Because of my Father's love
I am - FREE
Freer than any freedom on earth
For others can lock up the church's doors,
Forbid worship,
Abolish gathering in Your name.
But, no one can force me to deny
My faith, for though religion falls
My belief in Jehovah soars.
It can't be taken from my heart
I can always cling to You,
I can still trust in You,
I can continue to believe in You,
Whole or broken of missing limbs
I can still stand for You.
For it is in Jesus Christ I am truly free.
Even when facing physical death,
My loved ones threatened, used,
Tortured, straved, made an outlaw,
My physical body crumbling,
In my heart,
Though tonque silenced,
Though eyes blinded,
Abandoned to slowly die,
Please, dear Lord, witness through me.
In my heart I still trust in You,
I still believe
And in Your time
Usher me into Heaven.
-dfav
11/20/20, 1/12/2021
Forgive me Lord,
For these thoughts are disobedient,
They are not in line with Your word
Not in sync with who You are.
They dance in my head
Fueled by basic human desires
By all I don't have and think I need,
Because I've been
Longing for that which is not mine,
Craving things, circumstances not mine.
Free me Lord,
For these thoughts are bonds of evil,
Links of a chain bred in disobedence
Forged with guilt and callousness.
Thick, heavy, steel links,
Welded together in willful thoughts,
Because reality is hard to face,
Pride is hard to swallow.
Longing for pictures evil painted in my head,
Craving tastes, circumstances rottening in my head.
Wash me Lord,
In the rivers of Your grace,
Flowing from the fount of
Your everlasting redemption.
Shine Your light to bleach shame away,
Remind me of Your truth
I see the ugliness of my heart in Your word
Because I chose disobedience.
Longing to live in Your love as Your daughter,
Craving home, circumstances mine as Your daughter.
--dfav
1/3/2021
O Lord, I'm feeling hollow,
As if someone or something,
Has drained me of everything,
Emptied, dry, no get up and go.
Yes, Lord, I'm feeling hollow,
I track it to confusion,
Maybe lies and plots infusion,
Entangled, enmeshed, wrestling.
Why, Lord in my hollow,
Is there thick silence creaking,
Though also so, so deafening,
I will stay here until You bid me go.
Fill my hollowness, Lord, my hollow,
Quench the dry and raise me up,
Until I'm running over beyond the cusp,
I'll be here Lord, until You're ready.
There's movement Lord, in this hollow,
Your Spirit has arrived at last,
Soon this hollowness will be in the past,
Fill me up Lord, fill me up.
----dfav
11/22/2020
Adult coloring book page from BE STILL and know that I am God coloring book, Christian Art Publishers, Images used under license from Shutterstock.com, 2015. Colored by dfav. Photo by dfav.
O come, come to that place in your heart,
Where only God and you come to meet,
He calls you to come and rest at His feet,
For His love for you remains steadfast and true,
In the "I Am" you are home and complete.
O come, all you faithful though long the road has been,
Come and choose now to adore your Heavenly King,
He comes with His peace, His love for you sings,
Come before His throne, He'll be with you there,
How the heart within you will peal and ring!
Choose now to bring your brokenness to the Father,
Choose now not to only see what man calls defeat,
Hear instead the Father's love and repeat,
This is not yet the ending but only the beginning,
Now, right now, is no time to tremble and retreat.
O come, all you faithful, this hour He reminds you,
Be like Mary, pure, faithful and true,
Like Saul, who became Paul and joined His crew,
Or the widow who offered all she had in the offering,
Put your hand to the work and give God His due.
O come, come to that place in your heart,
Where only God and you come to meet,
He calls you to come and rest at His feet,
For His love for you remains steadfast and true,
In the "I Am" you are home and complete.
---dfav
11/08/2020
The scent speaks direct to the soul,
Streaming in on a gentle breeze,
Fresh and clean and pure,
Unlocking hearts to free with sweet relief.
Aroma of first ever breathed air,
Sweet, but not exactly floral,
Cleansed, but not with bitter bleach,
Warm, but not so the heart recoils.
A trace of sea salt and ocean,
Newly grown grass and seed,
A note of beginning and sweet wonders,
Braced by hope and joy now freed.
It sings in lungs with eucalyptus and mint,
Designed, created, by the Good Lord above,
The smell of Heaven, truth and peace,
And the Savior's own true love.
The scent gives fresh life to the soul,
Vivacious, strengthened to the core,
Though still indescribable in human words,
With God Himself inviting, Come! Adore!
----dfav
11/08/2020
There is silence here, where we sit, quiet peace.There is peace here, strengthening, healing.There is healing here, for heart, for soul, for mind.
There is mindfulness here, awareness, understanding.
You are here Heavenly Father, positive and kind.
There is love here, flowing around, reaching souls.
There is a soul here, aware, and so grateful.
There is gratefulness here, for You, for blessings,There is truth here, and I am so thankful,
You are here Heavenly Father so overwhelming.
There is love here, from me to You, You to me.
There is togetherness here, for all who come.
There is strength here to all who accept it.
There is everything one needs here, for all, not just some.
You are here Heavenly Father, for all who sit.There is need here, needs still unspoken, alone.
There is isolation here, so we worship here in peace.
There is gratitude here, so I pour it out to You.
There is me here, Lord, in Your presence there is ease.
You are here Heavenly Father, help me love like You.
----dfav
11/03/2020
With all that 2020 has involved,
Covid-19,
Face masks,
Shut downs,
Shortages,
Limitations,
I wonder at this newest storm,
What once cold will now be warm?
With all that 2020 has involved,
Protests,
Riots,
Looting,
Crime,
Calls for justice, equality
I shiver at these chilling winds,
Will America ever mend?
With all that 2020 has involved,
Isolation,
Disruptions,
Unemployment,
Threats,
Hate upon hate,
I'm saddened that we've come to this,
What next in all this craziness?
With all that 2020 has involved,
Elections,
Lies,
Politics,
Untruthful media,
Evil erupting,
I ache with shame this is who we are,
How did we allow us to slip this far?
With all that 2020 has involved,
Health crisis,
Diagnosis,
Miles to travel,
Prayer itself,
God remains steadfast,
I pray for answers and solutions,
I pray somehow God will bring resolutions.
With all that 2020 has involved,
It could get worse,
It could get better,
Hearts could mend,
Friendships begin,
God could reign free again,
I clasp His hand for I see the winds,
They're roaring at us, change they send.
-----dfav
10/30/2020
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
Ephesians 4:29, New International Version, 1973, 1978, Zondervan Corporation.
Everywhere my eyes and ears turn
They are sure to see and hear,
Words that are hurtful and foul,
From hearts that are deaf and seared.
The argument is that it's shock value
To let whatever one thinks rip,
Only the degrading and humiliating
Are the core of their hearts that drip.
Over all of this what do You hear Lord?
In this chaotic canopy of spilling hearts?
I pray it's the souls crying out for You,
Do our pleas the darkness part?
What do You hear day and night Lord?
Cleanse my heart, my soul, my mind,
So nothing that betrays Your being,
Comes forth from me that is unkind.
May my words bring Your healing,
Encourage the weak, broken, wronged,
Call people to raise their eyes up to You,
Find strength in You to make them strong.
I pray my words are wholesome,
Bring Your honor with every word I say,
Please reside deep in my heart,
As I end this night and start a new day.
----dfav
10/26/2020
It's the fall, after months of waiting,
For cooler weather, crisp breezes,
Crunchy apples, corn stalks and pumpkins,
Foliage turning as we're anticipating,
Football, bon fires and apple cider.
Those leaves keep on turning,
They will keep on falling in chillier winds,
Until branches are bare, barren, naked,
Which will now have strength to bend?
With graceful, evergreens peeking in?
Now the winter temps have crept in,
Cold and dampness announce "I'm here",
Snow is swirling, dancing, blowing,
Leaves are buried in snowbanks near,
Snowmen, snow balls and forts we're seeing.
Streets are covered, black ice a danger,
It's too cold to play to long outside,
Roofs threatened by ice, heavy snows,
Chimneys puffing smoke from fires,
Hard wood, propane, natural gas.
Winter melts and spring is coming,
Flowers peeking, buds on branches appearing
Sneaks of colors, warm sun, new life,
Brand new leaves on branches breathing,
Wonder, amazement, hope appears.
Warmed air flirts with hidden seeds,
Before too long and life has bloomed in,
Anticipation of all new starts,
Life, reviving, resurrection begins,
All that is old is suddenly new again.
Summer steps with higher temperatures,
Last of baseball hits are echoing,
Swimming, zoo trips, vacation Bible schools,
All too soon school will be beginning,
Air conditioners, ice cream and late movies.
All four seasons leaves anticipating,
Of what is now and what will be,
Bright green, mellowed and yellowed,
Life renewing a cycle you can see,
Dying, renewing, birthing, life.
-----dfav
10/25/2020
The golden leaves of the Beech tree
Swirl and dance on the wind
Overhead canopies of branches
A tunnel shouting, "It's time to mend"!
There are so many leaves falling
They sparkle upon us like crystal snow,
Without the burden of the wet and cold,
They are fuel and evidence of all you know.
The crimson of the Japanese Maple
Whisper of Christ's blood shed,
Do you no longer remember
The day when your soul to Him fled?
The red-stained wounds still visible
Upon His precious feet and hands,
Spin in color around you now,
Beneath them now you stand.
The deeper evergreen of pine needles,
Shaken free in fall's cooling breeze,
Meant to last through winter's chill,
Fall now with grace and ease.
It's time to end all this bitterness,
Time those broken ties to mend,
Before winter claims it's own time,
When temporary finds it's end.
The burnt orange of the White Oak Tree,
Interacts with you, leaves and Earth,
They sing out, "The Spring will come"!
When nature again will give birth.
Right now though fall fully arrives
Echoed through the dance of the leaves,
Beginning preparation for winter's nap
For Nature and her seasons still believe.
---dfav
10/23/2020
