faith, love of God, kindness, generosity, spirituality
by Lucy M. Young
Lord, keep my faith intact,
My courage strong;
And help me to ignore the cruel taunts
Of those who would destroy my confidence
In Your unfailing love.
I need Your strength
For I am weak and often feel discouraged.
Just hold me up, dear Lord, and keep me going
For yet another day.
I cannot stand alone, but with Your help,
I'll keep a cheerful smile upon my face
For all to see, and never let them know
There may be sadness in my secret heart.
by Lucy M. Young
Today I heard them in the pre-dawn darkness,
Their plaintive, poignant cries awakened me,
Arousing primitive emotions in my breast.
Earth-bound I longed to rise and follow them,
Soaring wild and free through the crisp October air
Across the windswept countryside toward sunrise.
What faith and courage they must have
To make this arduous journey every year -
Their strong wings beating through the air waves,
Following their leader trustingly.
What prompts them, forcing them to leave their nesting grounds
To ply uncharted skies?
What guides them so unerringly to their destination?
Who leads their leader -
None but our own Heavenly Father,
Guardian and Leader of us all.
by Lucy M. Young
Cooled by a lovely summer breeze,
I followed a cowpath through the trees -
A narrow path, worn smooth and deep,
By the daily passage of cattle and sheep.
Songbirds flitted from tree to tree
Caroling joyously, soaring free
Through the dappled shade of the maple grove,
Secure in their Heavenly Father's love.
My eyes downcast, I searched the ground,
Wondering what treasures might be found
In the grass and weeds by the side of the trail,
Perfect cover for pheasant and quail.
Had I been looking up, I would not have seen,
Partly hidden by a grassy screen,
The four speckled eggs in a tiny nest
Awaiting the warmth of the mother bird's breast.
Oh, for the faith of that little bird
Who built her home in the path of the herd;
With only the grass for her sheltering roof -
Safe by God's grace from each plodding hoof.
by Lucy M. Young
I asked the Lord for help -
He didn't answer
I asked again and yet again
But still no answer
I thought He didn't hear me so I asked again more fervently
With tears and abject pleading -
nothing happened
"Can't you hear me, Lord?" I asked, "Or don't you care?"
Then I stopped my anxious flow of words
I stopped and walked alone into the nearby forest
Away from all the anger and turmoil of my day
It was so quiet there - I listened to the silence
I couldn't hear His voice, no words were spoken
I couldn't feel His touch or see His face
But I know that He was there because I felt such peace within me
His love surrounded me and soothed my troubled spirit
Because I stopped to listen I was refreshed and rested;
Because I listened, I could face whatever came my way
With courage and the strength He'd given me.
by Lucy M. Young
Like a beacon light in the darkest night
The word of God shines through.
It brightens our lives with its holy light,
Bringing peace and confidence, faith and hope
To a weary struggling world.
by Lucy M. Young
One brick at a time will build the highest wall.
One step at a time will cover many miles.
Inch by inch the spider builds her lovely web
Surely, bit by bit, God turns our tears to smiles.
When the future looks so dark you'd like to quit
Just turn to God and see what He can do.
Wait and trust in Him and you will find
'Though the day be dark the sun will soon shine through.
by Lucy M. Young
I asked the Lord to walk with me,
And everywhere He walks with me,
He guards my every step.
I asked Him then to hold me up,
Where'er I go He holds me up,
He does not let me fall.
I asked that He might give me strength
To face whatever each day brings
Of weakness, doubt or fear;
I asked for Him to be my guide
Through days of pain and sleepless nights,
He makes my way secure.
'Though there be days when things go wrong
And my burden seems too much to bear
I know He's by my side.
His love sustains me constantly,
His strength supports my faltering steps,
He is my guiding light
by Lucy M. Young
When you feel all alone with no one to care,
Reach out to the Lord - He will always be there.
He's as far away as the most distant star,
Yet as close as a whisper, wherever you are.
Put your trust in Him, put your life in His hands -
He's the only one who understands.
If you call to Him with a sincere heart,
He will come to you and He'll never depart.
You can always depend on His loving care
To hold you and shield you from pain and despair;
So if you will call, let your need be known,
You will never again feel all alone.
photo by Lukasz Szmigiell on Unsplash
by Lucy M. Young
Once I wandered alone and lonely,
My heart was empty and cold;
There seemed to be nothing to live for,
Nothing to which I could hold.
Then one day He spoke to me softly,
I didn't hear Him at first;
But slowly and gently He entered my heart,
My soul was no longer accursed
With emptiness, bitterness, sadness -
They'd been driven out by His love.
I rejoiced in my new-found freedom
Given me by my Father above.
Lord, I come to you now in thanksgiving
For the many blessings you've given;
I am never alone, for I walk each day
With my wonderful Father in Heaven.
photo by Sebastian Unrau on Unsplash
by Lucy M. Young
Dear Father, grant me patience
While I'm waiting to be healed
And faith to keep believing
That to weakness I won't yield.
Grant me strength and courage
As I cope with daily pain.
Let not my heart grow faint, dear Lord,
And let me not complain;
For I know you're with me always,
And when the time is right,
You'll heal me, free my pain-scarred soul
To soar like a bird in flight.
For if I wait upon you, Lord,
My strength shall be renewed,
I shall mount up with wings as eagles,
All the waiting will be understood.
I shall run and not be weary;
I shall walk and never faint;
For your goodness knows no limit.
And your love knows no restraint.
Based on Isaiah 40:31
"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings as eagles; They shall run and not be weary; And they shall walk and not faint."
Woodsmoke and Cardamom 