Archives

From the Cottage-by-the-Sea, #6, 5/24/2021

May24
Art & photo by dfav.
Aiming to go to our prayer cottage,
Our place by the sea
It is hard to reach today
The four a.m. moon faint,
Barely visible reflected in the sea.
The journey feels like forever
I wheel wounded body and soul
Both giving up on me.

I cannot wheel myself further,
No closer to where I want to be,
I call out to You Jesus
Do You see how much I need You?
Will You rescue me?
Even as I think to call out
The thought awakens in my mind,
"Try again to reach me."

In amazement I am here
Outside the Cottage-by-the-Sea,
Wheeling closer, down to the shore
While physical exhaustion drips away
The breeze from the sea fills me.
The tide is high and crashing in,
Sweeping away and sweeping in,
The shoreline by the sea.

The cares of this earthly life
Recede in my heart You've given me.
Your voice speaks in my ears,
Reminding me of what's vital
Of what really needs to be.
My eyes close so I can listen,
Truly hear what You are saying
Here by the Cottage-by-the-Sea.

Hands clasp onto mine.
Pulling me to run beside You free,
I feel Your scars from the nails
O this moment of the sweet-by-and-by
For Jesus' hands have me.
Time slips by as He walks
And I follow without fright
Along the beach by the sea.

He speaks to me in earnest
Waves pouncing at our feet by the sea
I can feel sand between my toes
The toes of both feet as it
Gently occurs to me,
There is only one leg
On this wounded body of mine
Even here by the Cottage-by-the-Sea.

Laughter, joy, amazement erupts
I hear Jesus' laughter next to me
One day, like now, in His presence,
I will walk, rejoice, even dance
Beside Heaven's crystal sea.
Regardless of all of Earth's troubles,
Its miseries and darkness
In this moment I am free
Walking with Jesus
As we laugh by the sea.

---dfav
5/24/21

From the Cottage-by-the-Sea (#4, 4/1/21)

Apr1
artwork by dfav
Here ---
My soul has longed to be here.
Surrounded by reminders
Of Your power
Of Your grace
Of Your awesomeness.

Here ---
Where my heart can beat with each swell
As the waves crash on the shore
Against the sand
Against the rock
Against the cottage.

Here ---
Where burdens flow out with the tide
Return battered and bruised
In broken pieces
Broken chains,
Broken strongholds.

Here ---
In the vast openness of the ocean
Where the wind snatches
Every stench away,
Every forgotten truth,
Every failure.

Here ---
Where my heart and soul know
The wonder of Your might
Is ever present
Is always felt
Is always welcoming.

Here ---
In our Cottage-by-the-Sea
Our prayer closet expanded
Though You remain
Steadfast
Proclaimed.

Here.

----dfav
4/1/2021

From the Cottage-by-the-Sea, (2021, #3)

Feb1
The Cottage-by-the-Sea, art & photo by dfav.
There's been a storm for weeks now.
Sometimes sitting off shore and churning,
Sometimes bashing at the door howling,
No way to venture out for anything.
Feels safe here, or at least it did.
Yet the howls are now clear voices,
Yet the winds are now vital choices,
Safety is fast becoming an illusion.
An army seems to wait to lay to waste,
Everything in the storms pathway,
Everyone who looks for a new day.
A battle is raging and no one listens.

Your Word is my deepest comfort.
Statements of joy, love and hope,
Statements of calm, peace, a way to cope,
My heart cries out for intervention. 
Your presence, Your Holy Spirit,
Wraps me in Your unfailing arms,
Wraps me close though the storm alarms.
My eyes must stay focused on You.
Your Voice keeps me focused.
You tell me to trust solely in You,
You remind me You will see me through.
You are my unwavering strength.

Outside the storm is raging,
Been stewing, blowing for months on end,
Been hammering, cursing, it is not my friend,
Dear God, will this ever be over?
To the East a different rumbling,
Does the storm not yet understand,
Does the unbelieving again defy Your hand?
Will the clouds part any minute?
There are wonders still approaching,
There are winds He will quiet by speaking.
The world outside is passing.

There's a Homecoming in the Heavens,
A celebration on golden streets,
A celebration, hear the multitudes feet?
Going home, going home at last.
The Eastern clouds are parting,
The storm can no longer block the view,
The Christ is here for us, this journey through.
My body rises upward in the sky.
There's a Homecoming with the Father.
Going home, going home at last.
Going home this weary life has past. 
No more storms, no sin, no tears.

Going home, going home at last.

---dfav
2/1/2021

History Repeats, From the Cottage by the Sea (2021, #2)

Jan19
Photo by Daria Sannikova on Pexels.com
We are here Lord,
You, I and my failures,
You, I and my sins
Try as I might I can't go a single day
Without reasons for guilt,
Shame,
Sorrow,
Pain,
Products of my stumbling.

We are here Lord,
You and I the consistent prodigal
You and I the weak
You and I the fumbling
Can't go one day without wandering,
Straying,
Coming and going,
Needing to grow up
My history repeats.

We are here Lord,
You, I and second chances,
You, I and grace
You, I and mercy.
You Redeem,
You Love,
You Gather,
You Lead,
For this is You and I.

-dfav
1/8/2021

From the Cottage-by-the-Sea 10/11/2020 – #1

Oct12
Art by dfav, edited using PhotoGrid.
Here I am and here are You
Meeting once again in this place
In this Cottage-by-the-Sea I am humbled
I dare not look into Your glory filled face.

My soul draws in Your very presence,
As my lungs breathe in the sea air,
How is it always possible dear Lord,
You always love me and always care?

Today I throw myself at Your feet,
Casting all my weariness and cares upon You,
You speak to my heart and very soul,
Reminding me of Your love and what I am to do.

From deep within me praise by song I offer up
The words lapping on Heaven's very shores,
Here I worship and praise You Lord,
Heaven itself has flung open her doors.

My soul is washed its windows flung wide,
As You accept my worship, prayer and praise,
Here in our place of intervention
I offer You my heart and soul to raise.

From our Cottage-by-the-Sea just You and I,
In the falls nipping sea salty bracing winds,
I freely give all I am to You my Savior,
Freed because I know in You there is no end.

----dfav
10/11/2020

Cottage-by-the-Sea, #1, 2017

Jan31

O Father!
As sure as the waves lap at the shoreline,
Whether harshly or with gentleness,
Let Your servant be steady before You,
Seeking forgiveness from You in steadiness.

As numerous as the sand grains,
Whether sugar white or black with ash,
Let Your child come seeking wisdom,
Instead of greedily seeking cash.

As consuming as the sounds of surf,
Surround Your Heir as thoroughly as this place,
May I seek Your understanding foremost,
Your strength for this earthly race.

As deeply as the water soaks me,
When it steeps me heart and soul,
May Your love then rescue me.
As sure as the history told.

Life lived beside the seaside,
In my heart’s Cottage-by-the-Sea,
Serves as a port of refuge and reconciliation,
Where You and I meet heart-to-heart honestly.

So though the world rock on in turmoil,
Hear Your daughter’s cry for mercy please,
Clean and bind my wounds open before You,
Heal me and set my soul at ease.

Longer than this spot guide others safely,
May it serve to launch a million ships,
To show the world of Your presence,
As from here my soul to You will slip.
            dfav 1/31/17

—Donna

Cottage-by-the-Sea, #11, 7/6/16

Jul6

​

Abba Father:

You are the Lord God Almighty, 

Knowing every hair upon my head,

As You know each grain of sand,

Swept to and fro by every wave,

Like every breeze off the ocean grand.

You are my loving Abba, my God.

Praises to You forevermore for who You are.
Security lived in this sweet assurance,

Keeps me content with what I have.

Though the world might mock me,

A life built upon the Rock stands,

For Jesus is the Cornerstone come see,

On sunny days or storms He stays,

There is no God but Him.
Let our ears tune to hear His voice,

The faintest whisper to our hearts,

Focusing hard upon staying true to Him,

So our feet may not falter again,

When life’s sorrows make the Son dim,

His truth is still the absolute,

Hold on until the storm breaks.

                                 dfav 7/6/16

—Donna