It has become my tradition to share this poem with you as one year ends and we embark upon another. Every year I read it and appreciate what it has to say. My mother gave it to me many years ago and unfortunately, I don’t know who the author is.
My prayer is that each of you will be blessed this way in 2024.
NEW YEAR PRAYER
May God make your year a happy one,
Not by shielding you from sorrow and pain,
But by strengthening you to bear it, if it comes.
Not by making your path easy,
But by making you sturdy enough to travel any path.
Not by taking hardships from you,
But by taking all cowardice and fear from your heart.
Not by granting you unbroken sunshine,
But by keeping your face bright, even in the shadows.
Not by making your life always pleasant,
But by showing you where man and his cause need you most,
And by making you anxious to be there, and to help.
Author unknown
Tag: prayer
New Year Prayer
It has become my tradition to share this poem with you as one year ends and we embark upon another. Every year I read it and appreciate what it has to say. Never has it been more meaningful to me than it is now.
My mother gave me a copy of this prayer many years ago so sharing it is also a tribute to her.
My prayer is that each of you will be blessed this way in 2021.
NEW YEAR PRAYER
May God make your year a happy one,
Not by shielding you from sorrow and pain,
But by strengthening you to bear it, if it comes.
Not by making your path easy,
But by making you sturdy enough to travel any path.
Not by taking hardships from you,
But by taking all cowardice and fear from your heart.
Not by granting you unbroken sunshine,
But by keeping your face bright, even in the shadows.
Not by making your life always pleasant,
But by showing you where man and his cause need you most,
And by making you anxious to be there, and to help.
Author unknown
New Year Prayer
It has become my tradition to share this poem with you as one year ends and we embark upon another. Every year I read it and appreciate what it has to say. My mother gave it to me many years ago and unfortunately, I don’t know who the author is.
My prayer is that each of you will be blessed this way in 2020.
NEW YEAR PRAYER
May God make your year a happy one,
Not by shielding you from sorrow and pain,
But by strengthening you to bear it, if it comes.
Not by making your path easy,
But by making you sturdy enough to travel any path.
Not by taking hardships from you,
But by taking all cowardice and fear from your heart.
Not by granting you unbroken sunshine,
But by keeping your face bright, even in the shadows.
Not by making your life always pleasant,
But by showing you where man and his cause need you most,
And by making you anxious to be there, and to help.
Author unknown
Lifeline
The piece of yellow nylon rope was partially buried in the sand. A section about thirty centimeters in length was visible.
Each time the water reached the rope the exposed portion twisted and floated with the tide. I watched as it was tossed around while still firmly anchored. The rope was not going to be washed out to sea any time soon.
The image in my mind was that of a lifeline, the type of rope or line thrown to rescue someone having difficulties in the water. I pondered this thought as I continued my walk.
Another meaning for lifeline is a way of help that you depend on to lead your life in a satisfactory way. It is also a line used to keep in contact with a person in a dangerous or potentially dangerous situation.
All of these definitions describe my relationship with Jesus. He is the lifeline that keeps me secure. My life is easily thrown off balance and I am grateful to have Him to hold onto. Each day I come before Him in prayer, asking for strength and guidance for my life.
There are times I am rushed or preoccupied and don’t take the necessary time to seek His wisdom. Those are the days I am likely to be swept off course. Unknowingly I place myself, and sometimes those close to me, in potentially dangerous situations.
When I call out for help, I see Jesus has never left my side. I, in my haste, have let go of Him. I reach out and take hold of Him and am safe and secure once again. My Lord and Saviour is the only lifeline I need.
“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:28 NIV)
The Walls Came Down
We first saw the wall about ten years ago. It stood strong and tall, protecting the property behind it from the ravages of wind and sea.
In the last few years the wall started to lean but still kept the property safe.
Today, as we walked past, the wall was crumbled and broken. Part of it lay down on the sand and the elements were now free to ravage the property. Since we hadn’t been in the area for a year, we had no idea when the wall fell. The destruction behind it was clearly evident.
All it took was the foundation to be undermined. The sand slowly eroded and water made its way through small crevices. This would have started where no eyes could see. Eventually the damage was severe enough to cause the wall to crumble and fall.
I wondered if something could have been done prevent this. Perhaps it could have been reinforced when it first started leaning.
This situation was a good analogy of the effects of sin in our lives. I don’t see how a little white lie can cause harm. Soon more lies and deception follow.
I have opened the way for sin to undermine the foundation in my life. What seemed so innocent has taken on a life of its own. Left unchecked, it has the power to destroy me as it slowly erodes my moral character. One day the façade can no longer be maintained and crumbles, leaving the damage exposed for all to see.
There is a better way. Despite my best intentions, I will never lead a sin-free life. Thankfully, I have a personal relationship with the one who can wash away my sin and repair the damage caused.
Jesus offers forgiveness to all who come to Him in sincere repentance. I know by coming to Him on a regular basis, my foundation will remain strong and my life will not fall in shambles.
New Year Prayer
It has become my tradition to share this poem with you as one year and we embark upon another. Every year I read it and appreciate what it has to say. My mother gave it to me many years ago and unfortunately, I don’t know who the author is.
My prayer is that each of you will be blessed this way in 2019.
NEW YEAR PRAYER
May God make your year a happy one,
Not by shielding you from sorrow and pain,
But by strengthening you to bear it, if it comes.
Not by making your path easy,
But by making you sturdy enough to travel any path.
Not by taking hardships from you,
But by taking all cowardice and fear from your heart.
Not by granting you unbroken sunshine,
But by keeping your face bright, even in the shadows.
Not by making your life always pleasant,
But by showing you where man and his cause need you most,
And by making you anxious to be there, and to help.
Author unknown
Good Medicine
I had been advised to check my blood pressure on a regular basis. Due to circumstances, this hadn’t been done for more than two months. The day a follow-up medical appointment was scheduled, I set up my portable machine. Sometimes the reading is higher in a clinical setting and I wanted to have a realistic comparison before I left home.
I secured the cuff on my arm and started to read my morning devotions while the machine did its work. The results were not what I wanted to see. Maybe I hadn’t put the cuff on properly.
The procedure was repeated and the outcome was just as discouraging. I was relaxed and felt no stress so how could my blood pressure be so high? This wasn’t looking good.
I cleared the machine and started again. This time I prayed for God to give me peace about whatever the results may be. I felt fine and didn’t want an increase in medication but if that’s what I needed to stay healthy, I would accept it without a fight. When I opened my eyes and looked at the screen I saw my blood pressure was perfect this time.
Just to be sure, I took it twice more, once while reading and once while praying. The positive impact of prayer was undeniable.
Many times I have experienced peacefulness envelope my mind during and after prayer. What I hadn’t realized was the effect this also had on me physically.
I now had undeniable evidence of the positive effect of prayer on mind, body and soul. No matter how I look at it, prayer is good medicine.
“Never stop praying” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 GWT)
Pleasant Dreams
Something had been troubling me since early evening. The issue had been resolved but my mind couldn’t quite let it go.
A few hours later, when I went to bed, the matter had finally been put to rest. Or, so I thought. Several times in the night I awoke after magnified scenarios of this issue took control of my dreams.
I would chastise myself for these negative thoughts and then fall back into a fitful sleep. Unsuccessful attempts to redirect my mind resulted in frustration and loss of sleep.
Eventually, I found the perfect way to calm my mind and drift into a peaceful sleep. I started to pray but instead of asking God to take away the troubling thoughts, I changed my focus. Instead, I concentrated on praising God and thanking Him for what He has done in, for and through me.
The Bible tells us, “He will keep in perfect peace, those whose minds are focused on Him.”
I experienced this fully when pleasant dreams appeared once again.
“My mouth joyfully praises you, whenever I remember you on my bed, and think about you during the nighttime hours.” Psalm 63:5-6 NET
Dangerous Teddy Bear
“What an unusual cactus,” I said. “Look how soft and fuzzy it is at the top.”
Fortunately, I was given some interesting and extremely helpful information before I got too close.
This variety of cactus is known by more than one name. It’s called Teddy Bear cactus because of the appearance of fuzzy arms outstretched. The name Jumping Cholla gives me a less friendly impression.
I was informed the sharp barbs would actually jump onto me if I got too close. It seems the arms detach easily and attach to passersby. I wouldn’t even have to brush against it before I would experience a less than cuddly teddy bear.
This was all the warning needed for me to keep my distance. It was also a good reminder that appearances can be deceiving. Sometimes the biggest danger is hidden behind an exterior that looks safe and welcoming.
Satan loves to tempt us with things that look innocent. When we express interest, sharp barbs get a grip on us. Before we know it we are ensnared in activities we have trouble detaching from.
When faced with temptation, my best course of action is always to talk to Jesus. He knows how to keep me from temptation and how to free me when my foolish actions place me in a dangerous situation.
Because Jesus experienced temptation when he suffered, he is able to help others when they are tempted. (Hebrews 2:18 GWT)
Safety Zone
As a child, I loved to play outside with my friends. One of our favourite games was tag.
I would run and dodge, doing my best not to get caught. If tagged, I would become ‘it’ and have to chase the others until I got close enough to ‘catch’ someone.
It’s been a long time but I can still remember getting tired and needing a quick break to catch my breath. The only way to do this was to run to the willow tree in the front yard and have one hand touching the trunk. This was the designated safety zone.
The rules said I could only stop here for a few seconds, but that was enough to take some deep breaths in preparation for more running.
All these years later, I no longer play tag, but can still find myself running around and in need of a safe place to pause and regain my strength. Where can I find the renewal so badly needed?
My safety zone is found in the quiet time I spend with God. Rules of time don’t apply here. He provides me with what I need whether I ask a quick prayer for wisdom or spend extended time basking in his presence. However, the more time I spend with him, the more I find the rest, guidance and encouragement needed to step back into the race of life.
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28 NLT)