The Voice of the Stars

By day, the heavens - the sky, the sun, the clouds - have shouted the glory of God.

By night, the stars and moon have spoken to our hearts so that we might know God.

There is no sound, but the reverberating proclamation of a Holy God, revealed in His creation.

It doesn't matter where we stand in this world. We all share the same sky and if we will listen and contemplate the heavens, we will hear the voice of the stars.

The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And the expanse [of heaven] is declaring the work of His hands. Day after day pours forth speech, And night after night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there [spoken] words [from the stars]; Their voice is not heard. Yet their voice [in quiet evidence] has gone out through all the earth, Their words to the end of the world... Psalms 19:1‭-‬4 AMP

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Dandelion Seeds

Father, as dandelion seeds are carried on the wind

and plant themselves wherever they land,

may the words I write, be inspired by You

and may they be carried on the breath

of the Holy Spirit to the hearts for 

which you inspired me to write them.

May they encourage the weary.

May they bring comfort to the hurting.

May they cheer the sad and lonely.

But most of all, may they draw others closer to you.

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Sweet Fellowship

Sweet Lion of Judah

Oh, the joy of fellowship with you.

You make my heart sing

with overflowing joy.

I hear you singing over me

and I am lifted to heavenly heights.

Inspired to pour out my praises

to the One who loves me beyond imagination.

Such sweet communion.

You are my heart, my joy, my love forever!

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Baptized in the River of God

I lay me down in the river of God

in the healing, cleansing waters.
His love washes over me

flows all around

carrying away my sin and shame

along with my failures and hurts

His love refreshes my soul and revives my spirit

fills me up with peace and contentment.

I rest in the life-giving waters

Then comes a voice, sweet and low

speaking words of wonder

far too beautiful to tell

His Spirit pulls me below the surface

into deeper waters

He fills my lungs with His holy breath

and I am immersed in the river of God

When I surface

when I rise

I am made new

and I am His forevermore.

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Copyright 2019 Jan Christiansen All Rights Reserved

A Psalm From My Heart

Praise you, Lord,
for you are the Almighty.
You are faithful and true.
You are righteous and holy

Upholding your word
Leading your people
judging sin fairly.

Bring your word to pass, Lord.
Everything, just as it is written,
for your word is true-

Its promises
its warnings
its prophecies
its wonder.

Bless you, Oh God,
for you and you alone are worthy
of all blessing and honor.

I am your servant, Lord.
Use me-a lacking vessel unless
I be in the hands of my great God.

I am yours all the days
of my short life here,
and then eternity with you.

HALLELUJAH!


(Copyright© 2018 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Do you hear Him?

I woke with a song in my heart, but there were no words.
It was more like a swell of gratitude and a longing to share
the incredible love of God with all who are within my reach.

Since you are reading this, you are within my reach and
the one for whom God gave the song.

His love for you is overwhelming me-my words are
inadequate, so I've asked the Father to speak for himself.
To let you know you are valued.
You are the object of his affection.

I understand that you may feel undeserving.
I feel that way myself, but God does not measure his love
by the way we see ourselves, but by the way he sees us.
His creation, lovingly formed for his pleasure, drawn into his family
by his own Spirit.

Opt in, my friend. Dare to believe you are loved by God Almighty.
Don't pull back, but lean into the arms that long to embrace you.
Let that overwhelming love fill all the empty places in your heart.
Receive peace, joy and healing.

Step into a relationship with the One who sent his Son to die for your sins.
Surrender to his love and receive everlasting hope.

A simple prayer from your heart will initiate a new life, free from the past,
hidden in Jesus Christ - an adventure that will take you places you've only
dreamed about, traveling in the presence of the One who loves you eternally.

Do you sense it, now? His love washing over you?
Do you hear it, now? His voice beckoning you to come unto him?
Do you feel it, now? His arms encircling you?

Is He answering my prayer - speaking directly to your heart?

Fall into the arms of Jesus, my friend.
It's an amazing experience.

"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them."

1 John 4:16

(Copyright© 2017 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

A Wandering Mind But Not a Wandering Heart

I pace and I pray and I pour out my cares

here in your Presence, Oh Lord,

when suddenly I'm shocked to find my thoughts

turning to other things.

How can that be?

I'm here with You and lesser things

are pulling me away?

I yank myself back, 

determined to shut out the world.

For though my mind may wander,

my heart never will.

 ****

(Copyright© 2017 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Appearances can be Deceiving

Things are not always as they seem

A silent God is not an absent God

An unanswered prayer is not always a "no"

A chance meeting may not be unplanned

A hopeless cause is not hopeless

when God is involved

So, look beyond appearances

below the surface

and ask God to reveal

TRUTH

in every situation,

for things are not always as they seem.

(Copyright© 2016 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Coming Back to Life

Flat
No highs
No lows
Just the monotone of everyday life
Plodding along
No real goals
No real feelings

Ravaged
By the barrage of horrors
That passed through her life
Ripping her heart to shreds
Better to turn off the emotions
Steel yourself
Slip into limbo

Numbness
No hope
No faith
Nothing

Stirring
A glimmer in the distance
A whisper in her ear
A snippet of scripture
A few notes of the song
That had once stirred her heart

Hope
Fueled by the truth
Of God’s undying love
Of healing through Christ
Of comfort by the Spirit
A firm foundation upon which to stand
The flickering ember grew

Resurrection
Climbing out of the pit
Clawing her way back to life
Clinging to the Master
Determined to stand once more
On the mountaintop
With God


Ablaze
With the Father’s glory
She stands
Exhilarated
Awash with newness of life
A fire burning within
A mission to fulfill

Transformation
Her world is flat no more
There are mountains to conquer
Valleys to explore
Highs and lows
But always the companionship
Of the One, who
Restores
Refreshes and
Renews


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(Copyright© 2016 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Love's Not a Feeling

Some days, I'm just not feelin' it, Lord
and I can't explain why

I still love you
still trust you
I'm still thankful for all you've done
But I'm just not feelin' it.



Still...

you are God, no matter how I'm feelin'
you are worthy of praise at all times
when I remember that
and when I act on it
and give you the praise you deserve
suddenly... 

I'm feelin' it!

(Copyright© 2015 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Photo credits - Lusi on rgbstock (pic 1) and Mokra on rgbstock (pic 2)

A Chapel of His Own Making

photo courtesy greyman, rgbstock

A voice on the wind

calls to me,

"Come away, daughter, I am waiting for you."

Here in this chapel

created by your hand, Lord,

I am surrounded 

by your sweet presence.

Alone with you,

my heart is an open door,

inviting you to fill all

the empty spaces.

To sweep clean the residue of past hurts, 

all the confusion,

the doubts and fears

that living in this crazy world

instills.

Leaving behind nothing but

a clean spirit, filled with

your love.

I bask in the glory

of our sweet communion

and will hold on to this moment

until we meet again in this chapel

made by your hands.

(Copyright© 2015 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

I Will Not Stop Until I Find You

You will seek me and find me 

when you seek me 

with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:13

Longing

aching

searching

seeking

I won't stop reaching
for more of you

until my heart

is satisfied 
in your

Holy Presence 

(Copyright© 2015 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Meeting God on the Mountain Top

Meeting God on the Mountain Top

Lord, I long for the mountain top

where I can meet with you alone

To seek your face, sing your praise

and worship with abandon

To sit in the solitude of your presence

and feel your spirit well up inside of me

To be overwhelmed by the beauty

of your creation

To hear your voice whisper on the wind

Oh, speak to me, Lord,

though I can not go to the mountain top today

Meet me here,

and fill me, now

I pray

(Copyright© 2015 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)