Bring them in, Build them up, Send them out

Bring them in, the hurting, the lost,

those who need healing

and salvation.

Give them a place where they can be

transformed by the saving grace

of Jesus Christ,

where they can be at long last free

from the sin that ruled their life,

free from the chains that kept

them bound.

Build them up, those who have been

justified by grace through faith

in Jesus Christ

and see how disciples grow.

Send them out, those who are being

sanctified daily, perfected in the love

of God

so that they can show that same love

to all they encounter along

life’s way.

Bring them in, build them up, send them out

in the name of Jesus, through the power of

the Holy Spirit,

and according to God’s command.

© Carol J. Grace 2008

Who Knew?

February 2, 1975

Groundhog Day means different things to different people
For me, it was the day she became lost to me,
if not forever, at least for a long time to come.
She was the same age then that I am now–
how odd.
Thirty-five years and her features are now mine,
her consciousness still living deep within my soul,
I carry her with me wherever I go–
how comforting.
I see her face clearly, her blue eyes bright
and peering into my thoughts, but her voice
gone for now, can’t recall the sound–
how sad.
Thirty-five years and counting, who knew
this much time would elapse, who knew I could
miss her this much?
Who knew?

© Carol J. Grace 2005

Ready?

crouching down, grasping ground
land shakes and spirit quakes
can’t stand, lend a hand
footsteps steady, are you ready?

rocks falling all around
can’t you hear judgment’s sound?
Thunder drumming, Messiah’s coming
pack your bags we’re heaven bound.

©2009 Carol J. Grace All Rights Reserved

PRIDE

Thorny words that pricked my pride,
left me bleeding resentment
and wanting to blame,

I slung fiery arrows
left nothing inside.
Hurling accusations,

I did not even take aim
just pulled the trigger
and let my words scatter.

The avalanche that resulted
killed and maimed
not just those who had hurt me

but the innocent were shattered.

How could I be so thoughtless,
so what if I was insulted?
We need to learn once and for all

we need to finally answer the call
to stop being heartless
to put others first

then Kingdom living will finally take hold
and Kingdom understanding
will rule over all.

©2009 Carol J Grace

Heart Attitude

Heart attitude, soul gratitude for

what I have, what I am able to do

for others, expecting, wanting

nothing in return, don’t rob me

of my blessing, let me help you,

let me do for you what you

can not do for yourself.

The example has been set, all

we must do is follow.

Heart attitude, soul gratitude

live the beatitudes.

©2008 Carol J. Grace

The Power Behind the Word

Words can be billowy gauze

wrapping the listener in softness

and comfort.

They can be as familiar as the

old blanket covering you

on a cold winter’s night,

or as foreign as someone

babbling in unknown tongues.

But words can also be arrows

dipped in poison, wounding without

discrimination, fatal in their attraction.

Words can be fulfilling, but they can

also cause anger and hurt to come

spilling out of your heart and onto the

person closest to you.

Hearing the spoken word (if you

have hearing) is not optional, but

listening is.

Heeding the spoken word renders

you some choice—will you or will

you not be obedient to its call, give

credence to its message?

I choose to accept those words

that give life, and reject wholeheartedly

those words that would rob me of life,

liberty and the pursuit of all things

happy. For I know, I truly understand,

the power behind the word.

© 2008 Carol J. Grace

Two hundred feet ahead

Ribbon of road stretches

toward tomorrow, night

looms larger, vision

impaired, but car

lights illumine

the path

before me, and

I can see clearly

two hundred feet ahead.

Ribbon of life stretches

toward the unknown,

precarious, ever

changing, vision

impaired, but

God delivers

me through

the dark shadows,

for He can see clearly

the pitfalls ahead.

If I can depend on car

lights to transport me

over potholes and around

the next bend, how much more

can I depend on my Savior,

whose vision is limitless

whose love never ends.

God is always with me

of that I am sure,

the need to know

unimportant,

the need to see,

petty now, faith’s

headlights shine the way

before me, and I am

two hundred feet closer now.

©2009 Carol J Grace All Rights Reserved

A Glimpse into Heaven

Faith is the substance of things hoped for,

the evidence of things not seen.

When we at last reach the end

of this temporal existence,

and the beginning of a new

reality somewhere in the distance,

the lines between the two

are sometimes blurred.

He had lain there for days,

unable to say good-bye,

unaware of family, friends,

until abruptly he had eyes

that could see and ears

that could hear

and with a voice strong and clear

sang out, “oh what a foretaste

of glory divine.” At a time

when life flowed from him

in dribs and drabs, he was given

a gift, a blessed assurance

of that life to come. And his family,

faithful and loving, shared

in that gift, receiving the tangible

evidence of things not yet seen

through the eyes and ears of one

given a glimpse of heaven.

© Carol J. Grace, All Rights Reserved

For Such a Time as This

Events orchestrated, coincidences

occur, that leave us

scratching our heads in wonder,

reeling from the thunder

of what could have been, what should

have been another ill defeat,

yet God was in the details

and the victory was sweet

because He raised up another

warrior, for such a time as this,

and again we saw His saving

grace and felt His tender kiss.

God is raising up warriors

all across the land,

mighty in His strength

but how can they withstand

the march of satan’s army,

growing day by day,

and the hopelessness and futility

that seem to darken our way.

Even many churches

have floundered and gone to sleep

while God’s children are beaten and bruised

and thrown upon the heap.

God is raising up warriors

for such a time as this,

when we must rely upon the One

with the nail holes in His wrist.

Can you hear Jesus calling

your name out loud and clear,

can you step out from the shadows

and throw off the cloak of fear.

Many will be chosen

but only some will heed the call

to follow the Master where he leads,

to willingly give their all.

Perhaps you have been chosen,

for such a time as this.

2009 Carol J. Grace All Rights Reserved