Posts Tagged ‘michael w smith’

So we’re almost at the end of 2012. I don’t know about you, but this year seems to be over nearly as soon as it began! I know some will tell me that’s a sign of getting old, but I refuse to believe that, as I think it’s simply been because there’s been so much going on in my life this year…again.

emergency-signIt’s been another tough year for me:

  • Supporting my hubby as his health has deteriorated
  • Supporting my Mum for the first half of the year while she struggled to continue to look after and care for my Dad at home as his dementia worsened
  • Supporting Mum in the second half of the year as Dad first of all was in hospital for over 10 weeks and then moved into a local nursing home
  • Visiting my aunt who has been living in a care home for over 2 years and who reached the grand age of 90 in October
  • Various trips to A&E with my hubby , my Dad and my aunt – and of course they were all long waits, and sometimes during the night
  • Hubby’s retirement – which looking back on things was the best thing he could have done given how his health has deteriorated since he finished working
  • Several family bereavements
  • On-going health issues of my own

In amongst all that I’ve managed to keep working full-time, and unbelievably haven’t been off sick all year! Not quite sure how I managed that as there were some days when my pain levels were so severe I really don’t know how I managed to get through the day at work, but obviously I managed it somehow!

Anyway, enough about my year. I hope that whatever this year has brought you, good or bad, you will have made the most of your time with your friends and family as we never know what tomorrow will bring. I pray that you may have felt God‘s blessings on you during this year, and as we look ahead to 2013 you may go forward with confidence that whatever situations you have to deal with, God is by your side not just during this Christmas season, but all year-long.

All Year Long by Michael W Smith

This Christmas season I wish you joy
The wonder in every girl and boy
I  wish you gladness, the warmth and cheer
Of good friends and family gathered near

May children’s laughter in falling snow
Rekindle those  sweet scenes from long ago
May every carol, each candle bright
Remind  you why angels sang that night

If trouble finds you, this is my  prayer
May peace come into your hearts and make you strong
 And I wish you luck, the kind to last all year-long

It’s good to know that you don’t need to struggle through life on your own. That even during your darkest of times, God will stay by your side and will carry you through…

He is my strength and He carries when I have no strength left.

Thank you God.

 

All I Want by Michael W Smith

All I have in this world is fire from above
All I have in this world is You
And all the journeys I have walked
I know You’ve walked them too
All I want is to be faithful, all I want is You

All I have is a love that set my world on fire
Let it fall, let it burn in me
And oh to be a friend of God is all that I desire
All I want is to be faithful, all I want is You

All I want is You
All I want is You
All I want is You
It is You

All I have in this world is fire from above
All I have in this world is You
And all the journeys I have walked
I know You’ve walked them too
All I want is to be faithful, all I want is You

All I want is You
All I want is You
All I want is You
Is You

Just a little remind for you today that when God is all you have, then all you have is all you need!

God answers prayer and He can and will answer yours today because He is all you need!

Yesterday I spoke about helplessness, and about how we should never feel helpless when we put our trust in God. Well today I want to continue thinking about helping, but this time from the perspective of when and how we help others. Let me start by asking you a question…

How much time do you spend trying to get what you want instead of helping someone else get what they want?

We live in a world these days where there is so much selfishness displayed by many, but as Christians, let’s try to be selfless rather than selfish, and help someone else today!

Lord, deliver me from evil stones thrown at me by unfriendly friends in the name of Jesus

Sometimes those who say and do things which hurt and upset us most, are those we thought were real friends. I’m sorry to say this, but it can sometimes be even worse than that, because sometimes those who cause us the deepest pain are those who profess to be Christians!

Although it can be deeply distressing and upsetting when so-called friends hurt us, it doesn’t mean be should cross them off our list of friends, even although that is probably one of the first things we may want to do! We should in fact pray not only for them, but for ourselves, that God will help us forgive these people and give us the strength to overcome the hurt and heartache that has come our way.

Let’s try to love everyone, after all Jesus loved the unloveable and God loves every one of us, so we must try to do the same.

I hope you enjoy this great song Never Been Unloved by Michael W Smith:

I recently read the following quote on Twitter:

There are no mistakes in life, just lessons.

Yes, things happen in life that hurt and upset us, cause us to question life in general and even question God’s existence, but everything that happens to us, happens for a reason. It’s because there’s a reason for everything happening that we can never make mistakes.

I know that sounds mad as of course we make mistakes! However it’s through our mistakes that we learn, and through our mistakes we learn to put our full faith and trust in God to provide all we need in life…from the smallest thing to the biggest desire, God can, and will, answer them all.

Life is like an onion; you peel it off one layer at a time, and sometimes you weep. ~ Carl Sandburg

How true is that!

I suppose when you’re peeling/chopping an onion, you know you’re likely to shed a few tears at times, and the same can be said for life can’t it? – We all know life isn’t always the full of happiness and can in fact be taken over at times by sad or unhappy times when all we seem to do is weep.

Just because onions make us cry, it doesn’t stop us enjoying the end product when we eat them, does it? So in the same way I’d suggest that just because life makes us cry sometimes, don’t let it get you down, because it can often be full of times of great joy and happiness!

 

I’ve used the following video of Michael W Smith‘s song We Can’t Wait Any Longer already this week, but I make no apology for using it again today as it gives a powerful message to each of us, to reach out any help the unloved…but will you accept that challenge?

A silent call from a distant land
Crying for a helping hand, so
How long will it go on?

Are you willing to let poverty and abuse continue in this world?

I’m sure you aren’t, so let’s do something about it, let’s pray…

…then pray some more….

…then pray again.

If we keep praying, God will help us change this world for the better!

Yuko awezayo kusikia kilio chetu?

Words sung by children in Michael W Smith‘s song We Can’t Wait Any Longer, but do you know what they mean?

I’m guessing like me you don’t know what those words mean, but does that give us an excuse to ignore the people singing them?

What if I now tell you what the children were singing

Can somebody hear us crying out?

When we hear someone crying I’m sure most of us would immediately want to offer comfort and support to those crying. But as these words I’ve shared with you show, it can be difficult to know and understand when some are crying out for help.

Not speaking the same language as someone else shouldn’t make it ok to ignore them and ignore their needs. Being part of God’s kingdom, and loving God should be more than enough to encourage us to understand and reach out to everyone in need, regardless of their nationality, language, colour of their skin, or even their background.

Isn’t it our responsibility as Christians to make sure when someone cries out for help that they don’t have to wait any longer for help!

When I stop for a minute and look around me at this world God created, it saddens me how much we humans have destroyed this place we call home. We’ve destroyed not just the physical things of this world but also the trust and the love of one man for another.

This world most definitely needs God!

So please join me today in pledging to spread God’s message to the people of this world, and in doing so spreading God’s message of peace, love and trust.

We can help this world find God again, so let’s give it a go!