BEAUTIFUL (UPDATED)

IN THE STORMS,
THERE IS BEAUTY.
IN THE PAIN,
THERE IS BEAUTY.
IN THE FUTURE,
THERE IS BEAUTY.
IN THE STILLNESS,
THERE IS BEAUTY.
BEAUTY BRINGS YOU CLOSE TO HOME,
TO THE LORD.
SO IN THIS VICIOUSLY UNENDING STORM,
MY ANCHOR KEEPS ME TRUE.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:7

FOR WE LIVE BY FAITH,

NOT BY SIGHT.

SECRETS OF SOLOMON (UPDATED)

YOU GIVE BIRTH TO THREE BEAUTIFUL BABIES.

YOU GIVE UP YOUR LIFE FOR THEM
WITH NO REGRETS,
NONE IN THE LEAST,

UNTIL THEY LEAVE THE NEST TO ENJOY THE FEAST.

YOU SPOIL THEM BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO REPEAT THE PAST.

THE ENDLESS BEATINGS AND WHIPPINGS
NOT TO MENTION THE NEVER-ENDING TEASING FOR WHATEVER REASON,
ALL IN THE NAME OF NOT SPOILING THE CHILD.  

THOSE PARTICULAR MEMORIES ARE JUST TOO PAINFUL

BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT CAPABLE OF SHARING
EVERYTHING.
WHAT'S THE USE?

YOU WISH SO MUCH YOU COULD BURN THOSE MEMORIES INTO ASH

AND ASK THE FAMILY WHY THEY ALLOWED IT TO HAPPEN.

YOU JUST PRAY ONE DAY YOUR BABIES WILL RETURN

AND THANK YOU FOR TEACHING THEM ABOUT GOD'S LOVE

AND HOW GOD LOVED THEM EVEN MORE THAN THEIR OWN MOTHER COULD.
THIS IS WHY I PRAY
NEARLY EVERY DAY
FOR THE SOLOMON KIND OF WISDOM,
BUT MORE
SO I CAN WATCH THE THREE OF THEM GROW
AND KNOW
THAT THEY WILL ALWAYS,
NO MATTER THE CIRCUMSTANCE,
BE LOVED BY JESUS AND ME AS MUCH AS I POSSIBLY CAN.

JAMES 1:5

IF ANY OF YOU LACKS WISDOM, 
YOU SHOULD ASK GOD,
WHO GIVES GENEROUSLY TO ALL 
WITHOUT FINDING FAULT,
AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU.

THE STORM IS OVER FOR NOW, BUT I CAN SEE ANOTHER ON THE HORIZON (UPDATED)

THE SKY IS BLUE,

THE WIND IS FRESH,
I CAN FEEL THE SWEET BREEZE AGAINST MY CHEEK.

HOW CAN ANYONE BELIEVE

THIS WAS ALL MADE FROM A BIG BANG,
A MESS FROM NOTHINGNESS?

THE BIRDS SING THEIR SONGS,

THE BUNNIES HOP ALONG,

AND LIFE CONTINUES THROUGH THE HARDSHIPS AND THE STRIFE.

GOD NEVER SAID THIS LIFE WOULD BE EASY.

HE SAID THAT IF WE STAND FOR HIM

TRIALS WILL FOLLOW,

THINGS COULD GET GRIM.
HE NEVER EVER ONCE
PROMISED THAT THIS LIFE WOULD BE A ROSE GARDEN.

BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER

IS THAT THIS IS JUST A TEST,

A RACE TO SEE WHO MAKES IT

WITHOUT GIVING UP THE PACE.
THERE'S PLENTY OF TIME TO REST

IN THE LIFE HEREAFTER

WHERE ETERNITY WILL BE PEACEFUL AND CALM,

NO TEARS, PAINS, OR REGRETS,

AND A JOYFUL REUNION OF OUR HEART-WRENCHING LOST LOVED ONES.

I'M MUCH MORE THAN HALFWAY THERE
I AM VERY HAPPY TO DECLARE.

AND I'M READY WHENEVER MY JOB HERE IS DONE.

I HEARD OF A YOUNG 13 YEAR OLD BOY WHO FACED DEATH 
HEAD-ON.

HE KNEW WHERE HE WAS GOING,

HE WAS TIRED OF THE RACE,

AND HE KNEW HE WOULD BE SEEING JESUS

FACE-TO-FACE.

I JUST WANT TO SIT AT MY LORD'S FEET

 HAVE HIM TELL ME STORIES

AND REST IN THE COOL GRASS AND THE WARM SUN
ALONG SIDE THE LION AND THE LAMB.

NO MORE ACHES.

NO MORE TEARS.

NO MORE ANGUISH.

NO MORE FEARS.

IF YOU HAVEN'T YET,

PLEASE GIVE YOUR LIFE TO GOD.

IT'S WELL WORTH THE EFFORT.

IN FACT, THERE IS NONE.
EFFORT I MEAN.
IT'S SO EASY.

JUST ASK JESUS TO FORGIVE YOU,
(HEY, WE WERE ALL BORN SINNERS;
I'M NOT TRYING TO POINT FINGERS.)

TO COME INTO YOUR HEART,

TO GUIDE AND DIRECT YOU.

AND HE WILL NEVER, EVER PART.

JOHN 3:16

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONE AND ONLY SON,

THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH

BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.

THE STORM HAS ARRIVED AGAIN (UPDATED)

BUMPED MY HEAD.

CAN'T SEEM TO GET AHEAD.

THE PAIN IS DEBILITATING.

HAVE TO USE A MAGNIFYING GLASS JUST TO SEE

 AFTER SLIPPING AND SMASHING MY HEAD.

THE FLOOR WAS WET,

ALTHOUGH ACCORDING TO ANOTHER IT WAS NOT MY FAULT.

SO A BLESSING MUST BE COMING MY WAY.

JUST CALL ME JOB.

PSALM 17:8

KEEP ME AS THE APPLE OF YOUR EYE.

HIDE ME IN THE SHADOW OF YOUR WINGS.

HONESTY (UPDATED)

JESUS IS THE ANSWER.

JESUS IS THE PRAYER.

WE ARE NOTHING WITHOUT HIM.

JUST AN EMPTY SHELL.
ASHES TO ASHES,

DIRT TO DIRT,

DUST TO DUST,

OUR SOUL IS ALL THAT REMAINS.

WE ARE ARE NOTHING

WITHOUT THE ONE WHO MADE US,

USELESS IN OUR OWN SIN AND SHAME.

COME TO THE ONE WHO KNIT US TOGETHER IN OUR MOTHER'S WOMB,

WHO KNOWS THE NUMBER OF THE HAIRS ON OUR HEAD,

WHO KNOWS WHAT LIES AHEAD.

NO ONE KNOWS.

NO ONE CARES,

EXPECT FOR OUR LORD WHO MADE US.

SHARE THE LOVE

SHARE WHO LIES ABOVE

SHARE THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD

WHO SACRIFICED HIS LIFE

BEFORE WE WERE EVEN BORN.

IF THAT'S NOT LOVE

THEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS.

JOHN 3:16

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONE AND ONLY SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.

REDUNDANCY (UPDATED)

WHAT USE IS A LIGHT

IN THE LIGHT?

LIGHT ONLY WORKS IN THE DARKNESS

WHERE SCARY SHADOWS LIVE.

SO TAKE YOUR LITTLE LIGHT

WHERE IT REALLY COUNTS.

TELL EVERYONE AROUND THE WORLD.

SHOUT HIS WORD,

SPREAD THE LOVE

INTO THE SHADOWS,

INTO THE DARK.

DON'T WASTE YOUR LIGHT

WHERE IT REFLECTS.

FOR WHAT CAN LIGHT DO IN THE LIGHT?

LIGHT CAN ONLY SHINE IN THE SHADOWS AND IN THE DARK,

FOR NOTHING CAN HIDE IN THE. DARK.

SIN RUNS TERRIFYINGLY AWAY,

BUT LIGHT REMAINS.

SHINE YOUR LIGHT WHERE IT COUNTS.

DON'T BE AFRAID

TO SHINE YOUR LITTLE LIGHT

IN THE DARK DEPTHS OF THE SHADOWS,

IN THE DARKEST CORNER YOU CAN FIND,

SHINE.

SHINE THE LIGHT THAT IS JESUS INSIDE OF YOU.

DON'T WASTE THE GIFT YOU WERE GIVEN.

THE GIFT YOU WERE GIVEN

WHEN HE GAVE HIS LIFE TO YOU.

USE WHAT YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN,

DON'T LET IT GO TO WASTE.

FOR WHAT IS WASTED

CAN BE TAKEN AWAY.

SO SHINE YOUR LITTLE LIGHT WHILE YOU HAVE THE TIME.
BECAUSE,
GUESS WHAT?
THE END IS NEAR.
IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME,
READ THE NEWSPAPER,
THEN READ THE END OF THE BOOK.

SHINE YOUR LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS,
WHERE SIN ABOUNDS.

FOR WHAT IS THE POINT

OF SHINING YOUR LIGHT IN THE LIGHT

WHEN THE WORLD IS FULL OF SHADOWS AND DARKNESS

EVERYWHERE.

WE HAVE THE ANSWER.
WE HAVE THE KEY.

WE'VE BEEN GIVEN THE GIFT OF LIGHT

BY JESUS CHRIST.

IT'S WITHIN ALL OF US CHRISTIANS.

SO PLEASE DON'T LET IT GO TO WASTE.

OUR LIGHT IS DESPERATELY NEEDED IN THIS WORLD,

SO DON'T WASTE IT
BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE

I'M GONNA LET IT SHINE!

THE STORM TOO (UPDATED)

I CAN SMELL THE RAIN COMING

IT'S IN THE AIR.

STORM CLOUDS EVERYWHERE.

YOU CAN'T SEE THEM YET,

BUT THEY ARE THERE.

BLACK CLOUDS GATHERING,

THE LIGHT DIMINISHING.

BUT THE LIGHT IS STILL THERE,

KEEPING THE DARKNESS FROM OVERTAKING ME,

LEADING ME INTO OBSCURITY.

I'VE BEEN THERE BEFORE,

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STORM.

BEEN THERE WITHOUT A LIGHT,

ALL BY MYSELF,

LEFT TO FIGHT.

BUT I'M NO LONGER ALONE,

AND IN THE MIDST OF THIS STORM,

YOU ARE BY MY SIDE,

ABOVE AND BELOW

AND INSIDE.

YOUR LIGHT SHINES FROM WITHIN,

FROM MY HEART,

FROM THE VERY PART OF ME

THAT LEADS TO ETERNITY.

I CAN HEAR THE THUNDER,

WHICH IS JUST A REMINDER

THAT YOU ARE IN CONTROL,

AND I HAVE NO NEED TO BE AFRAID,

NO REASON TO COMPLAIN.

THE BLACK CLOUDS WILL BE THERE

JUST FOR A LITTLE WHILE,

NEVER FOREVER.

EVEN THE STORM CAN'T OUTLAST

YOUR PLAN FOR ME.

SO I CONTINUE TO SPIN

IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS MESS,

BUT SPINNING OFF YOUR LIGHT NO LESS,

KEEPING THE CLOUDS AT BAY,

AND I KNOW THAT YOU WILL KEEP THEM AWAY.

I MUST REMEMBER THAT YOU HAVE A PLAN,

THAT YOU LOVE ME,

YOU MADE ME

FOR ETERNITY.

YOU ARE MY ANCHOR

IN THE MIDST OF THIS STORM.

JOHN 3:16