Psalm 111 - With All My Heart

This white rose reminds me
I must love God with a pure heart,
one that has been cleansed
by the blood of Jesus.











“Praise the Lord.
I will extol the Lord
with all my heart
in the council of the upright
and in the assembly.
Great are the works of the Lord;
they are pondered by all
who delight in them.
Glorious and majestic
are his deeds,
and his righteousness
endures forever.
He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
the Lord is gracious and compassionate.
He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever."


Psalm 111:1-5

I will praise, I will thank, I will love the Lord

with all my heart, with all my being.
For great are the works, glorious the deeds,

of God almighty, all-knowing, all-seeing.
Forever righteous, yet gracious and compassionate,

is the loving Father I serve.
He cleanses my heart, provides all my needs.

I will give him the praise he deserves.

Psalm 110 - The Lord's Footstool

Christ will trod upon His enemies

as easily as I walk across my lawn!

“The Lord says to my Lord:
‘Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.’
The Lord will extend
your mighty scepter from Zion;
you will rule
in the midst of your enemies.”

Psalm 110:1-2

This life is a spiritual battle that we’re engaged in every day.
We must remember that Jesus wins this war though we’re in the middle of the fray.
Everyone and everything is ultimately subject to our Lord.
We can stand upon this truth because it’s stated in His word.
Christ sits at the right hand of God on his throne until the day our faith is sight.
Then everything opposed to Him will be His footstool by the power of His might.
Today I can draw strength in knowing that His Spirit is by my side,
And He will guide me through this life when in His grace I abide.

]

Psalm 109 - Extol the Lord

This spring my miniature roses seem to shout praises to their Creator!

With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord;
in the great throng I will praise him.
For he stands at the right hand of the needy one,
to save his life from those who condemn him.

Psalm 109:30-31

With my mouth I will extol the Lord,

praising Him in the midst of the crowd.

I am poor and needy in spirit

and have done things for which I am not proud,

God assures me there is now no condemnation

for those who are in Christ Jesus;

For He in His love sent Christ to die in my place,

shedding the blood that frees us.

Therefore, I will approach the Lord with thanksgiving,

ever praising His holy name.

Because of His greatness, His surpassing compassion,

I know I will never be the same.

Psalm 108 - Awaken the Dawn

Ray clouds always remind me of the glory of God. When I saw this view over the tops of my neighbors’ trees, I just had to run into the house for the camera. When I can’t get out and about to see God’s beauty in nature, he graciously brings it to me.






"My heart is steadfast, O God;
I will sing and make music with all my soul.
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
For great is your love, higher than the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,
and let your glory be over all the earth."

Psalm 108:1-5 (NIV)

Because of your faithfulness, my heart is steadfast.
Standing firm in my faith, I will not be moved.
Your faithfulness reaches to the skies, O Lord,
Your love for me has often been proved.
Therefore my songs will awaken the dawn.
I will begin each morning with praise.
You will be exalted above the heavens,
My Lord who died for me and was raised.

Psalms 106 & 107 - His Love Endures Forever

Red roses are a symbol of love.
“Greater love has no one than this,
that he lay down his life
for his friends.”
(John 15:13)

"Praise the Lord.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord
or fully declare his praise?

Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Let all the people say, “Amen!”

Praise the Lord."

Psalm 106:1-2, 48 (NIV)

"Give Thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say this –
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south.

Whoever is wise, let him heed these things

and consider the great love of the Lord."

Psalm 107:1-3, 43 (NIV)

The psalmist recounts your mercy and love

in spite of your people’s rebellion.
Your loving-kindness didn’t depend on their faithfulness,

but solely on your own.
Today your character remains the same:

you redeemed me from the midst of my sin.
My salvation does not depend on my works, b

ut on the grace of Christ alone.
I give thanks to you, Lord, for you are good.

Your love endures forever.
I’ll live my life in praise to you,

and trust in you to bring me home.

The sky was actually this color when I photographed the rainbow
over the crape myrtle in my front yard.
The rainbow is a symbol of God’s covenant with Noah,
and a reminder of His awesome act
of covering the entire earth with flood waters.

"Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name;
make known among the nations
what he has done.
Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
Look to the Lord and his strength;
seek his face always.
Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced."

Psalm 105:1-5

When I remember the wonders I read in your word
and those you have done in my own life as well,
how can I keep from praising your name?
When I meditate on your mighty acts, I must tell
everyone I know that you are awesome God!

My heart rejoices as I seek your face.
On your strength I know I can rely.
Help me to make known all you have done.
When people ask about my joy, may I reply
by recounting the wonders of my marvelous Lord!

Psalm 104 - Meditating Minstrel

Sometimes when I meditate upon the scripture, my thoughts are like the colors of this rose – mingled. I struggle at times for a clear focus; but as I pray, God puts it all together for me and helps me understand.



"I will sing to the Lord all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
May my meditation be pleasing to him,
as I rejoice in the Lord.
But may sinners vanish from the earth
and the wicked be no more.

Praise the Lord, O my soul.

Praise the Lord."

Psalm 104:33-35

Father, focus my meditation on you

and give me understanding from your word.
Let my songs continually praise you

and draw others to you as Lord.
I rejoice that you desire

to have communication with me.
Praise the Lord, O my soul.

God, help me to clearly see
your glory that endures forever,

the many works of your hands.
You are creator, sustainer of all the earth,

and my Father who understands.

These flowers are like the Lord’s blessings:
too many to count! They seem to shout a chorus of “Praise the Lord!” as they fill my flower bed with passionate pink.

"Praise the Lord, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits –
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed
like the eagle’s."

Psalm 103:1-5

From deep within, I praise you, Lord: I praise your holy name.
Because of all your benefits, I’ll never be the same.
My sins you have forgiven: you redeemed me from many pits.
These are just the beginning of your precious benefits.
Often times you’ve healed me or given me grace in my pain,
But most importantly you have blotted out my sin’s guilty stain.
You crown me with love and compassion, I’m completely filled with good things.
You renew my strength and empower me to mount up with eagle’s wings.
My soul will magnify you, Lord, and forever I’ll sing your praise.
Praise the Lord, O my soul. Praise him all of my days.

Psalm 101 - A Blameless Heart

Snow is often used to symbolize purity and innocence.
I love the way my garden looks when draped in snow.
This snow was especially pretty because the hyacinths were already up,
and the pansies were still blooming.

"I will sing of your love and justice;
to you, O Lord, I will sing praise.
I will be careful to lead a blameless life – when will you come to me?

I will walk in my house
with blameless heart.
I will set before my eyes
no vile thing.

The deeds of faithless men I hate;
they will not cling to me.
Men of perverse heart shall be far from me;
I will have nothing to do with evil."

Psalm 101:1-4

The true measure of character is how you behave

when no one else can see.
Do I walk in my house with blameless heart,

when no one’s watching me?
Lord, help me to be careful

to live in truth and integrity.
Help me to interact with others

with grace and sincerity.
Help me to guard my eyes

from anything profane or vile.
Help me to flee from perversity

and keep my eyes on you all the while.
I will sing of your love and justice,

and thank you for your grace.
To you, O Lord, who chose to save me,

I will always sing your praise.

Psalm 99 - The Lord Reigns

The top branches of one of our oak trees were wrenched off during a storm. My neighbor helped me move them up onto the yard since they were blocking my driveway. By the grace of God they stopped within two feet of my mother’s bedroom window! According to Jeremiah 10:13 God controls the wind and all its awesome power.

"The Lord reigns,
let the nations tremble;
he sits enthroned between the cherubim,

let the earth shake.
Great is the Lord in Zion;
he is exalted over all the nations.
Let them praise
your great and awesome name –
he is holy."

Psalm 99:1-3 (NIV)

I tremble at your power, Lord,

but I also trust.
Knowing that you reign supreme

makes dependence a must.
Insurance companies call “acts of God”

earthquakes, tornadoes, floods.
Yet we’re discouraged from acknowledging

your most important act, your blood
that you shed willingly on the cross,

to bring salvation to sinful men.
I pray our country will have revival

and turn to you once again.
Our nation needs to tremble,

to quake with violent fear;
for many refuse to turn to you,

to acknowledge you are here.
You are exalted above the nations,

to you we lift our praise,
and pray that you will heal our land

and bring others to your ways.

Psalm 98 - Shout for Joy!

Vivid colors are a visual shout.
In the early spring,
my flower bed bursts into
jubilant song.
My ears can’t hear it,
but my eyes delight
in the harmonies
of the variety of blooms
and foliage.





"Shoutfor joy to the Lord, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;
make music to the Lord with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,
with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn –
shout for joy before the Lord, the King."

Psalm 98:4-6

We are commanded to shout for joy,

make a joyful noise to the Lord.
Bursting into jubilant song

is good behavior according to God’s word.
So, Lord, I sing and shout my praise,

accompanied by instruments, too.
Music is my favorite expression

of my praise and adoration for you!
Lord, let my proclamation be heard

as I sing of the joy that you bring.
Thank you, Father, for saving me

and giving me reasons to sing!

Psalm 97 - Light is Shed on the Righteous

Now that I've finished the 40 days of preparation for Good Friday and Easter, I'm back to my study of Psalms and photographs of Beauty in My Own Backyard. This picture was taken a couple of years ago, but was in my backyard.
This much snow is rare in my part of Texas. God used these early hyacinths peeking up through the blanket of white to remind me of his ability to brighten up even the dreariest times of my life. Spring flowers in the snow are like joy in the midst of sorrow.

"Let those who love the Lord hate evil,
for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
Light is shed upon the righteous
and joy on the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name."

Psalm 97:10-12 (NIV)

You deliver me from the wicked. You guard my life: in you I trust.
I will hate evil and turn from wickedness. If I love you, Lord, this is a must.
You shed your light upon me, for I’m covered in the righteousness of Christ.
You illuminate the path, making your way clear to me as I seek your light.
You bring the brightness of joy even in the midst of what seem to be dark days.
I will rejoice in you, my Lord, and seek to bring you glory and praise.

Easter Sunday

It's Easter Sunday, and I have a cold or something. I didn't get to go to worship services this morning; but I have been contemplating the resurrection of Christ. If Christ had not risen from the dead, we would have no hope; but since He has risen, I can be certain of my future. In John 14, Jesus tells believers that He has gone to prepare a place for us. When a Jewish man became betrothed, he began preparing a place for his bride in his father's house. Then he had to wait for his father to give the okay before going to claim his bride and bring her to her new home. Jesus is preparing a place for His bride, the church. When God the Father gives the word, Christ will return to take us to His Father's house. What a glorious day that will be!

When I was in high school, I took a few years of Spanish. My teacher challenged me to write poetry in Spanish as well as English. Spanish speaking readers, please forgive me if the following is not perfect grammar in Spanish. I wrote it when I was 16, but it still expresses my heart.


Tengo una esperanza
por cosas que viene
un día en el futuro
cuando Cristo volverá.

Y tengo un gran fe
que Dios hoy día existe
porque está viviendo
Jesús en mi corazón.

Y tengo un amor
porque conozco a Cristo,
un amor por todo el mundo,
un amor por ti también.


TRANSLATION:

I have a hope
for things that come
one day in the future
when Christ will return.

And I have a great faith
that God exists today
because Jesus
is living in my heart.

And I have a love
because I know Christ,
a love for all the World,
a love for you also.

Thoughts on Easter Eve

I wrote this poem years ago on rainy Saturday, the day before Easter. Today has been lovely, but it might as well have been raining because I have a cold and didn't feel like getting out an enjoying the sun. At least I could enjoy my miniature roses in the garden through the french doors to my patio. At times, our lives feel like a rainy day; but because of the resurrection of Christ that we celebrate tomorrow, we know the day of SONshine in Heaven is coming!

Thoughts on Easter Eve

The rain is tumbling down today
watering the earth.
Tomorrow will be Easter morn,
we'll celebrate rebirth.
And as the flowers rise in spring,
stretch toward the sun above,
our Savior rose up from the tomb
and shines on us His love.
He died to save us; lives to raise us;
we can be born again.
From death to life now the Bible tells how
We can become new men.
Feel the conviction; change your direction.
Surrender your life to the Lord.
He won’t ignore you. He will restore you.
God will stand by His word.
Life is glorious; we are victorious
when we live in His light.
He will guide us, stay right beside us
as against Satan we fight.
Sin can’t conquer us if in the Lord we’ll trust.
Christ will always come through.
If we confess to Him, and then we rest in Him,
we can start out brand new.

Karen Sue Hale
April 10, 1982

40 Days to Live - Day 0

Luke 23 - Be Crucified with Christ - Galatians 2:20

LIVE IT: From this day forward, die to yourself every day.

Is Christ’s anguish on the cross diminished
if we consider His omniscience,
that on the cross, He knew “It is finished!”?
Does the fact of His omnipotence,
that He could call angels to His defense,
make His suffering in our place less intense?
I think His love intensified
because He didn’t have to die
but willed Himself to be my sacrifice.

Jesus, I desire to be totally yours every day and in every way. Thank you for taking my place on the cross that I might live abundantly and eternally in your presence. Let me never take your sacrifice for granted. Live through me this day in such a way as to bring others closer to you.

40 Days to Live - Day 1

Luke 22 - Agonize with Christ

LIVE IT: Surrender to the Father's will at all costs.

Christ gave His life for me. How can I give less than my all to Him?

Lord, help me to serve you no matter the cost.

Help me daily to take up my cross.

My selfish desires, help me to deny.

Let me live for Christ, and to myself die.

THOUGHTS ON THE ARREST AND CRUCIFIXION

What would I do if all my friends forsook me?
Would I forgive them and love them just the same?
And if one of my best friends then denied me,
would I love him and then take on me his blame?
If the soldiers spit on me and mocked me,
then beat me and struck me in the face,
would I suffer, knowing I could stop it?
Would I take the pain to save the human race?
If they had me drag my cross to Calvary,
and I stumbled and fell along the way,
would I keep silent and not ask intervention
or complain that it’s too high a price to pay?
Would I lie down and let them drive the nails in?
Would I stay there though my flesh began to tear?
Would I endure the untold mental anguish
as the sin of all the world I had to bear?
For the friends who denied they ever knew me,
for the sinners who had not yet been born,
would I go through death and hell on Calvary?
Would I volunteer to wear a crown of thorns?
I wouldn’t do it for all the earthly riches.
I couldn’t do it; I don’t have that kind of love.
But I’m thankful that Jesus Christ went through it.
I’m so glad the Father sent Him from above.
For Jesus has that kind of mercy,
and Jesus has that kind of grace
that though His own men did forsake him,
He would suffer and die in their place.
And Jesus loved this unborn sinner
and bore on Calvary all my sin.
He suffered the penalty that I deserved,
rose from the grave the victory to win.
Because of His love, I am victorious.
Because of His mercy, I’m set free.
Because I’ve accepted Him as Savior and Lord,
I have joyous life with God eternally!

40 Days to Live - Day 2

Luke 21 - Lift Up Your Head

LIVE IT: Pray that you will persevere until the Day of Christ.

Will persecution come right here in America?

I do believe this possibility exists.

If persecution happens on my very doorstep,

will I be able to stand and resist

the temptation to give in, to deny my Lord?

Will my faith in Jesus Christ pesist?

Not by my own power, nor my intellect,

but by God's Spirit I will stand.

He promises He'll provide the words for my mouth,

and I don't need to worry beforehand.

So, Lord, I'm going to trust you to help me persevere.

Help me stand firm following Your command.

40 Days to Live - Day 3

Luke 20 - Fall on the Stone

LIVE IT: Fall on the mercy of Jesus Christ and confess your unworthiness.

A Circumcised Heart

I cannot follow my moral compass.
I cannot rely on religion or creeds,
Being born of a certain nation or race,
Or submitting to ritualistic deeds.
It is impossible to obey God’s law completely,
Never committing sin nor omitting good.
In my flesh, by my will, I cannot attain
To all of the rules I know that I should.
Only a circumcised heart can change me,
Only a spirit made new by the Lord.
Giving my life completely to Jesus
Is what will enable me to obey His word.
His blood has covered my many failures.
He gave His life to pay for my sins.
Accepting His precious gift of forgiveness
Frees me to live a life pleasing to Him.

“A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly,
nor is circumcision merely outward and physical.
No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly;
and circumcision is circumcision of the heart,
by the Spirit, not by the written code.
Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God.”
Romans 2:28-29

40 Days to Live - Day 4

Luek 19:45-48 - Turn the Tables

LIVE IT: Cast out any false idols or empty religion in your life.

Sometimes we find ourselves going to church out of habit or feeling of obligation. Lord, help me hunger to know You, serve you wholeheartedly, and drop any religious pretense that gets in the way of a vital relationship with my Savior.

I was driving one day and passed by a U-Haul location with it's trucks neatly parked in a row. I said to myself, "There's a country song waiting to happen." When I got I home, that country song had to come out, and I wrote the following.

The U-Haul Song

I’m gonna rent me a U-Haul and fill it up

with all of the junk in my life that gets in the way.

Gonna give the keys to my heavenly Father.

Gonna wave good-by as He drives

that truckload of junk away.

‘Cause ain’t no junk gonna come

between my Lord and me.

I give my Lord permission to take it all

and set me free.

Gonna follow Him wherever He leads.

Won’t need that junk

‘cause He’ll take care of my needs.

Why don’t you rent you a U-Haul and fill it up

with all of the junk in your life that gets in the way.

Then give the keys to your heavenly Father

and wave good-by as He drives

your truckload of junk away.

Don’t let no junk come

between your Lord and you.

Give your Father permission to do what

you need Him to.

Then follow Him wherever He goes.

Won’t need that junk

because your every need He knows.

40 Days to Live - Day 5

Luke 19:28-44 - Weep Over Your City

LIVE IT: Weep over your city today - pray for a spiritual awakening.

Recently I sang a song for my Sunday school class. I wrote "Prayer for Santa Fe" after a mission trip to that city with the youth group from Glenview Baptist Church. After I finished singing it, one of the class members said, "You could just as easily be singing about Fort Worth." How often do I weep and pray over other places I've traveled on mission trips and fail to weep and pray for my own DFW area?

Prayer for Santa Fe (or FW or Hurst or Bedford)

High upon a hilltop in the morning light we stood,
and from that view the city looked so clean...it looked so good;
but as we closed our eyes to pray, their faces filled my mind,
and the thing that I remembered most was the darkness in their eyes.

Darkness had filled their minds.
Myriad philosophies had made them blind.
They were searching for salvation but apart from Christ.
Could our words bring hope to them and bring them life?

Lord, I pray for Santa Fe, for all of her people who have gone astray,
who think they’ll find salvation in some mystical New Age.
I pray that You’ll shine down on them and show the way.

For darkness has filled their minds.
Their myriad philosophies have left them blind.
They’re looking for salvation, but they don’t see Christ.
Let the things we shared bring them to Your light.

Father, take the seed that we planted on that night.
Grow it in their hearts and minds, fill them with Your light.
Take away their darkness. Replace it with Your truth.
Than let Your light so shine in them that it draws more men to You.

Chase the darkness out of their minds.
Take the myriad philosophies that made them blind.
Replace them with salvation, the light of Christ.
Then let their lives help others see that You are life.

40 Days to Live - Day 6

John 12:1-11 Worship Richly

LIVE IT: Praise God in an extravagant way today.

Mary anointed Jesus' feet with an expensive perfume, the best she had. The fragrance filled the room, so everyone was aware of what she had done. Judas criticized her as being wasteful, but Jesus rebuked him.

Sometimes we are criticized for praising Jesus extravagantly. I remember in my youth being told that I sang too emotionally and must be just trying to draw attention to myself. I took that so to heart, that the next time I was asked to sing, I insisted that I be hidden off stage. I wanted the people to only be aware of the song, not the singer. I wanted them to focus on the lyrics, not my face. I know I have been distracted by singers who seem to be so carried away with their praise that they are unaware of anything else. I should not feel this way. I should be glad they have the freedom to give themselves totally to praise even when before an audience and realize they are not performing for me, but for the audience of One; and He may be most pleased with them.

Longing to Praise Perfectly

I am so weak;
I am so bad.
I know my actions
must make You sad.
And my inaction
toward the things I should do
must be a great
disappointment to You.
You gave Your all.
You died for me.
You rose again
so I could be free.
My greatest love,
my most sincere praise
cannot be enough
to merit Your gaze;
yet You look at me
with love ever true,
forgiveness and grace
that come only from You.
To be so incapable
frustrates me so,
and I cry bitter tears
because I want to show
a love that is perfect
in every way,
to stand without flaw
in the bright light of day…
But I just have to praise you
for loving me now
although I’ll admit
I can’t understand how
You could possibly claim me
with all of my sin.
Through Jesus, cleanse me
anew to begin.
Thank You for loving me
as I am tonight,
but I pray for the day
when we’ll live in Your light.
And then, up in Heaven
I’ll be able to give
the perfect love You deserve
as long as I live…Forever!

40 Days to Live - Day 7

Luke 19:11-27 - Leave Your Comfort Zone

LIVE IT: Follow Jesus into a day that is not safe or comfortable.

Two men in the parable risked losing the master's money in order to gain more for him. One hid the coin he was given for fear of reprisal if he lost he one coin. The master rewarded the servants who used what they had to the best of their abilities. He punished the one who sat on the money and did nothing. God has given all of us in America many blessings...not only monetary wealth compared with other nations, but also freedom to live for Him boldly. Much too often we sit on what God has given us, take it for granted, and don't use it to the fullest each day. We fear what people think or the loss of social or financial standing if we follow Christ to the fullest measure. Will our careful Christianity receive a "well done, good and faithful servant"?
I think not.

Father, move me out of my safety,

away from my comfort zone.

Help me use all that I have,

my talents allow you to own.

Use my writing as you will.

Help me to risk my feelings

by submitting my work to publishers

that others might find healing.

Lord, help me to speak more boldly,

sharing You with the lost.

Remove all fear of rejection,

all worry about the cost.

May my reputation not matter.

May all be done to glorify You.

Let me know You more deeply

and to Your calling be true.

40 Days to Live - Day 8

Luke 19:1-10 Eat with Sinners

LIVE IT: Intentionally enter the world of someone who is not in Christ.

This one may take me a couple of days to do unless I do it via email or facebook. On Sundays I go to the grocery store. Most of my sack boys are Christians but occasionally I get to interact with a muslim young man who carries out my groceries. Last week I mentioned to him that I was going to a 5th Sunday sing that afternoon, and he shared with me that his mosque does that too! I didn't even realize they sang at mosque. He asked me how many hours I spent at church Sunday morning, so I told him a little bit about Sunday school and worship service. Perhaps this week I can try to check out where he's sacking and share more of Jesus with him.

Christ commands us to be His witnesses both at home and abroad. Much of the time I expect Jesus to bring the lost person to me when He has clearly told us to go out into the world and seek out those who need to hear about salvation. Although my going out is clearly limited right now, I can still watch for opportunities to share Christ at the store, the beauty shop, the bank or in line at the post office. Even though I might not have the freedom to invite them to my mother's home, I can invite them to this blog or to email me in order to share more of Jesus with them than our brief face to face encounters allow.

Lord, you came to this earth to serve,

to seek and to save the lost.

Help me to pour my life into others

no matter what the cost.

Open my eyes to see those in need

at the bank or the grocery store.

Help me to do more than smile and nod.

Open my mouth to share more.

When strangers share their pressing needs

as they often seem to do,

help me to say more than "I will pray."

Enable me to point them to you.

40 Days to Live - Day 9

Luke 18:35-43 - Be Healed

LIVE IT: Trust God for healing today - physical, emotional or spiritual.


While Dad was in the hospital following a major heart attack, God enabled my mother and me to encourage and witness to many people who came through the ICU waiting room. One mother even asked me to go into her daughter’s ICU room and pray over her, a request I’d never had before. I did pray for the young woman, as did several of my friends; and although the doctors said she had less than a 5% chance of surviving a severe illness stemming from a fungus in her lungs, she completely recovered and was able to go home for weekend visits within 5 weeks. God answers prayer! Daddy also survived triple bypass surgery a few days later even though the doctors thought his heart was too damaged to make it. Then he went on to live a fairly active life until cancer took him home on January 28, 2001 at the age of 75.

Trust Him
Karen Sue Hale
January 9, 1988

I serve a great and mighty God.
He knows my hurts and needs.
He places me in places
where He knows I need to be.
He works the worst of circumstances
to glorify His name.
He allows my life to touch others
so they’ll never be the same.
It’s not always easy to trust Him
when it seems the picture’s dim.
I must constantly remind myself
things are focused well for Him.
He sees the total picture
as clearly as can be.
All I can do is trust Him
through dark times when I can’t see.