Can You See Me

Can you see me
Sitting here?
Will you turn
And see me?

Can you hear me
Calling you?
When will you
Listen to me?

I feel invisible
And think
Nobody cares
When nobody sees.

I’m not invisible,
Stop, look,
See, I’m here
Behind you.

In Memory of Festus Paul

Sing, sing for joy ;
Sing skj others
Will hear
And understand
That you are
Praising God.
Let your voices
Be heard clearly
So all will know
About a loving God.

Believe?

What do you believe?
Do you know that God
Is always near you?
Do you realize
That you are always loved?
Turn around and see,
And know that always
You are loved.

Before Me, Behind Me by Terry Lee Ousley

God, You know everything about me;
You know every thought of my day.
You know where I stand
And You know when I stop and rest -
Every moment You know where I am!

You go before me to chart the path of Your plan.
You go behind me to guide me and keep me safe within Your hand.
This is too glorious, too marvelous for my mind to comprehend!
Before me, behind me: Your presence is all around me!
I can never be lost from Your love.

When I've climbed my highest mountain You are there.
And when I'm in my deepest pit, You're even there!
It is so precious, Lord, to realize You are with me constantly!
When I call out Your name, Your thoughts turn toward me!

You go before me to chart the path of Your plan.
You go behind me to guide me and keep me safe within Your hand.
This is too glorious, too marvelous for my mind to comprehend!
Before me, behind me: Your presence is all around me!
I can never be lost from Your love.

BASED on Psalm 139

God Loves Me?!

I was wandering alone
With no one to guide me
And it seemed
No one cared
Who or where I was.
But then there came
A man who told me
About a love
That was mine
To have.
It was then I found
To my surprise...
God loves ME!!!

I Am Love

I Am Love

I Am here.
Before the world was,
I Am there,
And I created all.
Yahweh, Elohim,
Call me what you will,
I Am always near.
Out of love
I created you.

John 1:1-5
I am the word
That created all,
And I became
One with you
To show you all
The way to live
With each other
In love.

John 3:16
I came in love
To teach all
How to live together
In peace and love.
Can you learn
To follow me
And love
All that you meet?

I John 3:1
In this know
How much you are loved,
You are my children!
You are all
Precious to me
And I would
Hold you close
If you will only
Come near.

I John 3:11
And being all
Children of mine,
Learn to love
One another,
For you all are
Brothers and sisters.
Come together
And see
Who you really are.

I John 4:7-10
I came
That you might
Know what love is,
And how much
I really love you.
Come and see
And find forgiveness
And love
For yourself.

I John 4:11-16
You will come
To live in union
With me
If you will only
Love one another.
And in this union
Is my love shown,
That though you have
Never seen my face,
You still live in union
With each other.

I John 4:17-18
You need not
Fear anything,
For my love
Is always there
To protect you.
Come to me
And see
How great my love
For you is.


I John 4:19-21
I created you
And I loved you
Before you knew me.
I came that you
Might know love
And not hate,
For there is no room
For hate near me.
If you love me,
You love others!
Come to me and know
My great love
For you!

A Challenge

A Challenge

Answer this question : What does Jesus mean to you?

My answer

Jesus is
Love,light, a guide along the path, strength for the  day, Someone always there for me, a helper in times of trouble and the One I love.

Love

Love               for Joel Maderer

Ruth 1:16-17
There is love
Between us.
Don't ask me
To leave this place,
For where you are
Is where
I want to be.

I Corinthians 13
Come in love,
Come and see
What love is.
Let us all learn
About love
And learn to share
That love abroad.

I Corinthians 13:1-3
I am a person,
A child of God,
But even if
I can speak
Many languages
Or become
The best preacher,
And there is no love,
It is all for nothing.

I Corinthians 13:4-7
If I have love,
I have learned
To be patient
With those around me.
Kindness and gentleness
Are a part of my life,
And I treat other people
With such care
That they know
That God is
Always with me.

I Corinthians 13:8-10
Love is always
A part of my life.
All other gifts
Such as speaking
Or knowledge
Are temporary,
And will pass away,
But love is
Always there for me.

I Corinthians 13:11-12
I once was a child,
And had childish ways,
But now I have
Given that up.
I see now
As through a mirror,
But one day
I will meet God,
And see completely
All that is,
And know completely
What love is.

I Corinthians 13:13
Faith is here with me,
And I do believe.
I hope for all
That is to come,
A better life for all.
But Love abides forever
And is the greatest of all.

 

Praisesong

                                                             
                                                  Praisesong

With what name
Shall I call Him?
Elohim or Adonai –
Neither says enough,
Neither is full enough.
What is the word
For Best Beloved,
For Lover of my soul?
How shall I pronounce
The words that mean
Parent and Savior?
No words are there
That are strong enough,
That have enough meaning,
For Lord of all is He
And also
Lord of my life.

Praisesong

With what name
Shall I call Him?
Elohim or Adonai –
Neither says enough,
Neither is full enough.
What is the word
For Best Beloved,
For Lover of my soul?
How shall I pronounce
The words that mean
Parent and Savior?
No words are there
That are strong enough,
That have enough meaning,
For Lord of all is He
And also
Lord of my life.

God Is

God is made manifest to me as malo, not because of what I want, but because of what I need.  I need that male presence in my life to learn there are men I can trust.  There are things that happened to me when I was in grade school and I learned there were men who could not be trusted to behave.  I have finally forgiven the man, but the body doesn't forget.  So God is near me, reminding me there are those men who can be trusted.

Because God was always there in my life, I AM a survivor!!   What strength I have to get through this life is because God is near, helping me.

God Keeps Me Safe

God Keeps me safe                 for Rick Peterson

Psalm 23
My God
Is my protector,
And is always near
Through good times
And the bad,
Ready to help
And strengthen,
And keep me safe.

Psalm 27
At all times
Of my life,
God is near me
To give me light.
I need not fear,
For my God
Is always with me
Even when my enemies
Are all around me.
I am always safe
In those arms.

Psalm 84
And I will live safely
In the house of God.
There is beauty there
That is greater
Than any other place
That I know,
And I long
To dwell there,
For my true home
Is there.

Psalm 121
God is always near,
And watches over me,
Keeping me safe.
At all times
And in all places,
God is there
And does not sleep,
That I will be
Kept always safe.

John 1:1-5
God has always
Been there
And brings light
To my life
And all others
Who will believe.
And in that light
Is life,
And the dark
Can never
Overwhelm me.

Romans 8:28
And God is there,
Loving all people,
And working for good
For all of us.
And again,
I find safety,
For God's love
Keeps me secure.
And I am called
To walk in those paths
That will lead me
Onward to where God is.

Psalm 150
And I praise God!
With everything
That exists,
I will ever praise God,
Who keeps me safe.
Love is mine!
Let all the world know
That God loves me
And all other people!

Trust God

Tony Thieman-Somora

Trust is an easy word to say, but not always an easy action in our
lives.  Maybe that is because trust involves all of who we are.  Trust
is  a movement of mind, heart and will....moving us to trust, even
when others might say it makes no sense.  Trust in God is the best
example of a movement of our minds, our hearts and our wills to trust
in someone we know deeply in our lives, even though we can't see God,
but yet are moved with all of who we are to trust in the Creator of
all creation and place our lives in God's hands.  May we trust in the
One who trusted us to continue the message of love, compassion and
mercy, for that is a true relationship of trust!

Let Us Dream

Let us dream
Of a day
When all people
Will be accepted
To be the children
Of a loving God.

Let us dream
Of a time
When there will
Be no more wars
And peace will reign .

Together,
Let us dream
Of a time
When all people
Will be united in peace.

Before Me, Behind Me by Terry Lee Ousley

God, You know everything about me;
You know every thought of my day.
You know where I stand
And You know when I stop and rest -
Every moment You know where I am!

You go before me to chart the path of Your plan.
You go behind me to guide me and keep me safe within Your hand.
This is too glorious, too marvelous for my mind to comprehend!
Before me, behind me: Your presence is all around me!
I can never be lost from Your love.

When I've climbed my highest mountain You are there.
And when I'm in my deepest pit, You're even there!
It is so precious, Lord, to realize You are with me constantly!
When I call out Your name, Your thoughts turn toward me!

You go before me to chart the path of Your plan.
You go behind me to guide me and keep me safe within Your hand.
This is too glorious, too marvelous for my mind to comprehend!
Before me, behind me: Your presence is all around me!
I can never be lost from Your love.

BASED on Psalm 139

Some Questions

God welcomes the wanderer in unexpected ways .
Are we willing and to let God welcome us ?
Will we sit at table and with the outsider ?
And will we treat them as God's precious children and our neighbors ?
Do we see that God and forgives everyone?

For the lonely seniors :

Don't forget me
Or leave me alone,
Be there for me
To help and show love.

Don't ignore me
And think I am happy.
You just may be
The The one that I need.

Don't turn away
Because I am not there.
Call or come by,
Let me know you care.

2 Shorts

I'm surrounded by love!
Everywhere I look,
There is God, loving me!

God :
I am with you,
I am always loving you,
I am near to help
Whenever you fall.

Riots-late 1960's

Come, you people, and see.
Come you rich
And all that have enough.
Come and see
Where the poor are.
Look at the breeding ground
Of anger and frustration.
Come and see
Poverty at its worst.
The people are crowded
Thousands in a small space.
The rats, huge and bold,
Walk across your feet
And sleep with the children.
No place to play,
No place to sleep,
Person piled on top of person
Up to the sky.
Impossible you say?
Where?  You ask.
Look at the cities -
Harlem, Watts, Chicago -
All the large cities -
New York, Los Angeles, Detroit.
This is where riots are born
In the slums of Cleveland and Newark
Where men and women
Have no chance to live,
No chance to work
And little happiness;
And anger boils out
And frustration takes its toll.
For many are unskilled
And jobs are hard to find.
Go down to the slums and see;
Be one of them for a day, a week,
And know what frustration is like,
And why all the angry people
Erupt in violence.
1967

Help, Oh God

Help, Oh God
        for Joe Mackey

Psalm 39:1
Help me, oh God,
That I might
Learn to watch
What I say.
Help me to control
My tongue and my brain
That what I say
Will not hurt another.

Romans 7:21
You, oh God,
Are my help
To keep me
From the wrong
That I would do
Or from saying
Anything that would
Hurt another.
I want to say and do
Only the good,
But without you near,
I have no strength
To walk in the right.

Ephesians 2:8-9
It is you, oh God,
Who has come to me
And by your grace,
Saved me.
You have shown me
The way to go,
That is not of anything
That I might do
But only
Through faith in you.

Titus 3:5
Oh my God,
I often do or say
The wrong things.
But through your mercy,
I am saved
And your spirit dwells
Always with me.

Hebrews 4:14-16
And now I can
Approach your throne
With confidence,
Because Jesus has come
And shown me the way.
Always grace
And mercy are mine,
Because I believe
That Jesus is your Son,
And He shows me the way
That is best,
And your help and love
Always is mine.

Jesus Is There

The care taken
For the person
Who needs help;
Jesus is there.

The hand held out
To help the one
With an unsteady step;
Jesus is there.

The love given
To the stranger
In your midst;
Jesus is there.

Sounds

Sounds of war,
Sounds of violence,
Women and girls
Beaten and raped
Many people killed;
Africa.

Sounds of war,
Sounds of violence,
Car bombs and gunfire
People wounded and killed
All for land;
The Middle East.

Sounds of war,
Sounds of violence,
Farmers losing crops,
Drug runners winning
Rebels fighting government;
Columbia.

Sounds of war,
Sounds of violence,
Planes crashing
Buildings falling down,
People killed;
America.

Sounds of war,
Sounds of violence,
Bombs and gunfire
In a far off land
A change of government;
Afghanistan.

Sounds of war,
Sounds of violence,
Bombs exploding
And people dying,
In famous cities,
Paris and Brussels

Sounds of war,
Sounds of violence,
All over the world.
Oh God, when
Will all the people
Learn to live together
In peace and love?

Sacred Ground

Sacred Ground

Be very careful
How you walk here,
There is danger near,
But also know
You walk on sacred ground.

There is death here
Amidst the shattered steel,
So step carefully
Because you see
You walk on sacred ground.

The concrete here
Has crumbled to dust
And rises with every step,
But stop and remember;
You walk on sacred ground

Sept 11, 2002
The shattered steel
Is gone now,
Ashes and dust left;
But still and always
This is sacred ground.

Come

Come

Psalm 34:1-3
Come with me
And let us together
Praise God,
Who answers us
And helps us all
To find our way.
Rejoice, for God
Is near us.

Psalm 69:30-32
Come, hear me
As I give thanks
To our God.
I will glorify
The One
Who is there
Through all my life.

Psalm 100:4-5
Come, celebrate,
For we are welcomed
To enter the gates
And be where God is.
Raise your voices
In praise
And give thanks
To God
Who loves all
And is always there
For all people.

Psalm 105:1-4
Come, give thanks,
And sing praises
To God,
Remembering
All that has
Been done for us.
Rejoice and be glad,
And know
That God
Is always near.

Psalm 106:1-3
Come, praise God,
And give thanks
For love is always there
For all people.
Proclaim
What God has done
For all the people
That they might
Know justice
And that love
Is theirs.

Psalm 107:1-3
Come and know
That you are
Redeemed
By God,
And are called
From all the parts
Of the world
Love is ours
Forever
And no person
Can take that
Away from us.
God has promised
That this is true.

Walk in the Light

Walk in the Light   

I John 1:5-7
Come with me,
Walk with me
In the light
Of God's love.
There is no darkness
When we walk
Always with God.

I John 2:9-11
Come and see,
There is no hate here
And the darkness
Has no place.
Here there is
Only light and love,
And any who hate
Have no place here.

I John 3:1-3
And if we are
Of the light,
We are called
Children of God.
Ah, such love
That is there
For us all
That God should
Come to us
And call us by name
And tell us
That we are
Children of God.

I John 4:11-12
Because we are
Children of God,
We should love
One another.
And in the light
Of that love
We will learn
Who God is,
For God will dwell
Always with us.

Hope

Hope        for Rev Micah Hartung

Isaiah 40:31
Come to me in hope,
For in me
You will find strength.
I will always
Be near you,
And with me
You will never
Be weary.

Matt 11:28
Bring all your burdens
Here to me,
For in me is rest.
I am always near
And will help all
Who come to me
In faith and trust.

Matt 11:29-30   
Hope in me,
For my burdens
Are much lighter.
With me your souls
Will find the rest
That they need,
For here you
Will find gentleness
And all the love
That you need.

John 14:27
Keep your hope in me,
For I will give you
Such complete peace
That can never
Be taken away from you.
I will always
Be near you
And my love
Always is yours.

God Keeps Me Safe

God Keeps me safe                 for Rick Peterson

Psalm 23
My God
Is my protector,
And is always near
Through good times
And the bad,
Ready to help
And strengthen,
And keep me safe.

Psalm 27
At all times
Of my life,
God is near me
To give me light.
I need not fear,
For my God
Is always with me
Even when my enemies
Are all around me.
I am always safe
In those arms.

Psalm 84
And I will live safely
In the house of God.
There is beauty there
That is greater
Than any other place
That I know,
And I long
To dwell there,
For my true home
Is there.

Psalm 121
God is always near,
And watches over me,
Keeping me safe.
At all times
And in all places,
God is there
And does not sleep,
That I will be
Kept always safe.

John 1:1-5
God has always
Been there
And brings light
To my life
And all others
Who will believe.
And in that light
Is life,
And the dark
Can never
Overwhelm me.

Romans 8:28
And God is there,
Loving all people,
And working for good
For all of us.
And again,
I find safety,
For God's love
Keeps me secure.
And I am called
To walk in those paths
That will lead me
Onward to where God is.

Psalm 150
And I praise God!
With everything
That exists,
I will ever praise God,
Who keeps me safe.
Love is mine!
Let all the world know
That God loves me
And all other people!

Walk With God

Walk with God   

Is 2:2-3   
God walks with us
And leads us all
Along the paths
That will lead us
To the house of God.
Let us walk in faith,
Knowing that God
Is always there.

Is 40:31
When God walks with us,
Our strength will be
All that we ever need,
And there will be
No weariness
If we stay in faith
On the paths
Where God leads us.

John 8:12
If we walk with God,
Jesus will always
Be with us.
And there will be
No darkness,
For there is light
Wherever Jesus is.

2 Cor 5:7
When we walk
In faith with God,
We will know
That there is always
Someone with us,
Even if we do not see.
Walk always in faith,
Knowing that God
Is always near,
Loving us all.

God Is There

God is There

Psalm 23
God is with me,
There to protect
And to show me
Which way to go.
In good times
Or in the bad,
God is there
And will not
Leave me alone.

Isaiah 56:1-8
God is there for me
And for all people
From all nations
Who come together
In love and fellowship,
Loving one another.
Many are called
From other places
To be here
Where God is,
Where love is.

Matt 28:18-20
As God is there for us,
We are called
To go out to the world
And tell all people
Of the love of God
Shown us in Jesus.

Acts 2:1-4
And God's Spirit
Descends on me,
Leading me to go
And tell the world
Of the love
That is there for them.

Acts 10:9-15
The message
That I was given
Is this:
God's Love
Is for all people
And no one
Will be turned away.
All people are loved
And all are God's!

God is speaking

Come my child, come walk with me.  Don't listen to those others who say I do not love y, they do not know me and don't speak for me.  You are my Beloved child, I created you. I love ALL my children and I will always be near to help and sustain.   So come now and walk through the world with me.

Miracle

It's a living, breathing miracle
That my heart forgot to see
It's always been inside of me
But I thought it could not be...
A miracle.

Now all of life's a miracle
And God's hand is there, you see,
No matter what you may believe
Still all that's come to be
Is a miracle!

It's God who. made the mistake,
The plants are,  the animals the BBC,
And creating your and me
So look around and see...
Life's a miracle!

I Wonder

I wonder if God cries
Over the way we treat
The world created for us
To use and enjoy?

I wonder if God cries
Over the way we treat
The folks around us
Oppressing and hurting each other?

I wonder if God cries
Over the hatred and wars
Seen upon this world
And the lack of love?

I wonder if God cries,
Are the raindrops tears?

Trust

Trust         For Judy Dale

Psalm 36:3-5
Look and see.
God is constant,
Always there for us,
Even if we turn away.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in God
And your needs
Will be supplied.
Trust that God
Is always near
To love you
And support you
As you go
Along the road.

John 3:16
Trust that God
Always loves you,
And wherever
You may go,
That love
Jesus showed us
Is always there
For you.

Philippians 1:6
If you turn to see,
God is always there,
Ready to help you
Find your way
Along the road
That will lead you
Onward to home
Where God dwells.

Philippians 3:13b-14
And if you trust God,
You will be shown
The proper road
To walk upon.
And God
Will always be there
To lead you home.