Month: July 2015

Here is a story that was laid on my heart. I was reading “The Road Home” by Denise Jackson, it was an inspiring book my wife got me for Christmas (2011).  The words “Towards home” came to mind and I had to write this little story.  Here husband wrote a song one night after 9/11 happened.  The words literally came to his heart.  Enjoy.  

Title:
Towards Home

Story behind the story:
This poem is inspired by reading “The Road Home” by Denise Jackson.  A book my wife got me for Christmas.  Denise explained in the book her life was built around as her husband as the foundation of her life instead of Jesus.  God assisted in the process of helping Denise and Alan to focus their hearts where it needed to be, towards God’s home.  As I was reading the book, the title “Towards Home” was laid on my heart. 

Additionally, I have been thinking of how life will be after my sons grow up.  It almost brings me to tears just thinking of the moment where the house is empty and there will be time to reflect.  Gods very present is overwhelming and can take someone who is terse, impatient and lack of compassion and use it for his Glory. 

Other things that helped inspire was people we’ve known in the past split up.  After a brief conversation, they want to reconcile yet don’t know how.  My heart goes out to them and I have this deep desire to want to help and I know I can’t force my will on them. I want everyone to point their hearts Towards home, God’s home…

Poem

Sitting in a rocking chair
Reading a story of brokenness and loss

On the surface, everything was perfect
Money, Fame, a nice home and marriage

The world was full of envy
The world was full of praise

Underneath it all was lots of brokenness
Under the covers was insecurity, shame and resentment

There was unfaithfulness, broken promises
The eye wasn’t on the prize

It was on other earthly things
One day the mirror shattered

All the “so-called” perfection was exposed
Nothing was perfect and they were left standing feeling empty

In one brief moment God had rebuked everything
You were standing there with nothing of value

There was nothing in the so called perfect life
God wanted or needed from you

God was showing his perfect love
The first step towards coming home

His perfect love wants our hearts first
Everything else will come along after that

Things don’t happen overnight
Things don’t cure themselves quickly

God uses process, patience and His perfect love
To help us overcome our own shortcomings

We try to take control when we don’t know his actions
We really try only to come to a dead end

We need to fully commit to handing over the wheel
God wants to be in control of our lives

When this happens, He shows his perfect love
Words can’t describe the feeling, all we know it’s very comforting

God breaks us down at first
To later build us up for His glory

The more we seek him
The more our lives are filled with His love

A love that can only come from him
All we need is Jesus

His Son showed us the way, we just need to follow
The world won’t back away easily

Everyday will bring trials
There will be many ups and downs

Only when we don’t stray from him
Focus our efforts towards home, God’s heavenly home

Can we fully realize God’s love
One day, he will call us Home, his Home!

Amen!

Something that has been on my heart recently

What Do you need in this world?

What do you need in this world
That is a good question

The polite Christian answer is Jesus alone (which is true…read on)
Many roll their eyes and go about their merry way

They state you are crazy
Not sure what you are really talking about

Here is something to think about
Do you ever struggle with something?

Do you have situations you don’t know how to handle?
Are there times in life when things are overwhelming?

Do you get depressed once in a while?
Do you have worries about this or that?

Wouldn’t it be nice to hand your problems, fears and worry to someone who can handle them
Say, here is my worry I don’t know how to handle this

Better yet, I don’t know what to do here
Knowing at the appropriate time the answer will come

Yes, it will take some patience
Think of it as a challenge

This person is big enough to handle anything you can hand him
This person is loves you so much he died for you

Still not convinced?
Ever wonder what’s next

What is beyond this crazy and mixed up world
Too scared to think about it

The two things everyone has in common
Being born and death, no exceptions

It is scary thinking some feel they can handle on their own
The next time something good or bad happens

The next time you are faced with something unknown
Try stating, Jesus, I’m not quite sure here

I don’t know even if I believe all this stuff
I’m willing to open my heart and “try it out”

Please help me in this situation
I don’t even have the words to describe it

I’ve heard you know even if I don’t know how to say it
Sit back and wait to see how things go

When, and yes when the prayer is answered
Give credit where credit is due

This might take a little bit
It might make you feel uncomfortable at first

The answer might not even be what you expected
It will be what you needed though

Then, the next time something comes up
Or a friend has something come up

Try it all over again, say “Jesus”
It’s me again, I have this thing I need some assistance on

Can you come along side of me and help out
I really appreciate being able to help in areas I can’t

It’s real easy to get to know him
He’s the one knocking at the door

Just state “Come on in Jesus”
Please take over in the drivers seat

I don’t like tackling this crazy world alone
Since I hear you conquered death

I figure you can conquer anything that is in my life
Before you know it, you’ll realize Jesus is all you need!

Amen!

Story behind the Story

This has been on my heart for a while.  I have a few things that I�m not sure how to handle and glad I can hand them off to my Savior Jesus Christ.  The one you heard about that conquered death.   I see so much negative stuff in the news, non-believers, it makes my heart just ache.  I do see bright spots people turning their life over to Jesus.  The words in a recent prayer goes something like this  �LORD, please reveal yourself in ways they can understand you are there for them�

Title:
Attacked

Scripture:
James 1:26, Matthew 11:30

Story behind the Story
One Sunday at GCC, a video was played introducing a new ministry called People Restore.  It was presented by a man who mentioned the ministry was to help people restore their faith back to Jesus.  There was “hiccups, hurts and hang-ups”.  Every person who walks with Jesus has these and to varying degrees, can interfere in their life.  The mission was to take back others who have been distracted.  I was moved and seemed to connect with the key people in the ministry.  I mentioned the stories God has blessed me with and seemed to be a place to share with others.  I’m not certain the outcome or how involved I will be personally, it seems like a next step and I wanted to be involved.  We were at a bible study and the same person who introduced the ministry, asked for prayer mentioning they were under attack since announcing the ministry.  God laid on my heart the word “Attacked” and the first sentence / phrase used in this story.  We also had just studied the scripture in our small group. 

Story

Have you ever felt like every time you turn around? There is something seemly in your way.  No matter how much you prepare. No matter how much you plan. Something always seems to get in the way. Every obstacle appears to get larger and more difficult, It’s like a person is having fun watching you stumble. Roadblocks are put up everywhere. You work through one really hard roadblock, another pothole comes along out of no where. Finally, things appear to have calmed down and another larger pothole appears suddenly. After a few battles that appear to impact the overall plan. Anxiety, Worry and uncertainty rule the day. It seems the harder you work, the harder the task at hand becomes. Nothing is easy although the task is rewarding. It requires a lot of mental heavy lifting. Up until this point, you have kept it contained and the journey has been great.  Then you widen the effort to include many others.  The battles become larger and more difficult.  You’ve entered the arena of many thousands now. The goal is no longer contained, the idea becomes shared with others. The attacks are more wide spread impacting many others Who are engaged in the battle. The enemy has drawn the battle lines. The efforts are to restore souls. The efforts are to repair hearts and turn them back north, North to God, his son Jesus and Holy Spirit. The enemy has made it clear every soul will be a battle. Nothing will be easy, Nothing will be calm. There will be bumps, potholes and obstacles along the way. Not a moments rest, Not a moments peace. Scripture tells us to endure the journey. Take refuge in the Son for his yoke is light. There will be peaks and valleys, endure everyday with hope provided from above. Keep it simple, take care of orphans and widows, do not become part of this world. An orphan can be a child. It can be an middle aged person struggle with addiction or even an older person lost in their way. Each orphan has their own unique story.  God wants all of his “children” to know he loves them and wants to see them come to him with their hearts open. God will restore hope from their hurts, God will help overcome their habits and even when we have hang-ups from time to time, he’ll be there loving us unconditionally. The good book says One day you will hang with him in his house, forever. What a comforting feeling knowing we are loved by such a great creator. This single hope helps us endure the journey filled with Hurts, Hiccups and Hang-ups.

Poem

Have you ever felt like every time you turn around
There is something seemly in your way

No matter how much you prepare
No matter how much you plan

Something always seems to get in the way
Every obstacle appears to get larger and more difficult

It’s like a person is having fun watching you stumble
Roadblocks are put up everywhere

You work through one really hard roadblock
Another pothole comes along out of no where

Then finally, things appear to have calmed down
And another larger pothole appears suddenly

After a few battles that appear to impact the overall plan
Anxiety, Worry and uncertainty rule the day

It seems the harder you work
The harder the task at hand becomes

Nothing is easy although the task is rewarding
It requires a lot of mental heavy lifting

Up until this point, you have kept it contained
And the journey has been great

Then you widen the effort to include many others
The battles become larger and more difficult

You’ve entered the arena of many thousands now
The goal is no longer contained

The idea becomes shared with others
The attacks are more wide spread impacting many others

Who are engaged in the battle
The enemy has drawn the battle lines

The efforts are to restore souls
The efforts are to repair hearts and turn them back north

North to God, his son Jesus and Holy Spirit
The enemy has made it clear every soul will be a battle

Nothing will be easy, Nothing will be calm
There will be bumps, potholes and obstacles along the way

Not a moments rest
Not a moments peace

Scripture tells us to endure the journey
Take refuge in the Son for his yoke is light

There will be peaks and valleys
But endure everyday with hope provided from above

Keep it simple, take care of orphans and widows
And do not become part of this world

An orphan can be a child
It can be an middle aged person struggle with addiction

And even an older person lost in their way
Each orphan has their own unique story

God wants all of his “children” to know he loves them
And wants to see them come to him with their hearts open

God will restore hope from their hurts
God will help overcome their habits

And even when we have hang-ups from time to time
He’ll be there, loving us unconditionally

For the good book says
One day you will hang with him in his house, forever

What a comforting feeling knowing we are loved
By such a great creator

This single hope helps us endure
the journey filled Hurts, Hiccups and Hang-ups

Title:
God Sense

Story behind the story:

This story was inspired by the book “Heaven is for Real”.  I’ve read 90 minutes in Heaven, 23 minutes in Hell and this book. These are my three books to give to non-believers.  I struggle with non-believers or those resistant to accepting Jesus as their savior.  There were many examples in each of these books that convince me.  Between my own experience writing stories, I know God is real.  I can’t explain it, but I know.  I struggle in the world today with so many distractions, devices from making life simple.  The simple things this little boy described only confirm my beliefs. I have three boys and can relate to how little boys describe things so “matter of fact”.  I wish my poems were as simple as this book.   God has confirmed the words in stories like this are “The words he gave me to share with everyone”.  I’ll keep sharing lol!

Story:

When you can see, smell, taste, hear or touch something. We know it’s real, we have earthly evidence.  God gave us five senses to use. There is a sixth sense not talked about much. It’s Gods sense although we can’t see it like other senses. A majority of people in the world today don’t want to humble themselves to acquire this sixth sense.  It takes God talking through little children to show us God’s world is real simple. 

We have theologians, professors and smart people alike trying to explain God’s word. If we worked as hard trying to obey His words as we did trying to explain or avoid them.  Our world would be a different place, I’m sure of that.  The closer I grow to Jesus, the more my heart hurts I can’t physically force or mentally persuade a single individual into accepting Jesus.  It’s only a choice a person can make themselves.  This has to be between them and God. 

A three or four year old can plainly state Jesus loves you without pretense, without judgment, without wanting something in return. This is pure, real love.  Only when we plug into the sixth sense do we start to discover what real life is meant to be. Man doesn’t have all the answers. When we try to explain and state we have the answers, pride sets in. Pride is plainly wrong, not something God approves of. Here�s the crux, loving Jesus is simple, we make it hard. From man�s perspective, we don’t want follow his ways. We are such selfish creatures.

When we are little, we are unselfish, we are real. As people get older, they become less real and jaded by the world. No one is old in heaven, they are young. I’ve not seen this for myself, but a little pure one says so.  I have faith, Jesus exists, and God exists.  I don’t have all the answers. This will convince some that I’m crazy and believing something that isn’t real. When you plug into the God sense, you see things different, really different. For now, we have a choice to make, chose our own path, or God’s path.  From others witness and my own experience I have chosen God’s path.  There are many unknowns to come, we do know the final outcome, God wins. This doesn’t stop the enemy from trying to wreak things along the way. Guard your heart, your pure God loving heart; it’s worth it in the end.  When things get tough, seek God’s wisdom.  HE is listening waiting for his children to plug into the God Sense.

Poem:

When you can see something
When you can touch something

When you can feel, taste or hear something
We know it’s real, we have earthly evidence

God gave us five senses to use
Sight, Smell, Hearing, Taste, touch

There is a sixth sense not talked about much
It’s Gods sense although we can’t see like other senses

A majority of people in the world today
Don’t want to humble themselves to acquire this sixth sense

It takes God talking through little children
To show us God’s world is real simple

We have theologians, professors and smart people alike
Trying to explain God’s word

If we worked as hard trying to obey His words
As we did trying to explain or avoid them

Our world would be a different place, I’m sure of that
The closer I grow to Jesus

The more my heart hurts I can’t physically force
Or mentally persuade a single individual into accepting Jesus

It’s only a choice a person can make themselves
This has to be between them and God

A three or four year old can plainly state Jesus loves you
Without pretense, without judgment, without wanting something return

This is pure, real love, only when we plug into the sixth sense
Do we start to discover what real life is meant to be

Man doesn’t have all the answers
When we try to explain and state we have the answers, pride sets in

Pride is plainly wrong, not something God approves of
Here�s the crux, loving Jesus is simple, we make it hard

For man, following his ways is not easy
We are such selfish creatures

When we are little, we are unselfish, we are real
As people get older, we become less real and jaded by the world

No one is old in heaven, they are young
I’ve not seen this for myself, but a little pure one says so

I have faith, Jesus exists, and God exists
I don’t have all the answers

This will convince some that I’m crazy
Believing something that isn’t real

When you plug into the God sense
You see things different, really different

For now, we have a choice to make
Chose our own path, or God’s path

From others witness and my own experience
I have chosen God’s path

There are many unknowns to come
We do know the final outcome

God wins, the enemy doesn’t
This doesn’t stop the enemy from trying to wreak things along the way

Guard your heart, your pure God loving heart
It’s worth it in the end

When things get tough, seek God’s wisdom
HE is listening waiting for his children to plug into the God Sense.

God Bless

Steve