A Cry

Photo by:  Arthur Clark

I am oppressed,

Why has this happened?

I have been beaten,

Why am I treated so?

I cannot live where I want,

Where is justice?

People look to kill me,

What have I done to deserve this?

I look to you, oh God,

For help in my troubles,

Where have you gone?

Love Is Ours

Photo by:  Rick Ramsey

Love is ours to have

If we will only

Give it away.

Love is ours to have

If we remember

God is love.

Love is ours to have

Free for all

God’s children.

Still Waters

Beside still waters
I want to stay,
But often I find
Myself wandering
In a wild place
Near rapid water
And far from
Where I want to be.
Oh my God,
Come to me now
And lead me back
To the still waters.

I Can Walk

I can walk

Upon the water,

But only as long

As I keep my eyes

Upon you.

Bu fears arise

And I look around

At the storm

That is blowing.

Then I sink

Because I fear

Too much

And forget

To trust you,

My Lord.

So help me now

And hold me up

With your strong hand

And walk with me

Always.

Try to Walk

I try to walk

Upon the waters,

But the storm grows

Too great

For me,

And I take my eyes

Off of you, my Lord,

And fear

To trust and believe.

But then your hand

Is there for me

To strengthen

And sustain.

And as I sink,

I call out in fear

And you, dear Lord,

Pull me up

To safety.

Banks of the River

Jerry Browning

As I walked where He walked on the banks of the river
Where He sat with the twelve in the shade,
I can see Jesus there walking slowly beside me
Where they sat and they talked and they prayed.

In the shade of the trees that grow by the river,
Through the branches the wind whispers low.
Like the trees all around draw their life from the river,
So the Lord gives new life to my soul.

CH:
River Jordan, if you could only talk, and tell us all the things you’ve seen~
How the blind saw your waters, how the lame walked your shores,
And how sinners found a way to set them free.

As the sun sinks behind the hills by the river
Turning water to purple and gold
I can see Jesus walk on the banks of the river
Just the same as He did in days of old.

CH: Repeat
    

Celebrate

photo by:  Rick Ramsey

Share the bread,

Drink the wine,

Together.

And together

Celebrate

God’s great love

For all people.

Gathering

Gathering at the table

With all of God’s people

And as we pray together,

We become one people

Under God’s loving hand.

Called

photo by:  Rick Ramsey

We are called

To be ministers,

Are we listening?

Do we hear

What God’s call

To us is?

Roadblocks

photo by: Rick Ramsey

There are too many

Roadblocks

In my life.

I am too afraid

To move onward,

For I might

Have to do something.

I lack the trust

To step out

As far

As I should.

Flawed

photo by:  Rick Ramsey

Flawed vessels,

Flawed pots,

But not made

That way.

Made beautiful

But become flawed

Thru choices made

Day by day.

But yet, but yet,

They can be

Made new again

By the skillful hands

Of God.

Share

Photo by:  Rick Ramsey

Share love,

Give love away,

For only then

Can it come back

To you.

Share love,

Be there

And accept

Each person

As they are.

Share love,

Give love also

To those

Who refuse

To accept it.

Share love,

And let all know

That God

Loves

All people.

Death and Our Fears

This was written several years ago after being challenged by Jerry Browning.  It is for all who have lost a loved one at any time.  It is meant to be a service of worship, but for this, I have taken all my headings out.  I do hope this will bring those who need it comfort.

Come and see,

Come, bring your grief

And fear of death

And here lay them down

To let God help

And comfort you.

The hand of God

Is here to help us all

If we will turn again

For help and comfort.

Come near, and let us pray:

Oh God,

We are so fearful

And will not see

That you are

Always near us.

Death comes to all,

But we fight

And turn away,

Afraid of what

We cannot see.

Forgive us

That we do not see

That your love

Will see us through.

Forgive us

That we do not understand

That beyond the death

That we see

Is another, better life

For all of us.

Help us all

To learn to more fully

Trust you

And your love for us.

God is near,

Waiting for us;

Forgiving and loving us

Always.

Our God is greater

And stronger than death.

We need not fear

The end of the life

That we know,

For God is always near us,

Holding us up and loving

Every one of us,

Ready to give to all

A better life that lasts

Forever.

Go from here,

And do not fear.

Remember that God

Is always near you,

Ready to help

And to love you.

Be at peace,

And remember:

God loves you;

Always!

Prepare

photo by:  Rick Ramsey

Prepare the way,

Make straight

The highway.

For the Lord comes

Into our lives

To help us

Find peace and love.

I'm

I’m hungry,

Feed me.

I’m thirsty,

Give me to drink.

I’m lonely,

Hold my hand.

I am God’s child,

Accept me

As the beautiful person

That I am.

Ready?

Are we ready?

Have we prepared

Our lives

For Jesus’ coming?

Do we know

What love

Really is?

Expect?

Expecting a Savior

To come and save us

From all our problems.

But will that Savior

Be exactly

What we expect?

Love All

photo by:  Laurie Amalfitano

Love all people,

Make no differences

Between them.

For our God

Loves them all the same

And sees none

That are better

Than any other.

God Loves

Photo by:  Rick Ramsey

God loves me!

Shout it out aloud;

God loves me!

And I do not

Have to do a thing

To gain that love

For God loves me

As I am

Right now!

Let Love

Let love

Be the key

That opens

The door

That leads us

To God.

Surprise!

photo by: Rick Ramsey

Surprise!

God loves you!

And isn't it a marvel

That God should care

About what happens

To you and I!

Guilty

I am guilty, Lord,

For I have sinned

If only in the little things.

I have told

A small lie.

I have kept someone

Away from you.

I have turned along

A path that was not mine.

I have forgotten that love

Is there for all people.

Ah, forgive me, Lord,

For all the little things

Done wrong.

Expecting?

photo by:  Rick Ramsey

Expecting a Savior

To come and save us

From all our problems.

But will that Savior

Be exactly

What we expect?

Look

photo by: Rick Ramsey

Look at me,

See me,

I am here

And alive,

I am human.

Look at me,

See me;

I need love

Just like

Everyone else.

Look at me,

See me,

For I am also

A child

Of a loving God.

Remember

photo by:  Rick Ramsey

Remember –

Remember love

Remember justice

Remember to care

For those around.

Remember –

That God

May remember you.

Save the Children

Save the children,

Let them live

A peaceful life

That is long

And free from fear.

Save the children,

Teach them love

And help them see

That all other people

Have a right

To love.

The Outcast

I am the outcast

But Jesus calls me

And holds out

His hand to me.

I am an outcast

Yet Jesus loves me

Just as I am

Right at this moment.

I am no longer outcast,

For I have found

That I am always

A child of God.

Influence?

Photo by: Rick Ramsey

Under the influence

Of what?

Things of the world

Or of heaven?

Will we have

Abundant life

Or the material things

That make up our world?

What do we

Let influence

Our lives?

Expecting

Expecting a Savior

To come and save us

From all our problems.

But will that Savior

Be exactly

What we expect?

No Differences

photo by: Rick Ramsey

Love all people,

Make no differences

Between them.

For our God

Loves them all the same

And sees none

That are better

Than any other.

Unique

Photo by: Rick Ramsey

I am me

Unique

In all the world.

There is no one else

Quite like me,

For no one else

Quite has

My combination

Of experiences

And genetics.

So here I am,

See me

And accept me

As the special person

That I am.

The Wonder of Me

Photo by: Rick Ramsey

The wonder of me,

How much

There is within,

Unknown,

Unplumbed depths

And heights.

And only God

Knows

The whole of it.

And in love

God is always there

To help me

Find my way

Through the wonder

And mystery of me.

And Love

And love

Is ours.

There is no doubt,

No wondering

About it.

God’s love

Is ours

To have and hold

Unconditionally.

Do Not

Do not turn away,

See me.

Do not walk away,

Feed me.

Do not ignore me,

Clothe me.

For I am also

God’s child.

God Loves

God loves me!

Me!  A wanderer

Who never quite

Settles down.

I do so many

Wrong things

And turn away

So many times

And yet

This glorious idea:

God loves me!!

Good News!

Good news!!

We are not all alike!

We can learn from each other!

We are created by God and in His image!

God loves us in our differences!

Outside the Gate

Living outside the gate,

Not belonging

Anywhere.

No home,

No place

To call my own.

Is there anyone

Who can help me

Find my way?

Will any hear

My cries of pain?

Will anybody

Let me in?