point of view

Comparing happiness to joy is like comparing cheap pink bubble-gum to italian dark chocolate.

This is something I wrote during prayer group, it's not much, maybe repetitive, but it's a prayer for our youth and the church. dryness lack of hunger death give us You give us thirst give us hunger teach us to run to You lay aside weights fight rejoice love stand in awe be patiently persevering teach us to feel give us clarity wisdom trust teach us to give over control focus us let us be obsessed with the goal rest in You give us awe hope teach us to worship

I wake my eyes and thoughts are blurry and the sun greets me I rejoice sometimes other times there is a steel wall on the sky and my heart is cloudy but I am still with You I caught a glimpse of the sun before the clouds took over and for a moment, the promise stained the clouds with joy I blinked and it was gone I wondered if it was a dream the day was gray and cheerless then the irony of it struck me there is not much color to a blue sky sunrise I smiled and tucked the sunrise in my heart to light up the rest of the dreary day in Your presence is fullness of joy.

I originally meant for this to be a song. The last paragraph would be the chorus. I'm not sure it would work though. Maybe I will one day but for now, it's a poem =D the night is not still feel the enemy moving eyes all around do they know they are losing? the city must not sleep or it will not wake here on the stone wall we watch for the day darkness is crawling a thick murky fog it mocks our belief some lose hope of the dawn their shrieks tear into the deafening silence hush! the earth echoes the music inside us and in the chill of the night a clear piercing voice our hearts leap with hope and the call to rejoice we strain our eyes we lift up our song the Morning Star! daylight comes

He bowed down the heavens rode on the wings of the wind His anger scorched the mountains and the plates of the earth trembled in fear Because He was angry. This is my Father's love. He heard my frightened call in the secret darkness He whispered comforted held healed He spoke they thought it was thunder He sent lightning-arrows after my oppressors they tucked their tails between their legs and RAN He reached His hand down into the waters He drew me up into the oxygen of His delight He is the flame in my little lamp the Sunrise, my morning He arms me with strength for the battle I can run against a troop leap the city wall bend a bronze bow the path may look impossible but in fact it is perfect my shield is unfailing. For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?

Shall we stand in awe a little, together? Let us discuss our great need and feel, together, the great ache of humankind. Let us rejoice, together, in the miracle, the salvation which defies the laws of logic and understanding. And if a few tears escape let us urge each other to be unashamed of the joy. Let us point our fingers, let us redirect one another's attention to the goal. Catch my hand when I begin to wander from the shadow of the cross. Hold tight to pull me from the sloughs of despond and doubt. Let us stay close in the cold of this world to fan each other's flame. Let us build our friendship to last beyond time.

I just wanted to share this because I think it's so beautiful... It may be familiar but it is so full of hope, it is worth sharing anyway. It is written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow during the war, shortly after his second wife died suddenly as a result of injuries after her dress caught on fire. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day Their old familiar carols play, And wild and sweet the words repeat Of peace on earth, good will to men. I thought how, as the day had come, The belfries of all Christendom Had rolled along the unbroken song Of peace on earth, good will to men. And in despair I bowed my head: "There is no peace on earth," I said, "For hate is strong and mocks the song Of peace on earth, good will to men." Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: "God is not dead, nor doth he sleep; The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, With peace on earth, good will to men." Till, ringing singing, on its way, The world revolved from night to day, A voi...