Joy!

More than an emotion or a feeling,
Your joy is a presence ever with me.
I need not rely on my own human emotions,
But rest in Your divine knowledge of joy.
Not a knowledge of the mind,
But of the heart.

To be at peace in the darkest times because
You hold me up and sustain my soul
even when my flesh fails me,
my God, my Messiah NEVER will!
Never ending joy can come from one place,
one Person, one Spirit!

A triune God that stays with me
when the world threatens to crush me and steal my joy,
I get my strength from the LORD of heaven and Earth.
And my joy, peace, and rest is found in Him!

He loves me and walks with me in this way,
Even carrying me when I am to weak to go on.

Assuring me of who I am in Him.
comforting me with utterances to my heart
which cannot be spoken.

My joy in troubled times,
My God, my Messiah, my source of joy!

Rejoice Always

note: This passage is very personal for me to post as it is simply a prayer I wrote out while looking out over Portland (where this photo was taken) and at the end of a week long missions trip to the Portland Rescue Mission. It was an out pouring of my heart.  I feel it is important to share but it is difficult to be so transparent and open with what is a letter to my Father.




LORD,
my heart is wrenched for the people of this city.
I long to stay and love on them more yet I know
I must go wherever you send me.
This time here has changed my thinking and my heart,
so many things I have learned here and these people are my family.

I long for heaven where we will rejoice and love together in Your presence God.
But I know You have work for me here still.
Thank You for the purpose You bring to my life.
LORD my soul is over whelmed by You and the ways that work.
God I pray You work in this city and bring hearts to You.

LORD I know Your son did NOT die in vain
But for the forgiveness of sins that we might know You!
Thank You SO much for the pain it took to bring us to salvation
and the willing sacrifice that Your son was/is.

Thank you that my savior is Risen! and alive!
Thank You that You redeemed me and love me.
LORD You are so good and Your mercy is unending.
My heart is overflowing, LORD I pour out my WHOLE life to You!

YHWH be my everything.

Inspired from Imago Dei church 03-03-13

Entering the throne room of our king,
Falling on our knees, unable to offer anything,
and requesting not our will but His be done. 

And whatever gifts we can give were His in the first place!
We ask not for an easy life or selfish gain,
but for a life that is a sweet aroma sacrifice burning for Him.

And though burning is painful it is a purifying fire 
so that our lives become offerings or pure gold to offer..
to our KING! 

I am at rest.

I'm at rest oh LORD in Your will.
I walk the path You set before me
with eyes on You.

I ask that You keep me from things
which would lead me astray,
for I only love to seek You and Your purpose
in my life.

In You Oh God I have freedom and
I choose to serve You everyday
with all my life, a living sacrifice to You Oh LORD.
For You loved me enough to give Your only son
so I thank You with my life and there in Your love
in Your will I am at rest.

I am in my God given purpose on Your
perfect path for me.
LORD thank You for love enough to care for every
part of my life.

"Here I am LORD send me."

with a faithful love.

Jesus You love me and I can't make sense of it.
This small creation of Yours who has been so unfaithful.
LORD I know I have grieved Your heart,
yet You welcome me back every time!
Your mercies are unending!
Thank You oh God for Your great forgiveness!
I long to be thankful and faithful to You
with the rest of my days.

For all the times I've failed I pray to be faithful
for twice as many times.
LORD, Not that I should or ever could earn
an ounce of Your love But because You have loved me
greatly beyond expression!

"We love Him because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19

I am fearfully and wonderfully made by a Creator
who longs to know me and what other response
can I have but to pour out my life as a love offering,
a living sacrifice to my God, my Father who loves me
Even while I was still a sinner.

I love You too LORD!