

--Mary Fairchild



......to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. Isaias 61:3


I love that about God.

Most Richly Blessed

Sometimes I wonder when things go wrong,
Has God forsaken and left me alone?
Then I remember through trials and distress,
He’s always with me,
I’m most richly blessed.

I asked God for strength,
that I might achieve;
I was made weak, that I might learn to humbly obey.

I asked for health,
that I might do greater things;
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.

I asked for riches,
that I might be happy;
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.

I asked for power,
that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.

I asked for all things,
that I might enjoy life;
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.

I got nothing that I asked for,
But everything I had hoped for,
And almost despite myself,
My unspoken prayers were answered.

He’s always with me
I am, among all men, most richly, blessed.

Unknown

And Because He Lives

Because He lives, I don't have to carry around this huge burden of sin, shame, remorse and regret. I'm free. My crushing debt has been canceled. God accepted the payment that Jesus made for my sins when he suffered on the cross.
Because He lives, I don't walk into the world alone. He is with me. Job loss? Financial reversal? Terminal illness? It will be okay. I will never face anything that He doesn't have the resources to handle, and...
Because He lives--He is with me always, to the very end of this life.
Because He lives, I know His Word is true. In the maze of this crazy and confusing world, I have an unfailing compass that will guide me safely home and never steer me wrong.
Unknown

Daughther of the King!

Nehemias 1:4-11

[4]And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
[5] And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:
[6] Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned.
[7] We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.
[8] Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:
[9] But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.
[10] Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.
[11] O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.

Psalm 51

1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin

3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

7 ¶ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

14 ¶ Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

"Lend Me Your Hope"

Lend me your hope for awhile,
I seem to have mislaid mine.
Lost and hopeless feelings accompany me daily,
pain and confusion are my companions.
I know not where to turn;
looking ahead to future times does not bring forth
images of renewal hope.
I see troubled times pain-filled days, and more tragedy.

Lend me your hope for awhile
I seem to have mislaid mine.
Hold my hand and hug me;
listen to all my ramblings, recovery seems so far distant.
The road to healing seems like a long and lonely one.

Lend me your hope for awhile,
I seem to have mislaid mine.
Stand by me, offer me your presence, your heart and
your love.
Acknowledge my pain, it is so real and ever present.
I am overwhelmed with sad and conflicting thoughts.

Lend me your hope for awhile;
a time will come when I will heal,
and I will share my renewal,
hope and love with other.


Author Unknown

For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

This verse has a "wow factor" I don't think many people think on this, really think. I didn't even know (or overlooked) it existed in the Bible! But when I did It hit me! Wow, there's nothing in me that it has not be given to me!!!! If I have Faith is because God gave it to me! If I have mercy, compassion, talents, a wonderful husband, my daughters... Do I merit the gifts that God gives me? NO! but nonetheless it has been given to me, not earned, given!! So why belittle someone else?

The following is something I read again and I thought I'll post it on my blog!!

By Amy Carmichael

If, in any way, I belittle those who I am called to serve...

if I talk of their weak points in contrast, perhaps, with what I think of as my stronger points...

if I adopt a superior attitude, forgetting to consider the wisdom of the voice that asks me, inwardly, "Who made you different from the one you are criticizing--and what do you have that you have not been given?"

If I can easily discuss the shortcomings of the sins of any man or woman...

if I can speak in an offhanded way, even of a child's wrongdoing...then I know nothing of Calvary love.

My Father, how often do my words "singe" someone else? (And how much time do I spend thinking critically about another--so that nothing but words that singe come out?)

Today, Lord, work in me. Change the thought-life in me when I strip others of dignity...or reduce them point by point...in order to build myself up.

And give me your voice, to speak words of value...admiration...encouragement... compassion...true kindness.

Just something I was reading......

"The trials have no value or intrinsic meaning in themselves. It's the way we respond to those trials that makes all the difference."