BE A BELIEVER!

We are human!  We fall short, we grow impatient, we begin to consider “what if . . .”  Take it to the Lordand be washed in His grace and know His amazing love!

Hope NOT Misspent

 

The clouds lingered long.

Will the light never return?

The dampness of my tears,

The ache in my limbs,

The longing for something more . . .

All forgotten in an instant

As my gaze found the sun!

By Martha L Shaw – ©2014

. . . And the sheep know His voice!

The Lord spoke to my soul!

He often lovingly whispers, but this time He called out victoriously to my soul and this was His message which I must share!

SHINE

Get up and dance!

Do you not hear the glad sound?

Have you not seen the sun?

Is the splendor of this day lost to you?

Place your feet on the floor!

Lift your hands!

As the trumpet sounds

Sail across the floor in harmony with me!

Dance, clap, sing, share!

I am yours!

You are mine!

Is this not cause to celebrate?

SHINE!

By Martha L Shaw ©2015-2018

NEWFOUND FAITH

 

 

Feeling all alone

The tiny broken winged bird

Knew that God sent you

 

By Martha L Shaw – © 2018

A Knowing

Ah,

that delicious moment

when you don’t know how it’ll happen

and have no idea how things will play out

as you realize you can do nothing about it

yet

you know who does

and your soul is filled with peace!

By Martha L Shaw – ©2015

AS SUMMER VACATIONS BECOME MEMORIES …

Lord, you offer us

a foretaste of heaven

as we stumble through this world.

Let us taste its sweetness today

as we walk

side by side with you.

By Martha L Shaw ©2016

Just Dance!

I saw the others in the room

dancing to a tune I could not hear.

I stood aside,

I watched and sighed.

Wishing,

Wondering,

They seemed to share a joy

I didn’t know.

They seemed to know a love

I didn’t feel.

I waited in lonely silence.

Then, I could wait no more.

With awkward steps

I left my hiding place

And followed.

At first my steps

Were slow and few

But then it happened!

I began to hear the music, too!

The more I danced,

The less I considered my shaky feet

For I had found something else.

I discovered joy!

By Martha L Shaw – © 2014

Lessons From My Child Self

Depending on your faith or denomination, this might not be completely familiar, but ,I was thinking of Mom at church yesterday and recalled her telling me that as a tiny girl she would march around the house holding an upside down broom and pretend to be the crucifer at church.

So, later in the service, as we sung the Doxology and got to the words “praise Him all creatures here below” I remembered myself as a wee one singing the same words with one tiny mistake. I misunderstood and heard them say “preacher” rather than “creature” AND GOT MAD! I decided they were NOT going to tell me only PREACHERS could praise Him. I WAS GOING TO AS WELL!  lol

It should not surprise anyone that both of us have, in our own ways, felt called to forms of ministry from a very young age.

 

 

 

A Great Quote To Begin The Day

What does the word “share” bring to your mind?  Perhaps it’s a thought of the kids fighting over a toy and “I wish they’d share.”  How do we teach them?  Perhaps, it’s a book you just read that “I can’t wait to give to Sue.”  Could be the last cookie in the jar . . . broken in half, it becomes a treat for two. 

Sharing is a tough concept in our world today.  We seem to have raised generations of people who are driven to acquire, to have it all.  We have so much more than previous generations and yet we aren’t satisfied.  We lack joy.  What is the answer?  I think this quote sums it up well.  Share something precious today!  God did.  He gve us His only Son.  Look for Him in the eyes of all whom you meet today . . . and smile!

There is no delight in owning anything unshared.
Seneca

Read the Latest!

I have updated my “About Martha L Shaw” page, so to catch up on what I’ve been up to and what seems to be on the path ahead of me, check it out!  Thanks for stopping by!  Come back often!  I update my blog constantly!

Will I Swim, Drown, or Walk on Water?

They say that  babies learn to swim very quickly and easily.  I’ve read of folks “simply dropping” the baby into the water and finding them taking to it quite naturally.  Why is this?  Is it nature and not nurture?  Is it their memory, still somewhat conscious, of life in the womb?  More likely, this natural affinity for swimming is the result of the absence of fear.  We aren’t born afraid.  We learn that outside the womb.  We do a masterful job of it, too.  Okay, I can only truly speak for myself on this, but I have come to finally realize that I’m not the only one who feels the things that I feel and  faces the things that I face in life.  So, what’s up with this water thing?  I have never learned to swim.  Some would label me as “middle aged” and you can imagine my reaction to that label, but regardless of that I am an adult and have been one for a long time and no, I cannot swim. 

Not too long ago, the Bible reading at church was from the gospel of John 5:1-18 where we learn of the man who spent 38 years by the pool and knew that if he could just bring himself to get wet, he would be healed of what ailed him and yet he stayed dry and also whined about being left out.  He chose to be left out.  He “could have” or “should have” made other choices.  What’s the worst that could have happened?  Was he not miserable anyway?  I’ve always thought he showed himself to be such a lazy and foolish person to have made the choice he did.  You can imagine how unsettling it was for me to realize that in some respects I am him!   I don’t recall the story revealing his age to us, but I might be the same age as he was.  Hmmm . . . and so I have spent life near enough to the pool to see and hear how much fun everyone was having, yet not close enough to the edge to cause anyone to suggest I join in.  I never dipped my toes into the water.  Still, I felt left out and somehow wished I’d been invited in . . . knowing full well I’d have declined. 

So, yes it is true.  I have never known how to swim. Why?  Was it fear? Was it shyness? Who knows.  But now suddenly, and after more than 38 years on dry ground secretly yearning, I find myself jumping in and realizing there are really just three things that can possibly happen as a result.  I will learn to swim and fast . . . I will walk on water . . . or I may drown. I’m jumping in anyway. Who am I? Maybe I’m finally finding ME?