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PEACE BEGINS IN THE HOME BY HELEN STEINER RICE
PEACE IS NOT SOMETHING YOU FIGHT FOR WITH BOMBS AND MISSILES
THAT KILL,
NOR CAN IT BE WON IN A "BATTLE OF WORDS" MAN FASHIONS BY
SCHEMING AND SKILL
FOR MEN WHO ARE GREEDY AND WARLIKE, WHOSE AVARICE FOR
POWER CANNOT CEASE,
CAN NEVER CONTRIBUTE IN HELPING TO BRING THIS WORLD NEARER
TO PEACE
FOR IN SEEKING PEACE FOR ALL PEOPLE THERE IS ONLY ONE PLACE
TO BEGIN
AND THAT IS IN EACH HOME AND HEART - FOR THE FORTRESS OF PEACE
IS WITHIN!
HEAR MY VOICE IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR LOVE; PRESERVE MY
LIFE, O LORD, ACCORDING TO YOUR LAWS. PSALM 119:149 NIV
YOU ARE A HIDING PLACE FOR ME; YOU PRESERVE ME FROM
TROUBLE; YOU SURROUND ME WITH GLAD CRIES OF
DELIVERANCE. PSALM 32:7 NRSV
I WILL CALL TO YOU WHENEVER TROUBLE STRIKES, AND YOU
HELP ME. PSALM 86:7 TLB
O LORD, KEEP ME ALIVE FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR NAME, BECAUSE
YOU ARE RIGHTEOUS, LEAD ME OUT OF TROUBLE. PSALM 143:11
GOD'S WORD
LORD, I AM IN GREAT TROUBLE, SO I CALL OUT TO YOU, LORD, HEAR
MY VOICE; LISTEN TO MY PRAYER FOR HELP. PSALM 130:1-2 NCV
ALL NATURE TELLS US NOTHING REALLY EVER DIES BY HELEN
STEINER RICE
NOTHING EVER REALLY DIES THAT IS NOT BORN ANEW,
THE MIRACLES OF
NATURE ALL TELL US THIS IS TRUE
THE FLOWERS SLEEPING PEACEFULLY BENEATH THE WINTER'S SNOW
AWAKEN FROM THEIR ICY GRAVE WHEN SPRING WINDS START TO
BLOW,
A LITTLE BROOK AND SINGING STREAMS ICEBOUND BENEATH THE
SNOW
BEGIN TO BABBLE MERRILY BENEATH THE SUN'S WARM GLOW.
AND ALL AROUND ON EVERY SIDE, NEW LIFE AND JOY APPEAR
TO TELL US NOTHING EVER DIES AND WE SHOULD HAVE NO FEAR,
FOR DEATH IS JUST A DETOUR ALONG LIFE'S WINDING WAY
THAT LEADS GOD'S CHOSEN CHILDREN TO A BRIGHT AND GLORIOUS
DAY.
THE LORD IS FAR ABOVE ALL OF THE NATIONS; HE IS MORE
GLORIOUS THAN THE HEAVENS. PSALM 113:4 CEV
PRAISE YE THE LORD. PRAISE YE THE LORD FROM THE HEAVENS:
PRAISE HIM IN THE HEIGHTS. PRAISE YE HIM, ALL HIS ANGELS:
PRAISE YE HIM, ALL HIS HOSTS. PRAISE HIM, ALL YE STARTS OF
LIGHT. PRAISE HIM, YE HEAVENS OF HEAVENS, AND YE WATERS
THAT ARE ABOVE THE HEAVENS. PSALM 148:1-4 KJV
O LORD, OUR LORD, HOW EXCELLENT IS YOUR NAME IN ALL THE
EARTH, WHO HAVE SET YOUR GLORY ABOVE THE HEAVENS! PSALM 8:1 NKJV
SATISFY US IN THE MORNING WITH YOUR UNFAILING LOVE, SO
WE MAY SING FOR JOY TO THE END OF OUR LIVES. PSALM 90:14 NLT
GOD NEEDED AN ANGEL IN HEAVEN BY HELEN STEINER RICE
WHEN JESUS LIVED UPON THE EARTH SO MANY YEARS AGO,
HE CALLED THE CHILDREN CLOSE TO HIM BECAUSE HE LOVED
THEM SO...AND WITH THAT TENDERNESS OF OLD, THAT SAME
SWEET, GENTLE WAY,
HE HOLDS YOUR LITTLE LOVE ONE CLOSE WITHIN HIS ARMS
TODAY...AND YOU'LL FIND COMFORT IN YOUR FAITH THAT IN
HIS HOME ABOVE
THE GOD OF LITTLE CHILDREN GIVES YOUR LITTLE ONE HIS
LOVE...SO THINK OF YOUR LITTLE DARLING LIGHTHEARTED
AND HAPPY AND FREE
PLAYING IN GOD'S PROMISED LAND WHERE THERE IS JOY
ETERNALLY.
WHEN A ROSE CLIMBS OVER A GARDEN WALL, YOU CANNOT SEE IT,
BUT YOU KNOW IT IS BLOOMING ON THE OTHER SIDE. SO THINK OF
YOUR LITTLE ONE AS HAVING WALKED INTO ANOTHER ROOM BEYOND
THE SIGHT OF YOUR VISION AND THE
TOUCH OF YOUR HAND...AND LET
YOUR LOVE FOR HER LIVE ON BY
GIVING IT LAVISHLY TO ALL THE OTHER LITTLE GIRLS AND BOYS. H. S.
R.
GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, CALL ON HIS NAME;
MAKE KNOWN AMONG NATIONS WHAT HE HAS DONE.
SING TO HIM, SING PRAISE TO HIM; TELL OF ALL HIS
WONDERFUL ACTS. PSALM 105:1-2 NIV
HE OPENED THE ROCK, AND WATER GUSHED OUT; IT FLOWED
THROUGH THE DESERT LIKE A RIVER. PSALM 105:41 NRSV
I CALL TO YOU FROM THE ENDS OF THE EARTH WHEN I AM AFRAID.
CARRY ME AWAY TO A HIGH MOUNTAIN. PSALM 61:2 NCV
BUT WHEN I AM AFRAID, I PUT MY TRUST IN YOU. O GOD, I PRAISE
YOUR WORD. I TRUST IN GOD, SO WHY
SHOULD I BE AFRAID?
WHAT CAN MERE MORTALS DO TO ME? PSALM 56:3-4 NLT
YOU WILL NOT BE AFRAID OF THE TERROR BY NIGHT, OR THE
ARROW THAT FLIES BY DAY. PSALM 91:5 NAS
YEA, THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH,
I WILL FEAR NO EVIL: FOR THOU ART WITH ME; THEY ROD AND THY STAFF
THEY COMFORT ME. PSALM 23:4 KJV
DEATH OPENS THE DOOR TO LIFE EVERMORE BY HELEN STEINER RICE
WE LIVE A SHORT WHILE ON EARTH BELOW,
RELUCTANT TO DIE, FOR WE DO NOT KNOW
JUST WHAT DARK DEATH IS ALL ABOUT,
AND SO WE VIEW IT WITH FEAR AND DOUBT.
NOT CERTAIN OF WHAT IS AROUND THE BEND,
WE LOOK ON DEATH AS THE FINAL END
TO ALL THAT MADE US MORTAL BEINGS,
AND YET THERE LIES BEYOND OUR SEEING
A BEAUTIFUL LIFE SO FULL AND COMPLETE
THAT WE SHOULD LEAVE WITH HURRYING FEET
TO WALK WITH GOD BY SACRED STREAMS
AND BEAUTY AND PEACE BEYOND OUR DREAMS.
FOR ALL WHO BELIEVE IN THE RISEN LORD
HAVE BEEN ASSURED OF THIS REWARD,
AND DEATH FOR THEM IS JUST A GRADUATION
TO A HIGHER REALM OF WHOLE ELEVATION.
FOR LIFE ON EARTH IS A TRANSIENT AFFAIR,
JUST A FEW BRIEF YEARS IN WHICH TO PREPARE
FOR A LIFE THAT IS FREE FROM PAIN AND TEARS,
WHERE TIME IS NOT COUNTED BY HOURS OR YEARS.
FOR DEATH IS ONLY THE METHOD GOD CHOSE
TO COLONIZE HEAVEN WITH THE SOULS
OF THOSE WHO BY THEIR APPRENTICESHIP ON EARTH
PROVED WORTHY TO DWELL IN THE LAND OF NEW BIRTH.
SO DEATH IS NOT SAD, IT'S A TIME FOR ELATION,
O JOYOUS TRANSITION, THE SOUL'S EMIGRATION
INTO A PLACE WHERE THE SOUL'S SAFE AND FREE
TO LIVE WITH GOD THROUGH ETERNITY.
TENDER WATCH BY HELEN STEINER RICE
WHEN THE WAY SEEMS LONG AND THE DARK IS DARK,
AND WE CAN'T HEAR THE SONG OF THE THRUSH OF THE LARK,
AND OUR HEARTS ARE HEAVY WITH SICKNESS AND CARE,
AND WE ARE LOST IN THE DEPTHS OF DESPAIR...
THAT IS THE TIME WHEN FAITH ALONE
CAN LEAD US OUT OF "THE DARK
UNKNOWN,"
FOR FAITH TO BELIEVE WHEN "THE WAY IS ROUGH"
AND FAITH TO "HANG ON" WHEN "THE GOING IS TOUGH"
WILL NEVER FAIL TO PULL US THROUGH
AND BRING US STRENGTH AND COMFORT, TOO...
FOR IT'S NOT OURS TO QUESTION "WHY,"
FOR ONLY "OUR FATHER" WHO DWELLS ON HIGH
KNOWS ALL THE ANSWERS AND REASONS, TOO,
AND HIS MASTER PLAN IS PERFECT AND TRUE...
SO DO NOT TRY TO UNDERSTAND,
JUST TAKE THE SAVIOR'S LOVING HAND
AND LET HIM LEAD YOU WHERE HE WILL
THROUGH "PASTURES GREEN" AND "WATERS STILL" ...
AND THOUGH THE WAY AHEAD SEEMS STEEP,
BE NOT AFRAID FOR HE WILL KEEP
TENDER WATCH THROUGH NIGHT AND DAY
AND HE WILL HEAR EACH PRAYER YOU PRAY...
SO PLACE YOURSELF IN HIS LOVING CARE
AND HE WILL GLADLY HELP YOU BEAR
WHATEVER LIES AHEAD OF YOU
FOR GOD WILL SEE YOU SAFELY THROUGH!
BUT EVEN THE DARKNESS IS NOT DARK TO YOU. THE NIGHT
IS AS LIGHT AS THE DAY; DARKNESS AND LIGHT ARE THE
SAME TO YOU. PSALM 139:12 NCV
WHEN DARKNESS OVERTAKES THE GODLY, LIGHT WILL COME
BURSTING IN. THEY ARE GENEROUS, COMPASSIONATE, AND
RIGHTEOUS. PSALM 112:4 NLT
I WILL DECLARE THAT YOUR LOVE STANDS FIRM FOREVER, THAT
YOU ESTABLISHED YOUR FAITHFULNESS IN HEAVEN ITSELF.
PSALM 89:2 NIV
IT WAS YOU WHO OPENED UP SPRINGS AND STREAMS; YOU
DRIED UP THE EVER FLOWING RIVERS. THE DAY IS YOURS;
AND YOURS ALSO THE NIGHT; YOU ESTABLISHED THE SUN
AND MOON. PSALM 74:15-16 NIV
I, THE LORD, AM YOUR GOD, WHO BROUGHT YOU UP FROM THE
LAND OF EGYPT; OPEN YOUR MOUTH WIDE AND I WILL FILL IT.
PSALM 81:10 NAS
RENEWAL BY HELEN STEINER RICE
WHEN LIFE HAS LOST ITS LUSTER AND IT'S FILLED WITH DULL
ROUTINE
WHEN YOU LONG TO RUN AWAY FROM IT SEEKING PASTURES
"NEW AND GREEN"
REMEMBER, NO ONE RUNS AWAY FROM LIFE WITHOUT FINDING
WHEN THEY DO
YOU CAN'T ESCAPE THE THOUGHTS YOU THINK THAT ARE
PRESSING DOWN ON YOU
FOR THOUGH THE SCENERY MAY BE DIFFERENT IT'S THE SAME
OLD HEART AND MIND
AND THE SAME OLD RESTLESS LONGINGS THAT YOU TRIED TO
LEAVE BEHIND
SO WHEN YOUR HEART IS HEAVY AND YOUR DAY IS DULL WITH
CARE
INSTEAD OF TRYING TO ESCAPE WHY NOT WITHDRAW IN
PRAYER
FOR IN PRAYER THERE IS RENEWAL OF THE SPIRIT, MIND, AND
HEART
FOR EVERYTHING IS LIFTED UP IN WHICH GOD HAS A PART...
FOR WHEN WE GO TO GOD IN PRAYER OUR THOUGHTS ARE
REARRANGED
SO EVEN THOUGH OUR PROBLEMS HAVE NOT BEEN SOLVED
OR CHANGED
SOMEHOW THE GOOD LORD GIVES US THE POWER TO
UNDERSTAND
THAT HE WHO HOLDS TOMORROW IS THE ONE WHO HOLDS
OUR HAND.
WHERE THERE IS LOVE BY HELEN STEINER RICE
WHERE THERE IS LOVE THE HEART IS LIGHT,
WHERE THERE IS LOVE THE DAY IS BRIGHT,
WHERE THERE IS LOVE THERE IS A SONG
TO HELP WHEN THINGS ARE GOING WRONG,
WHERE THERE IS LOVE THERE IS A SMILE
TO MAKE ALL THINGS SEEM MORE WORTHWHILE,
WHERE THERE IS LOVE THERE'S QUIET PEACE,
A TRANQUIL PLACE WHERE TURMOILS CEASE...
LOVE CHANGES DARKNESS INTO LIGHT
AND MAKES THE HEART TAKE "WINGLESS FLIGHT" -
OH, BLEST ARE THEY WHO WALK IN LOVE...
THEY ALSO WALK WITH GOD ABOVE, AND
WHEN
MAN WALKS WITH GOD AGAIN THERE
SHALL BE PEACE
ON EARTH FOR MEN.
OUR SOUL WAITS FOR THE LORD; HE IS OUR HELP AND
OUR SHIELD. PSALM 33:20 NAS
COME QUICKLY! HELP ME, O MY SAVIOR. PSALM 38:22 TLB
GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH, A VERY PRESENT HELP
IN TROUBLE. PSALM 46:1 NRSV
BE MY PLACE OF SAFETY WHERE I CAN ALWAYS COME. GIVE THE
COMMAND TO SAVE ME, BECAUSE YOU ARE MY ROCK AND MY
STRONG, WALLED CITY. PSALM 71:3 NCV
FROM THE ENDS OF THE EARTH, I WILL CRY TO YOU FOR HELP,
FOR MY HEART IS OVERWHELMED. LEAD ME TO THE TOWERING
ROCK OF SAFETY. PSALM 61:2 NLT
CONSOLATION MEDITATION BY HELEN STEINER RICE
ON THE WINGS OF DEATH AND SORROW
GOD SENDS US NEW HOPE FOR TOMORROW,
AND IN HIS MERCY AND HIS GRACE
HE GIVES US STRENGTH TO BRAVELY FACE
THE LONELY DAYS AHEAD
AND KNOW OUR LOVED ONE IS NOT DEAD
BUT ONLY SLEEPING AND OUT OF SIGHT
UNTIL WE MEET IN THAT LAND THAT IS
ALWAYS BRIGHT.
WHEN A LIGHT GOES OUT OF OUR LIVES AND WE ARE LEFT IN
DARKNESS AND DO NOT KNOW WHICH WAY TO GO, WE MUST
PUT OUR HANDS INTO THE HAND OF GOD AND ASK HIM TO
LEAD US. AND IF WE LET OUR LIVES BECOME A PRAYER UNTIL
WE ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO STAND UNDER THE WEIGHT OF
OUR THOUGHTS AGAIN, SOMEHOW EVEN THE MOST DIFFICULT
HOURS ARE BEARABLE. H. R. S.
IN YOU, O LORD, I PUT MY TRUST; LET ME NEVER BE ASHAMED;
DELIVER ME IN YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. PSALM 31:1 NKJV
FOR THE LORD GOD IS A SUN AND SHIELD; HE BESTOWS FAVOR AND HONOR. NO GOOD THING DOES THE LORD WITHHOLD
FROM THOSE
WHO WALK UPRIGHTLY. PSALM 84:11 NASV
I TRUST IN YOUR LOVE, MY HEART IS HAPPY BECAUSE YOU
SAVED ME. PSALM 13:5 NCV
LIGHT SHINES ON THE GODLY, AND JOY ON THOSE WHO DO
RIGHT. MAY ALL WHO ARE GODLY BE HAPPY IN THE LORD
AND PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME! PSALM 97:11-12 NLT
NO WONDER WE ARE HAPPY IN THE LORD! FOR WE ARE
TRUSTING HIM. WE TRUST HIS HOLY NAME. YES, LORD,
LET YOUR CONSTANT LOVE SURROUND US, FOR OUR
HOPES ARE IN YOU ALONE. PSALM 33:21-22 TLB
OH, HOW I LOVE YOUR LAW! I THINK ABOUT IT ALL DAY LONG.
PSALM 119:97 NLT
I WILL MEDITATE ON ALL THY WORK, AND MUSE ON THY
DEEDS. THEY WAY, O GOD IS HOLY. WHAT GOD IS GREAT
LIKE OUR GOD? PSALM 77:12-13 NAS
LOVE: GOD'S GIFT DIVINE BY HELEN STEINER RICE
LOVE IS ENDURING AND PATIENT AND KIND,
IT JUDGES ALL THINGS WITH THE HEART NOT THE MIND,
AND LOVE CAN TRANSFORM THE MOST COMMONPLACE
INTO BEAUTY AND SPLENDOR AND SWEETNESS AND GRACE...
FOR LOVE IS UNSELFISH, GIVING MORE THAN IT TAKES,
AND NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS LOVE NEVER FORSAKES,
IT'S FAITHFUL AND TRUSTING AND ALWAYS BELIEVING,
GUILELESS AND HONEST AND NEVER DECEIVING...
YES, LOVE IS BEYOND WHAT MAN CAN DEFINE,
FOR LOVE IS IMMORTAL AND GOD'S GIFT IS DIVINE!
AND UNDERNEATH THIS REFUGE ARE THE EVERLASTING ARMS-
SO CAST YOUR BURDEN ON HIM, SEEK HIS COUNSEL WHEN
DISTRESSED,
AND GO TO HIM FOR COMFORT WHEN YOU'RE LONELY AND
OPPRESSED-
FOR GOD IS OUR ENCOURAGEMENT IN TROUBLE AND TRIALS,
AND IN SUFFERING AND IN SORROW HE WILL TURN OUR TEARS
TO SMILES.
BECAUSE YOUR STEADFAST LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE, MY
LIPS WILL PRAISE YOU. PSALM 63:3 NRSV
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