A Privilege

We have the privilege to pray 

For the people in our lives thanks to God .

To be faithful can make an indelible 

Impact that will remain 

Even after we are gone .

Just as God continues 

To work out the answers.

To our prayers .

Remember , the impact 

Of our prayers out lives us .

                          I Love You All

                          By Brock

                          Smiley

Those Moments

In those moments when I am feeling defeated ,

I can find peace in the presence of God .

The weariness never last 

Because God at the right time 

Steps in to surround me with love .

Love that will never let me go .

Then I know that God did not bring 

Me this far to leave me .

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                                     By Brock

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I Wonder

When you do not go far 

And never fast .

Wonder working God 

I hand over this battle to you .

I trust in your strength 

And your promises .

Lord teach me how to pray ,

Hope and not worry .

Dear Lord thank You for creating me 

And giving me breath 

And for giving me hope

Every morning noon and night .

                             I Love You All

                             By Brock

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God Knows

God knows how to blend 

The messy circumstances

In our lives to help us grow  .

When we trust the Master Inventor 

To create something new from the explosions 

That disrupt our lives ,

Personal growth can take place .

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                                                 By Brock

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The Key Gift

When you are tempted  ,

God will show you a way 

Out so you can endure.

Submit to God 

And be at peace with Him ,

In this way prosperity 

Will come your way 

Therefore as you receive 

Christ Jesus the Lord 

To walk in Him ,

Remember , you need to realize 

That needing Him is the key to knowing 

Him is the key to knowing Him intimately 

Is the gift above all gifts .

                                       I Love You All

                                       By Brock

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I Know

Spurring one another on can be easy

As an encouraging word after church ,

Give your loved ones a mask to wear  

So you can see them again ,

Send them snap shots from the past ,

And happy memories to share .

It can even be anonymous .

You can have a huge positive 

Impact on someone's life and faith

Even when you pray for them .

                                        I Love You All

                                        By Brock

                                        Smiley

We Do Not Go Alone

We all have our memories .

We are also tied to one another .

Remember , the body is not made up

Of one part , but of many .

We are not isolated .

Just the opposite 

If one member suffers ,

All the members suffer .

As believers in Jesus ,

Members of God's family ,

We move toward one another .

In the pain , into the sorrow ,

Into those murked places 

Where we would fear to go along ,

But thankfully we do not go alone .

                                  I Love You All

                                  By Brock

                                  Smiley

Oh Mom

Learning from my mom's 

Constant prayers for me 

Prompted me to think 

About the ways God's provision

Has been evident throughout my life .

I pray and praise and thank God 

Because of my disability 

I have gained a greater understanding 

Of God's power is made perfect in weakness .

                                               I Love You All

                                               By Brock

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Faithful Living

Faithful living is easy when everything is going smoothly 

And according to my wishes .

When I am tested and the reality 

Is not to my liking or unsatisfying ,

My circumstance may cause my faith to falter .

I know there will be challenges ahead  .

I also know that God will help me 

As I hold to the promise 

That God's plan will be for my good  .

I am determined to center my heart 

And thoughts on the fruit of my spirit ,

Love ,peace , joy , patience , generosity ,

Faithfulness , meekness , kindness , self control

And continue to learn and gain spiritual maturity 

With faithful living always .

                                               I Love You All

                                               By Brock

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The Moment

  

The moment we realize 

That the dragons of life are too big for us .

Is the moment we can begin to rest in Christ's rescue .

But thanks to God ,

He gives us the victory to me and you 

Through our Lord Jesus Christ .

                                   I Love You All

                                   By Brock

                                   Smiley

He Will Never Leave

I believe that God sent us 

The encouragement we need 

At the exact moment we need it 

Through songs , experience ,

Other people and the Bible .

I have experienced this in my 

Own life and I have witnessed

It in the lives of others .

We all serve a mighty God .

Whatever we are facing today ,

We can trust that God is here for us .

God will never leave us or forsake us 

And we are never alone .

                                         I Love You All

                                         By Brock

                                         Smiley

The Wisdom

Where can we get the wisdom we need ?

Solomon said the beginning of wisdom 

Is when you have fear 

We can start by asking Him 

To teach us about himself 

And to give us wisdom 

Beyond our own .

                           I Love You All

                           By Brock

                           Smiley

A Knock

No matter  how many years

We are given  ,

Life's hardships will come 

Knocking at our door 

However our God reaches 

Out to us and holds us 

In His strong tender hands .

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                      By Brock

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How Much

I wonder if a little of God's truth

Added to my life could grow and create change 

Until it affects my whole being .

I wonder how much God's word is changing me 

Without noticing .

How much change will continue to happen 

If I add more scripture to my heart day after day ?

Yes , the possibilities fill me with excitement 

And yes true hope .

                                                 I Love You All

                                                 By Brock

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Make Time

We listen intentionally

To God by turning 

From our distractions .

Ho to meet Him in prayer .

God is not distant .

He longs for us to make time for Him

So He can be the priority 

Of our daily lives and then for eternity .

                                          I Love You All

                                          By Brock

                                          Smiley

Be Grateful

As I get older 

And the days keep passing by ,

A deep sense of gratitude 

For my family , my friends ,

My life , my home , our country 

And even my struggles 

Started to settle deep in my soul .

I have come to realize 

How gratitude can lead us 

To fulfillment and ultimately Joy

In our lives .

                                 I Love You All

                                 By Brock

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God Weeps

God weeps with us 

In our suffering 

In our sorrow 

God understands

Our hurts and grieves with us 

Remember , God calls us 

To enter into the sorrow 

And suffering of all our neighbors 

Even those we have not met 
Think about all this 

                             I Love You All

                             By Brock

                             Smiley

Be Strong

Spiritual disciplines are the means

Of grace that enables us to send 

Our deep roots  ,

To anchor us in God's word .

The faithful practice of worship ,

Prayer and service can help

Fuel the grace 

We need to thrive as co-workers 

With God .

We can shine brightly and good works 

Will glorify our father in Heaven .

                                          I Love You All

                                          By Brock

                                          Smiley

His Way

God's way is perfect 

The Lord's word is flawless .

He shields all who take refuge 

In Him .

I rejoice at your word 

Like one who finds great spirit .

Lord guide my step by Your word ,

So that I will not be overcome by evil .

                                       I Love You All

                                       By Brock

                                       Smiley

The Stress And Worry

Today I have the stress and worry 

For the future I will face .

I know my concerns are minimal

In the grand scheme of things .

I need to believe in peace ,

That God will provide for me 

And trust the Lord .

The core message is that Christians 

Can share with others 

Because learning to trust God's provision 

Is one of the most universal facets 

Of the human experience .

                                 I Love You All

                                 By Brock

                                 Smiley

Irrational Fears

God does answer me .

God's answer to me could have 

Brought more fear 

But the peace He gave because 

Of His own remembrance 

Of me was exactly what I needed .

It was the start of discovering 

That God is even closer than a parent 

Or anyone else and He knows the way 

To help us with everything .

Even our irrational fears .

God knows what to do .

Do you know what to do ?

                   I Love You All

                   By Brock

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The Lord's Word

The Lord's word is a lamp to my feet ,

And a light to my path .

Even more blessed are all who hear 

The word of God 

And put it into practice .

Remember , the grass

Withers and the flowers fall ,

But the word of God endures forever .

                                     I Love You All

                                     By Brock

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Loving Him

Loving God with all our strength

Means volunteering our time ,

Talents , care and resources for God 

And others

No work is menial or degrading 

In the service of God .

Every act of service is holy and pleasing

To God ,

                                           I Love You All

                                           By Brock
                                           Smiley

The Distractions

Many distractions and activities

Fight for our attention ,

From the technology of small phones 

And computer screens 

To the rush of day to day chores and business .

Yet none of this can compare to the melodies ,

Art and miracles of God's creation .

                                                    I Love You All

                                                    By Brock

                                                    Smiley

Freedom

None of us can go back .

But we can all look forward 

To what lies ahead .

We can choose God today 

And every day .

Trusting God each day 

Is living in freedom .

Remember , God can set us free .

                              I Love You All

                              By Brock

                              Smiley

Open Eyes

Open my eyes to see 

How you want to use me today .

Unseen Father thank You 

For giving me reason to believe 

That Your vision and love 

For all are better and wider 

Than my love for myself and my own 

Father , forgive me for the times 

I lost sight of You in the midst 

Of life's difficulties .

Help me to see You with fresh eyes .

                                    I Love You All

                                    By Brock

                                    Smiley

A Yielded Heart

There is a disease of loneliness ,

It can quickly turn feverish .

Your mind can be overcome with longing 

For someone or something 

To make us feel less lonesome .

Loneliness is not found by seeking 

Note worthy object 

Or accomplishing a great task .

Loneliness can be cured by simply 

Drenching our self in God's grace .

The best way to drench our self 

Is to consistently pray 

And the praying will bring out 

A loneliness joy dripping with grace 

And restore in mind and spirit .

                               I Love You All

                               By Brock

                               Smiley

Happy Day

What a happy day it will be, ,

When  a mystery becomes something ,

We embrace with eyes of faith .

Instead of trying to understand it .

Let us look at the crucifix 

With eyes of faith

And you can not miss the truth

That Jesus gave his flesh 

For the life of this world .

                 I Love You All

                 By Brock

                 Smiley

Kindness

Kindness is the language 

The dumb can speak 

And the deaf understood .

Prejudice is being down 

Oh what we are not up on .

The kindly word that falls today 

May bear its fruit tomorrow 

To speak kindly does not hurt 

The tongue 

Remember ,

Be kind to everyone 

You meet is fighting 

Some kind of hard battle

So be kind every day 

To everyone OK Smiley .

            I Love You All

            By Smiley

We Are Waiting

When we question God ,

We may not expect a response .

We may not quite understand 

God's plan but we wait .

We remain steadfast and wait 

For God's reply .

When we pray we confirm our faith 

And obedience to God .

God always works for our good .

                                I Love You All

                                By Brock

                                Smiley

I Realized

I realized that I need God's help .

I need to draw closer to God 

By reading my Bible more often 

And praying for guidance .

As I pray that my light 

Will shine more brightly 

And truly point others to God .

                         I Love You All

                         By Brock

                         Smiley

A Difficult Time

During my difficult time 

God uses a singer's gift 

To connect with and encourage me .

Thank you dad .

I can hear you even today .

Each day I can use the gifts 

You and God have given me 

To move upward and press forward 

And hopefully encourage others 

Along the way .

With God there truly is no limit 

Especially if you are called Smiley !

                               I Love You All

                               By Smiley

                               Smiley

Who Will

There is a job to be done

Everyone was sure that somebody 

Would do it .

Anyone could do it

But nobody did it 

Somebody would do it 

Anyone could do it 

But nobody did it 

So will you do the job ?

Oh who will do it tomorrow !

                         I Love You All

                         By Brock

                         Smiley

 

My Mighty Friend

I have a friend a mighty friend 

Upon His power I may depend .

He is always deep in my heart 

And He is all I need .

I can always depend on Him .

I pray that God is my source of hope .

He will fill me completely with joy 

And peace because I trust Him .

You have been my hope 

And my confidence since my youth 

And now that I am getting older too .

                                     I Love You All

                                     By Brock

                                     Smiley

Our Situation

No matter our situation today 

We too can rejoice in the beautiful ways 

Our heavenly Father restores us 

With fresh hope including 

Through His creation .

When we feel down .

Reflecting on His glory 

And splendor will bolster us .

He will strengthen the feeble hands

And steady the knees that give away .

Remember a few flowers rekindle our hope 

So does our hope giving God .

                                           I Love You All

                                           By Brock

                                           Smiley

A Leap

 

When we take a leap of faith ,

We can grow stronger 

From difficult situations 

By stepping in them in faith 

Rather than running away from them .

In  doing so we gain experience 

That will help us to navigate 

Our way with courage 

And joy as we journey with God .

                              I Love You All

                              By Brock

                              Smiley

I Realized

 

I realized that I need God's help .

I need to draw closer to God 

By reading my Bible more often 

And praying for guidance .

As I pray that my light 

Will shine more brightly 

And truly point others to God .

                        I Love You All

                        By Smiley

                        Smiley

Family Hunt

well we went hunting
we went North of St Lawrence
I put cans on the road and hit them
so Sawyer could see and say that I hit some cans !!!!
then we ended up at gas station in Wessington  where you Lexi work
oh a truck passed us on A gravel road
and the dust was so bad Sawyer was upset he could see the road for a bit
oh we at the station

A New Way

Since I have begun to pray 

In a new way ,

Instead of complaining to God ,

I now seek insight to discover 

My role in the face of suffering .

The image of Jesus laughing 

Because not only about humor 

But also about liberation 

And understanding 

My role in God's world .

                  I Love You All

                  By Brock

                  Smiley

My Dad

We can all strive to accomplish

The good things and we have the opportunity 

To do that and that was my dad .

When we ask God to give us 

Opportunities to serve ,

We need not worry 

About the size of its outcome .

God will work through us 

To provide meaningful results ,

Whether we see them in our lifetime

Or not .

Thank you dad and thank you God .

                                    I Love You All

                                    By Brock

                                    Smiley

God's Peace Increases

 Prayer can help keep our worries

From resurfacing .

If we practice praying 

When we are worried 

It can become a habit .

I think overtime our worries

Thoughts and negative feelings 

May be decreases 

As God's peace increases .

                         I Love You All

                         By Brock

                         Smiley

Have Faith

Let me hear in the morning 

Of Your steadfast love ,

For in You I trust .

Make me know the way 

I should go ,

For to You I lift up my soul .

I know I should not be afraid .

I need to have faith always .

With God I will take courage 

And not be afraid .

                             I Love You All

                             By Brock

                             Smiley

Cheering

Today everyone is running

The race of life 

And hunting for pheasants 

And being encouraged by family 

And friends 

And those in heaven today .

When the race is long 

Or we come upon hills 

And a lot of trees ,

We may think there is no way 

We can find a bird 

Or even make it to the blockers .

But God and our supporters cheer ,

You can do it !

Before we know it 

We can look back and see 

All the distance we have covered 

With the help of our cloud in the sky 

Of witnesses (Tiny and Jimmy ) .

                                 I Love You All

                                 By Brock

                                  Smiley

Each Of Us

Each of us have value 

Because of who Jesus is 

And what Jesus did 

And dose for us .

And that can not be taken away .

When we remember that Jesus 

Is the basis for our self worth ,

We can be confident in telling 

Anyone no matter how rich ,

Successful or educated 

About Jesus anytime 

                     I Love You All

                     By Brock

                     Smiley

When I Am

When I am distraught 

And feel hopeless , 

Jesus rescues me .

Now I can feel safe and secure 

In my relationship with Him .

He loves me , pursues me , finds me ,

Saves me and promises to never

Let me go .

                                 I Love You All

                                 By Brock

                                 Smiley

Big And Small

I realized that many things 

Big and small can scare me .

But even amid my fears ,

I can continue to believe 

That God is with me 

No matter what happens .

When I pray and put my heart 

In God ,

God will give me peace 

In my heart .

I do not have to fear ,

Because when I am with God 

He and I are more than conquerors .

                              I Love You All

                              By Brock

                              Smiley

The Storm

While I might fear for my life .

In the storm , ( pandemic )

God remains unthreatened .

If I choose to focus on the storm ,

It will inevitably overtake me .

I know if I choose to focus 

On God's presence and power ,

I can be confident that my circumstance 

Holds no power against the Master 

Of wind and wave or pandemic 

For God is in control of everything .

                                  I Love You All

                                  By Brock

                                  Smiley

We Wish

We wish a child that is lost 

Would return to the parents 

With tears in her eyes .

We hope someday 

She will witness 

And hear the most 

Beautiful message ,

A message far better 

Than the one she normally hears .

We hope it opens her eyes 

And help change her attitude .

We hope she prays someday 

And opens her eyes and helps 

Her attitude .

                               I Love You All

                               By Brock

                               Smiley

It Is Not Easy

Jesus did not promise us 

That following him 

Would not be easy .

It may be seem 

Safer to keep 

To our usual routines

And wear a mask 

Rather than take a risk 

By speaking about and acting 

On our faith .

But remember  James telling us 

That if we faithfully persevere ,

The Lord promises us a great reward .

                                       I Love You All

                                       By Brock

                                       Smiley

To Grow

Growing spiritually requires rooting 

Into the love of God meditating 

On the truth that we are beloved 

By God who is able to do immeasurably 

More than all we ask or imagine 

Yes what an incredible basis for our faith 

                                            I Love You All

                                            By Brock

                                            Smiley

In The Clamor

In the clamor of my day ,

Finding the place of prayer

May be a challenge ,

But it is always worth it .

I sit a moment with the Lord 

Whose first language is silence .

I am held by You ,

And I am loved by You always .

Thank You Lord I love you 

Every day of my life .

 Even at 68!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                    I Love You All

                    By Brock

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God Will Meet Us

God meets us where we are 

Overburdened , tired ,running on empty .

God is the provider of the gift 

Of food at meal time ,

God is also the giver of renewed 

Energy , contentment and balance 

For the hour ahead .

By quietly entering into God's presence ,

We offer a moment of gratitude

And receive the peace God promises .

                                     I Love You All

                                     By Brock

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Wise Counsel

Soften my hardness , stubborn heart 

Loving God so I can truly live in unity 

So help me to be open to wise counsel .

Lord help me to surrender my independence .

When criticism strikes or a dispute hurts me .

Guard my tongue in humble honor of You .

You are here for me for more than enough 

For the threats I will face today .

Give me the wisdom and strength 

To walk with You .

Yes , I am always in need of wisdom .

I want to follow you always .

Open my eyes and ears with Your wisdom 

So that I may see and hear You

In a new way today .

                                I Love You All

                                By Brock

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Oh Mom

Many church members 

Perform the roles that seem 

To fade into the background .

Mom typed for the church 

At no cost .

She collected donations 

For many projects .

She was always on 

A church committee .

She even stocked 

The church kitchen .

No matter how minor 

The jobs seem 

All her jobs were important 

To the life of the church .

                        I Love You All

                        By Brock

                        Smiley

God Wants

God wants us to move beyond 

Our fear and shame .

God wants us to live openly ,

Honestly , into the fullness 

Of who and what we are 

Oh who God created us to be 

That means entering a space 

Of compassion and vulnerability 

The way Jesus did .

Often it is in those moments of raw ,

Unabashed honesty 

That God speaks through us most powerfully .

                                             I Love You All

                                             By Brock

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You Can Always Come Home

When you have threats from the outside 

And you ride the waves of pain .

When you go outside and cry out to God ,

Remember , in the course of every day 

We encounter challenges 

That we feel will never go away 

And we will hurt forever .

With God's presence things will change 

For the better .

We need to trust that God is listened 

When we pray .

Remember , you can always come home 

To your loved ones and God 

And we all will always welcome you home always .

                                                       I Love You All

                                                       By Brock 

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He Is Here

Jesus reminds me of the importance 

Of caring for the needs of those around us .

Remember Christ lives around us ,

And although we can not see him face to face ,

We can see him in the faces of others .

We can reflect Christ's love through our action .

Every day , we have the opportunity to reach out 

To those in need 

And show them God's love .

Christ wants us to be God's hands 

To touch them ,

God's ears to listen to their cries 

And God's heart to love them .

                               I Love You All

                               By Brock

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Find Joy

Jesus has given me guidance 

I need .

I must drop my signs and follow him .

With Jesus by my side ,

I can ascend the mountain 

Of my fear and move forward 

Despite obstacles 

And with confidence in Jesus' love ,

I can find love and joy in my life's journey .

                                           I Love You All

                                           By Brock

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His Love

Are you disappointed 

And tired of laboring for love .

There is a trust in all of us 

To be loved and cared for .

We thirst and work so hard 

For attention and love 

That can truly be found in God .

Jesus says that His love is freely given ,

Without an ounce of human labor involved .

He does all the hard work for us 

In his perfectly obedient life ,

Death and resurrection .

As we abide in Jesus ,

The father's love is on us 

And the Holy Spirit impresses us 

With the certainty of God's love and favor .

With our thirst quenched , our worship crises 

Wherever we are .

                                           I Love You All

                                           By Brock

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The Pressure

I do not always understand 

Or like the pressure or heat 

Of life's tough times .

I believe that God uses them 

To make me to be .

I believe in the love and goodness  of God .

When I place my life in God's hands each day ,

I can trust that God is at work 

In me for my ultimate spiritual good 

And for God's ultimate glory .

                                  I Love You All

                                  By Brock

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Hope And Confidence

 

Blessed are those who trust in the Lord 

And have made the Lord their hope and confidence .

The Lord will be your confidence 

And will keep your foot from being caught .

We have placed our confidence in Him ,

And He will continue to rescue us .

Christ now gives us courage and confidence ,

So that we can come to God by faith .

The fruit of that righteousness will be peace ,

Its effect will be quietness and confidence forever .

                                                  I Love You All

                                                  By Brock

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Talk To Him

When you start talking to God 

In a conversation way .

I feel closer and speak more often 

To God that I would if I only prayed 

On my knees morning and night .

I can have these prayer conversations 

As I ride my bike , drive a car or run ,

Drink tea or I wake up to a new day 

Or sit out in the dark .

Anytime can be a good time 

For a conversation with God .

                          I Love You All

                          By Brock

                          Smiley

Watching Me

I hope people were not looking 

At my physical changes ?

That they were watching 

Me run or walk with God .

My strength that comes from God 

Has been encouraging to others .

Through my running or walking 

Has never been easy ,

It is comforting to know 

That my faith is helping others .

Like most people .

I want to look appealing 

To myself and others .

But while circumstanes 

And age have changed my appearance ,

I am learning to look beyond 

My physical imperfections .

I may look different on the outside ,

But my relationship with God 

Will last throughout eternity .

                                I Love You All

                                By Brock

                                Smiley

An Echo

When I have an echo ,

I think about how the word

Of God can be like an echo 

In our heart and thoughts 

Not just for seconds 

But through many years 

They bring me hope for my life 

                               I love You All

                               By Brock

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A Little Sip

Our time together is like 

Having our thirst quenched .

All we need is just a little sip .

I know that God satisfies 

Our thirsty souls .

Remember praying does not 

Have to be complicated 

Or follow a certain ritual .

It is simply talking to God 

As a friend , coming to our creator .

Honestly and openly about our cares 

And concerns .

When my friend and I end our time together ,

We say good by I love yea brother 

Knowing that we both can continue 

Our conversation with God .

                                              I Love You All

                                              By Brock

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Spike And Grandma's Dog

I often remember my dog Spike and grandma's dog .

When I encounter problems and sense God encouraging me 

To be more trusting .

Do I resist when God wants to pick me up and pull me through ,

Or do I walk closer and allow God to carry me ?

As I continue to experience God's trustworthiness ,

I know I am always secure when I draw near to God 

And talk to and be with the dogs that are and have  been in my life .

You know what I mean .

I can always talk to a dog

And he will understand me alway .

                                                     I Love You All

                                                     By Brock

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Changes

I am not what I once was .

Aging and pain have changed 

My physical appearance 

But I keep running .

Because of God's abiding love 

And guidance ,

I still have value .

I take comfort in knowing 

That I am an ever evolving creation .

I know my physical changes 

And action can speak of God's power

And renewing presence in my life .

                                     I Love You All

                                      By Brock

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My Little Grandson

 

At times I may be like my little grandson .

When life does not go our way ,

I can become scared or feel 

Like I am at the end of my rope .

Our Father God knows

How to give perfect love 

To comfort all of us in our 

Hopelessness and fear .

When we are at our lowest ,

God wants to surround us 

With comfort and peace 

And to remember be still 

And know that God is with us always .

                                     I Love You All

                                     By Brock

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Give Me

Give me words that bring peace ,

Grace and encouragement .

Please help me to cling 

To You in trust today 

Jesus teach me to see the door 

You have opened for me 

To show you love and give me 

The courage 

To tell others about you ,

I would like to take your hand 

And let You lead me .

Sovereign God thank You for powering 

Me to walk in sure footed faith 

That crosses generational lines .

All things pass God reminds us .

Lord thank you for being my stronghold 

During life's ups and downs .

Thanks for giving me all that you have for me .

                                                   I Love You All

                                                   By Brock

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Grandma's Rosary

Over and over , I remember the image 

Of my grandma saying the rosary .

From her example I have learned 

That God alone gives me strength 

In my weakness , like in the darkness ,

Comfort in my distress ,

And eternal life in my death .

God used my grandma's simple 

But profound example 

To help me in my journey toward God .

As I practice and pray my faith today .

I never know what impact it might 

Have on someone else 

Or how God might use me .

Let us all live out our faith 

So that others can see 

And hear the love of God .

                    I Love You All

                    By Brock

                    Smiley

Love

The Father loves the son .

The Son loved what the Father loved 

And it is us .

We are beloved children of God .

As we trust that love 

We imitate God by loving 

What He loves 

Like the people around us .

It is not up to us to muster up 

Love on our own .

The Spirit of Jesus lives in us ,

Reminding and enabling us 

To live in love .

                          I Love You All

                          By Brock

                          Smiley

The Treasure Of Wisdom

Does any kind of treasure give reason 

To stop and think ?

A father will tell his son about how 

Wisdom is one thing 

Worth seeking at any cost .

Wisdom will lead us through life ,

Keeps us from stumbling 

And gives us honor .

The wisdom that comes from heaven 

Is first of all pure , peace loving ,

Considerate , submissive , full of mercy 

And good fruit , impartial and sincere .

When we seek wisdom ,

We find all kinds of good things 

Flourishing in our lives .

To seek wisdom is ultimately 

To seek God ,

The source of all wisdom and understanding .

The wisdom that comes from above 

Is worth more than any 

Buried treasure we could ever imagine .

                                         I Love You All

                                         By Brock

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He Blesses Us

He takes up my pain 

And bore out suffering .

God blesses us who patiently

Endure testing and temptation .

Afterwards we will receive 

The crown of life 

That God has promised 

To us who love Him .

We are afflicted in every way ,

But not crushed , perplexed 

But not driven to dispair , persecuted ,

But not forsaken 

Stuck down but not broken .

                               I Love You All

                               By Brock

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Pray For Them

God moved through our prayers 

To accomplish great good 

In the lives of His people .

One of the best ways to love others 
Is to pray for them ,

Because through our prayers 

We open the door to help .

Only God can provide .

When we pray for others ,

We love them in His strength ,

There is none greater 

Or more loving than He .

                           I Love You All

                           By Brock

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To Be Uplifted

We all need to be rich in compassion 

And we need to be uplifted 

And we need to do the same 

For those around us .

Yet we can not do it 

With our own strength .

Remember , that is why Paul's 

Encouragement that the one 

Who calls you Jesus is faithful 

And he will do it 

And is so reassuring with His help ,

We can encourage one another every day .

                                             I Love You All

                                             By Brock

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Day By Day

I have been spending more time

Reading God's word and praying 

And thoughts I could be more consistent 

In my practice every day 

I grow closer to God's voice 

And I learn what God is calling me to do.

I pray that as I draw closer to God 

Day by day , I will better equipped 

To serve God .

                                 I Love You All

                                 By Brock

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An Example

Though I may be timid 

In sharing my faith ,

I know I can set an example 

Of what it means to be a Christian .

As I set an example 

Through my daily living ,

God will bring opportunities 

To share my faith with others .

My opportunities may be a commitment 

To pray or an invitation to share the word .

God will direct my path 

And the words I speak .

Jesus set an example for me 

Through my actions and words .

                             I Love You All

                             By Brock

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Gladness And Joy

As I sat at my window 

Watching the rain fall on the leaves ,

I reflected on how much I had been through .

My world had become gray and dark and lonely .

I prayed for something anything to lift my spirit .

As the rain hit the leaves ,

I felt my prayers being answered .

The droplets splashed and sparkled in the air ,

Catching bits of light refracting to make an array of colors .

With the wind moving through the trees ,

The branches danced and swayed ,

The cracks of thunder sounded almost like a rhythm .

Yes , I opened my eyes and heard the music 

And saw the color of my beautiful world today .

                                                 I Love You All

                                                 By Brock

God Is Everywhere

In my struggles , I formed the habit of rising 

Early to praise and worship God .

During those dark moments ,

God's presence and grace 

Were my greatest hope and refuge .

I knew that God understood my situation .

I wish my family could see the hope 

I found in God's presence .

When I look I can find signs 

Of God's presence all around me .

                                 I Love You All

                                 By Brock

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To Make Sense

Have you experienced overwhelming emotions 

Through your faith journey 

And have you recognized the benefits of praising 

The all knowing Maker and Sustainer of all  ,

The Healer of physical and emotional wounds .

You should praise God for the ways 

He provides and delights in those who fear him ,

Who puts their hope in his unfailing love .

                                                     I Love You All

                                                     By Brock

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A Difficult Time

I was going through a difficult time .

As I was outside I noticed 3 large 

Green lizards on one of the trees .

The lizards were leisurely eating 

The abundant leaves .

The tree has thorns .

How curious I thought 

The lizards seems serene .

How can they maneuver around 

The tree without feeling pain 

Or harming themselves ?

As I thought more about this 

I remember that God equipped 

These creatures with a scaly , 

Outer layer that protect them .

How reassuring to know 

That God's angels protect us .

With these angels God provides us 

With prayer and words as tools 

To help us find peace .

Yes we can trust that God 

Will protect us and free 

Us from the anxiety .

                       I Love You All

                       By Brock

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Irrational Fear

God does answer me .

God's answer to me 

Could have brought more fear .

But the peace He gave me because 

Of His own remembrance 

Of me was exactly what I needed .

It was the start of discovering 

That God is even closer than a parent 

Or anyone else and He knows the way 

To help us with everything 

Even our irrational fears .

God knows what to do .

Do you know what to do ?

                         I Love You All

                         By Brock

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Latex Gloves

Reaching into my pocket 

For a pen to scribble so thoughts ,

I pulled out some latex gloves .

How useless it seems .

Then lifting my left hand 

I studied its strong tendons 

And slipped it into the blue glove .

The lifeless material was now filled 

With form and strength .

As I opened and closed my gloved fist  ,

God reminded me that I can do all things 

Through Christ 

Who strengthens me .

Remember , God does not ask us 

To be strong on our own .

God ask us to pray 

And believe that God's power 

Is with us .

                        I Love You All

                        By Brock

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God Calls Us

God calls us to love all people .

I believe God will set up situations 

That we will notice .

Now when I find myself not wanting 

To be around someone 

Who is different from me ,

I think back to when I met MR. T.

And reflected on the blessing

That our friendship had been .

I remember , that God loves me 

Unconditionally .

So what excuse do I have not to 

Love those different from me ?

                               I Love You All

                               By Brock

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To Give

To the person who please Him ,

God gives wisdom , knowledge 

And happiness .

May the glory of the Lord 

Continue forever .

The lord takes pleasure 

In all He has made .

Great are the words of the Lord ,

Studies by all who delight in them 

All this reminds me of my mother 

How about you ?

                          I Love You All

                          By Brock

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Feel Safe

Who among us does not long for safety 

As we find ourselves traversing 

The rough terrain in life ?

Ill health and physical discomfort ,

Relational stress and financial tension 

That seems to have no end .

People of faith find help in the knowledge 

That God is our refuge 

And underneath are the everlasting arms .

It is comforting to know that God 

Is Lord over any storm .

It is even better to know 

That His presence is a reality 

Apart from trouble .

God is not a superhero 

Who shows up when life's villains 

Make occasional appearance .

No , the all sufficient God 

Trustworthy at all times 

And in all situations !

                       I Love You All

                       By Brock

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Be Careful

Be very careful how you live .

Literally means see how you walk !

In other words , look around .

You need to notice the hazards 

And avoid personal pitfalls 

 Like drunkenness and wild living .

Let us seek to learn God's will

For our lives while with fellow believers ,

We sing to and give Him thanks .

No matter what hazards we face 

And even when we stumble ,

We can experience our new life 

In Christ as we grow 

In dependence on His boundless 

Power and grace .

                               I Love You All

                               By Brock

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Never Too Late

No Matter what sins 

We may have committed ,

Whether we are coming 

To Christ for the first time 

Or returning to God .

We do not have to be afraid 

That our sins are too great 

Instead we can reach out 

To our father and remember 

That God forgives and welcomes 

Us with open arms .

                             I Love You All

                             By Brock

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Speak

Speak and your servant is listening .

It is the servant who hears ,

May we also choose 

To listen to and obey 

What God has revealed 

In the Scriptures .

Let us submit our lives to Him 

And take the posture 

Of humble servants and listen .

                          I Love You All      

                          By Brock

                          Smiley

Unexpected Lesson

When someone is in the hospital 

And I ask them what they 

Would want me to pray for

I was surprised when they said simply ,

Whatever is God's will 

And purpose for me brings me here ,

Pray that it He fulfilled .

In her request to me ,

She put God's will first 

What A Lady .

                    I Love You All

                    By Brock

                    Smiley 

The Crisis

In the middle of the night 

After a crisis or two in my life 

I tossed and turned for an hour 

Trying to get to sleep .

Finally I got out of bed .

I intended to read 

From the Bible .

My old book marker said ,

Lord how many are my foes ?

How many will rise up against me ?

As I read that I turned to God 

And again I called out to the Lord 

For I trust God to help me .

From the Lord comes deliverance alone ,

And God can rescue me 

No matter what my crisis 

God is faithful and will be present 

And with me .

                                 I Love You All

                                 By Brock

                                 Smiley

Our Reward

We have the privilege of taking 

Time to ponder God .

His character and the provision 

To learn about and grow closer to Him .
God longs to instruct us ,

and to open our hearts to who He is .

When we search for Him ,

He rewards us with greater wonder

At who He is and the enjoyment 

Of His Presence .        

                               I Love You All

                               By Brock

                               Smiley

5 K

When I run  my 5K these days .

While the grueling physical toll

Is evident in my body ,

And the mental and emotional strain

And exhaustion I am wondering 

If I can continue .

But still this challenge is not insurmountable ,

Because when I run I can pray , sweat and cry 

And only God and I will understand why ,

Because through any challenge life brings ,

Purpose , diligence and the willingness 

To place ourselves in the hands of God 

For God will help me to finish the race 

Set before me .

                                       I Love You All

                                       By Brock

                                       Smiley

Lipizzaners

Sometimes I wish I could be 

Like the Lipizzaners elegant 

And applauded for accomplishments .

But maybe God wants me to humbly 

Pull a carriage serving others 

Without reward or recognition .

I am grateful for the ordinary people 

Serving God in quite ways .

They may gain little attention ,

But they receive great honor 

In God's eyes .

                          I Love You All

                          By Brock

                          Smiley

A Bleak Spot

Sometimes in bleak places ,

God sends a sunflower 

An encouraging word 

Or a note from a friend 

A comforting verse 

Or a Bible passage 

A beautiful sunrise 

That helps us to move forward 

With a lighter step ,

With hope .

Even as we await the day 

We experience God's deliverance 

Out of our difficulty ,

May we join in proclaiming ,

You are great and do great deeds ,

I believe and trust you today .

                          I Love You All

                          By Brock

                          Smiley

The Pain

Oh the pain was excruciating .

What can I do 

Then suddenly I realized

That I was not listening to the Lord .

I switched to reading 

A Bible verse or two 

That talks about healing 

And start to pray .

At this point I could feel the pain 

And it was excruciating 

When I finished praying ,

All the pain was gone .

Yes , when I face my difficult situations ,

Worry and fear quickly grip me ,

But with peace and comfort 

Prayer and faith and my trust

And believe in God ,

I will make it today 

                          I Love You All

                          By Brock

                          Smiley 

Can Not Sleep

Once again I can not sleep .

Unresolved  fear and anxiety 

Became magnified by the dark quiet .

Praying only made me focus 

On my troubles ever more 

And I even question if God really cares .

I snuggled under the covers ,

Shut my eyes and began 

Remembering the good things 

That had happened that day .

As I counted them ,

The bright spots added up 

Like an email , a phone call ,

A friend having a good day .

Peace slowly re[laced fear .

Still a wake I listed things 

I had accomplished that today ,

No matter how trivial ,

Like doing dishes , cloths , 

Bringing in the mail .

Contentment replaced restlessness .

Finally I read comforting Bible 

Passages and prayers .

By the end of this process 

I was falling asleep , secure again 

That God really does care 

And is working in my life .

                                 I Love You All

                                 By Brock

                                 Smiley

Work With God

God welcomes us to team up 

To serve with Him and others 

In various ways .

God reminds us that all work 

Has God given value .

Acknowledging the privilege 

Of working with others 

While serving Him .

Remember , we should encourage 

Each of us to build each other up 

As He transforms us in love Always .

                                I Love You All

                                By Brock

                                Smiley

Feeling The Heat

Perhaps you feel like you are in a refiner's fire

Like feeling the heat of setbacks , illness 

Or other challenges .

But hardship is often the process 

By which God purifies the gold of our faith .

In our pain we might beg God to quickly 

End the process ,

But he knows what is best for us ,

Even when life hurts .

Keep connected to the Sevior ,

Seeking His comfort and peace .

                               I Love You All

                               By Brock     

                               Smiley  

Frustrated

We are often disappointed 

Or frustrated with things

Do not go according 

To our plans ,

But I have learned in these times 

To trust that God will use them for good .

And without fail , each detour 

Has drawn me closer to God 

And often helped me grow 

In mind and spirit .

Thankfully every change in direction 

Comes with an unchanging God 

Who guides us through it .

                                   I Love You All

                                   By Brock

                                   Smiley

A Warm Invitation

Jesus reminds us of the importance 

Of warm invitations .

Jesus said , come to me 

All you who are weary 

And burdened and I will give you rest .

A joyous welcome a waits 

Whoever comes , to Jesus .

Why hesitate ?

Jesus loves all people to the utmost 

And longs for us to enter 

Into a life transforming relationship 

With him .

                                     I Love You All

                                     By Brock

                                     Smiley

Power And Glory

 

We can see God's power and glory 

In the universe through creation .

God's wisdom is unfathomable 

And God does great things

Beyond our understanding .

We need to always continue 

To trust God despite our hardships .

Remember , God restores you and blesses you ,

As God wants to restore and bless all of us .

                                                     I Love You All

                                                     By Brock
                                                     Smiley 

Christ's Representatives

God ask us to be Christ's representatives 

To those around us .
When others are angry , defensive or hurting ,

We are called to respond as God does to us 

With compassion , love and peace .

Through our prayers and Christ like responses ,

God's transforming love and heal 

The hearts of those around us 

And bring peace to all of us .

                                    I Love You All

                                    By Brock

                                    Smiley

A Duet

My life in Jesus is much more like a duet 

Than a solo performance .

Sometime I through I forgot 

That He is right next to me .

It is only by His power and guidance 

That I can play , coach or work at all  .

I try to do all the right things on my own ,

But this usually ends up seeming fake and hollow .

I try to handle problems with my limited ability ,

But the result is often discord with others .

Jesus' presence makes all the difference 

When I rely on Jesus to help me 

I Love You All

By Brock

Smiley !!!!!!!

Turn To Him

Do you know how vulnerable we are .

We all go through many storms .

We need to seek and bring 

Courage and hope to God's suffering people .

When we turn to God in the face 

Of any kind of storm ,

We can find our faith deepened 

And realize we are not alone .

God is our refuge and strength .

His ever present helps in all our trouble .

He is the one who causes fear to dissipate 

And gives us courage to forge ahead 

Through every adversity that we may face .

                                          I Love You All

                                          By Brock

                                          Smiley

In The Bubble

We can feel at times that we 

Are in a bubble ,

uncertain that we have what it takes

To complete in or finish the race of life .

When we are feeling that way ,

It is important to remember that in Jesus 

We are never in a bubble .

As children of God , our place in His kingdom 

Is secure .

Our confidence flows from Him 

Who chose Jesus to be the cornerstone 

On which our lives are built ,

And He chose us to be living stones 

Filled with the Spirit of God ,

Capable of being the people 

God created us tp be .

                         I Love You All

                         By Brock

                         Smiley