Not my will Lord,
but Yours . . . .
not my desires
but Yours . . .

For You Lord know,
what is best
and so my prayer
in Your hands rest.

Not my will Lord,
but Thous
not my dreams
but Thous . . .

For You Lord have,
all in control
and so all is well
with my soul.

Not what I will Lord,
but what You wilt
not what I would Lord
but what You wilt!

~~~~~

Luke 22:42

Saying, Father, if thou be willing,
remove this cup from me:
nevertheless not my will,
but thine, be done.

King James Version
Public Domain

Copyright 2022
Deborah Ann Belka

~ to GOD be the GLORY ~

This is me most of the time: “I want something, I want it NOW!”. Delayed gratification, however, is our ability to resist temptations of instant pleasure. And for me, this is not easy…

A 1960’s Stanford professor named Walter conducted the Marshmallow Experiment. Here, children were brought to a room. In front of them, a white fluffy marshmallow was in sight, staring at them. At this point, the researcher told each child that he was going to leave the room. If the child didn’t eat the marshmallow while he was away, they would be rewarded with a second marshmallow. However, if the child did eat the marshmallow, they wouldn’t get a second. These children were studied years later and were found to be more focussed, disciplined, and happier in a number of different areas of life if they had chosen not to eat the first marshmallow. These results…

Prayer changes things,
it accomplishes much
it can’t not but help
pleading hearts to touch.

It is life altering,
it makes things possible
it brings results
to God desirable.

Prayer unceasing,
it is effective
to God’s power
it is connective.

It is pervasive,
it is soul changing
it keeps our trust
in Jesus clinging.

Prayer changes things,
it makes things better
it makes our faith
stronger and fitter!

~~~~~~

1 John 5:14-15

And this is the confidence
that we have in him, that,
if we ask any thing according
to his will, he heareth us:

And if we know that he hear us,
whatsoever we ask, we know
that we have the petitions that
we desired of him.

King James Version
Public Domain

Copyright 2022
Deborah Ann Belka

~ to GOD be the GLORY ~

Moonlight slips through the window , washes over my body. I lie still, tears flood the room and slip beneath the doorway.

Gravity pulls me through valleys, beneath the waters of a cool pond. Grasping at lilies, they slip away covered in fingerprints of stars.

I am consciousness without body. Slick reeds entangle shadowy arms and legs. Waiting for me in the humid night air, your hand reaches out and brushes my cheek.

You look into my eyes for the last time, always the last time, until you appear once more.

We hold our breath, sitting as still
as a freeway during morning commute.
Its wings flutter at a possible
eighty times per second, so we’ve read.

It closes the distance between us,
and we know it eyes the dangling
rosy petals. But below those blossoms
lies the sleeping dog. He wouldn’t be
the least bit interested in the winged
creature, but the winged creature
doesn’t know this to be true.

And so, we watch our tiny friend
flit to within a few feet of the blooms,
then disappointment lands in our thoughts
as it retreats to the maple,
camouflaged to the naked eye.

If only it could be brave.
If only it knew there was no threat below
from the sleeping beast. In fact, the beast
quietly snores, and we are confident
he is dreaming of squirrels. 

© Lauren Scott, baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.

‘Voices from Vietnam’ by: Kayleen Reusser

VOICES FROM VIETNAM

by:  Kayleen Reusser

Vietnam was the 10-year “Police Action” that developed and escalated in my generation’s  youth.  We saw casualty lists in the newspapers increasing daily.  Here in Kayleen Reusser’s book are interviews with the troops that managed to survive the horror that was the Vietnam War.

Keyleen Reusser

In this book, a background story is given for each contributor, their branch of military, method of service and then, what they experienced.  But the pains of war did not stop with their return home.  These gallant people told Kayleen of what they ran into upon returning to the United States.  The events, such as protesters, and name calling, are embarrassing, disheartening and downright disappointing to know how the people of this country were behaving toward these troops.

Despite the home front’s utter fear of the draft and disapproval of the…

Oh, Lord when I mediate,
on Your tender mercy . . .
my heart becomes for You
more hungry and thirsty.

I want to drink in,
all of Your compassion . . .
I want to bottle up
each drop of Your passion.

Oh, Lord when I ponder,
on Your abundant grace . . .
the tears of joy can’t stop
running down my face.

I want to soak in,
all of Your loving goodness
I want to sop up . . .
each morsel of Your goodness.

Oh, Lord when I consider,
how much You are faithful
I can’t help but be to You
eternally grateful!

~~~~~

Psalm 100:4-5

“Enter into his gates
with thanksgiving,
and into his courts
with praise:
be thankful unto him,
and bless his name.

For the Lord is good;
his mercy is everlasting;
 and his truth endureth
to all generations.

King James Version
by Public…