Sunday, June 5, 2011

i believe.
i believe.

i believe when the sun
is not shining. when my prayers
seem unanswered. when i am misjudged
by others. when the rains come, and the
rivers are swollen, and my life is torn by
pain and inadequacy.

i believe that my children
will never be disappointed by God.
that what i have tried to live out for them,
and teach them, will stand steadfast in their
darkest hours. their entire lives.
that His love will pursue them in places
shadowed by disobedience or failure.

i believe that God is love.
and when i am weak and broken and sinful,
He still celebrates my life. that my sins are
really buried in the deepest, dark places of
cold oceans and seas. vanished and forgotten.
that He is so good and so omnipotent that He never
sways in His love for us.
never. ever. ever.

i believe that God makes up
for all our injustices. that if we have faith,
as tiny as a speck of sand, He will honor it.
He will expand our horizons, and surprise us
with beautiful tomorrows.

i believe that a clear, morning sky
and a stunning, setting sun are God's
creations. that He is greater than all earthly
boundaries, and the Heaven of heavens.
He cannot be contained.

i believe in faith.
in the simple confidence that
God is who He says He is. and
that He will do everything He promises.

i believe in dreams.
that God plants them in our hearts.
and if we never, ever give up,
they will live. that we should stand,
and turn our faces to the sky. and lift our
arms. and shout and yell. and cheer and dance
because He is a glorious God. who loves to give
His children good gifts.

i believe we are in a Race.
all running, side-by-side. along
the often narrow and chastising road,
to the Celestial city. i believe we should
grab hands. and pick each other up when
we fall, and whisper hope even when our
spirits are down and we are weary of the
twists and turns of life.

i believe that if we abide in Him, He will
abide in us, and mountains will quiver and
be leveled. and paths will open through the
deserts. and we can walk on water, and not
drown.

YES!
i believe.
in a Savior who lived and died for our sins.
and because of Him, we are free. free. untangled
and delivered from ourselves and our addictions.

"how precious is the Flow
that washes white as snow...
no other Fount I know.
nothing but the Blood of Jesus..."
(old hymn of the church)

please.
believe, too.

"i have finished the Race.
i have kept the faith." 2 timothy 4:7

4 comments:

Gail Bumala said...

Ann, tonight as I drove home from Choir rehearsal, I thought of how back in 1975 I spied your book on the turning rack at Payless and thought, "Why does a dorky girl like that get to write a book and have her face on the cover?" I hoped to write one day, but hadn't learned how and didn't have enough life experience. I had met Jesus, but didn't know what to do next. I bought your book expecting to ridicule it. It changed my life and showed me how simple it really all is. You helped me set out in the path God had for me. There's so much more, but I just wanted to thank you for being obedient then and writing the things I needed to know. Thank you also for learning that there is real life and it can be hard, yet we can survive and with God's help, overcome the challenges. It was a happy surprise to find your blog tonight. I sought and I found.

Gail

scowtz said...

Yes! I believe! I believe in the power of the Blood of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I believe! I'm standing with you today in that belief! Thank you sister! God richly bless you and may he answer the desires of your heart this day for you and your family this day and your whole life through! I appreciate your writing that always comes from your heart!
Sally

barb said...

Thank You for your many whispers of HOPE. <3

Gail Ronveaux said...

Hi Ann... I am a Dean at California Baptist University. I would like to talk with you about the possibility of speaking to our students and/or to our Women United group. Please email me at gronveau@calbaptist.edu. I look forward to hearing from you. Gail Ronveaux