A Disciple's Renewal

O my Saviour,
help me.
I am so slow to learn, 
so prone to forget, 
so weak to climb;
I am in the foothills when 
I should be on the heights;
I am pained by my graceless heart,
my prayerless days,
my poverty of love,
my sloth in the heavenly race,
my sullied conscience,
my wasted hours,
my unspent opportunities.
I am blind while light shines around me:
take the scales from my eyes,
grind to dust the evil heart of unbelief.
Make it my chiefest joy to study thee,
meditate on thee,
gaze on thee,
sit like Mary at thy feet,
lean like John upon thy breast,
appeal like Peter to thy love,
count like Paul all things dung.
Give me increase and progress in grace so that there may be
more decision in my character,
more vigor in my purposes,
more elevation in my life,
more fervor in my devotion,
more constancy in my zeal.
As I have a position in the world,
keep me from making the world my position;
May I never seek in the creature
what can be found only in the Creator;
Let not faith cease from seeking thee until it vanishes into sight.
Ride forth in me, thou king of kings and lord of lords,
that I may live victoriously, and in victory attain my end.

A Puritan's Prayer

A Conciliator's Prayer

Ken Sande, the founder of Peacemaker Ministries 
prays this prayer as a conciliator. 

This is the prayer of my heart as a pastor, as well 


O LORD, God
Today I am called to be a peacemaker, 

but I am unfit for the task.  
By nature I am a peace-faker and a peace-breaker, 
so I myself need help.

Others ask me to understand and guide them, 
but my ears are dull, 

my eyes are dim, 
and I lack the wisdom they need. 

But you, Lord, have all they need, 
so I come to you for supply.

Make me fit for your purposes, 
so I might serve them and honor you.

Cleanse me from my own sin 
so I will not add to their problems;

take the logs from my eyes, 
so I can remove the specks from theirs.

Fill me with your Spirit so they may benefit from your fruit:

love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Give me wisdom from above so 
I might be pure and peace-loving,

considerate and submissive, 
full of mercy and good fruit, 
impartial and sincere.

Open Your Word to my eyes and to my heart,

so I will have a steady lamp to light our path.

Strip me of my own agenda and desires, 
so I might look only to others' good

and be absolutely worthy of their trust.

Help me to model everything I teach, 
so others can see the way.

Give me humility to admit my weaknesses 
and confess my wrongs,

so others might do the same.

Draw me again and again into prayer, 
where you can strengthen and correct me.

Make me submissive -- 
help me to show that I myself am under authority.

Help me to treat others as I want to be treated, 
so they may see the essence of your Law.

Make me creative, versatile, and adaptable 
so I can adjust to the surprises ahead.

Help me to accept others as you have accepted me,
 and thus bring praise to your name.

Give me faith and perseverance
 so I will not doubt your provision

or abandon your principles, 
even when others fight against them.

Grant me the gift of encouragement, 
to give others hope and help them believe

that our labor is not in vain.

Help me to model your forgiveness 
so relationships are healed

and your Gospel is revealed.

Grant me discernment 
so that I may read 
the deep waters of others' hearts,

sort fiction from fact, 
and know when it's time to act.

Give me boldness and courage, 
tempered with kindness, 
to confront others in love

so they might see their errors and 
find their way back to you.

Help me to prepare thoroughly 
and not presume upon your grace.

Make me just and fair, 
so that even if people disagree

with my counsel they will believe 
that I treated them well.

In short, Father,

please give me the Spirit of Christ 
so that I might walk in His steps and guide 
Your people Into the path of Your peace.

Afraid? Of What?

Jack Vinson was a missionary to China. In 1931 he was taken hostage by bandits. Eventually they were surrounded by government troops and the bandits tried to shoot their way out. Many died in the process; Vinson was shot and beheaded by his captors. BUT, before he died this conversation, between Vinson and one of the bandits, was overheard by another hostage.

It went like this...
"I'm going to kill you. Aren't you afraid?" said the bandit.
"Kill me, if you wish. I will go straight to God." Vinson replied.

After hearing of his friend's courage EH Hamilton wrote this poem for others facing troubled and difficult times. 

Afraid? Of What?

To feel the spirit's glad release?

To pass from pain to perfect peace,

The strife and strain of life to cease?

Afraid--of that?

Afraid--Of What?

Afraid to see the Savior's face

To hear His welcome, and to trace

The glory gleam from wounds of grace?

Afraid--of that?

Afraid? Of What?

A flash, a crash, a pierced heart;

Darkness, light, O Heaven's art!

A wound of His a counterpart!

Afraid--of that?

Afraid? Of What?

To do by death what life could not--

Baptize with blood a stony plot,

Till souls shall blossom from the spot?

Afraid--of that?

~E. H. Hamilton  By Their Blood

The Valley of VISION

LORD HIGH AND HOLY, MEEK AND LOWLY,

Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,

where I live in the depths but see Thee in the heights;

hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold Thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox

That the way down is the way up,

That to be low is to be high,

That the broken heart is the healed heart,

That the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,

That the repenting soul is the victorious soul,

That to have nothing is to posses all,

That to bear the cross is to wear the crown,

That to give is to receive,

That the valley is the place of vision.

LORD, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,

and the deeper the wells the brighter Thy stars shine;

Let me find Thy light in my darkness,

Thy life in my death,

Thy joy in my sorrow,

Thy grace in my sin,

Thy riches in my poverty,

Thy glory in my valley.

Written by Puritans

A Story Worth Sharing

Irena  Sendler

Today I received the following story about a woman named Irena Sendler. It's worth the time it takes to read...and remember.


There  recently was a death of a 98 year-old lady named Irena. During  WWII, Irena, got permission to work in the Warsaw Ghetto, as a Plumbing/Sewer specialist. She had an 'ulterior motive' ... She KNEW what the  Nazi's plans were for the Jews, (being German.) Irena smuggled  infants out in the bottom of the tool box she carried and she  carried in the back of her truck a burlap sack, (for larger  kids) She also had a dog in the back that she trained to bark  when the Nazi soldiers let her in and out of the ghetto. The  soldiers of course wanted nothing to do with the dog and the  barking covered the kids/infants noises.. During her time of doing  this, she managed to smuggle out and save 2500 kids/infants. She  was caught, and the Nazi's broke both her legs, arms and beat her  severely. Irena kept a record of the names of all the kids she  smuggled out and kept them in a glass jar, buried under a tree in  her back yard. After the war, she tried to locate any parents that  may have survived it and reunited the family. Most had been  gassed. Those kids she helped got placed into foster family homes  or adopted. Last  year Irena was up for the Nobel Peace Prize She was not  selected. Al  Gore won, for a slide show on Global Warming.  

How Do You Say "Good-bye" from a Million Miles Away?

Okay, so it's not really a million miles, but today it seems like a million miles! It is, though, a whole great big country away-from the east coast in Pennsylvania to the west coast in Sun City, California. That is a long way when your heart is tugging you in that direction.

Yesterday my Uncle Jim thought he was going to die...then last night he hoped he wouldn't disappoint anyone if he didn't! He continues to amaze me every time he rallies around and I wonder how many times, over the last few years, I thoroughly expected him to die at any moment and he hasn't! (Besides his many health issues for some reason he has always seemed "old" to me. I don't know why except that he has the "California raisin" skin of an outdoor man...a lifeguard, a motorcycle policeman, an oil man. I guess a life lived around the water and the sun can do that to you.)

But, more than likely, he probably will leave this world soon. He is ready. He is tired. He struggles for every breath and has never fully recovered from a fall several months ago. His once vigorous, active life is now spent between his bed and the couch and the doctor's office, but somehow the "Energizer Bunny" part of him just keeps ticking away, regardless of the condition of his frail body. Maybe it's because he knows how much he is loved...I wonder?

*****************************

Uncle Jim, I know you know this. You have always known this...how much I love you and my Aunt Lynne. (I know, in life, we're probably not supposed to have favorites, but I do and so do you.) You have both been like parents to me. Your love for me has always been unconditional and precious and far beyond special.

My memories of you as I grew up, Uncle Jim, are just as clear and distinct as those I have of my dad. I'll never forget the day you taught me to waterski. Your patience knew no bounds, whether you were driving the boat or in the water with me helping to keep my skies straight, your encouragement was just what an unsteady seven year-old needed. Could you hear me singing at the top of my lungs, once I got up, "Climb, Climb Up Sunsine Mountain!" I can still feel the joy and the sense of freedom flying over the waves of the Saltan Sea!

I have no idea how many summers I spent with you in Bakersfield....all of the good ones, for sure! You probably don't know this, but you were at the center of one of the most embarrassing memories of my young life. Do you remember the day I walked in on you and Aunt Lynne right after you got out of the shower? I ran back outside and jumped in the pool and, when you came out in your police uniform to say good-bye, I ducked under the water, hoping for dear life, that you were gone before I ran out of oxygen. I can laugh at that now...but it took a long time!

Do you know that every New Year's Day I wish you a "Happy Birthday" in my heart. Your birthday has never passed that I haven't thought of you...and then remembered the Christmas and New Years that Lisa and I spent with you while Mom and Dad and the boys went to Oklahoma. I don't know why we got the best part of the Holidays that year, but I do remember that you celebrated a little too much and chased us girls around the house until we locked ourselves in the bedroom laughing and gasping for breath!

So many memories wrapped up in you. I will treasure them always, but I treasure this the most... I have always known how much you love me. I have always known I am "your favorite!" And that is one of the greatest blessings of my life. Thank you. I love you right back! And whether I see you again here or someday beyond this life, I know that I will see you again and I take comfort in that.

"I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always."

(Aunt Lynne, I also have many precious memories of you, as well. Like the day we stood in the bathroom and I told you that Jim Thomas had asked me to marry him and you said, "Oh Honey, lot's of guys are going to ask you to marry them!" And you gave me open access to your fingernail polish and your makeup! Oh my...how easy I was to please then!)

Sea Monsters, Dragons, Magicians and Spies...

Sea monsters, dragons, magicians and spies!

Riddles and mystery! Intrigue and surprise!

Heroes and villans and giants and midgets,

Palaces, dungeons and madmen and witches!

Kings, queens and emperors, wise men and fools,

Miracles, plagues, hidden treasures and jewels!

Angels and demons, rebellion and war,

Deception, disaster and mayhem and gore!

Time travel! Romance! Adventure! Betrayal!

Freedom from slavery! Escaping from jail!

Soldiers and warriors and healers and saints,

And poems of thanksgiving, praise and complaint!

Partying prophets and killers who preach,

Fish who eat people! Donkeys that teach!

Ship wreaks and journeys and blessings to give,

And the world's greatest Superhero ever to live!

Author of Poem: Unknown; Author of Book: Known and Revered