Set Us Ablaze

Send down Your fire.

Set us abraze.

We stand before You,

An offering of praise.

Teach us to walk

In all of Your ways.

Oh Holy Father,

Set us abraze.

Ablaze, ablaze

Let our fire burn for You.

Ablaze, ablaze,

Light our world for You.

Consume us with Your glory.

Knock us to our knees.

Send down Your fire

And set us ablaze.

Bring coals from Your altar.

Take our sin away.

Here we are Lord.

Send us out ablaze.

Ablaze, ablaze.

Let us burn for You.

Ablaze, ablaze

Light our world for You.

Ablaze, ablaze.

Let us burn for You.

Ablaze, ablaze

Light our world for You.

Yes, Light our world for You.

Light our world for You.

~After an hour of prayer with my church family, desiring for our church to be set ablaze. Referring to Lev. 9:24 and Isa. 6:6-8 specifically.

Life Is Precious

Life is so precious.

Life is truly a gift.

We walk around so caually

Forgetting this simple truth.

Thank you, Lord, for life.

Thank you for my breath,

For giving me a purpose,

For giving my life worth.

Thank you for my children,

Those born and the one taken home,

Thank you for my husband

Who loves me oh so much.

Thank you, Lord, for family,

For generations of saints.

Thank you for friends who love You,

For placing them in my life.

Yes, life is so precious.

It truly is a gift.

Please help me not take it for granted

As I take my every breath.

May each breath that I breathe

Be worship unto You,

May I see the gift all around me,

May I love because You do.

Christmas 2010

Holy God, Holy King,

Awesome in power, awesome in strength,

Chose to make you, chose to make me

And before we could love him

Before our eyes could see,

He chose to love us

Unconditionally.

There was nothing worthy in us

That He might choose us for His own,

But with mercy and grace

He sent His one and only son.

He lived and he died

That we might truly live.

He led the way, paid the price,

Conquered death, and brought peace.

This Christmas let's focus on living our lives

For our great God and Savior,

For the glory of Jesus Christ.

Think About It (Christmas 2009)

Do we think, think about it?

Do we really think about it?

We think about the baby,

The shepherds, and the star.

We think about the manger

And the wise men from afar,

But do we think, think about it?

Do we really think about it?

God sent His son

As a sacrifice for us:

Holy God from heaven

Sent down to the earth,

Born humbly in a stable

Among the animals and dirt,

Holy God from heaven

Just a tiny babe,

Helpless on His own,

Yet fully God He came.

Do we think, think about it?

Do we really think about it?

When we think about the baby,

Do we see His sovereign plan?

Do our minds stay at the baby,

Or do we look upon our sin?

Do we linger at the manger,

Or do we see Him hanging there,

No longer at the stable,

But on the cross our sin to bear?

When we think about the baby,

Do we love our Risen Lord?

Do we think, think about it?

Do we really think about it?

When we think about the baby,

Let’s think about His life.

He taught us how to live.

He taught us how to love.

When we think about the manger,

Let’s think about the cross.

He died that we might live.

He died that we might love.

When we think about the stable,

Let’s think about the tomb.

He rose that we might live.

He rose that we might love.

Stop and think, think about it.

Stop and really think about it.

A New Year: 2011

Another year, another day,
Another chance to love,
To love the Lord who gave me life,
To love the life He gave,
To start each day with Him
And end each day the same,
To share His love with all around,
To bring glory to His name,
To serve Him in the big things
And in all the little things,
To do as unto the Lord,
To remember the least of these,
To see beauty in the ordinary,
To find Him all around me,
To seek the fruit He’s given,
To live a fruitful life,
To seek holiness and nothing less,
To run the race before me,
To keep my eyes on Jesus,
Yes, to keep my eyes on Him.

Mammy Cardwell

Living in a small town

Everyone wants to know who you are,

"I'm Maxine Cardwell's granddaughter,"

Is what I've often said.

For most everybody's known her,

Been touched by her some way.

And everyone that's known her

Has something nice to say,

But she's not just someone I knew,

A teacher I once had,

She's my daddy's mother.

She's my Mammy Cardwell.

Mammy liked to watch us play.

She loved to see us learn.

She held us and she rocked us.

She read to us and taught us.

She let us just be kids.

She watched us grow and have our own.

We moved from fairy tales to deep talks about God.

From kid stuff to real adult conversation.

She loved us, how she loved us all

With a genuine love from the Lord

For she did unto the least of these.

She cared so very much.

She a life that's touched so many

A life that's part of us.

And there's no doubt in my mind

The words He has for her:

Well done, well done

My good and faithful servant.

Well done. Well done.

So now the legacy is ours

She left it for us to continue

That our children and grandchildren

Might be proud to claim us

When someone wants to know who they are.

~Maxine Cardwell October 24, 1921-December 12, 2010~

Prayer of Praise to the Sovereign Lord

Sovereign Lord, my Father, my King, You are God, and there truly is no other. You are the Creator of everything. By Your mighty words all that is came to be. The creation cries out, "You are God!" Holy, holy, You are holy. You are perfect and wise, and Your ways are so high. You'll never get better, and You'll never get worse. You change not because You are God. You are never unjust, but You're so full of mercy. Your grace is amazing. It truly is humbling. You never do evil. You always do good for You're righteous and loving. You're gentle yet strong. From your Spirit flows joy, loving kindness, and peace. Your faithful and patient. You've always been. You know all and see all. It's all in Your hands. Nothing can thwart any part of Your plan so the victory's certain. The battle's already won. I praise My God, my Savior, my Everything. Holy, holy, holy You are. The whole earth is full of Your glory. You gave me breath, gave me life everlasting. You gave me a heart that I could love You. You gave me Your word to teach me and mold me, Your truth in my hands that I might live for Your glory. I love it. I do. Thank you God for Your Word. Thank you for time in Your presence, for speaking to me. Thank you for prayer, this time I come to You. I come in Your presence, I am here with the King. You're glorious and awesome, and You welcome me to You. Through Christ I come into Your presence and live. I come into Your presence and Your glory floods me. Who am I to come before the King? I am Your child. You birthed me and chose me; I'm doubly Yours. You made me and loved me for nothing within me. You loved me, me, and I now I love You. Your grace is irresitable; it's priceless, it's perfect. Praise You. Praise You. May my life only praise You. Take all that I am. Make it all be for You. Empty me of this world. Point me only to You. I want to live my life not for me but for You.