Keep Me Safe till the Storm Passes By

In the dark of the midnight have I oft hid my face,
While the storm howls above me, and there's no hiding place.
'Mid the crash of the thunder, Precious Lord, hear my cry,
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.


Many times Satan whispered, "There is no need to try,
For there's no end of sorrow, there's no hope by and by"
But I know Thou art with me, and tomorrow I'll rise
Where the storms never darken the skies

When the long night has ended and the storms come no more,
Let me stand in Thy presence on the bright peaceful shore;
In that land where the tempest, never comes, Lord, may I
Dwell with Thee when the storm passes by.

Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more,
Till the clouds roll forever from the sky;
Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand,
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.

I Can Trust You

Rebecca St. James' Song I Can Trust You

I Can Trust You

I often struggle with letting go and trusting, this song has long been a favorite and a good reminder to trust and let go of the desire to control.

A letter

Sometimes I wonder what the purpose of life really is, what the is point, the purpose, the divine plan of life? As more of life that passes, the more I realize that life just doesn’t make sense. Nor perhaps is it meant to. The creation of Life is a mystery, the sustaining of Life can be a mystery –Life is a mystery.

Does a mother look at her child and wonder ‘how can this child be?’ Or a man with his bride wonder ‘how can this be?’ Maybe, no one else wonders these things ….But I wonder….not that I have every been a mother

(nor a man for that matter) but I wonder “How?”. For life, it does not make sense. Oh, it follows the typical patterns, and in many ways it can be so predictable, but close study defines nothing. Life defies being understood, I think.

There are a few things in Life which I find immensely satisfying. One of which is to bury my hands in Tobijah’s fur, his warm, soft, clean fur. It feels so deep, like you could lose your hands in his fur.

I clench my hands in his furry mien and for that moment--I am satisfied.

I sit on the porch swing as the cross breeze plays with my hair and faint cooing from mourning doves mingle with chickadee twitters.

Our porch swing is very satisfying. Or sitting close with a friend: I love the warmth – the comradeship, friendship, and the deeper sense of peace. Even more, spending time with the Lord, in the quiet of my room, listening.

I understand now why they say that dogs are good for children, since dogs love unconditionally. Tobijah doesn't mind when I grab handfuls of warm fur, he sits smiling his doggy smile.

Another thing: children. Children are so very satisfactory. Last weekend, I held my friends 7 week old baby. He lay in my lap, cooing, talking. Everytime I said "Hi", he would repeat the sound back to me. (Imagine how trilled I was.) Babies may be my weakness... so lovable. Warm. Soft. And little children are so trusting. Trusting, faithful, loving: character traits we should really be practicing. I think perhaps the fact little child pose no threat, and happy puppy dogs either is what makes us love them so. I enjoyed these verses, these verses gave a sense of purpose and comfort.

Isaiah 14:26 says "This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the. For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

Ecclesiastes 5:18 Behold that which I have seen:it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for

this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be

good, or whether it be evil.

These are my contemplations for the day, I have drawn no new conclusions.

Sincerely,

Ashley

Finding

Seek the LORD and his strength,

seek his face continually.

1 Ch 16:11

But they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.

Ps 34:10

Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy;

break up your fallow ground:

for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

Hos 10:12

Behold, I go forward,

but he is not there;

and backward,

but I cannot perceive him:

On the left hand, where he doth work,

but I cannot behold him:

he hideth himself on the right hand,

that I cannot see him:

But

He knoweth

the way that I take:

when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

Job 23:8-10

Seek the LORD, and ye shall live.

Amos 5:6

The Road Most Wondered

The Road Most Wondered

There is a road most wondered

Tis called the road of life

For both the ancients and the moderns

This wonder causes strife

For no one ever quite can tell

Nor answer how or why

Or tell the utmost purpose

Nor when a man will die

The outside nor the inside

The reason past or future

The value here and now

Yet a little whisper

Comes from the bend ahead

Come all ye weary ones

REST, is what He said.