Below are poems that I have wrote in 2018. Every year I start of thinking I might never write another poem, they tend to come like waves, then all is still, until I am stirred again.

My Great God (Jan 14th 2018)

I know what a great privilege it is
For one such as thee to incline thine ear to me
To look upon one without much honor
Not upon what i am but what you would have me to be

You lead and guide with your mercy
And with such perfect grace you deem to look upon my face
I who am the least of the weakest clan
And the very air that I breathe is your exhaled grace

Father in heaven how i love you
You have heard my pleas whilst down upon my knees
I live because of your good pleasure
And have discovered a love that’s deeper than the waters of the seas

 

He took His throne (Jan 20th 2018)

The fruits of victory are not your own
They belong to Him upon His throne
For He it was that died for you
And rose again to take you through

For every part of who you are
It is the Lords and marked by scar
And nail pierced hands and wounded side
Changed you forever from deep inside

And so the victory it is won
And not by deeds that you have done
Tis His alone and looking down
Revealed the thorns that were His crown

He wore this crown for you and me
He paid the price that set us free
And when they rolled away the stone
He rose again and took His throne

 

For the day that Christ was born (Jan 24th 2018)

Daniel slept in the lion’s den
Peter slept in a prison
Jesus slept in the midst of a storm
Aren’t you glad that He has risen

Come lie down in your lion’s den
Sleep if you are in prison
Rest your head in the midst of the storm
For by His Blood you are surely forgiven

It flows when there is no way ahead
It flows when all seems lost
It flows when you are overcome
It flows by a terrible cost

Look up and see the price He paid
Look full upon Calvary’s hill
Then know that when there’s no way ahead
Just stand, covered, and be still

Be still and see the glory of our God
Be still and stand amazed
Sing with all your heart before heavens throne
Lift you voice and let Him be praised

And as you praise in the lion’s den
You will rest in the midst of the storm
You will thank our God in heaven above
For the day that Christ was born.

 

One Heart (Feb 8th 2018)

It was one heart that formed the mountains
It was one heart that tamed the mighty seas
It was one heart that raised me back to life
Twas this one heart I found upon my knees

And with this one heart I am saved forever
And this one heart has opened up the door
This one heart laid the foundations of the world
And in this one heart I will dwell forever more

It was one heart that carved out the valleys
It was one heart that planted all the trees
It was one heart that formed the little babies
Twas this one heart I found upon my knees

And with this one heart I was born again forever
And this one heart will take me gently ore
This one heart created all the heavens
And in this one heart I will dwell forever more

This one heart belongs to God the Father
And the Blood flowed from Jesus Christ His Son
And by the power of the blessed Holy Spirit
We shall all stand together here as one

One heart, one soul, one mind, one Body
One purpose in everything we do
It is this one heart that holds it all together
And it is this one heart that will see us through

 

The sun that never sets (Feb 24th)

When the rainbow bursts into a thousand pieces
And showers down into my heart
And my soul lights up with the colors of heaven
And shines out boldly into the dark

When life and all its ways flood in
And the perpetual winter is here to stay
And spring is just some distant dream
We cannot rise but fall and pray

We know there’s a bright and morning star
That rises through the depths of winters loss
And the Balm of Gilead soothes our pain
Yet we know we shall never be the same again

And twilight echoes in the sky above
Cascading down in a shower of love
And the memories fade but linger yet
Like the setting of a sun that will never truly set.

 

Lay me down (Feb 27th 2018)

Lay me down in a troubled land
I shall ever rest in the palm of your hand
My soul is refreshed by the waters of your Life
You are the Husband and the Body is your wife

I shall shout for joy from the depths of my soul
For I was broken and you made me whole
You lifted me up when I was down
It’s in Your love that I now abound

I have never hungered in a famined land
Even when I fall you make me stand
Your Living waters refresh my soul
You have replaced what my enemy stole

My leaf has not withered even in the drought
And from the mountain-tops you shall hear me shout
Glory hallelujah to the King of all the nations
I stand here not on sand but on your firm foundation

I have known your favor and Your grace rescues me
I an surrounded on every side like the deepest sea
The radiance of your beauty lights up my whole world
And Your banner over me is simply love unfurled

 

The Strings of my Heart (Mar 2nd 2018)

Wind of the Spirit play the strings of my heart
Discover who I am, each and every part
I stand before you my heavenly King
You look at me and see everything

Nothing hidden, no secrets just you and me
With eyes ablaze that can truly see
Your Blood and your love they cover my sin
And with coals of fire I am cleansed from within

There is fire in your Blood that flows from the cross
And love from above that’s more than all loss
My thoughts of these things are so very few
When I consider that now I am found in you

The strings of my heart play a glorious song
As I am swept up in a heavenly throng
The hand of My God plays a sweet melody
My heart’s in Your hand and forever shall be.

 

Towers of lost tears (Mar 6th 2018)

I was born under an angry sky
At the edge of the world in darkness
A place where the rain never ceased to fall
And boys grew up to be heartless

Tears were banished right from the start
And the foundations of the walls that surrounded our heart
Were laid deep in our souls and minds every day
It was a well-worn path and there was no other way

And the wind blew hard upon the window pane
There was never-ending darkness and never-ending rain
And the hearts of the boys grew dark in the night
Only in your dreams could you run and take flight

Still the morning would come and darkness remained
Look out of the window and it continually rained
Every blow to the heart another brick in the wall
The more you laid bare the more it grew tall

The land of broken hearts is full of high towers
Tis a black and white land ruled by darkened powers
Towers of lost tears and towers of pain
Tis full of dark clouds and continual rain

Yet there were some who spoke of a world of light
Where tears could fall and no continual night
This world had a King who had come to this land
They put nails in His feet and nails in His hand

The powers of darkness screamed in delight
As they pierced His side, this King of the Light
He had come to replace the hearts that were broken
With power and love in every word He had spoken

So they nailed the Word to the cross that day
Then they took Him down and in the cave He would lay
And they rolled a stone just to shut Him in
And the darkness fell and rejoiced in its sin

And the brokenhearted wept for their King
He had taught them to pray and taught them to sing
Yet the rain and the darkness seemed to prevail
By the power of the sword and the power of the nail

Then out through the darkness broke forth a great light
The rolled away stone revealed a glorious sight
The grave could not hold Him and death was defeated
Look up to the throne and see where He’s seated

Our King was victorious, the chains they were broken
Those asleep in the darkness were gloriously awoken
In victory He arose, He had shattered deaths spell
In the land of broken hearts the towers fell

The captives came forth their hearts were renewed
And the powers of darkness were finally subdued
No longer prisoners of the darkness and pain
Their tears were recovered and they fell like rain

 

When the sun breaks through (Mar 12th)

In my darkest moments, in the deepest seas
When deep dark waters overwhelmed my soul
I lifted my hand and raised my eyes
To see the sun break through cloudy skies

When the storm was raging and the thunder roared
And my enemy assaulted me on every side
I lifted my hand and raised my eyes
To see the sun break through cloudy skies

When hope had vanished and despair set in
And fear once again raised its ugly head
I lifted my hand and raised my eyes
To see the sun break through cloudy skies

When I was broken and all alone in the night
And the darkness tried to consume the light
I lifted my hand and raised my eyes
To see the sun break through cloudy skies

I lift my hands and raise my eyes
To see your glory ever fill the skies
Rend the heavens and let your glory fall
For you are my Lord, and you’re my all in all

 

Only in Him (Mar 27th 2018)

When you are everything
To everybody else
You will often find
That you will lose yourself

Everyone around you
Holds you lest they fall
Inside your often dying
Outside your standing tall

When all is said and done
You know it’s He Alone
If not you walk on sinking sand
And not upon the Stone

The Rock is everything
Tis the corner and the whole
And when you stand upon it
It replenishes your soul

In Christ alone we stand or fall
We approach in Him or not at all
In Him we run and never tire
In Him we fly and ever higher

 

Stephen (Mar 28th 2018)

When I was very young
A star fell from the sky
How could something beautiful
Falter and then die

The light of life shone brightly
In the struggle and the pain
And though the light it soon was gone
I’ll see that light again

Only six months in the womb
He fought for every breath
After two days here among us
His life gave way to death

Yet that star that fell from heaven
That star that shone so bright
Left his mark on me forever
Like the stars that shine at night

So Stephen, Daddy loves you
And no matter where I roam
The day is near upon us
When I’ll be coming home

Then I’ll be with you in the night sky
Perhaps I’ll sit you on my knee
When I join you in the light of Christ
Where we shall ever be.

 

And on it goes-relationships between fathers and sons. (Apr 5th 2018)

Every beat of my heart
Is the sound of footsteps in the dark
Searching,pleading, looking ,for you
Looking to find you, looking to be found

Can you see me, do you know me?
Do you even want to?
The heart keeps beating and I keep walking
Looking and looking, never dreaming of stopping

Then the steps slow down
And the heart begins to beat slower
The momentum reaches the apex then begins to fall
Slowly at first, not really noticeable, until there is nothing at all

Cant really hear the steps anymore
Maybe there are none and the heart has failed
There is only silence in the darkness, its very still
Striving’s gone, fatigue sets in and drowns the will

Somewhere in the dark
I hear the unmistakable sound of footsteps
I hear my own sons heartbeat, he says I’m over here
I stay there hidden in the darkness, the darkness is fear

And now I who searched
Hold my breath lest my heartbeat gives a sound
I don’t know why, maybe I do, maybe that’s the way it is
Running, hiding in the darkness, now it is I not wanting to be found.

 

My Defender (Apr 12th 2018)

On the solid Rock I’m standing
Safe from all the shifting sands
Jesus, Lord my God and Saviour
Holds me in His precious hands.

Who will harm me in my tower
High it is above the waves
Safe and Holy is my shelter
Jesus Christ my Saviour saves

I will sleep in peace and safety
At His feet I’ll surely rest
My corner stone and strong high tower
Stands with me through every test

So here I stand, there is no other
place that I would rather be
Upon the Rock of all the ages
Who stands upon the stormy sea

 

Lord of sky and sea (Apr 13th 2018)

Heavenly Father Lord of sky and sea
Forever you shall reign throughout eternity
The skies may fall and the seas run dry
Yet we who are yours, oh we shall never die

We magnify our glorious King of Kings
Listen closely hear the angels sing
Of who you are and who you’ll ever be
You came and died so we’re forever free

Omnipotent Father, Love that knows no end
You are our Master, Saviour Lord and friend
We bow before you and we raise our hands
Your throne in heaven it forever stands

Chorus

Now I shout from the mountains high
I belong to you, I belong to you
Let no one ever doubt that I
Am yours till the day I die.

 

My eyes shall see (May 1st 2018)

Oh Lord my God when day is almost over
And night it comes a knocking at my door
The darkness comes and threatens to consume me
And life has left me dying on the floor

Chorus

I’ll cry to you with all that is within me
My tears shall fall into your loving hands
And then once more on mountains or in valleys
My eyes shall see the one for me who ever stands

Verse 2

So Lord my God I shall forever love you
Though many tears and trials are mine to own
Your light it shines upon me in the darkness
And it’s your light, your light that leads me home

Chorus

I’ll cry to you with all that is within me
My tears shall fall into your loving hands
And then once more on mountains or in valleys
My eyes shall see the one for me who ever stands

Verse 3

When all my days are gone and are behind me
I’ll lift my eyes and see where I belong
It’s in your arms and there I’ll rest forever
I’ll walk with thee and join the heavenly throng

 

Love is the wound that bleeds (May 15th 2018)

Love becomes the wound that bleeds
From nail pierced hands and wounded side
And breaks the bread and many feeds
And forms the shadow in which we hide

Love is the blow taken in my stead
The healing balm of Gilead
The narrow path that He has tread
That led Him on to Calvary

Love is the thorn that pierced His brow
And jagged stripes upon His back
He loved me so I know not how
Hell’s hold on me began to crack

Love is the blow taken in my stead
The healing balm of Gilead
The narrow path that He has tread
That led Him on to Calvary

Love is the cry “I am forsaken”
This cry is heard before the throne
And in the valley the bones awaken
As love hangs there and dies alone

Love is the blow taken in my stead
The healing balm of Gilead
The narrow path that He has tread
That led Him on to Calvary

Love is the stone that is rolled away
The tomb that once was occupied
Now sees the light of a brand new day
The angels sang and they testified

Love is the blow taken in my stead
The healing balm of Gilead
The narrow path that He has tread
That led Him on to Calvary

Love has conquered hell and death
And healed the mortal wounds of man
Whose praises rise with every breath
And cover all of heavens span

Love is the blow taken in my stead
The healing balm of Gilead
The narrow path that He has tread
That led Him on to Calvary

 

To be where thou art (May 18th 2018)

There are dark clouds on the horizon
The storms are never far away
I’ve walked through never ending rains
And suffered many mortal pains
but in the midst of every day
I see the sun behind the clouds
I know that there are blue skies there
And I know that you are every where
Which is why I sing to you

Jesus Jesus, Saviour Lord to me
An never ending blue sky that sets my spirit free
You are my Lord you are my God
The silver lining of my heart
I’ll overcome the trials of life
To be where thou art

Thou art with me through the night-time
Your my light that shines the way
I’ll walk with your forever more
My love who never did keep score
Your in my heart and ever there to stay
My God who is high and lifted up
Who always fills my empty cup
Which is why I sing to you

Jesus Jesus, Saviour Lord to me
An never ending blue sky that sets my spirit free
You are my Lord you are my God
The silver lining of my heart
I’ll overcome the trials of life
To be where thou art

I’ll walk through every violent storm
Just to be where thou art
To be where though art.

 

We live (May 21st 2018)

We live because another died
We laugh because another cried
We rise because another fell
And rose again and conquered hell

I’m blameless because another took my blame
I’m unashamed for another took my shame
I’m no longer guilty for another took my guilt
And upon firm foundations a temple He has built

I am righteous for another took my place
I am saved for another ran the race
I am healed for another took my blows
And I’ll follow Him where ere He goes

My Lord my God my substitute
You are my vine and very root
I love because you first loved me
You died to set the captive free

You rule and reign forever more
Your the sheep for the gate, you are my door
You beckon me to walk right through
To come and rule and reign with you

 

What will the world see? (May 22nd 2018)

With every passing year
The seasons grow more impatient
With alarming speed they rush on by
Yet I slow down and I ponder why

The leaves fall from the trees
And gather together on the ground
And the wind comes and blows them all away
Every leave seems to be like a single day

As my own leaves begin to fall away
And I am being slowly stripped
of all my former beauty, as it falls to the ground
And I look around for my youth, and it can no longer be found

Finally I stand there in the middle of the field
All the foliage is gone, its just me
And the snow begins to fall all around
It gathers together deeply on the ground

The very essence of who I am now stands
The culmination of the years
I find that I am what I have been
There is nothing that was unforeseen

For inner beauty, even when the foliage is gone
remains, for it is who we truly are
Even in the depths of winter, covered in silver gray
The beauty of who we are is here to stay

The tree is always the tree no matter the foliage
And when the tree is all stripped away, there we are
The many seasons of our life has fallen to the ground
And leaves us standing there, with the leaves all around

And then the wind blows and the days and years are gone
The final season arrives in the midst of our last winter
And when there is no more cover for our old and dying tree
Will you be happy with what the world can see?

 

I can do no thing (May 24th 2018)

You can’t have a valley without a mountain
You can’t have living waters without a fountain
You cannot be a bird without wings
There aint no violins without strings

You can’t have a storm without the rain
You can’t be hurt in this life without pain
You cannot have the sun without a shadow
You cannot take the knocks without the blow

You cannot cry without shedding tears
You cannot be brave without overcoming fears
You cannot walk upon the water unless you look into His eyes
Anymore than a bird without his wings can ever hope to fly

You cannot build a new life without the old one coming down
You cannot shy away from life if you hope to wear the crown
You cannot stand for Jesus if you will not stand for truth
Sometimes to get your healing you have to tear a hole right through the roof

You cannot win the race if you refuse to run
You cannot see God’s glory if you cannot see God’s Son
You cannot win the war if you refuse to fight the battle
You cannot walk in power if you cannot wear the mantle

The valley teaches me to appreciate the mountain
Living waters teach me to appreciate the crystal fountain
The storms they teach me how to keep my eyes on Him
The beauty of His holiness teaches me to hate sin

In the end I have learned that I can do no thing
I cannot hear the violins nor hear the angels sing
Unless you give me ears to hear and eyes to truly see
And wings to cause my heart to soar and set my spirit free

 

Be still my soul (Aug 17th 2018)

Dear Father Lord, be still my soul today
Please fill me with your grace, as I walk along the way
For each new day, I arise with the morning light
And renew my strength and gird my loins to aid me in the fight

Be still my soul that I may hear my beating heart
And know with every beat, of whom I am a part
I in You and You in me, this stone shall find its place
As you build your Holy Temple and we gaze upon your face

Be still my soul and know just who you serve
Your grace it grants me favor, and not what I deserve
For when you found me Lord, I was surely dead in sin
And then you cried ” come forth my son,” and there was life within

Be still my soul and rest in pastures green
Our Lord has gone before us, to a place no eye has seen
Now rest beside still waters, then rise with each new day
Trust not thy understanding, then He will lead the way

Be still my soul come lay your burden down
Be patient in thy sufferings, and you shall wear a crown
Glory in your tribulations, for they will teach you how
To humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, to bend the knee and bow

Be still my soul then you shall hear His voice
So even in the depths,your heart shall still rejoice
And when the roll is called up yonder and the days they are no more
We shall sing the glories of the Lord on that golden distant shore

As the waters cover the sea (Sept 23rd 2018)

Though the fig tree shall not blossom
And no fruit hangs from the trees
Nor field’s of wheat for harvest
Nor fish found in the seas

I shall rejoice in the Lord my God
He is the God of my salvation
He makes me strong when I am weak
And is a light to every nation

He takes me up to higher ground
And sets my spirit free
To dance and sing and praise His name
And to come on bended knee

Even in the midst of judgement
He shall not forget His mercy
And His glory will cover all the world
And He is water to the thirsty

He is freedom to the ones in chains
He is food to those who hunger
And to those who are so very weak
The Lord is so much stronger

He is your strength to carry on
He is your strong high tower
He has filled you with His Holy Ghost
And so endued you with His power

So glorify the Living God
For His mercy endures forever
He is strong when you are weak
And has the power to deliver

Walk on dear saint you’re not alone
For your God He sits upon His throne
Night and day He never sleeps
He is the comforter to all who weeps

So in the midst of darkness stand in light
Walk in the day for comes the night
When the enemy roars in like a mighty flood
We shall not drown who are covered by His Blood

 

Clothe me in your love (Sept 28th 2018)

Open up your heart oh Lord
And clothe me with your love
Surround me with your glory Lord
For I could never get enough

I’ve walked through many desert lands
And the nights were very cold
Yet I am wrapped in your great love
And your glory forever takes its hold

I have run through many fires and floods
And never drowned nor was engulfed
For I am hid in the depths of your heart
And my enemies were repulsed

I have climbed the tallest mountains
And there seemed no way ahead
Yet you oh Lord you strengthened me
And showed me steps that must be tred

I have traversed the deepest valley’s
In the darkness you held me fast
Your light it shone in golden streams
And led me home at last

I have run the race that you have set
I have lived to tell your story
And now that you’re so very near
I am surrounded by your glory

 

Draw me ever nearer. (Oct 7th 2018)

Anoint me Lord for all my days
That I may walk with you a ways
Not just to follow where you led
But walk to where you died and bled

To walk with you sets my heart on fire
To walk with you lifts me ever higher
Not only shall I take your lead
But stand and fight and die and bleed

For I could follow from afar
And you could be my true north star
But when we walk both hand in hand
Forever on the Rock I stand

Tis one thing Lord to follow You
Believe the Word every part be true
It’s another for the world to see
That you Oh King doth dwell in me

For then I am both salt and light
And they behold your glorious sight
Your perfect love casts out all fear
When you to me are very near

Draw nigh to me then I to you
With power from on high endue
Then you shall walk each day with power
And know you need me every hour

 

You are not alone (Oct 25th 2018)

You may feel very lonely saint, but you are not alone
There is one who walks with you and sits upon His throne
You may feel very tired, this old world has got you down
But the one who dwells within your heart will always be around

You may be troubled on every side but know you will survive
For remember you were dead in sin but now you are alive
The light that dwells within you is the light from up above
He breathed into your very lungs and filled your heart with love

You may have battled with despair but joy comes in the morning
The darkness tries to lie to you and fill your heart with mourning
Yet deep within your very heart sits the one upon His throne
And then when all seems lost to you, you’ll find your not alone

He is our very present help in the times we are in need
For the one for whom the Son sets free is surely free indeed
Free to call upon His name in the darkness or in the light
He’s with us through deep waters and He guides us through the night

So precious saint consider this, consider His great love
Consider He came down to us from the glories of above
He loves you so He died for you He will never leave you alone
He forever intercedes for you before His Father’s throne

 

The Lion roars and I am free (Nov 28th 2018)

I thank you Lord for broken chains
I thank you Lord that our God reigns
In heaven above and the earth below
You came that all the world might know

That heaven’s gates are opened wide
And flowing waters run deep inside
And I am redeemed and forever set free
And before your throne I’ll forever be

The Lamb of God rises in my heart
The Blood of the Lamb covers every part
Of who I am and forever shall be
The Lion roars and I am free

I run to you my Lord and King
Once had no voice but now I sing
Like a bird that rises on the eternal breeze
To the one who loves and forever frees

I thank you Lord for your holiness
I thank you Lord when I’m in distress
That you are there like you said you would
And in the depths of me I am understood

The Lamb of God rises in my heart
The Blood of the Lamb covers every part
Of who I am and forever shall be
The Lion roars and I am free

The Lion roars and I am free
The lion roars and I am free

 

Soldiers of the valley (Dec 6th 2018)

The bones are rising in the valley
The wind of the Spirit’s drawing near
Like a flood He is raising up a standard
That sweeps away every doubt and fear

An army’s rising in the desert
A broken people devoted to His name
At their head rides the Lord of all salvation
For since they met Him they have never been the same

Their songs of battle rises to the heavens
And all the world is shaken by the noise
The gates of hell begin to crack and crumble
And the hosts of heaven marvel and rejoice

Listen closely ye soldiers of the valley
Overcomers in the name of Christ the Lord
We are marching onwards unto glory
Behind the one who ever wields the sword

So march on my brothers and my sisters
And stand now for all the world to see
In lockstep we shall ever stand together
We are marching right on to victory

For we know the outcome of the battle
And we know what surely lies ahead
For we, the army of the risen
Once lay broken, battered cold and dead

Now we are the dry bones risen
To the heights of heaven we have scaled
The breath of life came down into the valley
He breathed out life and His soldiers all inhaled.

 

If I die (Dec 18th 2018)

If I ever have to leave you
Just know that I’ll be there
I’ll be the bird that sings the morning song
And the sunlight in your hair

When you see the wind blow in the trees
And at night the falling star
And you hear the whispers in the breeze
You will know that I’m not far

For our love so true shall never end
It was birthed from God above
He took His ink and thus He penned
The story of our love

And so before the world began
Our story it was written
And across the heavens it did span
That you and I be smitten

So even though I leave you now
And my time on earth be finished
Yet listen love please hear me now
Our love is not diminished

It was by His hand it came to life
This love that’s made us one
And forever you shall be my wife
And shine like the eternal sun.

 

He is my mast. (Dec 30th 2018)

The storm is raging all around
And it seems you’ll be swept away
Wave after wave assaults your soul
Will you see the light of another day?

In that desperate moment when all is lost
You lash yourself to the mast
That it may hold you firm in the mighty storm
And all your hopes upon Him you have cast

Who will you cling to when all is lost
Who is your solid ground
Who sticks closer than a brother to you
When no one else can be found

Who is a Father to the fatherless
And who gladly took your place
Who comforts you when no one’s around
Who’s love is amazing grace?

In Christ our King we stand or fall
To you and I He’s all in all
In every dark and stormy night
He gives us strength to stand and fight

He is our Mast and we are one
And He shall finish what He’s begun
He is the ground beneath our feet
He is our Lord the Mercy seat

Take hope my child I stand with you
And I will lead and guide you through
Through wind and rain and stormy gale
In I alone you shall prevail

As the night is lit with lightening flashes
From this darkness shall come beauty from ashes
I rebuke the wind and still the waves
I am still the Lord who ever saves

Anoint me Lord for all my days
That I may walk with you a ways
Not just to follow where you led
But walk to where you died and bled

Open up your heart oh Lord
And clothe me with your love
Surround me with your glory Lord
For I could never get enough

I’ve walked through many desert lands
And the nights were very cold
Yet I am wrapped in your great love
And your glory forever takes its hold

I have run through many fires and floods
And never drowned nor was engulfed
For I am hid in the depths of your heart
And all my enemies were repulsed

I have climbed the tallest mountains
And there seemed no way ahead
Yet you oh Lord you strengthened me
And showed me steps that must be tred

I have traversed the deepest valley’s
In the darkness you held me fast
Your light it shone in golden streams
And led me home at last

I have run the race that you have set
I have lived to tell your story
And now that you’re so very near
I am surrounded by your glory

I wrote a poem called ” I asked for a rose,” which a sister in the Lord later put to music. I have included it at the end of this piece. I wrote it at a time when I was very discouraged. I was in the midst of several major challenges in my life, one of those times where troubles and trials seem to come one after another. One time when I was swimming in the ocean, I was heading towards a large inflatable raft that was moored about 25 yards from the shoreline. I caught a wave right in the face, and when I came up for breath I caught another one at the exact moment I was trying to catch a breath, this happened three times and I thought for a moment that I would drown. This was what this period in my life was like, one trial after another hitting me in the face. There was no recovery period and it felt like I was being swept away and would go under.

For years now I have walked and prayed every day. As I was walking I was crying out to the Lord that I just wanted some peace. I wanted to lie down in pastures green, I wanted, no I longed to be in a place of rest and tranquility. I had shared for years that such a place could be found in the very depths of the valley and believe that with all of my heart, but this day was a very low day and I could find no peace and I longed for some encouragement from the Lord. I walked on and a story came to my mind. It was a story that I had used many times when sharing with others personally and from the platform. It was a true story about a man who went to the supermarket every week to buy his wife a single rose because he loved her. One week he went in and picked a rose and headed to the checkout to pay for it. He saw an older women standing there and the Holy Spirit spoke to him, the Lord simply said ” give the woman your rose.” That was all he heard, no explanation.

This was a man of God who loved the Lord with all of his heart but he struggled at this request. He was fearful which seemed silly but he was. He wondered what the woman would think of him. Even although she was much older, would she thing he was trying to hit on her? Most of all the man just feared that she would think he was a weirdo. Yet, the command persisted, give the lady the rose. So, he took a deep breath, walked over and said to the woman ” I know you are going to think this is strange, but the Lord has asked me to give you this rose.” He held out the rose and with a trembling hand she slowly took it but not before large tears drops began to roll down her cheek. She tried to compose herself, her lower lip trembling, she told the man. “My husband died six months ago and this morning I was overwhelmed with Loss and loneliness. I cried out to God and asked Him if He had forgotten men. And now you have handed me this rose. You see, my husband used to buy me a rose every week, the Lord has answered my prayers, now I know He has not forgotten me.” The man was stunned.

As I walked, pondering this story, feeling very discouraged, I cried out to the Lord that I would “like a rose,” meaning that I would like to be encouraged like that. About an hour later I received a call. It was from a dear old friend and saint whom I had not heard from in a few years. She was a lot older than me, been on the road for a long time and very sensitive to the Lord. She told me that the Lord had laid me upon her heart and she spent the next thirty minutes telling me how much I ministered to her over the years and so on. I was deeply encouraged by her words but more than that, I knew that this was the Lord Himself responding to me, encouraging me. I had asked for a rose and He had given me a garden, hence the name of the poem. Maybe you are deeply discouraged today. The trials of life have stacked up against you, you just long for a place of peace. You long to be found in the depths of Him. You simply need a touch from Him. Perhaps in the reading of this piece the Lord is answering your prayers, reminding you that He has not forgotten about you and that He loves you deeply and cares for you. Ask for your rose this morning and then walk in the depths of His glorious garden as you listen to this song.

When my wife and I were 17, we had a son called Stephen. It is amazing how much effect he has had upon my life although he only lived for two days. Every life is precious. Our son was only six months in the womb and weighed only two pounds, he fought for every breath, he fought for life. Even after the machines were switched off, he still fought. Yet in some other darkened ward, a child just like ours life was being snuffed out. God sees it all and weeps for the lost generations of children.

Stephen

When I was very young
A star fell from the sky
How could something beautiful
Falter and then die

The light of life shone brightly
In the struggle and the pain
And though the light it soon was gone
I’ll see that light again

Only six months in the womb
He fought for every breath
After two days here among us
His life gave way to death

Yet that star that fell from heaven
That star that shone so bright
Left his mark on me forever
Like the stars that shine at night

So Stephen, Daddy loves you
And no matter where I roam
The day is near upon us
When I’ll be coming home

Then I’ll be with you in the night sky
Perhaps I’ll sit you on my knee
When I join you in the light of Christ
Where we shall ever be.