What Love Means

[Judy Harder]

Rainbow of Radiant Promise


Rainbow of promise
Circling the sky
Reminder of God's covenant
Dazzling the eye

Radiant colors
Prismatic, to shine
Inspiring the heart
With promises divine

Vibrant hues
Violet, scarlet, green
Indigo, yellow, blue
Sweet to be seen



Rejoice, my heart
In the sight I see
The rainbow of Promise
Encircling me

For God promised Noah
And all mankind
Again a worldwide flood
Earth would not find

Wondrous truth
Yes, glorious to know
God's love for me
The rainbow does show



Yet a Covenant lovelier
Than the rainbow above
Is the Covenant of Christ
A Covenant of love

Yes, more incredible
Far more amazing to see
Is my Savior upon the Cross
On mount Calvary

More captivating to my soul
More stunning to my eye
Is my Lord who willingly
For my sins did die



Far more radiant is He
Far more lovely His Face
Sinless Lamb sacrificed
For the human race

My heart trembles
Humbled I am by the Cross
My Jesus is most Precious
All else I count but loss

Lord, I long to know
How could You die for me?
To suffer to such extreme
How could this ever be?



Light beams from Your eyes
Mercy pours from Your heart
You remind me of Your love
You whisper we will never part

The Cross of Calvary
On that day long-foretold
Displays Your eternal love
Far more precious than gold

Your powerful love, Lord
Transcends all thought
So much You love me
My soul is blood-bought



In Your eyes I see
A rainbow gleaming pure
Your arms embrace me
Your love will endure

Rejoice, my heart
In this glorious sight I see
My Lord's everlasting arms
Encircling me

Yes, a Covenant lovelier
Than the rainbow above
Is the Covenant of Christ
A Covenant of love



Vibrant hues
Violet, scarlet, blue
Yet far more beautiful
Is my Lord's love true

Radiant colors
Prismatic, to shine
More captivating is Your heart
Your mercy divine

Rainbow of Promise
Circling the sky
Reminder that You, my Jesus
Are to me always nigh

~*~

© Caroline Gavin
carolinegavinre@aol.com

"A Covenant lovelier
than the Rainbow above
is the Covenant of Christ,
a Covenant of Love."
~ Reflection by Caroline ~

[Judy Harder]

Hold me, my Father
With Thy arms eternal and strong
It is in Thy loving arms
That I forever belong

Guide me, sweet Jesus
Along Thy perfect Way
I shall traverse Thy path
With Thee each day



Fill me, Holy Spirit
In my heart overflow
I lose myself in Thee
It is only Thee I know

Love me, precious Lord
With Agape surround me
Thy love is my meaning
Yea, the reason for me to be



Strengthen me, my Master
Against temptation and snare
Grant me discernment
That I am alert and aware

Lead me, my Shepherd
To pasture lovely and green
You lead me in righteousness
In Thy paths pristine



Reign in me, Eternal King
Rule over my heart and thought
I am completely Thine
For my life is blood-bought

Nourish me, Bread of Life
Thy Eternal Word does feed
You alone give me life, Lord
You alone fill every need



Refresh me, Living Water
Pour into my heart Thy streams
That I may burst with love
That in my eye Thy light beams

Accept me, precious Lamb
My life is an offering to Thee
You sacrificed Thyself for my life
I no longer live, but You in me



Use me, Eternal Potter
I am Thy creation, Thy jar
I go anywhere for Thee, Lord
Yea, I travel near or far

And wherever I go, please hold me
With Thy arms eternal and strong
For it is in Thy loving arms
That I forever belong

~**~

© Caroline Gavin
carolinegavinre@aol.com

[Judy Harder]

A Promise Forever


I didn't hear your footsteps
So didn't know you'd come,
'Twas God alone who sent you
Coddled by His love.

I didn't hear your whisper
Your words of softest tone,
But God has sent your words
So I won't feel alone.



I didn't feel your hand clasp
Gentle in its touch,
But, God has joined our hands
Through Him I feel your love.

I didn't see you place
The rose at my heart's door,
But, I still found it there
And knew what it was for.



I didn't hear you singing
Well, not in words so clear,
But, I could sense your joy
And knew that you were near.

I didn't ask for prayer
But, you prayed anyhow,
Bcause for me you wanted
God's angels all around.



I didn't know He'd planned
Before time came to be,
That you He would determine
To be a friend to me.

~**~

Soft Whispers from
Derry's Heart Poems ©March 2012
heartwhispers@iinet.net.au
Poetry From The Heart

On a palette of words I will tenderly blend,
Colorful thoughts, with bright verses to send.
Painted, a rainbow in reds, blues and gold,
Stretching like arms, love to enfold.
And deep in the center of the most vibrant hue,
Etched from memory the essence of you.
Painted a rainbow, a bridge to my heart,
So being lonely can begin to depart.
I saw in the sky the rainbow God sends,
A promise forever, You'll be my friend.
~unknown~

[Judy Harder]

The Mind of the Heart


Beating faithfully
Pumping fluid of life
The heart continues
Even in pain and strife

Yet more than muscle
More than mechanics therein
The heart has a mind
Clinging to either life or sin



For a man indeed is
As he thinketh in his heart
It is from the heart-center
Growth of fruit does start

Thus we feel heart pain
When bad news we learn
Or feel our hearts lifted
When loved ones return



It is Christ's heart that aches
When sinners reject His love
For His heart pours blessings
From His throne above

The life-blood of His heart
Is the life-force of salvation
It purifies and restores
And strengthens in temptation



Guard carefully, then, your heart
Let it be of flesh, not stone
Sensitive to God's Word
Imprinted with Truth alone

For the Law of the LORD
Is written upon His child's heart
That he may live victoriously
And from God never part



So we protect our hearts
And lift them to the Most High
We embrace the love of Christ
Never our hearts to go awry

And we sing of God's love
We rejoice in His glory
Christ's heart bled for us
Salvation is His Story



Beating so faithfully then
Let the rhythm of our hearts be one
With the symphony of our King
Yes, music of Eternity has begun

~*~

© Caroline Gavin
carolinegavinre@aol.com

[Judy Harder]

May we follow carefully
The narrow and blessed Way
Entering the small gate of Life
As our dear LORD did say

For broad is the path
And wide the gate that leads
To destruction eternal
And why our LORD now pleads



How easy to think the broad
Leads to Heaven's door
As so many souls tread upon it
And each day all the more

Yet Jesus warned that only few
Will find the narrow Way
So may we heed our every step
As we worship, read and pray



Our earthly journey so transient
In the vast light of eternity
How important that we discern
The path where we may be

Seek God earnestly in prayer
In worship and in fasting too
These bring us ever closer
To the Creator of me and you



And ponder the Cross and pain
That Christ accepted and foreknew
For therein is the answer of Life
Yes, in His death, is Life true

The sting of death itself died
When Christ arose triumphantly
His Way leads to Life eternal
Let it be the only one we see



So as a new day unfolds
And the sun does brilliantly rise
Set out upon the narrow Way
Leading to the Crown and Prize

Yes, may we follow ever carefully
The narrow and blessed Way
Entering the small gate of Life
As our dear LORD did say

~*~

© Caroline Gavin
carolinegavinre@aol.com

[Judy Harder]

Never Walk Alone



Are you walking through a lonely road,
Tired of its twists and bends?
Are you weighed down by a heavy load
And searching for a true friend?



Do you sometimes wonder and ask,
Why things happened as they did?
Does it seem now a heavy task
To be faithful in word and deed?



There's no need to walk alone
When on Christ you can call
He'll stay with you through the horizons
And keep you strong and standing tall.



Jesus Christ is a faithful friend
He cares and will your burdens share
A friend whose love knows no end
Call on Him today sincerely in prayer.

~*~

© Benjamin Anabaraonye
getbenjyu@yahoo.com

"What a friend we have in Jesus
All our sins and griefs to bear
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer."
'Reflection by Benjamin'

[Judy Harder]

The Day The King Rode In


On the day the King rode in
We were among the milling crowd,
Curious, unsure, questioning
With hearts all full of doubt.

Because on the day the King rode in
We didn't know at all to praise,
With no grasp of why His death
Would give to us eternal days.



But on the day the King rode in
We realised our deep sin,
Though then, we called out crucify,
Now, to Him our hearts we bring.

As the day the King rode right in
He opened up our eyes,
To see we had no good within
Our self had need to die.



Yes, the day our King rode in
Was the time we did repent,
Falling down with broken hearts
For all the blood He spilt.

On the very day the King rode in
He set us completely free,
By taking on Himself, our sin
He became our life eternally.



Oh, the day Our King rode in
Though once we hid our face,
Now, we cry, Thank You Jesus, Lord
You saved us by Your grace.

~**~

Soft Whispers from
Derry's Heart Poems ©March 2009
heartwhispers@iinet.net.au
Poetry From The Heart

God made Him who had no sin
to be sin for us,
so that in Him
we might become
the righteousness of God
2 Corinthians 5:21

Wishing you a blessed Palm Sunday !

[Judy Harder]

Last April on a Sunday, we took one of our "nowhere" drives. My husband was quietly driving a back road and I was occupied in the front passenger seat watching the scenery.

I noticed out of the corner of my eye that my husband was straining to look out my window. This startled me, since his eyes should be on the road in front of him. I asked him what he was looking at out the windows, and he quietly replied, "Nothing." His eyes went back to the road in front of him.

After a few minutes, I looked over at my husband and noticed a tear running down his cheek. I asked him what was wrong. This time he told me, "I was just thinking about Pop and a story he had once told me." Of course, because it had to do with his Pop, I wanted to know the story, so I asked him to share it with me.

He said, "When I was about 8 years old, Pop and I were out fishing and that's when he told me that the Pine trees know when it is Easter."

I had no idea what he meant by that, so I pressed him for more information.

He continued on... "The Pine trees start their new growth in the weeks before Easter... If you look at the tops of the Pine trees two weeks before, you will see the yellow shoots. As the days get closer to Easter Sunday, the tallest shoot will branch off and form a cross. By the time Easter Sunday comes around, you will see that most of the Pine trees will have small yellow crosses on all of the tallest shoots."

I turned to look out the window and I couldn't believe my eyes. It was a week before Easter, and you could see all of the trees with the tall yellow shoots stretching to Heaven.

The tallest ones shone in the sunlight like rows of tiny golden crosses.


Wishing you God's blessings today and always !

[Judy Harder]

Because I woke this morning
With you upon my mind, I knew
I had to send an Easter blessing
Love gathered up for you


I prayed you would feel restful
And know tranquil peace today
To touch your soul most 'specially
As you journey on your way


I asked the Lord enfold you close
Within His tender arms
So you would feel supported
And protected from all harm


To know light in the darkness
With hope to guard your heart
Faith to trust His promises
The peace of soothing calm


This prayer I whispered for you
As you're so sweet to me
May all your days o'erflow with grace
And love eternally


Soft Easter whispers from
Derry's Heart Poems ©2008
heartwhispers@iinet.net.au
Poetry From The Heart


All hope is yet rekindled
God cares in wondrous ways,
The resurrection life He gave
Brings Easter joy for aye.


Happy Easter !

[Judy Harder]

Because He Lives

God sent His son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, To heal and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Jesus lives.


Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone!
Because I know He holds the future
My life is worth the living, just because He lives!


And then one day, I'll cross that river,
I'll fight life's final war, life's final war with pain.
And then as death gives way to victory,
I'll see the lights of glory and
I'll know my Jesus lives.


Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone!
Because I know He holds the future
My life is worth the living, just because He lives!


Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone!
Because I know He holds the future
My life is worth the living, just because He lives!


My life is worth the living,
just because He lives!

Words and Music by William J. Gaither
Recorded by William and Gloria Gaither

Directly licensed for internet public performance
alighthouse.com



Wishing you a blessed Easter