Unborn Child

I’m in your womb,

I can’t yet say words for you to hear.

I sense your feelings, happy or sad,

so strongly we are linked.

I look forward to seeing you

in the moment I am born.

It is a precious bond between us

that I want to last a lifetime.

If that cannot happen I’m sure

there is an open heart house

somewhere else for me.

Please can my life be

 for more than a few months.

I have heart dreams,

ready to express with learnt language.

You need to trust my life

 is as real as your own.

Please let me see sunrise and sunsets,

and run beneath the big blue sky.

Please let me explore the world,

you already have the privilege of knowing.

I have so much potential,

 a unique character with purposeful plans to fulfill.

Please don’t end my life

when it has only just begun.

Your mother chose to let you live,

please do the same for me.

Word Received 31.7.2019

I am going to take you
to new heights in My Spirit
and new depths in My Word.
My inspiration will bring strategies
and solutions to your communities
and to the world.
I desire My people to stand up
in their appointed roles,
and not to be shy concerning
what I have called you to do.
You will be my ambassadors
in these days, says the Lord,
to bring change to your nation
and cause hearts to turn to Me.

Safe Now And Forever

Behold I make a way before you
of steady hope and perfect peace.
Lost then found,
broken then restored.
Life regained,
some things given up
that do not last,
to receive eternal prize
and personal reward.

To follow closely in footsteps already marked,
neither turning to left or right,
ever onwards.
Sometimes climbing,
sometimes running,
always with abundant life
pressing through and flowing out.

Breaking bread of blessing,
to creatively share with multitudes.
Never striving for success,
but receiving favour as beloved.
Resting in the everlasting arms,
safe now and forever.

Word Received 25.5.2019

I am looking for greater unity among My people,
so I can give them greater responsibility.
To be trusted with power
you must show yourself faithful
to My commandments and to My Word.
These things are not only for your benefit,
but for the benefit and blessing
of all those around you.
Do not hoard My blessing,
but let it flow through your lives continually.
I have called you to be salt and light
in this age of decay and darkness.
Do not presume you can do it in your own strength.
You need My Holy Spirit transforming your lives first,
so that those around you will see clearly that which I am offering them.
Obedience has a high price,
but without it you will not achieve My works in your lives.
Be obedient and you will see
the outpouring you so desire in this time.

How Are You?

How are you?
Fine.

(I'm feeling sad today. The world is not as I would like it.
Death and destruction abound. I fear for people's souls.)


How are you?
Fine.

(I'm in love with God, with life.
My feet aren't touching the ground.)


How are you?
Fine.

(I'm lonely. I feel isolated.
I need to feel the touch of another in affirmation.)


How are you?
Fine.

(I'm bored. I need excitement. I want to dance, sparkle, laugh,
but it's three o'clock in the afternoon.)


How are you?
Fine.

(I don't feel like talking.
I'm in one of my solitary moods.)


How are you?
Do you really want to know?

Word received 13.2.2019

Wait on the Lord
and receive His strength,
for you will need more than
your own strength in the days to come.
You cannot afford to grow weary
and faint for I have so much
for My people to lay hold of
for My kingdom.
Wait on Me
and renew your strength
in these days, says the Lord.

Hello Future

Hello future,
I'm not afraid of you.
I'm stepping into you right now
with choices I have made,
and vision in my mind.

I want God's plan for me,
glory to glory,
and eternity firmly in my heart.

I want my past
to stay that way,
so I choose not to keep
looking back,
at things I have no power
to change.
Mistakes made,
time wasted,
mountains re-circled,
adventures missed.

I have today,
and if I do not walk into it,
it will soon become
a yesterday of regret.

Time is not waiting for me.
It will roll on regardless
of my response.

Today holds promises.
Jesus stands
and smiles at me,
beckoning me to journey with Him.
His promise sure
that He is with me,
as I step into my future.

Word Received 5.1.2019

I want you to walk
a tightrope of grace,
held by truth and law
and by My Holy Spirit.
Walk with the tension
of seeking perfection
and right standing in all things,
knowing that My mercy and grace
hold you when you stumble and fall.
Carry the balancing pole
of absolute truth and total justice,
knowing that you are free
in the boundaries of My
Holy Spirit's guidance.
There is great liberty
but also great responsibility,
for with increased knowledge
comes increased accountability.
Walk and keep looking into My face,
and as you do so your footing will be sure
and your balance will be true.
Do not give temptation time,
for in doing so you will court disaster
for your own life and others lives.
Keep your eyes fixed on Me,
and the world will not trip you up.
My favor is towards you
for you to succeed.

New Day

It's a new day
for you to pray,
and gives thanks
to God for the air to breathe,
and lungs to breathe it.

It's a new day
to let everything go
you tow behind you
in life's wake.
Let forgiveness
be your freedom key.

It's a new day
to say I love you,
to those who feel far away,
or those who truly are.
Let your heart speak
only what is true and right.

It's a new day
to rise and shine
your unique life light,
that will help others
on their way.

It's a new day
to shout and sing
God's praises.
Don't let all Creation's call
sound without you.

It's a new day
to count your jar of blessings
as more numerous and lasting,
than your passing jar of sorrows,
which the Lord has promised
will one day be no more.

It's a new day.
Full of promise.
Full of potential.
Full of grace.
Don't exist in it.
Live it to the full.

Jesus has made the way,
so don't miss the gift of this new day.

Rainy Day Camping

Childhood holidays,
brimming with expectation
of adventures,
and countryside exploration
without time limit.

A winding train track
cut through
blackberry bushes,
already advertising
their autumnal promise.

Farm gathered milk
in steel cans,
cream frothed and satisfying.

Clouds gathered unnoticed
until the downpour drove us
undercover.

There we sat
in the ancient caravan,
a family of four
around a tiny table,
playing cards
and wistfully waiting
for adventures to return.

Long rained drenched Devon days
stretched out seemingly unstoppable.

We searched the sky for hope,
but none came.
In the end we traveled home,
wet tarpaulin and tired children,
to return to being warm and dry.

Joy To The World

The shepherds they got it,
the angels did too.
The wise men understood.
How about you?

The angels sang in chorus,
creation gave a shout.
But the innkeeper missed it,
he locked them all out.

The prophets foretold,
the Scriptures were clear.
How it would happen,
for God to draw near.

To come as a baby,
could be seen as a risk.
He could have flown in,
on a shiny gold disk.

But a manger it was,
without or with hay.
So many missed it back then,
and still miss it today.

The glorious gift,
sent from heaven above.
God's grace to express,
the way back to love.

So try not to miss it,
it's easily done.
The true meaning of Christmas,
the birth of God's Son.

Stand Up

Stand up
in the strength
of your Saviour,
and see
salvation power
spread across the land.

Stand up
secure in
everlasting truth,
your feet on
solid ground,
unmoved by
tempest storm
or besetting trials.

Stand up
and be counted
for righteousness sake.
There is a time
to clearly choose
your side,
and stay steadfastly in it.

Stand up
for the trumpet
is sounding,
and the kingdom
is advancing
in the name of our King.

Stand up.
Be ready,
for the time
to slumber has past.

Stand up
for the King.
He is coming.

Never Let Go

Never let go
of my hand.
I'm here.
I'm with you.
I catch you
as you fall,
and hold you in my love.

Never let go.
Trust me.
I will lead you
in ways so wonderful,
your heart will delight
in the treasure you find,
even if it is wrapped
a little differently
than you expected.

Never let go.
My strong arm
reaches out,
and envelopes you.
You will only truly understand
later the extent of my protection.

Never let go.
Do not doubt
my goodness,
or believe the lie
that I am far away.
I'm right here.
Right now.
I am.

Friendship

When you are busy or blue,
or something makes you stew,
friendship is key.

When your thinking is in a tangle,
or you look like you've been through a mangle,
friendship is key.

When you are over the moon,
or you hope you'll be soon,
friendship is key.

When you need a good grumble,
or help making a crumble,
friendship is key.

When you don't want to be alone,
or sit all day in your home,
friendship is key.

It is good for the spirit,
good for your soul,
good for your health,
and good for your goal.

It is good for your heart,
and you don't have to pay,
look around you and know,
you can have friendship today.

Jesus Wept

Jesus wept.
Heaven
dropped
down
tears of tragic loss.
Death's devastation
reigning in the lives of men.
Torn out dreams
from the pages of lives lost,
too early,
too suddenly,
without time to say goodbye,
without time to fulfill calling and purpose.

Mankind's greatest pain,
loss of loved ones,
Jesus tasted for Himself.
He felt the tearing sorrow,
the irretrievable absence.

And yet,
as heaven's pain rolled down His face,
He saw His future victory over death.
Emboldened by His Father's love
for these created creatures,
He pulled Lazarus back from beyond the brink,
from death to life,
with one command
so steeped with all authority,
that the universe stared in silence,
and creation understood death
would soon see its final day.

Lazarus came forth,
as Jesus looked heavenwards,
and smiled.

God Be My Refuge

When troubled times befall,
and I can't do my all,
God be my refuge.

When the future looms ahead,
or illness confines to bed,
God be my refuge.

When responsibility seems too hard,
and my sense of strength is marred,
God be my refuge.

When others cause me pain,
or loss through dishonest gain,
God be my refuge.

When I forget I need to trust,
or I'm driven by should or must,
God be my refuge.

When the light is dim all day,
and memory fades away,
God be my refuge.

When I can't see the forward way,
and have lost the strength to pray,
God be my refuge.

When all I know is gone,
and I can no longer carry on,
God be my refuge.

Walk On By

She sat slumped
in a jumbled heap of clothes,
in cold late evening air
on city pavement edge.

Elated and joyful,
I walked past with my son
at my side.
I glanced at her
for a single second,
my heart hardened by countless
beggars already encountered,
waving paper cups for loose change.

She didn't ask me for anything,
just looking straight ahead.
I didn't want to look for longer.

How could I respond to so much need
on city streets?
I had no home there to take her to.
I had no significant money to give.

If I gave anything,
would it feed an addiction?

Her image burned into my mind,
as I choose in that second
not to respond at all.

I was not the Good Samaritan,
or even a slightly open hearted one.
I failed in my humanity.
I judge myself to have fallen short
of Christ's call,
but I don't judge her.

God spoke to me
through her silent form.
How do I truly show His love,
and not just walk on by?

Join His Song

I'm going to sing My Song.
You can join in if you want to.

God invites us to join Him
in what He is doing.
So often we are off,
striving at singing our own
self made songs,
feeble renditions that sap our strength.

God wants us to hear
what He is singing over the earth,
and to live our lives
with ease in the midst of His melody.

It is ever so,
and yet more days than not,
our spirits struggle to make up tunes.

It turns out flat,
and with a tight tin sound
that grates in others ears.
We feel we have accomplished something,
because of peoples' polite applause.

But if we had only faithfully followed
His melody,
we might have seen something extra-ordinary
in the broken lives
of those who sit in thin silence,
with frown capped faces
and harrowed hearts.

Our own songs are mediocre at best.

We should leave the composing,
to the One who created the Song,
who allows us by grace
to join Him in His music.

When we duet with Him,
it is the most beautiful sound on earth,
and will alter the lives of those around
forever.

The Space Between Worlds

In the space between worlds
I am lifted up.
I have said goodbye to loved ones
on one side of the sphere,
and am yet to be welcomed
by others.

I join with the citizens
of this hurtling world,
sucked into the slipstream
of humanity rushing to and fro.

We are a compressed company,
crammed into miraculous flying machines.

We stare at screens,
and glance at each other,
unable to connect
as we make our connections.

As strangers we share
brief pleasantries,
knowing we will never
see each other again.

My heart leaves one world behind,
to replace itself in another.

It is a strange sensation,
this solitary pilgrimage
across the planet
for far flung family.

My tired thoughts turn
to those who wait for me,
beyond this curious
space between worlds.

I've Got To Go

I've got to go.

I really don't,
but I don't want to stay.

I'm distracted
by my own thoughts,
and I don't want to
enter your world too deeply.

I might get lost
in the labyrinth of your
emotions,
and my own are confusing
enough.

I've got to go,
but I'll stay in touch.
Only at arm's length,
you understand.
I have to protect
the heart of my little world,
that I orbit trying
to make sense of what I see,
and what I hear,
but I don't,
and it doesn't.

I nod and smile.
It was nice to meet you.

But it wasn't.
Nice isn't the right word,
but my mind lazily
picks the beige description.

It was interesting,
challenging of my previous perception,
thought provoking,
heart breaking,
moving...
Sorry, I've got to go.

Driftwood Dreams

Driftwood dreams
rubbed bare
by disappointed desire.
Interesting shapes
retained but lifeless,
broken off
from gift giving source.

Tide tipping point
of life less lived,
waves of past, present and future
merging in silted foam.

Sin tasted entanglement,
seaweed tripping feet
intended to run the race,
left loitering at the water’s edge,
unwilling to test the depths of grace.

Scattered shells of purpose,
coned, ribbed, and multi-hued
are wave jumbled

thoughts unable to settle on

that which matters most.

Troubles sink us
in sticky sand,
slowing forward motion.
A lurching gait, not a striding out,
tired too soon,
wearily treading outwards
without enthusiasm.

We think that by only keeping rules
we achieve our spiritual goal.

We lose sight of Love manifested.

We forget our Saviour
wants to walk with us,
and share the whole journey
of our lives
along the beach.

Prisoners Of Hope

"Return to the stronghold,
You prisoners of hope.
Even today I declare
That I will restore double to you."
Zechariah 9:12

Bed bound
tearful intercession,
crying out
for God to intervene.

His Word doesn't change.
Our lives do.

Filled with high lights
and low lights,
and times when our fragile lamp
is all but snuffed out.

Illness battle weary,
or ongoing struggles
for the financial breakthrough,
that may or may not be
around the next corner.

Faith and doubt
picking sides,
tussling for supremacy.
Our inconsistent thoughts
wavering, boat billowed
in the seemingly unstoppable storm.

Against all pragmatic theory,
and mind numbing statistical evidence,
we look past
towards the approaching
miraculous impossible,
and wave our feeble frame,
beckoning the answer.

We make the choice
to believe,
to manifest,
and confound all else,
as prisoners of hope.

Trinity

The Trinity
torn for our transgressions.
Eternal unity
fractured at the cross.
Love for humanity
producing pain
between Father and Son.
Spirit in travail.

"Abba, Father,
Why have you forsaken me?"

Silence
more devastating than
at any other time.

The Salvation Plan
prevailing,
angels in awe
with bated breath.
Disciples in disbelief,
hopeful hearts
shattered,
kingdom dreams
bleeding out
onto barren earth.

Incomprehensible measure
of grace
from God Himself,
as we are unable
to save ourselves.

The Trinity
made a way
for our reconciliation.
Father, Son and Spirit
reaching out to you.

Choose

I need to choose
but I'm scared.
I want to trust
but I don't.
I've been hurt,
and I don't want to be
in that painful place again.

I want to choose,
to fully give in to your love,
but what if you don't love me
as much as I hope you do.

I have decided to choose.
I've been westling too long,
and I'm tired
and lonely
behind my barricade
of reasons,
that do not
seem reasonable any more.

You chose to give your life for me at the Cross.

Lord, I choose to give my life to you.

Daniel

Daniel,
governed by God.
Hijacked from homeland,
transported with treasures
taken from temple.

Cast into captivity,
dislocated from those dearest,
a foreigner far away.
Losing language,
culture conflicting,
everything eradicated,
even his name.

Choosing not to compromise,
steadfast and staunch.
Not succumbing to self pity,
denying depression,
leaning into life.

Learning lessons,
receiving revelation,
trusting in trials,
positioning for promotion.

Accessing authority,
allowing angelic agency
against lip licking lions.
Treasuring truth,
honored by history.

We should study
Daniel
and learn from his life.

Be Still

Just be still
and sit with Me,
in your mad dash world
of pressing projects
and exciting events.

Take a moment
to be still in the storm
that overtakes you now.
It was fine weather
when you woke.

Breathe out,
and remember
to breathe in again,
slowly.

Your mind is whirling
and swirling
and skimming
and sliding.

Be still and know
that I haven't given up
on this blue green globe,
and all those who rush
to and fro on the face of it.

Fear is your counsellor,
anxiety your lord.
Let love displace them both.

Let Me show you
a way so wonderful,
you will wonder why
it has taken you
so long
to be
still.

Daughter Of The King

Loved beyond measure,
held in delight,
close to His heart,
walking in light.

Made for honor,
most purposeful treasure,
always thought of with favour,
and not with displeasure.

Wearing a crown,
not heavy in weight,
walking in beauty,
whether early or late.

Fully in step,
with the One who leads,
a life of respect,
and seeking good deeds.

Acts that will bring glory,
to the One on the throne,
to witness His wonders,
and make His name known.

From the farthest of places,
to those close to home,
to bear fruit in abundance,
from the vine that has grown.

To sing of His praises,
and to tell of His grace,
to rest in His arms,
and to look in His face.

I Shall Not Disagree

I shall not disagree,
the majority knows what's right,
and even if that changes,
I'll be made to see the light.

I shall not bend my knee,
or hold to absolutes,
for we know where faith can lead,
to nothing but disputes.

I shall not aim to learn,
or study on my own,
others will tell me what to think,
and how to run my home.

I shall not raise my voice,
to speak for what is right,
someone may be offended,
and it would give them such a fright.

I shall not be creative,
in my own special way,
unless it conforms in order,
with those in power today.

I shall not try to think,
for I'm afraid that if I do,
I'll have to face this modern insanity,
and cry out for something new.

Word Received 7.8.2018

I will put a word in your heart
and it will grow
and bear fruit with more seed in it
for others to have planted
in their own lives.
This is not the time for selfish ambition
in My kingdom, but for co-labouring
and coordinating with those around you
for My kingdom is about the community
of the saints in unity and purpose together.
Everyone who looks outward
to help his brother or sister in need
will carry My anointing and be blessed
in these days.

Lonely Place

There is a
lonely place
I need to find.

God wants me
to seek Him there.

During three full years
of ministry,
the Lord withdrew
to a lonely place
to be with His Father.

He left the clang and clamor,
the pressing, never ending
insistence of human need.

He listened to His Father's heart,
and He knew how and what to do.

Heart words are so softly spoken,
you cannot hear them in company.

You need to be in
a separated sky drawn space,
or an empty room,
where stillness can settle your soul
to hear the precious words
that are meant for you alone.

Draw aside to the lonely place,
He is waiting for you there.

Kingdom Of God

God giving,
seed sowing,
vision seeing,
faith growing.

Increase starting,
prayer watering,
boundaries stretching,
favor granting.

Doors opening,
agreements giving,
connections forming,
friendships strengthening.

Projects pursuing,
obstacles negotiating,
freedom finding,
blessing releasing.

Teams forming,
mantels anointing,
gifting increasing,
territory enlarging.

Miracles occurring,
faith rising,
strongholds breaking,
Kingdom coming.

God's Pruning

God's pruning shears
are very sharp.
His surgical skill separates
off the dead wood,
not taking more than necessary,
removing the rot
fit for the fire.

He leaves the healthy wood,
to burst forth
with new season bud,
bearing good fruit
in its time.

It is painful
to be pruned by God,
our pride is
cut to the core,
but we remain intact.

Our ego
is lovingly chopped back.
God doesn't want
it getting in the way
of His bigger picture
for our lives.

Even in our wildest imaginings,
we cannot dream
the greatness
He can accomplish
through a fully surrendered soul.

So if you sense
He is ready for some gardening,
don't run away.
Allow God to prune you
so you can become whole.

Strange People

Strange people
with their idiosyncrasies,
their failures,
and flaws,
hurt
and causing hurt,
jagged edges
produced by pain
others cannot begin
to comprehend.

Selfish and
self-serving,
ignorant of heard heart cries,
longing for calm
to still their own storms.

Unable to safely settle,
or completely commit,
or clearly count their blessings.

Stirring trouble,
or resisting
those rallying
to help.

We come across
them every day.

Don't judge them.

They look a lot
like me and you.

Time

Time chased through
a weather-vane of grand illusions
and half seen promise.

I'm late for a very important date,
missing it by degrees
when it does appear,
through brightly clearing mist.

Time is fleeting,
running out,
a scarce commodity.

If there is a time for everything,
why do I not have enough of it?

I work from pressure,
not peace,
unable to give extravagant gifts
of time to others,
as I count my purse of precious minutes.

Is time really ticking away,
or do I just misunderstand
the truth about eternity?

Extrovert On The Inside

Extrovert on the inside,
introvert on the outside.
I've finally classified
myself out loud,
and wish I hadn't.

Denial is simpler
than responsibility.

Responsibility
requires action,
and probably change.

Change is challenging
and time consuming.

People are familiar
with the me
they already know.

They might be shocked
if they saw how loud
and exuberant
I am on the inside.

It might challenge
the masks they wear.

There could be
a chain reaction
of being honest
and fully real.

The inside and the outside
aligning,
and everyone
seen and being
who they really are.

Wouldn't that be something,
if I was brave enough to be me.

Nothing

Nothing
will ever fill
the void
inside us,
the God shaped hole
made for Him.

We can cram it
with anything else,
yet satisfaction
will slip like sand
through every part of us.

We are made in the
image of God,
for friendship with God,
to walk in the purposes of God.

We still strike out
on our circular path,
striving for significance,
longing to own
more of this transitory life.

Nothing will make
perfect sense apart
from knowing who
we are in Him,
and for Him,
for we are His creation.

Only when we say
Yes Lord
do we realize
that nothing
can separate us
from His love and life,
that perfectly fills
the void
in you and I.

Collapse Of A Civilization

We are watching
the collapse
of our civilization.

Future history
will say as much.

Scholars will hypothesize
on the details
of its downfall,
and wonder if
the interplay between
economic factors
and social decay
was as strong
as some propose.

Others will study
the legal structures
and political systems,
speculating on
the seeming success,
then fantastic failures
of governments to halt
the downward demise.

Corrupt consciousness,
moral meltdown,
societies sickening slide
won't be seen
in its true darkness,
for humanity is
ever forgiving
of its own sins,
and sadly
that is why
the
collapse
of a civilization
can continue in our days.

Pieces Of My Heart

Pieces of my heart are
missing,
not broken
or destroyed,
more a parting
than a ripping,
for I do not grieve.

Children grow up.

They do that if you
take your eyes
off them
for a moment.

Then inexplicably
they want to leave
your little sphere,
that you naively
presumed they would
always be part of.

They can return of course,
with new loved ones,
tales of adventure and success,
or survival (please spare the details)

It is always harder
for those who are left
than those who go,
especially if those who go
forget to call or write.

I'm not sure if the
pieces of my heart
will ever truly reconnect,
or if that is a parent's calling
to have a fragmented heart
across the globe,
that causes intermittent aching,
but a quiet smile of thankfulness
as treasured memories return.

I am grateful for the gift
that I can know
the depth of love for children
that causes this uncomfortable
sensation now,
and I choose to trust God
to hold me in future days
with the other pieces of my heart.

Southern Israel

National parks
welcoming curious visitors,
ambling among antiquities
imagining centuries old existence.

Masada, cultural icon
and top tourist spot,
sits in frighteningly barren desert,
hostile
harsh
and unforgiving.
Settlements on
the dizzying heights,
vertigo inducing palaces
clinging to cliffs.
Tragic tales of trials
and sacrifice,
death chosen before slavery.

At Ein Gedi
streams in the desert
move from biblical metaphor
to spectacular reality,
as creature and nature
hug the edges of
its life giving flow,
and David's waterfall
sings as grace tumbles
through the scorched earth.

In Qumran's caves
ancient scrolls found
by shepherds.
God's Word to man
preserved in desert air
thick with history,
joy of generations
past and future,
held in this
beloved land.

Western Wall

A sea of bobbing black hats
Sabbath honouring
and tradition holding
Orthodox men pressing their prayers
into the Western Wall.

Women separated by metal grid
dance the Sabbath in
with joyful rhythmic sound.

Other men in prayer caps
and cornered tassels,
arms around each other
sway from side to side,
hearts and minds
united in worship
of The Shekinah presence.

Thousands of paper prayers
stick out of crevasses
of the thick stone blocks.

Flowering bushes
where pigeons find their rest,
cling haphazardly to the heights.

Uniformed soldiers rest their weapons
to jump with joy.

Such joy in this people
who have faced a dreadful history,
survived and now flourish beyond belief.

Chosen and blessed by God,
their prayers at this Western Wall
will ultimately be answered.

Covenant Kiss

Covenant kiss

and hope filled longing.

Dreams fulfilled

yet just beginning.

Desire for each other,

and for life together,

walking in unity

together with God.

The three woven cord

with His rich blessing.

Solemn promises

spoken and held.

Grace and gracious

giving and receiving,

needed as two

learn to walk as one.

A new tapestry begins

threaded together,

brought to this altar

by the gift of love.

For love to flourish

as is intended,

Covenant vows do

not shift with time.

Joined together

in Holy Communion,

a precious foreshadowing

of Christ with His Bride.

Royal Wedding

Media feeding frenzy,
designer dress deadline,
former friends interviewed at length.

Thousands of images
on rolling repeat,
cake recipes dissected,
food choices scrutinized,
everybody who is anybody
has their say.

Guest list examined,
family feuds uncovered,
magazine and newspapers
bulging with titbits for weeks.

Bridal party etiquette,
cultural observances,
a nod to religion
otherwise ignored.

A blaze of colour,
pomp and ceremony,
time old traditions
dragged out of the cupboards
and polished as new.

Thousands of extras
and millions of viewers
gripped by the spectacle
that will finish today.

Why?

Why do tears
take longer
to fall
as you
grow older?

Why are
hearts
not moved
with such
fierce intensity?

Have eyes
seen
too much
sorrow
to release
response?

Seamless
life
stretches
out.

Years
repeat,
wearing thin
at the edges,
and pity
cries
no more.

Turn Up

What does the Lord require of you?
To turn up
with what you have,
and offer everything to Him.

You are uniquely able
to fulfill God's call
on your life,
so don't look for
someone else to
step into your shoes
and complete the task.

They may be more
able than you,
or less
able than you,
but they
can never
be you.

Turn up,
and be all God
has called you to be.

He doesn't want anybody
else to do it.

Writer's Joy

Ink on paper,
typed words on screen.
Finding memories
and creating landscapes.

Mightier than the sword,
but equally able
to cut to the heart
of the matter.

Ideas reformed,
with the writer's
thought tide washing
fresh imagination
inwards,
and then out
for others.

It is a writer's joy
to share something
of the soul or spirit.

It is freely offered,
and the point of origin
waits in stillness,
to see if it is received.

Remembrance

Remember those who have fallen,
who have lost
their lives for King and Country.

Remember those who didn't die
but lived as broken men,
reliving horrors,
and grieving friends.

Remember those who stayed
at home,
longing for news
of safe return,
dreading the formal
uniformed knock on the door,
and heart felt condolences
that did not ease the pain.

Remember those
who grew up fatherless,
who had no man
to follow that example,
who lived with widows
and orphans.

Remember those
who live now,
who do not understand
the tragedy of war,
and only glimpse
its re-enactment in movies
made to make money,
that can never capture
what it was truly like.

Remember those generations
that are to come,
and pray that
this whole world
is never engulfed
by war again.

More Of The Same

You don't need
more of the same.
Same crippling self talk
and self defeating prophecies
that life will always suck.

You don't need
more of the empty headed
promises pronounced
in words so falsely barbed
they jab your soul.

You don't need
to live your life
crouched on your
knees depressed,
head in your
hands helpless,
crying out for
something to give.

You don't need
pleasant platitudes,
and interested intentions,
without concrete
evidence of compassion
and care.

You don't need
more of the same.
You need people in
your life who
understand love.
People who
know Him well.

Expectation

I have a expectation
that when You are with me,
You will change everything.

My lacklustre life
will shine with brilliance
that is not my own.

My fragile confidence
will receive supernatural strength
that can reorganize mountains.

My heavy heart wearied
by people pain,
will surge with a
resuscitating resurrection charge.

My thoughts will lift
from the measured mundane
to faith filled impossibilities.

Strength, hope,
peace, grace,
passion, purpose,
enduring love
for others and myself.

Like I said,
I have an expectation
that when You are with me
everything will change.

Wonder

I wonder
at your Creation.
It's beauty. It's groaning.

I wonder at your love for me.
It is so complete,
not limited by my understanding,
or my ability to receive it yet.

I wonder why I struggle
to believe the absolute truth
of miraculous death defeating,
life giving resurrection power.

I wonder why I care so much
for that which does not last.
I could continually invest
in the eternal.

I am full of wonder at your death,
that you Creator God
would willingly die
at the hands of your Creation.

I wonder at
Forgiveness,
Grace,
Salvation,
Redemption,
and other words with meanings
so rich and deep
I must not hurry past them,
but ponder,
and allow myself
to be filled with wonder.

Lean Not

Lean not on your
own understanding,
but trust Me
for I can see
your future,
and I am already there
waiting for you to arrive
into your destiny.

Do not think the future
will be like the past.
It will only be
the same if your
choices make it so.

Do not overthink
your troubled thoughts,
for a peace filled mind
is great reward.

You can plan and purpose,
but do not let
your purposeful plans
block Me out.

Allow Me to breathe
My life on the ones
that will yield a harvest,
and let the rest blow chaff-like away.

You don't need to have
all the answers
ahead of time.
I am all of the answer
to all that you need.

Word Received 18.3.2018

I will be with My people
as I was in former times,
and they will know My power,
and I will know their hearts.
They will seek My face
and cleanse their ways
from all unrighteousness,
so that My fire can rest
on them afresh,
and burn away all dross and sin.
My people will walk in holiness
for they will see My glory
and be forever changed by it.
Behold I am coming quickly,
Says the Lord.

Regret

Do not live with regret.
It will tie you to the past,
and drag your thoughts
back to former days,
to things said or unspoken,
done or undone,
without the possibility of change.

Regret can stick you
to a place,
a person,
a circumstance,
beyond remedy,
as a soul weight
you cannot shake.

Regret makes us debtors
to debts we cannot pay,
for we do not know
what to pay,
or who to pay it to.

It is a prison of choice,
its open door
ignored by all who remain
within its unforgiving boundaries.

Let it go,
release forgiveness to others,
and to yourself,
and walk out unhindered,
free from regret.

Child

There is nothing more precious
than knowing your child
is walking with
their Saviour and yours,
choosing the path
that leads to life.

There is nothing so long
as the years spent
waiting for them
to return from their wandering,
or resistance to acknowledge
Jesus as their own.

There is nothing more devastating
than the loss of a child,
if they have lived for many years
or are still hidden in the womb.

There is nothing more rich
than friendship within family,
the ultimate in knowing others well
and deciding to love.

There is nothing more glorious
than knowing your child
will be in eternity
with the Lord,
and by God's grace
with you too.

Fear

False
Evidence
Appearing
Real

Real enough to touch,
to taste,
to believe with all
your quavering heart,
doubting mind,
and fragile spirit.

Choosing to run
from the yet to be convinced
faith.
Skeptic
and true believer
in the same moment.

Fear's python grip,
slowly suffocating
and
shape shifting,
wraps itself ever tighter.

Illogical fears
join the mundane
or universally accepted ones,
to form an encyclopedia
for those who would
indulge its contents.

But fear is indeed
as false as shadows,
and with God's light
and Truth
it can be vanquished.

Don't let fear rule, rob,
or ruin your life.
Let God set you free
to live without fear,
permanently.

Comparison

The curse of comparison
puffing up
or deflating,
putting pressure
on heart and mind,
troubling tempers
and exaggerating envy,
breaking friendships
and losing peace.

It is a wicked way
to walk in,
and the world
has conquered
the art completely.

The desire to compare,
to feel less than,
or more than,
drives depression
deeper into
already faltering hearts,
thinking they
are not good enough.

It is a lie
and a vicious one,
unraveling the truth
that we are all unique,
and that in diversity
there is such depth
of beauty and promise.

If this truth could be
encouraged,
for each to burn brighter,
it would set the world
alight with wonder,
turning hearts back
to the One who made us all.

Seasons Of Change

When treasured pets die
and loved children fly
the nest that is always their home.

When retirement looms
and brides meet their grooms
and change is the constant for you.

When long relationships break
and painful ailments overtake
and friend's funerals are far too often.

When you back has a bend
and your bones do not mend
as fast as in times gone before.

When the steady job
and the familiar mob
are replaced with increasing uncertainty.

When your memory remains
with more losses than gains
and your life slows down to stationary.

As things come upon you
and may overwhelm you
remember this life giving phrase.

God does not alter
and He will not falter
or leave you in these seasons of change.

Do Not Drift

Do not drift away from Me,
for the currents would take you
to a different shore,
than the one I am on.

I am preparing food
for you to eat with Me,
to have unhurried time together,
to talk and listen
to each others hearts.

I long for you
to make Me known
in others lives,
but you need to know Me
first
so you do not offer
a pale reflection
of who I truly am.

I long to spend the day
with you,
allowing warm sand
to run between your toes
and Mine,
and to plan for future days
together.

I long to hold you
for a holy moment,
so you know
you are forever held.

Do not drift away
from Me,
but move towards Me
on the shore.

Word Received 7.2.2018

I have put My anointing upon you for purpose.

Not so you can feel good but so you can do good in My Name.

The earth is groaning to see the sons and daughters

of God manifest through words and deeds.

It is not the time to sit and watch what 

I am doing but to do it with Me as My disciples

on the earth.

Don't say I don't know what to do.

My Word has already told you.

Be diligent to obey it

and make a difference in these days,

says the Lord.

Death On Demand

Choose when to die.

Pick a cool time.

It will look great

on your gravestone,

to have numbers in line.

Choose where to die,

in a room with a view,

and gather your friends,

either many or few.

You can say a speech,

or get someone to toast.

Choose to die now,

when you want to the most.

Don’t take a chance,

that life will get better.

Better die now,

than live a regretter.

Leave cash to your family,

they need it the most.

Send them all money,

to arrive in the post.

They’ll be sad at your passing,

but glad of the date.

So it won’t clash with their travels,

or finding a new mate.

Don’t see this as failure,

it’s great in the end,

to choose when to die,

and how much to spend.

Don’t think of the future,

they’ll be glad when you’re gone.

They’ll throw you a party,

and sing you a song.

 Why live any longer,

 you’re past your best before?

Why not die now,

 let others benefit with more?

It’s totally your choice,

and decision you see.

We’ll just strongly persuade you,

and pay the full fee.

So get ready to die,

it’s time to move on.

There’s no changing your mind,

the payment has gone.

So grieve for your life,

but only a bit.

This death on demand,

is really a hit!

Keep Out

I see you
locked away,
in your private
world of pain.

I want
to reach you
with good news,
but your door
is tightly shut.

The notice to
keep out
swings
on rusty hinges.

It has remained
in place
for decades,
and the sentiment
hasn't changed.

I want
to see
you free,
but you can't fathom
what that would look like,
and you would
rather stay
with the devil you know
than a thought
that is different.

I know
you won't
receive
the answer
until you have
asked the question.

I pray
one day soon,
those words
will come to you.

Heart Of Stone

The heart of stone
sits within
the chest wall,
weighty and still.

It functions
physically,
but has
lost all
spiritual momentum.

It cannot
sense the highs
and lows of life,
and cannot care for others
or for self.

It is utterly empty,
and more than cold.

The heart of stone
is not born,
but made
by bitter circumstances
and painful dealings,
piling on,
suffocating life
and love.

There is but
one remedy.

A faith transaction,
giving the
heart of stone
to the Lord,
and receiving anew
a heart of flesh.

The World Pressed In

The world pressed in on me,
and I pressed back
knowingly.

Knowing it was not good for me,
I let my thoughts
settle on something
offering a distraction,
and more.

It held my attention,
which was given
freely.

It did not satisfy.

I was left with
a sour sensation
of hollowness,
and although
the thought had
not yet manifested
into external action,
intimacy had been
broken between
the Lord's heart and mine.

It was my doing,
and I had to do
the undoing,
repenting and returning
to the altar of grace,
asking for my heart
to be softened again,
to become a heart
of flesh
sensitive to the Spirit's
leading and wise
boundary marking.

My peace is restored
by the One who knows
what is the best for me,
if I am willing to listen.

Ask The Lord

When you don't know what to do,
when you don't know what to say,
ask the Lord.

When you don't know how to give,
when you don't know how to care,
ask the Lord.

When you don't know where to go,
when you don't know if to stay,
ask the Lord.

When you don't know where to start,
when you don't know how to forgive,
ask the Lord.

When you don't know what to write,
when you don't know what to send,
ask the Lord.

When you don't have the answer,
when you can't express your heart,
ask the Lord.

He will show you.
He will guide you.

Ask the Lord.

Year's End

What have I done
with this year,
stuffed with opportunities
and potential fulfillment?

Have I picked at it
like a plateful of food,
pushed around by
someone with no appetite?

Have I dived in
regardless of cost
or consequence,
and come away
bruised and a little disappointed?

Have I overextended myself,
so I cannot possibly
spin another plate,
and only stopped
to crash and burn?

Have I thrown caution
to wherever its meant to go,
and reveled in
new and exciting
experiences?

Have I learnt
to live a measured pace
of balance and watchfulness,
minding myself and others
carefully?

At the year's beginning,
I decided to take up painting.
It's the year's end,
and all I managed
was to paint a bedroom wall.

It's a blessing
a new year awaits,
with the possibility
to try once more.

Rest

And the Lord said to me,
"You do not know how to rest
and I would show you,
but you do not stop
long enough
to hear my softly spoken words.

The information flood tides
in your mind
whirl about and cannot settle,
even in your sleep.
You've troubled dreams,
and your spirit
has lost the art
of being still.

I would quieten you
with my love,
but you restlessly roam.
Receive from me,
and cease your elsewhere seeking.

I would show you
how to rest,
and not just through exhaustion.
To live in rest
and daily walk it out.

I would show you
how to be filled with peace,
so that no anxiety concerning
future uncertainties,
unlikely to occur,
can rob you of it.

I would show you how to be
and not to do,
for doing has its time and place,
but not in every waking moment.

I would show you many things,"
says the Lord,
"If you would let me."

Season Of Goodwill

Terrorist and politician
vie for center stage
in this season of goodwill.

Global policy makers and diplomats
stream through security screening,
to their guarded festive functions.

Presidents and royalty
skip through glossy pages,
consumed by multitudes,
then disposed of in recycling.

Actors, musicians and celebrities
seek the ultimate high,
and some die trying.

Tycoons and corporate heads
angst about tax haven efficiency,
and how to spend their next billion.

Displaced refugees
after their two seconds of news fame,
look forward to unknown ages
of housing hopelessness.

Overpopulated factories
churn out merchandise,
to separate the haves
from the have nots
more distinctly.

The fortunate few
at free funded gatherings,
will forget their daily misery
for a moment.

Pledges and promises,
bribes and corruption,
are rife in families with
small children,
and teenagers enhance
their negotiating skills.

People everywhere long
for the end of
the season of goodwill,
because
they have forgotten
or never heard
the real reason why it's here.

Tide

Soft sand
and shells
shuffling forward and back
in a time honored
tide dance.

Tumbling to a familiar tune,
meeting and separating
twice a day.

The sounds lull the listener.

It is hard
to feel frenetic
on a beach,
with pale, warm grains
between your toes,
and the intermittent breeze
that gently ruffles your hair
on its way past.

I sit on the snake of sand
found between
Pohutukawa blossoms
ready to burst
into crimson Christmas,
and the light chased blue
of the beckoning sea.

I listen
to the unchanging rhythm
of waves meeting shore,
dutifully keeping
within God ordained boundaries.

Mankind would do well
to do the same.

Hold On To Me Tightly

Hold on to me tightly,
through all the storms of life,
when waves threaten
to tip your little boat,
with all its precious cargo.

Hold on to me tightly,
when all is going well,
and cloudless skies
do not hint at future rain.

Hold on to me tightly,
when you love another
so much you cannot
bear to let them go
into my safe arms.

Hold on to me tightly,
when the way seems
cloaked with mystery,
and the path is not yet lit
with confirmation.

Hold on to me tightly,
when you are soaring
above the earth,
on achievements
that make you rightly proud.

Hold on to me tightly,
when all the world
is against you,
and you are misunderstood
and cast aside.

Hold on to me tightly,
when your sphere of life
is broken on its axis,
and sickness lays you low,
and all hope seems to fade.

Hold on to Me tightly,
for I made you,
and I know you,
and I love you,
says the Lord.

There Is A Time

There is a time for
all things under the sun.

A time to be born,
and a time to be held.
A time to question,
and a time to listen
carefully to the answer.

A time to make friends,
and a time to forgive those
friends when they hurt you.
A time to fall in love,
and a time to choose
to remain in love.

A time to work,
and a time to rest from your
all consuming occupation.
A time to look up,
and a time to look outwards.

A time to have children,
and a time to learn patience.
A time to care for elderly loved ones,
and a time to grieve their passing.

A time to go forwards,
and a time to re-evaluate
where you are.
A time for outward expression,
and a time for inward reflection.

A time to say sorry,
and a time to be forgiven.
A time for requests,
and a time for gratitude.

A time for celebrating success,
and a time for learning from failure.

A time to receive God's great gift
of salvation,
and now is always that time.

Lean Back

There is a spiritual rhythm
that we can learn to live by,
to lean back onto the Lord
and then lean out to others.

To lean back
is to have a place of trust,
to receive strength,
grace, hope, love.
To be securely close
to the one who loves you
with no separation.

To lean back
is to have a place of safety,
to receive comfort,
support, friendship, favour.
Where you can feel
the Lord's heartbeat,
and allow your heart
to learn the timing,
and live by it.

To lean back
is to have a place of rest,
to cease from self will and effort.
To still yourself to hear
the Lord's softly spoken plans,
that will undoubtedly
work better than your own.

To lean back
is to have a place of surrender,
to be willing to co-exist,
and see what communion really is.

To lean back
is to know you will be ready
and equipped,
for when you see it is time
to lean forward,
to bring blessing
in other's lives.

New Ideas

It's like nothing you have ever heard before.
Except you have.

There is nothing new
under the sun,
and that was said a while ago.

Quotation books are stuffed
with examples of original thought,
as poets and muses
tussle for the last fragments
of a fresh idea,
unpicking the seams of previous ones,
restitching them in the hope
no one will recognize their altered piece.

Words are jostled on the line,
like dancers wanting to be with the last decent partner.

They turn and turn about,
hoping their new position will make them more prominent.

But what's the point of all
these brightly wrapped
freshly thought new ideas,
if we don't seem to be able to comprehend
the ones that have stood the test of time.

Let's retrace our thoughts.

In the beginning God.

Word Received 8.11.2017

Put aside every evil that would try to ensnare you

and cling to Me for I am looking for a holy people

who will separate themselves from evil

and do good in my Name.

I do not want mixture in My people,

for then the world will not be able to see a difference

between those who are called by My Name

and those who are not.

You have a high calling.

Accept it by faith and obey My Word.

There is not time to be half-hearted,

so heed My Word and obey what it says.

Love One Another

Love.

It's what the world seeks.
Always grasping,
just out of reach.

The endless search for satisfaction.
The smash and grab
at love that breaks
on impact.

Self seeking,
self serving,
love lacking,
missing the point entirely,
and regretting every minute.

Hot heads,
cold hearts,
mean spirits,
degraded desires.

Restless and fruitless.

Pleasure from another's pain,
reward from another's gain,
victories measured out in bank notes,
and empty souls.

Plaintive self pity at the end,
realizing all along
we were looking for love
in the wrong places.

We need to learn from
God and His Kingdom
how to love one another.

Really, we do.

You Are Not Alone

You are not alone.
You do not have to
give yourself to another,
for cheap thrills
and passing pleasure.

You have infinite worth.

God became flesh to save you,
from the aching longing
that consumes your soul,
and drives you deeper
into darkness.

You do not have to sacrifice yourself,
on the altar
of permissive permission,
where anything and everything
is now somehow acceptable
to civilized society.

Shame and dishonour
have been cast away,
yet still somehow sticks
to the individual,
however much
they confess
their freedom of choice.

You don't have to sell yourself
into slavery,
to the growing compendium
of addictions.

You can choose true freedom,
that comes only with a price tag,
that another has already paid.

It is freely given.
It is freely yours.

Just receive it from
the Saviour's
out-stretched hands.

I Need You More

Lord, I need you more,
more than words can say.

I need you more.
Complacency sits
comfortably in my heart,
soothing my justice cry
for others into silence.

I need you more.
I find myself
satisfied enough with
this version of reality,
to stop the spiritual struggle
that breaks open true life.

I need you more.
To wake me up,
to see the hour
is so much later
than I thought.

I need you more.
I have appointments
not to be missed.
If I do,
there could be
eternal disappointment,
that no one can remedy.

I need you more
than my self protection
will show,
or my self preservation
will admit.

I need you more.
I will never comprehend
how much.
But I say it,
and I think I mean it,
even more
than yesterday.

Walking With A Limp

I walk with a limp,
because of what I have done,
and what others have done to me.

I have wrestled with God,
not face to face
as Jacob did,
but from time to time
over the years.

I have wrestled with
the aching questions,
the need to comprehend
myself and others
more than I do.

I have wrestled with God
about my frailty,
and He knows the depths of it.

I have wrestled with
wanting more than I now see,
something of the supernatural
that seems beyond my reach,
but is evidently there.

I wrestle for a while,
and then let go,
and walk away
consumed by my own lack.

I walk with a limp,
but I still choose to walk.

Mark of the Beast

Black and white
cowboy hats
are swapped.
The good guys
become the bad guys.

The law abiding
become the law breakers.
Outcasts,
society misfits,
refusing to conform
to take the mark.

Unable to buy or sell,
unable to travel
through security checks,
excluded from every
pervasive technological interaction.

A people group
refusing to bow,
as Daniel's friends
once did in Babylon.

They survived the
fiery furnace,
and walked out of it
unharmed.

Those called by
Christ's name
will face a future
challenge.

Whether to bow
to the demands of
the mark of the beast,
or whatever
the consequences,
continue to put their trust in God.

Supernatural

Supernatural
is not a huge amount
of natural.

Extra-ordinary
is not a special delivery
of more ordinary.

If I want to
live an extra-ordinary life,
I don't want to fill it
with excessive amounts
of more of the same.

I need to do
something
different.
Something beyond ordinary,
but I am only human.

God is supernatural.
He is above and beyond
the natural world we live in.
He can gatecrash with miracles,
and confound skeptics.

He can act like He is
in charge of the Universe,
because He is.

I wonder if
He would like
to join His supernatural
to my ordinary,
and together we could do
something quite

extra-ordinary.

Heaven

Light

and delight,

and joy exploding

through your being.

Fullness and wholeness,

and every question answered,

and every need met.

Old friends and new friends,

and family of so many generations

welcoming and loving,

without holding back.

Grace and peace.

Hope and joy.

Healing complete and forever.

Listening and seeing

sounds and sights

inexplicable yet totally real.

Laughing and hugging,

and being held in perfect love.

Praise and worship.

Lifting and pouring forth gratitude,

and revelation of God’s great grace.

Your Saviour beheld,

and clasped hands held, 

welcoming you into eternity with Him.

Contended Dream

The enemy is contending
for my dream.
He has seen it
as I have,
but somehow he believes
in it more than me,
and will stop at nothing to destroy
its destiny.

He uses different tactics
depending on the mood
he finds me in.

He stirs me to overdo
till exhaustion lays me low.
He smothers my heart with pain
to cause it to go cold.
He distracts me
with pleasant things
that fill my soul space,
or unpleasant things
that downwards drag.

He brings along
some words to suppress
my spirit,
or puff up pride.

His armory appears endless
and time is on his side.
He has come across
humanity before,
in all its fragile forms
beset by original sin,
and not so original ones.

He tries to side swipe
my God given dream
out of my hands
by crafty cunning,
as I fail to see
he is behind my trials.

Yet God still loves me.
He is still with me,
and His perfect will is in the dream
He entrusts me with,
to bring forth future fruit.

My faltering faith
He touches with His mighty power.
His Spirit revives me,
and He shines His light upon my path.

He lifts my eyes to see Him,
and we lock our gaze
as He talks me through
the steps to practice,
until our perfect dance comes forth,
and I can say again
to the enemy,
'You will not have my dream today'.

Flu

My head is split
three ways,
like kindling
waiting to start
a fever fire.

My throat aches
when I try to talk,
when I cough,
when I breathe.

I long to escape the pain,
seeking somewhat relief
in pharmacist medication.

My life energy
is diverted
to viral warfare.
I age suddenly,
walking with weary gait
and down-turned gaze.

Multiple destinations of discomfort
compete for my attention,
all unwelcome visitors.

Pain makes itself powerfully
at home
as the virus blankets me.

It runs its cursed course
through my life,
all the while
stealthily seeking
its next victim to infect.

Well Done

'Well done good and faithful servant.'
How we long to hear
those spoken words,
when all is done and dusted,
and world is wrapped up,
to be replaced
with something infinitely more wonderful.

Well done for what?
Being part of Christ's body on earth?
Showing up on a Sunday?

The well done will look much deeper.
It is for all the times when you faithfully did
what you were born to do,
even when no one was recording it
for posterity.

God saw and He smiled.
Such a smile,
and He only gives that particular smile to you.

For within its frame is held
every interaction
and conversation
between the two of you.
All your struggles,
all your triumphs,
all the choices made
to never give up on
your together journey.

'Well done' will mean what is does to you alone.

And you and God will share another smile.

Words

Words
without
sequence
wait patiently to join
creative coherence.

Each word strung together
with so many syllables,
soft or strong,
produce life change in the hearer.

Some words only come out
on special occasions.
Others feel overdone,
hackneyed.
But even they will have their day,
and change a life
for better or for worse,
and not just at a wedding.

A thoughtless word shared
still becomes a thought
in another,
intended or not.
Some words lodge deep inside the soul,
stuck,
revolving and resolving
to escape or be at peace,
unable to find another home.

Some words heavily laced with hope,
are themselves amazed at how much difference
they make to so many.
They stop and stare at themselves
imprinted on page,
or embedded in bronze,
for posterity.

They smile inwardly,
imagining more discerning yet difficult words,
page stuck in an
un-thumbed thesaurus.

A set of words
once
used
cannot be deleted,
however many attempts
to push that particular button.

They remain forever
in the world,
busy about their task,
producing life or death
in the lives of you and I.

Meditation on 2 Corinthians 13 v 11

"Finally brethren, farewell. Become complete.
Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace,
and the God of love and peace will be with you."

Become complete.


It is a high calling,
and far reaching,
and totally impossible
by myself.
It is a striking challenge,
a shout across
rooftops of lives
lived in half measures
and almost there's.

Become complete.

I want to
and need to
and part of me
agrees totally.
The other parts
are still counting
the costs
and doing the maths.
(Something I have
always found
an insurmountable task.)

Become complete.
I get it
and I don't get it.
It's simple profundity
causes me confusion,
as with all matters
of life and faith
that appear startlingly
straightforward,
until you begin
to attempt them.

Live in love and peace.
What does it mean,
to be willing to lay down your life?
Meanwhile my self preservation
makes bookings for a bunker.

Become complete.
Give up
and give in
and give out
and receive in
and flow out
and I'm not quite sure
if I'm up for that today.
(Yesterday was a challenge.)

Become complete.

It wouldn't have been said
if it wasn't possible.
How do I become complete?

Meditation on Isaiah 42 verse 6

"I the Lord,
have called You in righteousness,
And will hold Your hand."

The Lord will hold my hand.

How would it be for the Lord
to hold my hand?

Strong, secure,
caring, loving,
all knowing,
never taken by surprise.

Aware of the final outcome
of any and every event.
Not flustered, unfazed,
deliberate, peaceful.

Gracious, grace filled,
grace giving and receiving.
Not condemning or judging,
allowing love and light to overcome.

Wise and understanding,
measured thoughtfulness and response.

Thinking and wanting
the best for others,
seeing them through Heaven's eyes.

Unhurried, unstressed,
in total balance,
replete and ready
to share every good gift.

Righteousness and right living,
and forgiving,
and welcoming again
any who have turned aside.

Beauty and truth,
worship and wonder.

How would it be
for the Lord to hold my hand
each day?

Try Hard

I have been
such a try hard
for God.
Trying hard
to get it all right,
say the right things,
behave the right way
in every situation.
But God loves me anyway.

I have been
so broken.
Broken in my thoughts,
what I say
and what I do.
But God loves me anyway.

I have been
so judgmental.
Judging others
for what they
say and do,
and whether they are
getting it right or not.
But God loves me anyway.

I have been
so selfish.
Thinking how to make
my life better,
more comfortable,
more successful.
But God loves me anyway.

I have been
so weak
in my faith,
not understanding
everything there is to understand.
But God loves me anyway.

I don't do
enough for others,
give enough of
what is mine.
But God loves me anyway.

I am weak
and foolish
and double minded
and imperfect
in so many ways.
I'm so glad
God loves me
anyway.