Author: Dan

Too many times I missed it.
So many times I was blind.
Storms swirling around me
May have been by design.

Pain and fear fought the fight
Of who would take the lead.
What I thought was really true
Kept me from belief.

I never heard Your voice.
I didn’t think You cared.
I couldn’t see the proof
That You were ever there.

One night in the darkness
As the walls were closing in,
Memories flashed before me
Of moments that have been

Times when I felt alone –
I thought that was the case.
A light shined on the scene,
And I thought I saw a face.

The eyes glowed with warmth
With grace and love to share.
I guess I wasn’t ever alone.
Turns out You were really there.

The memories kept coming,
And the stories began to change.
Purpose rose from the ashes
From the suffering and the pain.

The memories that hurt so much
I didn’t know what to do.
You helped me to understand
That I should have turned to You.

Forgive me for buying the lie
That You never cared.
For Your Word promised me
That You were always there.

How could I wonder if You cared
When I gaze upon the cross?
It was by Your precious blood
That my salvation was bought.

Strengthen my resolve for truth
And reveal the enemy’s lies.
Help me see through the pain
So I will no longer deny

Your resurrection power.
That is my sincerest prayer.
There is always hope and life
For You are always there.

I had a bicycle,
And I loved what it did.
When I believed in all that it could do,
I was the coolest kid.

It was shiny and strong,
And I could fly like the wind.
When I believed in all that it could do,
I had the biggest grin.

But over the years
Through some trials and falls,
I stopped believing in what it could do,
And up came the walls.

Yes time took its toll,
And its shine and strength
Began to fade along with my faith
So I locked it away.

Then one Christmas Season
Many years down the road.
Someone asked me to come to church,
So I decided to go.

I’m not sure why I did,
But I heard a whisper in my ear,
“If you start believing in all that I can do,
I’ll cast out your fear.”

“Do you remember the bike?
And how it felt to be free?
If you start believing in all that I can do
And trusting in Me,”

“I’ll tear down the walls.
I’ll make you shiny and strong.
You’ll be back up on that bike of faith
Before too long.”

Tears flowed from my eyes
Could I be a child again?
If I just believe in all Jesus did for me,
I will fly like the wind!

There’s a reason – there always is
For the circumstances you are in.
If you feel you’re at your end
That’s the place, where He’ll begin.

Release your pride and your fear
And all the weight that brings the tears –
All the suffering, all the pain
All the guilt and all the shame.

“God do you see me from above?
If You do is it in love?
Or have I turned from You for too long?
Am I too late? Am I too far gone?”

“I’m on my knees. I call Your name –
God with us and from sin He saves.
Jesus please, will You come to me?
I need Your love – I do believe.”

“Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”
He said back then – now He says to you.
“I’ve paid the price, it was worth the cost.
To save this one who once was lost.”

Take My burden for it is light.
I’ve given you hope with a new life.
My Spirit now dwells in you.
He will be a comforter in the truth.”

No one can take you from My hands –
Even from Satan’s most heinous plans.
When you fall do not despair.
I’ll pick you up with My loving care.

For one day you will see My face.
On your head a crown I’ll place.
And you will finally be in your home –
Forever with Me and never alone.

O praise the Lord! O praise the Lord!
His amazing grace, I can’t ignore.
He saved me from my life of sin.
I’m now His child, and He’s my friend!

Lord I guess this smooth ride
Wasn’t meant to last.
The school of hard knocks
Appears to be back in class.

Like a bird whose time has come
To be pushed out of the nest,
My faith in You, my Lord
Is being put to the test.

But just as You were before,
I know You will be here now.
It’s time for me to seek You first,
And time for my knee to bow.

For it is not my strength I need.
As that is when I’m most weak.
It is when I surrender to You,
I will soar to the highest peak.

Forgive me if I’m slow to jump
For my flesh grips me with fear.
Drown out the voice of doom
May it only be Your voice I hear.

Your Word is a daily reminder
That You never leave my side.
There is true safety in Your love.
As a child of the Most High.

So as I step out onto the edge,
Please spread Your mighty wings.
For on You I cannot fail.
That is what trust in You brings.

Raise me up beyond the clouds.
Let me see what You always see.
Show me a greater truth,
So I may strengthen my belief.

That You are Who You say You are –
Power, goodness, mercy, and love.
This world has nothing on me.
On Your wings I will rise above!

I went for a walk the other day
Down a lonely path – the usual way.
When I heard a voice, I heard Him say,
“My son, mind if I join you today?”

I looked around and tried to see
Who this voice could possibly be?
And what would He want to do with me?
He said, “I can provide all you need.”

I don’t need any such help.
I’m used to taking care of myself.
This is the hand of cards I was dealt.
This is how I have always felt.

“I know you’ve had a difficult life.
It hasn’t seemed fair. It hasn’t seemed right.
But you are holding onto a terrible lie.
You’ve never been alone a day in your life.”

“Those who have hurt you all those times
Were their sinful choices – they were not Mine.”
Where was Your help that I could never find?
Why now show up? Why this time?

“There are things I do you won’t understand.
I have always had for you a master plan.
But it must start with you to see if you can
Why there are holes in My only Son’s hands.”

At those words I felt a tug on my heart.
A love I believed was true and not afar.
He said, “Are you ready for a fresh start?
I’ll give you new life and set you apart.”

“Yes”, I said. “But what should I do?”
“Nothing – Jesus has done everything for you.
Just believe My Word –that all of it is true.
Your old life will be gone – everything is new.”

“I’ll give you my Spirit until I call you home.
He’ll give you a life like you’ve never known.
He’ll soften your heart once made of stone
And remind you always you’re never alone.”

At the cross I see your beautiful way.
My judgment your Son willingly paid.
Please forgive my sins from all my days.
Help me to build an unshakable faith.

“I forgive your sins because you believed.
You’re now My child, so let’s proceed.
With your faith just the size of a mustard seed.
Mountains will move – just wait and see.”

Dear heavenly Father,
I humbly come to Your Throne.
The truth of Who You Are
Challenges my heart of stone.

My lack of faith.
My disbelief.
Leads me wandering astray
Like a dumb, misguided sheep.

I sing the songs and hymns.
I read Your Holy Word.
Then the next six days
I live like all of this I’ve never heard.

That You are faithful and true.
By Your Son’s blood my sin erased.
There’s nothing more I can do
But shout I’m saved by Your amazing grace.

So why can I not sustain
The assurance of Your care?
I let the circumstances of life distract
Me from the fact that You’re always there.

All I can see is darkness
And threatening doom,
But if I bothered to look at the Cross
I’d see my hope is secure in You.

Have mercy on me,
And forgive my sins.
I fall on the truth of Your grace
And ask for a new life to begin.

For You are faithful and true.
By Your Son’s blood my sin erased.
I thank You there’s nothing more to do
But shout I’m saved by Your amazing grace.

Our circumstances settle in
Like a blinding shoreline fog.
Hopelessness creeps in as we wonder
What the sting of death has wrought.

As time passes in slow motion,
And the hurt further grips our soul,
We fear when the next shoe will drop –
As notions of endless fear unfolds.

Pain and suffering is Satan’s playground –
Where God’s timing is challenged most.
Will He be our fortress and strong tower?
Will His grace be something I can boast?

For in the darkness we see no hope –
A blow to the truth of what is right.
Yet hope still rises above the ashes
As God reveals His glory’s light.

The truth of Who God really is –
That is impossible to change.
It is only if we choose to believe
In the power of Jesus’ name.

That brings forth God’s goodness and hope
That Satan maliciously misrepresents.
Thus the revelation of the Cross
Is goodness and hope’s conquering defense.

So lift up our eyes, dear Lord.
Our weakness blinds us to Your hope.
Reveal Your greater power,
So our fledgling faith may grow.

There is no death in eternity’s life –
Only two paths for us to choose.
Thank you for giving us Jesus
For in His hands we will never lose.

Hope for better days
Despite the clinging shoreline fog.
In Jesus name we no longer fear
What the sting of death has wrought.