The Cycle

A message from Jesus

There are cycles--cycles in which things go well, and then they go bad, and then I bring forth victories and they go well again. You must hold on to Me, seek Me, and follow Me through each phase of the cycles.
When you're faced with these obstacles, these tests, these trials, don't let them discourage you. Don't be downcast about them, or worried that they will not be solved, or that victories will not be won; for I say to you, they will, for it is part of the cycle. But you must go through this portion of the cycle to come out at the other end with victory.
That's the purpose of the cycle: that when the problems and the difficulties arise, you rise up to meet them in faith. You fight and you win, and that brings forth the next portion of the cycle: the victory, the progress, the forward movement. Then you are faced with new challenges, new fights and new tests, and you must once again fight, take up the challenge, seek Me, and cry out to Me, that you may overcome these tests and trials, and that you may then move out of that portion of the cycle, and again into the victory. And again, there come more tests, more trials, more challenges, and again, you seek Me, obey Me, and that brings forth the victory.
Like a wheel, the top goes down to the bottom and comes up to the top again. That is motion, and that moves the vehicle forward. And that's what these cycles do--they move you forward. So don't look at them as defeats or weights, but as challenges, as a way to make forward motion. And, yes, I know it's difficult to fight your way through. I know it's difficult to face the problems, to face the challenges, to seek Me for solutions and to implement them, but as you do, it brings you out of the decline of the cycle, the low point of the cycle, upward to the victory, the high point of the cycle. And so you move round and round and round, as a wheel that turns and makes forward motion.
But if at any time you do not seek Me for the solutions, you do not take up the challenges, and you do not fight the fight and overcome, then it's like stopping the cycle, as in putting the brakes on, so that you remain at the low point of the cycle and there is no forward motion; the vehicle just sits, going nowhere.
So you must take up these challenges and these fights, and you must seek Me, and you must win the victories, so that the cycle can be ever turning, ever revoluting, ever moving forward.--So that you as a person will constantly be moving forward, growing, going on, ever upward, ever forward and on to victory!

The Dash

The Dash Poem

by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end

He noted that first came her date of her birth
And spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own;
The cars, the house, the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

©1996 Linda Ellis

Don't let it get you down

Stretch your faith. Let it grow. Ask for something that seems too big, too difficult, almost ridiculous. Ask in faith. Ask for something you need. Ask for something that you know is impossible without divine intervention. Ask through the power of the keys. Do it today! Do it now! Watch it happen!

When this world gets you down, when the troubles and the confusion of life surround you and close in on you, escape to Me. You can escape by rising above at any moment. You don't have to wait for conditions to improve in any way. Simply call out to Me. Ask Me specifically to help you rise above the pressure and strain, then and there, and I will lift you to a safe and secure haven for your mind and spirit.

There is a chamber in your heart, deep and hidden, where I have prepared a place of retreat. This place is protected from all the cares of the world, from all the attacks of the Enemy. This place is a defense in times of desperate need. To reach this place, all you have to do is ask Me to take you there. While you are in this place, I will wipe away all your tears and fears and renew your strength and courage to face life again.

Don't let discouragement get the better of you. Don't look at the waves. The waves are there--problems are there‚ your weaknesses are there, they're not your imagination--but they cannot drown you. They need not control you or direct your life. As Peter walked on water‚ you can walk on top of them and subdue them through My supernatural power.

Haven Sings Live

This song is my inspiration to keep going on no matter how tough things seem to be.

We Have Today

This is my favorite poem, it reminds me how important each day of my life is & that it will never be returned to me again. I love that quote "Today is a gift, that's why it's called the present."

We Have Today

We don't live on dreams,
Waiting for a better tomorrow.
For time could get away
And we will run out of
Tomorrow.
God has given us now;
We have today.
We will love today.
We will work today.
We will serve today.
We will say the tender things
We want to say
And say them today.

We will not fear tomorrow,
For God holds it
And we will let it rest.
But we will love as if
Today were a rare beauty
That could be gone tomorrow
Because it could.

I will tell you I love you
Today.
I will touch your hair
And rub the nape of your neck
Today.
I will tell you how much
You mean to me
Today
While you can hear it
And feel how good it is.

I will hold you
Close to my chest
And rest your head
On my shoulder
And sway gently
Back & forth.
I will do it today.

I will not stand alone
Tomorrow
And wish I had done it
Yesterday.
We have today.
God has promised us
Each day can be special
With His Love.

God has given us now.
We have today.
We will love today.
We will work today.
We will serve today.
We will say the tender things
We want to say
And say them today.

Selah-You Raise me Up

Answer to 'The Odd Couple'

From o'er the years my Lover came;
The lowly Jesus was His name.
His nature was so true and clean,
He first impressed me like a dream.
I was so young and gay and bright,
But He so old, and yet, in spite
Of years and years between our age,
We were tuned in at every stage.
He held the key to my young heart;
I loved His love right from the start.
He was so free, relaxed, yet true,
It was the first love that I knew.
He cared for others more than most,
Deriving pleasure from the host
Of common people that He met,
Who shared His face, could not forget
His smiles, His touch, His time to talk,
No rush, just rest, and slowly walk.
Why should you think that it's so odd
He'd make me too a child of God?

To Where You Are - Josh Groban (AOL Sessions)

I'M A SURVIVOR

I sat down to a card game on the day that I was born,
No holds barred and my back against the wall,
The stranger playing against me, he seemed to seldom smile,
And only laughed if I won a hand at all

The funny part is that I never fully saw his face,
It made it hard to tell which
way to play,
But I'd never been a poker face and so he had an easy time,
Whittling me down sad to say

Though I mostly sat alone, there on his side were quite a few,
Doubt and fear and hate were his good friends,
And he never played his cards wrong until the day I drew
The card that put his dark plan to an end

I'm a survivor, I was born to fall and rise again,
I'm a relier, on a helping hand from an old and trusted Friend,
I do what I can and then I leave it in His hand,
That's the only way a loser wins

When I drew it out I clutched it hard and he seemed to sense a change
And then I folded all my others and in his eyes there burned a rage,
Then he pushed in all his winnings, and he threw his last card death,
And his friends began to mock and laugh and I just held my breath
As he reached to take his winnings is when I said, "Hey, just wait!"
And I stood up and showed my hold card and from death I walked away

I'm a survivor, I was born to fall and rise again,
I'm a relier, on a helping hand from an old and trusted Friend,
I do what I can and then I leave it in His hand,
That's the only way a loser wins

[Here comes the epilogue]

The card I drew was love, you know, the love of God's own Son,
He overcame death and hate and He's out-drawn every gun,
There's just one chance you've got to win in this game of life we play,
Put Jesus in your hand, my friend, He's this life's only ace

That's the only way a loser wins...

Micah

Shout for Joy

Rejoice and be glad!
Shout for joy, as do those in the heavenlies!
Shout for joy because you are Mine!
Shout for joy because you are eternally safe in My strong and loving arms!
Shout for joy because you are connected to the everlasting source from which comes all power and might!
Shout for joy because you will triumph in the end over all evil and darkness!
Shout for joy because there is absolutely nothing that you and I, united in My love, united in My Spirit, and assisted by all the power of Heaven, cannot do.
Shout for joy because there are no impossibilities to you and the power of the keys!
Shout for joy because you have heaven on earth in your hearts and Homes, and Heaven eternally to look forward to!
Shout for joy and praise Me now.

James Taylor In Concert - Up On The Roof

Up on the roof

Here are the lyrics to"Up on the Roof"

When this old world starts a getting me down,
And people are just too much for me to face,
I'll climb way up to the top of the stairs,
And all my cares just drift right into space.
On the roof, it's peaceful as can be,
And there the world below don't bother me, no, no.

So when I come home feeling tired and beat,
I'll go up where the air is fresh and sweet,
I'll get far away from the hustling crowd,
And all the rat race noise down in the street.

On the roof, that's the only place I know,
Where you just have to wish to make it so.

Let's go up on the roof.

At night the stars put on a show for free
And, darling, you can share it all with me.

That's what I said. Keep on telling you that
right smack dab in the middle of town,
I found a paradise that's trouble proof.
And if this old world starts a getting you down,
There's room enough for two up on the roof.

Have I Told You Lately

SOUNDS IN THE NIGHT

I've always liked the night, it's so quiet. I like these little lonesome sounds. The tiniest little sound gets its chance at night.--The rattle of the antenna on the roof, a cat's meow in the alley, a distant bark of a dog, the lonesome whistle of a train. Even a rare passing car gives a kind of a sad, wailing sound as it goes by.--Listen & you'll hear it. It sounds like it's scared & running from something, trying to get safely home in a hurry. Cars sound like they're afraid of the night.
At night you can even hear a little tiny mouse gnawing on a baseboard or rattling around in the cracker bin. The night is big & quiet enough that even if you're just a tiny bird you can be heard a long ways. Even little old you can be heard at night if there's no other sound. Raise your voice!--See how it echoes & bounces around! At night, every little noise counts--a child's restless whimper in his sleep, a door slamming, footsteps in the alley or the flush of a toilet. These, you couldn't even hear in the daytime, but they're clear & loud & distinct at night.
I hate the busy day with all its garish activity, crashing sounds, screams & shouts & roars, its blinding glare, it's burning heat! I long for the cool & quiet of the night when you can see the tiny stars twinkling away so quietly, so sweetly winding their way through space, tip-toeing through the Heavenly corridors, lighting up the mansions of the sky! You feel like they're the eyes of Angels peeping through at you telling you they know you're there.

Mo

...For Aye

May I have those pearls?" He questioned,
Knowing that I prized them so--
"If you love Me, will you lay those
At My feet?" I answered, "No."

But He looked so disappointed;
The I cried, "O though it grieves,
Take them, Master, take them, take them!
Yea, I love THEE `more than these.'"

Yes, He took my pearls, just cheap things
That could last but for a day,
But He gave me back some REAL ONES--
PRICELESS! JOYS for aye--FOR AYE!
--Edith Mapes