May God bless you as you move ahead
With the plan He had in mind
Before you were ever born
Uniquely for you designed.
May you feel His presence with you
As He guides you on your way
For He’s promised to never leave you
When storm clouds fill your day.
Though the road may not be easy
As you push to climb uphill
Remember God will give you strength
When you’re in His perfect will.
For as you place your faith in God,
Know He will never fail,
For you will soar on eagles wings
Lifted higher by the gale.
God said, “The plans I have for you
Are to prosper and to bless;”
A hope beyond what you can dream
For you His words express.
So move ahead with confidence
Holding firmly to God’s hand
Knowing He will be with you
To fulfill what He has planned.
©2010 Linda J. Stevenson.
For permission to use, please contact ljstevenson1@juno.com
Where Is Your Faith?
When the fierce storms are raging,
The waves are sweeping o'er.
When the load is so heavy
You can carry no more.
When you're swamped on stormy sea
And you can't see the shore.
Jesus asks, "Where is your faith?"
When the bills are surmounting
And your income is low.
When the doctor's prognosis
You would rather not know.
When you stand at life's crossroads
And don't know where to go.
Jesus asks, "Where is your faith?"
For it's in life's crucible
Our faith is put to test.
And it's in bitter trials
God elicits our best.
He just wants us to trust Him
And he will do the rest.
Thus He asks, "Where is your faith?"
Copyrighted by Linda J. Stevenson.
For permission to use, please contact: Ljstevenson1@juno.com
FAMILY MUSIC RESOURCES: www.MaryRiceHopkins.com
The waves are sweeping o'er.
When the load is so heavy
You can carry no more.
When you're swamped on stormy sea
And you can't see the shore.
Jesus asks, "Where is your faith?"
When the bills are surmounting
And your income is low.
When the doctor's prognosis
You would rather not know.
When you stand at life's crossroads
And don't know where to go.
Jesus asks, "Where is your faith?"
For it's in life's crucible
Our faith is put to test.
And it's in bitter trials
God elicits our best.
He just wants us to trust Him
And he will do the rest.
Thus He asks, "Where is your faith?"
Copyrighted by Linda J. Stevenson.
For permission to use, please contact: Ljstevenson1@juno.com
FAMILY MUSIC RESOURCES: www.MaryRiceHopkins.com
The Best Is Yet To Come
Gramma would kneel in her garden
And her seeds there she would sow.
She'd pat them gently with her hand
And water them so they'd grow.
"Each seed," she'd say, "is a mir'cle,"
And a melody she'd hum.
She'd turn to me and then would say,
"Oh, the best is yet to come!"
"The best is yet to come for us;
God's miracle we will see.
For the best yet to come for us
God has planned for you and me."
I grew and I went off to school
And, oh, how I struggled so.
But Gramma then reminded me
Of the seeds I'd watched to grow.
She said, "The best in life takes time."
And then she'd begin to hum
The song she sang as seeds were sown,
"Oh, the best is yet to come!"
"The best is yet to come for you;
God's miracle you will see.
The best is yet to come for you;
It awaits both you and me."
Now many years have come and gone
And my gramma said, "Come near.
My time on earth will soon be o'er,
And I will be leaving here.
Remember the seeds you'd watched me sow
And the melody I'd hum.
It taught us how to trust in God,
For the best is yet to come."
"The best is yet to come for us;
We will walk the steets of gold.
The best is yet to come for us
When Lord Jesus we'll behold."
Fam'ly and friends soon gathered 'round
For Gramma's homecoming day.
They shared how she had touched their lives
In a very special way.
But when it was my turn to speak
With tears I began to hum
The song she sang when seeds were sown
"Oh, the best is yet to come!"
Copyrighted by Linda J. Stevenson.
For permission to use, please contact: Ljstevenson1@juno.com
FAMILY MUSIC RESOURCES: www.MaryRiceHopkins.com
And her seeds there she would sow.
She'd pat them gently with her hand
And water them so they'd grow.
"Each seed," she'd say, "is a mir'cle,"
And a melody she'd hum.
She'd turn to me and then would say,
"Oh, the best is yet to come!"
"The best is yet to come for us;
God's miracle we will see.
For the best yet to come for us
God has planned for you and me."
I grew and I went off to school
And, oh, how I struggled so.
But Gramma then reminded me
Of the seeds I'd watched to grow.
She said, "The best in life takes time."
And then she'd begin to hum
The song she sang as seeds were sown,
"Oh, the best is yet to come!"
"The best is yet to come for you;
God's miracle you will see.
The best is yet to come for you;
It awaits both you and me."
Now many years have come and gone
And my gramma said, "Come near.
My time on earth will soon be o'er,
And I will be leaving here.
Remember the seeds you'd watched me sow
And the melody I'd hum.
It taught us how to trust in God,
For the best is yet to come."
"The best is yet to come for us;
We will walk the steets of gold.
The best is yet to come for us
When Lord Jesus we'll behold."
Fam'ly and friends soon gathered 'round
For Gramma's homecoming day.
They shared how she had touched their lives
In a very special way.
But when it was my turn to speak
With tears I began to hum
The song she sang when seeds were sown
"Oh, the best is yet to come!"
Copyrighted by Linda J. Stevenson.
For permission to use, please contact: Ljstevenson1@juno.com
FAMILY MUSIC RESOURCES: www.MaryRiceHopkins.com
The Touch of the Master's Hand
Life bruised the man from brutal blows;
Tormented, his heart did cry.
Forsaken, he felt all alone,
And he asked God, "Why, oh, why?"
Poor health drained him of all his strength,
And friends left him all alone.
He wandered aimlessly in search
Of a place to call his own.
"Unclean, unclean!" you'd hear him cry,
And people would move away.
Except for one man who said, "Come!
There's healing for you today."
He had heard them call him Jesus
When he met Him on the street.
Jesus reached down and touched the man
Who fell prostrate at His feet.
Then Jesus took him by his hand,
And He said, "My son, arise!
Go to the priest and show yourself."
The man couldn't believe his eyes.
His once-scarred flesh was now restored
As Christ raised him up to stand.
You could hear him shout, "Praise to the Lord!"
As it echoed throughout the land.
When friends and fam'ly looked at him,
They couldn't understand.
With joy he cried and then replied--
'Twas the touch of the Master's hand!"
Copyrighted by Linda J. Stevenson.
For permission to use, please contact: Ljstevenson1@juno.com
FAMILY MUSIC RESOURCES: www.MaryRiceHopkins.com
Tormented, his heart did cry.
Forsaken, he felt all alone,
And he asked God, "Why, oh, why?"
Poor health drained him of all his strength,
And friends left him all alone.
He wandered aimlessly in search
Of a place to call his own.
"Unclean, unclean!" you'd hear him cry,
And people would move away.
Except for one man who said, "Come!
There's healing for you today."
He had heard them call him Jesus
When he met Him on the street.
Jesus reached down and touched the man
Who fell prostrate at His feet.
Then Jesus took him by his hand,
And He said, "My son, arise!
Go to the priest and show yourself."
The man couldn't believe his eyes.
His once-scarred flesh was now restored
As Christ raised him up to stand.
You could hear him shout, "Praise to the Lord!"
As it echoed throughout the land.
When friends and fam'ly looked at him,
They couldn't understand.
With joy he cried and then replied--
'Twas the touch of the Master's hand!"
Copyrighted by Linda J. Stevenson.
For permission to use, please contact: Ljstevenson1@juno.com
FAMILY MUSIC RESOURCES: www.MaryRiceHopkins.com
The Witness of Joy
They called her Joy, and fitly named,
Though life had dealt her its blow;
Paralyzed, she couldn't run or walk,
Yet her face was all aglow.
Children loved to gather around,
For encouragement she'd bring.
She'd fill the air with joyful sound;
Exuberantly she'd sing:
"On legs of hope and feet of joy
I move in the dance of grace,
And Jesus holds me in his arms
As I rest in his embrace.
"Then hand in hand, I run with faith
Through God's peaceful meadows fair,
And climb up to the mountaintop
And observe God everywhere."
With ev'ry note her face would glow
And all around her could hear
The joyful sound that would resound
And fall on listening ear.
Though wheelchairbound on earthly ground,
Her witness was plain to see;
For it was evident to all
Her spirit ran joyfully.
Copyrighted by Linda J. Stevenson.
For permission to use, please contact: Ljstevenson1@juno.com
FAMILY MUSIC RESOURCES: www.MaryRiceHopkins.com
Though life had dealt her its blow;
Paralyzed, she couldn't run or walk,
Yet her face was all aglow.
Children loved to gather around,
For encouragement she'd bring.
She'd fill the air with joyful sound;
Exuberantly she'd sing:
"On legs of hope and feet of joy
I move in the dance of grace,
And Jesus holds me in his arms
As I rest in his embrace.
"Then hand in hand, I run with faith
Through God's peaceful meadows fair,
And climb up to the mountaintop
And observe God everywhere."
With ev'ry note her face would glow
And all around her could hear
The joyful sound that would resound
And fall on listening ear.
Though wheelchairbound on earthly ground,
Her witness was plain to see;
For it was evident to all
Her spirit ran joyfully.
Copyrighted by Linda J. Stevenson.
For permission to use, please contact: Ljstevenson1@juno.com
FAMILY MUSIC RESOURCES: www.MaryRiceHopkins.com
We Are the Light
The story is told of a nobleman
Who built a grand church of renown,
But when people gathered to worship there
No lights in the church could be found.
So then one by one he gave each a lamp,
In darkness of night all could see
As every lamp illumined and glowed
The room was then lighted brightly.
"Now each time you are present," he told them,
"The darkness around us will flee.
But when you're not here, your place will be bare;
We'll miss the light where yours should be."
Now I have heard this is a true story
That illustrates for us clearly
How important it is to be present
To shine our light for all to see.
I have noticed your light has been missing,
And I send this to let you know,
When at church you're not there, your place is bare;
We miss your light's radiant glow.
Copyrighted by Linda J. Stevenson.
For permission to use, please contact: Ljstevenson1@juno.com
FAMILY MUSIC RESOURCES: www.MaryRiceHopkins.com
Who built a grand church of renown,
But when people gathered to worship there
No lights in the church could be found.
So then one by one he gave each a lamp,
In darkness of night all could see
As every lamp illumined and glowed
The room was then lighted brightly.
"Now each time you are present," he told them,
"The darkness around us will flee.
But when you're not here, your place will be bare;
We'll miss the light where yours should be."
Now I have heard this is a true story
That illustrates for us clearly
How important it is to be present
To shine our light for all to see.
I have noticed your light has been missing,
And I send this to let you know,
When at church you're not there, your place is bare;
We miss your light's radiant glow.
Copyrighted by Linda J. Stevenson.
For permission to use, please contact: Ljstevenson1@juno.com
FAMILY MUSIC RESOURCES: www.MaryRiceHopkins.com
We're Blessed As We Forgive (Joseph)
He had more than enough reason
To hold back and not forgive,
For Joseph suffered rejection
By his closest relatives.
When lowered into a cistern
All alone and sore afraid,
Feeling desperately rejected,
Cries to spare his life were made.
He was sold for a small ransom,
Stripped of dignity and pride;
Tears of anguish found no pity,
Mercy's plea was there denied.
Joseph suffered bitter anguish,
Haunting memories of pain;
He had reason for resentment,
Cause to bitterly complain.
Yet instead he chose forgiveness,
Showing mercy as God would;
While he knew his brothers meant harm,
God intended it for good.
Healing came with Joseph's pardon.
Grace rebuilt for him again
His home destroyed once by envy;
Mercy restored peace within.
Joseph shines as an example
How we all should daily live,
By extending grace and mercy,
For we're blessed as we forgive.
Copyrighted by Linda J. Stevenson.
For permission to use, please contact: Ljstevenson1@juno.com
FAMILY MUSIC RESOURCES: www.MaryRiceHopkins.com
To hold back and not forgive,
For Joseph suffered rejection
By his closest relatives.
When lowered into a cistern
All alone and sore afraid,
Feeling desperately rejected,
Cries to spare his life were made.
He was sold for a small ransom,
Stripped of dignity and pride;
Tears of anguish found no pity,
Mercy's plea was there denied.
Joseph suffered bitter anguish,
Haunting memories of pain;
He had reason for resentment,
Cause to bitterly complain.
Yet instead he chose forgiveness,
Showing mercy as God would;
While he knew his brothers meant harm,
God intended it for good.
Healing came with Joseph's pardon.
Grace rebuilt for him again
His home destroyed once by envy;
Mercy restored peace within.
Joseph shines as an example
How we all should daily live,
By extending grace and mercy,
For we're blessed as we forgive.
Copyrighted by Linda J. Stevenson.
For permission to use, please contact: Ljstevenson1@juno.com
FAMILY MUSIC RESOURCES: www.MaryRiceHopkins.com
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