The Peculiar Few

The Peculiar Few

 

Thoughts lifted first to Christ

At the breaking of a new day,

Depending only on His might

While walking upon the Narrow Way.

 

THESE ARE THE PECULIAR FEW.

 

Heart that beats for the lost, alone;

Hands that take up the Father’s cause,

Championing the orphan and the widow,

With ear tuned only to His applause.

 

THESE ARE THE PECULIAR FEW.

 

Wrestling in prayer all thru the night,

Weeping and burning at the King’s feet.

Dressed in Christ’s armor, equipped to fight

For the hopeless and broken, refusing defeat.

 

THESE ARE THE PECULIAR FEW.

 

The colors of Nations run deep in their veins,

Knowing He’s called every tribe unto Him.

Going and giving to loosen the chains

Of these people whose hearts He is longing to win.

 

THESE ARE THE PECULIAR FEW.

Lives that are gripped by the depths of God’s Word,

Creating their treasuries up Above.

Those who learn daily to wield this Sword,

Compelled by compassion, hope, faith, and Love.

 

THESE ARE THE PECULIAR FEW.

 

Feet that are swift to run after His call,

Giving their lives up to do His bidding.

Throwing hindrance aside and surrendering all,

Knowing that this is the only life worth living.

 

THESE ARE THE PECULIAR FEW.

 

Lives all-consumed with Love for their King,

Laying down trophies, treasures, and pride.

Pouring out all as an offering,

It is all worth it to live at Christ’s side.

 

THESE ARE THE PECULIAR FEW.

 

A band of survivors, holy and set apart,

These are those Jesus Christ calls His own,

Knowing He holds them, body, mind, soul, and heart

These ones who He brings to draw near to His Throne.

 

THESE ARE THE PECULIAR FEW.

 

You Love Him, You serve Him with all that you are,

He is at the center of all that you do.

His glory shines thru you as the bright morning star;

This is what makes YOU the PECULIAR FEW…

 

Keep serving Him,

Loving Him,

and Living for Him.

All the rest is as rubbish.

 

For the sake of Him who died for me…

Gabi

whispers of my Beloved…

Can I ignore

The whispers of my

BELOVED?

 

“Come and sit with Me,”

He says,

“I am here to give you

LIFE.”

 

His whispers haunt me

And pursue me

When I try to do life

ALONE.

 

“My strength is enough,”

whispers the voice

of my

BELOVED.

“Why do you try to walk alone?

Come away with

ME.”

 

As I fell to my knees,

I cry in pain,

Knowing I’ve walked

WITHOUT HIM.

 

I know I have striven

in vain,

trying to do good

ALONE.

 

But how can I serve Him

without

HIM?

 

To the secret place I fly,

To the vineyard

Where He looks upon me

WITH LOVE.

 

“There is no blemish

In you,

No spot or mark,”

HE SAYS.

 

“O Lord, I am utterly

black.

I have not cared for my

VINEYARD.”

 

“Walk with Me,

my beauty.

Let us walk through your

VINEYARD.”

 

As we walk, I am ashamed.

The vines are shriveled.

The soil,

DRY.

 

“There is no blemish in you.

You are my beauty,”

He whispers

AGAIN.

 

“Lord, forgive me.

My strength is weakness

As I have walked

ALONE.”

 

“There is no blemish in you.

I Love you, My sister

My

BRIDE.”

 

What is this I see

spiraling ’round my feet?

Could that be a sprig

Of GREEN?

 

“You are beautiful.

Like a lily among thorns

is My

PRINCESS.”

 

My eyes are fixed upon Him.

He has captured me,

Though my soul still

CRACKS.

 

“Let me adorn you

with Jewels from My treasury,”

whispers the voice of my

BELOVED.

 

What do I smell?

It smells like rain

And flowers and new

LIFE.

 

“How beautiful you are, My darling!

Oh, how beautiful!

Your eyes are

DOVES.”

 

“O kiss me, Lord!

I long to be captured

In Your arms of

LOVE!

I have missed You as I’ve

Walked and worked,

ALONE.”

 

He looks upon me with care

And feeds me

Heavenly fruit from His

HAND.

 

“Let Me hear your voice;

for your voice is sweet

And your face is lovely,”

HE SAYS.

 

I am His. I’m caught

In His Love.

I turn to gaze at His

FACE.

 

“I am Yours and You

are mine.

Come and live in me.

I SURRENDER.”

 

I am wrapped up in

His arms.

As I look around, I see

A VINEYARD.

 

“Where are we, Beloved?

What are these fields

So verdant,

SO GREEN?”

 

“My love, we have just

Rested here

together in

YOUR VINEYARD.”

 

No longer cracked,

No longer dry,

I weep, amazed at

HIS LOVE.

 

“You are Life, Beloved!

You have restored

And watered my

VINEYARD.”

 

“This is a vineyard

Full of the richest

Fruits of the

KINGDOM.

My lovely one,

I will always walk

Here with you…

ALWAYS.

My Love for you is

Stronger than death.

Many waters cannot quench

THIS LOVE.”

 

Can I ignore

The whispers of my

BELOVED?

 

He is Life.

He is Love.

He is everything.

MY ALL IN ALL.

 

Yours forever in the vineyard,

Gabrielle

In the Early Morning Mist

In the early morning mist

You met me here,

My spirit kissed.

 

And as you walked the fields with me,

You held my heart

And set it free.

 

I stared into Your loving eyes

And caught my breath,

Full of surprise.

 

For in your eyes so deep I found

Your Love enfolding,

All around.

 

How is it You could Love me so?

Here in the depths

It overflows.

 

Crashing o’er me like a wave,

Your Love, Your Grace,

My heart to save.

 

Sweet Love, O bliss! Abounding still.

You come, I surrender,

My heart is filled.

 

Dear Jesus, Savior, what can I do

To live and die

And honor You?

 

The sun shines brighter, mist, it fades,

“Walk this way, child.

Be Mine today.”

 

And as we walk, I see Your plan.

All I need do

Is hold Your hand.

 

For out of intimacy sealed,

Your plan and purposes

REVEALED.

 

Captured by this blessed Grace,

I am ready

To run this race.

 

Sinking in this Love divine,

I am His…

and He is mine.

Be Still

 

“Be at rest once more, O my soul,

for the Lord has been good to you.”

Psalm 116:7

 

Be still my soul, be still,

For He will make you stand,

Centered in His will,

Held within His hand.

 

Life, it swirls around,

Making my head spin,

But then I hear that sound…

That Voice belongs to Him.

 

“Why worry about these things?

Oh choose the better way!

Come hide beneath my wings,

And learn and watch and pray.”

 

Sweet Jesus, I need rest!

My soul within is dry.

I lay upon Your chest,

And broken there I cry.

 

And as You see my tears,

Yours mingle there with mine,

Removing all my fears,

Settling my heart in Thine.

 

This is the only place,

Where earth and heaven meet:

Bowing on my face,

Kneeling at Your feet.

 

It is only here

That I can fade away,

Making it so clear

That HE is Lord today.

 

Be still my soul, be still,

Though churning waters rise,

He keeps You safe until

The SUN breaks through the skies.

 

Bowing here I know

That I am hid in Love.

His Grace, it overflows,

Spirit resting like a dove.

 

Oh Jesus, here am I!

Hold me closer still.

Hearing Your heart I cry,

“I’m resting in YOUR will!”

 

Covered by Your Love divine,

There is one thing that I know,

I am Yours and You are mine -

Embraced by Your Love, I GO.

Treasures of Darkness

 

Treasures of Darkness

inspired by isaiah 45:3

 

Little boy alone on the street,

No shirt on his back, no shoes on his feet.

I want to be taken to him, to hold in my arms,

This precious young child, keep him safe from all harm.

 

Little girl, kicked down and abused,

Eyes frantic with terror – helpless, confused,

I want to rush to her side, I want to fly to her aid,

To rescue her from the horror, take her to where she isn’t afraid.

 

THESE are the Treasures of Darkness,

The ones He holds so dear.

THESE are my promised inheritance,

Oh Lord, please bring them here!

 

Old man in the ghetto, alone and unloved,

Hopeless in the absence of that Love from above.

I want to place a crown on his head, tell him he is royalty,

For Jesus gave His life, died and rose for ones such as he.

 

Old woman locked within walls of white stone,

Widowed as a young child, forced to live life alone.

Help me to find her and to tell her she’s a jewel,

For within the hand of Jesus she sits, promise of renewal.

 

THESE are the Treasures of Darkness,

The ones for whom Jesus’ heart beats.

To make them my inheritance,

I fall down to pray at His feet.

 

Young man dying of AIDS in an African ward,

Fraught with hate, filled with rage, no hope to move forward.

Jesus, take me to him, holding peace in my hands,

And may he see there’s joy, even hope, for such a man.

 

Young woman in a brothel, hardened and lifeless,

With nothing to live for in this life of constant death.

Take me to her, Lord! May she know of TRUE LOVE!

May she be rescued and cleansed by Your river of blood!

 

THESE are the Treasures of Darkness,

Those once hopeless filled with hope.

I claim them as my inheritance,

For whom I intercede and rise up!

 

Little boy – RESCUED – now grown and overtaken

With Love and compassion for the beggars and the broken.

He says, “Take me to them, Jesus! I want them to know,

The Love of the King with which my life now overflows!”

 

Little girl – RESCUED – Body, heart, and soul healed,

Now a dancer for His glory, His Love displayed and revealed.

She says, “I dance for my King from the depths of my heart.

May other girls such as me be healed by my art!”

 

THESE are the Treasures of Darkness,

Their true beauty displayed.

This is who they are in Him.

This is why they were made.

 

Old man – RESTORED – teaching the young men to be strong and brave,

to stand always for RIGHT and for justice to take the day.

He prays, “May they become men of valor and to always be

Reminded of the RESCUE bought by Jesus as Calvary!”

 

Old woman – RESTORED – though an old widow still,

Sings a song given to her by the One with whom her heart is filled!

With passion she sings, “I need none beside You!

For You Love and adore me…my joy is FULL with YOU!”

 

 

THESE are the Treasures of Darkness,

Restored and alive.

In His joy, Love, and mercy

They are filled and they thrive!

 

Young man – REDEEMED – on his death bed, yet with HOPE on his face,

He shouts praises of thanks for he’s been saved by God’s grace.

Looking to his companions he says, “Don’t mourn when I’m gone!

For I go to my King! And to Him you, too, can belong!”

 

Young woman – REDEEMED – and headed out to learn

How to preach and to teach of His Love, with which her heart burns.

“Tho once broken and dead,” she says as she holds a friend’s hand,

“I now live, truly LIVE, cleansed and in LOVE I stand!”

 

THESE are the Treasures of Darkness,

RESCUED-RESTORED-REDEEMED.

To make them my inheritance,

This is the food of my dreams.

 

THESE are the Treasures of Darkness,

These and so many more!

The ones so dear to God’s heart,

The orphans, the broken, the poor.

 

THESE are the Treasures of Darkness,

They are worth my life laid down.

For these are HIS inheritance,

His Joy, His Beloved, His Crown.

 

Amen.

This is the Kingdom…

This is the KINGDOM ~

Truth declared.

Love displayed.

Wickedness destroyed.

Sin denied.

 This is the KINGDOM~

Dreams birthed.

Darkness braved.

Hate burned.

Hope born.

 

This is the KINGDOM~

Slaves freed!

Lost found!

Justice forged!

Death finished!

 

This is the KINGDOM~

Falling on my face

Before my Father,

Crying out for His heart,

Surrendering to His will!

 

This is the KINGDOM~

Being filled with the Holy Ghost

And running with this power

To the darkest, dirtiest corner of earth,

And Loving the untouchable.

 

This is the KINGDOM~

Reaching out my hand to touch

The broken,

The diseased,

The deformed,

The poor,

The dirty,

The forgotten,

The shameful.

Touching them because HE LOVES THEM.

 

This is the KINGDOM~

Breaking the chains of injustice,

Freeing the little girl

Shaking on the brothel floor

And silencing her captors!

 

This is the KINGDOM~

Rescuing in the dark of night

The little boy who holds a gun

And helping him, through Christ,

Learn how to smile once again and to laugh like a child.

 

 

 

 

This is the KINGDOM~

Adopting the orphan,

Serving the widow,

Sacrificing for the poor,

Giving up all comfort to GO.

 

This is the KINGDOM~

To light the candle in a soul

And to see that light spread

To a family, a nation,

The WORLD.

 

This is the KINGDOM~

Wrapping the towel around my waist,

Kneeling at your feet to wash them.

Becoming a servant to all,

Better than none.

 

This is the KINGDOM~

Forgetting what is behind

And running to the rice field

Or to the tiny mud hut,

That they, too, might know Him!

 

This is the KINGDOM~

Giving over the throne of my life

to the Giver of Life -

Jesus Christ,

The King and Ruler of this Kingdom!

 

Only through the laying down of the “rights” of my flesh to the rule of His Spirit will I see His Kingdom come in this breath of time He’s put me on earth. Out of the ashes of sacrifice arises the greatest glory a man could ever know…the glory of being a vessel of the glory of GOD!

 

Rule and reign, my God. O Kingdom of Christ – COME IN POWER!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Psalm

 

Still and stagnant air,

Quietness unbearable,

Echoes the ache in my heart –

The ache of nothing.

 

Beyond these walls,

Is there wind?

Is there air fresh and cool?

I’m locked up inside.

 

No movement, no stirring,

In this cavern where light,

And laughter, and joy,

Used to abound.

 

But now it’s still,

So still that I do not know

How I will take my next breath,

Let alone face tomorrow.

 

But there is a pulsing,

I hear a whisper of it beyond these walls.

It is the throbbing of Your heart.

It beats, it sings, it cries…

 

POUNDING for the lost.

POUNDING for the broken.

POUNDING for the nations.

POUNDING for ME!

 

How do I access that throbbing heart,

That heart of purpose

That comes only from On High,

From the One who created Purpose?

 

I don’t know! I’m trapped.

I’m stuck within my own pain,

Paralyzed by my own scars,

Choking for the air of hope again.

 

I allow my mind to wander,

And remember the days of dreaming,

The days of overwhelming LIFE

I remember the great dreamer…me.

 

I remember the people crying,

“There goes the great dreamer!

Come, encourage us with your dreams!

Remind us how to live life to the full!”

 

But now I am the one

Sitting on the curb in rags,

Looking with hungering eyes

Upon those who continue to dream.

 

Yet within I know,

This is not the end,

It is simply the wait.

I cannot lose hope!

 

Jesus, come to Your little lamb.

Show me that Your dreams live

Beyond these walls,

Walls of stagnant air.

 

Jesus, cradle me in Your arms,

Remind me who I am…

The great dreamer,

Dreaming grand dreams for You!

 

I know that there is still

A spark, and ember,

Dreams alive in my soul.

Blow on them and fan this flame.

 

Who am I

To carry the dreams of God?

I don’t feel them now,

But You say You have chosen me.

 

So in faith I rise,

I say, “Flee despair,

Be gone emptiness!

He gives me joy overflowing!”

 

Yes in faith I scream,

“I will sow in places

Where I long to dream,

And see dreams fulfilled!”

 

In a soul where greys reign,

I declare vivid color.

In a place of darkness,

I declare the brightest light.

 

Even in this soul of mine,

I believe in restoration,

I believe in crazy dreams,

I believe in BURNING PASSION.

 

I know that without great dreams,

There are no great dreamers.

I know without great dreamers,

There are no great feats achieved.

 

You’ve chosen me.

I believe it, Lord!

You see I’ve made myself available.

Lord, help my unbelief!

 

As I open myself to You,

I know You will pour Your dreams.

As I draw nearer to You,

I will be able to see the patterns of Your heart.

 

The Pattern is of nations.

The Pattern is of callings.

The Pattern is of victories.

The Pattern is of worship.

 

Bandage my wounds.

Heal my bruised heart.

Make me a broken vessel made whole,

And totally ready.

 

I must dream big dreams.

I must be used of God for greatness.

I must be a shining bearer of Thee.

Otherwise I sleep in death.

 

But You have called me to Life,

And to Life ABUNDANT!

So darkness, flee!

I am clinging to Him who is Light!

 

Hallelujah! His purpose prevails!

Hallelujah! I will be WHOLE!

Hallelujah! Dreams WILL arise!

Hallelujah! His Kingdom will advance through me.

 

I seek it.

I believe it.

I know Him.

I love Him.

 

Dear child,

The rest will fall into place.

Fix your eyes on Me.

Beloved dreamer, SOAR.

 

You are a seal on My heart.

You are a seal on My arm.

Even death cannot separate us.

I burn with Love for you.

 

SEEK.

HEAL.

DREAM.

BELIEVE.

 

Amen.

A Poem for my King

I love You, O Lord my Strength,

In You I rest my faith;

For heaven above

and earth below

Cannot contain Your Grace

On which I firmly stand,

My times are in Your hand;

In seasons full

and seasons dry

My life Your Love demands

Of me no lesser thing

Than EVERYTHING to bring;

No deed too small

Or feat too great

To lay before my King

Above all kings to reign,

O’er all the world this Name

So powerful

And wonderful

Deserving of all fame

Spread throughout all the earth,

Within my soul gives birth

To praises great

And love songs sweet!

None can explain Your worth

All that I can give

My life and my homage

I bring to You

All glory due

FOR YOU MY LIFE I LIVE.

Keep Running…

Click here to hear CHASING by Desperation 

This poem was inspired by the documentary “Spirit of the Marathon.” I was so moved watching these people training for and running in the Chicago marathon because of all the amazing similarities to “running the race to receive the Prize.” Let’s run hard after Him! For His Kingdom and for His glory…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foot here at the starting line,

There’s no turning back.

Start running. Start running.

My heart is full my eyes are fixed,

Nothing do I lack.

I‘m running. I’m running.

Until the obstacles,they come…

Lord, what am I to do?

“Keep running. Keep running.

I know this training is so hard,

But I hold on to you!

Keep running. Keep running.”

Running, panting, losing speed…

Why is life so hard?

Still running. Still running.

Yet pressing on toward the Goal,

HE is my reward!

Still running. Still running.

I turn the corner and I see,

I AM NOT ALONE!

I’m running. I’m running.

No, there are MILLIONS joining me,

Racing toward Your Throne!

WE’RE running. WE’RE running.

A sister falls down at my side.

I pick her up and say,

“Keep running! Keep running!

Don’t give up, I’m here with you,

Let’s press on toward that Day!

Keep running! Keep running!”

Then, at last!, what joy I feel

To see that finish line!

Still running. Still running.

Now bursting forth, oh heart be still!

It is almost my time!

I’m running. I’m running.

Legs like lead, but heart ALIVE…

Oh, I am nearly done!

Keep running! Keep running!

And there HE is to greet me there.

“Well done, my faithful one!

Stop running! Stop running.”

Sweet Jesus, I can see it now,

All this running was for YOU!

This running. This running.

And now I rest here in Your arms,

My running days are through.

Done running. Done running.

 

Jesus, as I run I say – IT IS WORTH IT! – because You await me at the end! …and You’re with me every step of the way. Hosanna! How I long to see Your face! So I run with all my might even when the going gets tough, because You deserve it, and I want to be worthy of that Rest…

 

Yours forever…

 

His burden is light

 

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

 

A couple of weeks ago I was hiking next to a river at the bottom of a beautiful canyon in Colorado. During a moment of rest I sat down on the bank of the river and watched the waters bubble and laugh and scurry over the stones and through the debris. I love water, I always have. I love the way it sounds, I love the way it feels, I love all of the amazing properties it has, and the power that is locked inside of it. So as I sat by the river I just asked the Lord…show me something new about water, teach me something from this river. No sooner had this prayer been breathed off of my lips than I saw a little twig float by, tumbling down the clear Colorado waters, being carried away by the current. What does this mean?, I asked my Dearest Friend. Then all I could hear in my heart were these words: My burden is light. It was unexpectedly simple. I threw a few small pebbles into the river and watched them quickly sink to the bottom. Those pebbles are like the burdens you hold within your soul, dear one, I heard the Voice say. Because you are holding onto them with your own humanity and are trying to figure out all the problems with your own human mind, these burdens, small and large alike, are sinking to the bottom of your heart and getting stuck there. I thought about that for a moment when suddenly different passages of Scripture when God speaks of rivers and streams came rushing into my thoughts…

“There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.” Psalm 46:4

“I will extend peace to her like a river…” Isaiah 66:12a

“He (the godly man) is planted by streams of water…” Psalm 1:3

…and I realized…HE – who He is and all He promises – is the river, the stream, that we are planted by, the water that nourishes and flows through our souls. What do we need to do to keep this River from becoming stagnant? We must dwell with Him, we must allow His waters to come into us AND flow out of us. Also, we need to keep the riverbeds of our souls free from pollutants: sin, worry, burden. But how? My burden is light. That’s it! The cares of life are real. But somehow, these burdens must transform into HIS burdens. Only the light leaves and twigs on the river I was sitting near would float on top of the water and be carried away. I need to turn my stones into leaves. I need to give my heavy burdens over to the One who makes them light. Only then will they be carried off by the River. Only then will I be able to remain refreshed and unburdened in the face of difficulty. When my burdens are transformed into His burdens, my soul is refreshed…because His burden is light. But HOW? If you look at the passage, it seems He makes it very simple…come to Me. Here I am, Jesus, and here in my hands and heart I hold these heavy burdens. I’m coming to You and I’m giving them to You. Make my burdens Yours…

There’s an amazing story about Hudson Taylor and the “secret” he found to never being overwhelmed by the trials and difficulties and unknowns of life. He was reading these and similar passages of God’s Word when it dawned on him…my life belongs to Him. He is responsible for me. He realized with amazement that this meant he truly had a solid rock beneath his feet that could never be shaken. God, the Lord of the universe, had his life in His hands. Not only that, but nothing…no good thing, no bad thing…was too big for God to handle. Hudson Taylor put it something like this: “Are you worried? Are you heavy laden? Look at the face of Jesus. Is there any furrow upon His brow? No. Then neither should there be upon yours, for you are in Him and He is in you.” This realization truly changed Hudson Taylor’s life. Multiple people were amazed by his calmness in the most trying of situations. He had truly grasped what it meant to turn his “stones into leaves”, that is, what it meant to see his burdens transformed from heavy to light when transferred into the capable hands of the King of Kings.

Wow, there is so much richness building up in my heart as I write down these things. Before I started writing I thought it was going to be a very simple, sweet blog. It turns out that He is filling my heart with more and more lessons about the river even now. Praise His glorious and beautiful Name!! For now, I will let you ponder what I have already written. I pray for you, my friends, that you would be filled with the knowledge of the Holy One day after day, that you would press on toward the Goal, and you would know and understand the goodness of His ways and His great love toward you.

 

Deeply humbled and amazed…

Much joy,

Gabi