Just for Today

Thy strength, oh Lord, just for this day
I pray You will impart.
For me again renew my faith
As this new day I start.

Reach out to me and keep Thy hand
On everything I do.
Direct my path to things undone
And guide to paths anew.

Give me the patience that I need
To do for others now
The things that You would have me do
And kindly show me how.

Through doubts and fears, and heavy loads
I struggle on my way,
Yet through the rugged path I know
That You are near today.

You steer my feet and lift my heart
And make the light to shine.
Then all my troubles, aches and pains
I gladly leave behind.

          --Annie May Schrimsher

Today's Scripture Reading

And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly
the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may
fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

And God created great whales, and every living crea-
ture that moveth, which the waters brought forth a-
bundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl
after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multi-
ply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multi-
ply in the earth.

And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living
creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and
beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so...and
God saw that it was good.

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after
our likeness: and let them have dominion over the
fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over
the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every
creeping thing that creepeth apon the earth.

So God created man in His own image, in the image
of God created He him; male and female created He
them.

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be
fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and
subdue it:and have dominion over the fish of the sea,
and over the fowl of the air, and over every living
thing that moveth upon the earth...

And God saw every thing that He had made, and,
behold, it was very good. And the evening and the
morning were the sixth day.

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all
the host of them.

And on the seventh day God ended His work which
He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from
all His work which He had made.

And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it:
because that in it He had rested from all His work
which God created and made.

             --Genesis 1:20-28,31; 2:1-3 KJV

Precious Moments

    The moments I spend with You, God,
are more precious than gold to me,
    for it's You who keeps my ship afloat
on life's ever turbulent sea.

    When the waters are dark and foreboding,
and storm clouds loom ahead--
    if I turn to You, the waters are blue,
with bright, sunny skies instead.

    Without You, God, I am nothing,
a ship without a sail,
    a life without a purpose,
my efforts--of no avail!

    You are the light that guides me
across life's turbulent sea,
    and each moment I spend with You--
is more precious than gold to me!

                     --Doris A. Orth

Always a Way

There's always a way, but we have to try,
Though life is a gift to you and I,
We can't expect to merely sit,
With never an effort to merit it.
There's always a way, though the going's rough,
And only our best is good enough,
We haven't the time to count each loss,
If the bridge is out, we swim across.

There's always a way, life's not in vain,
Though joy may be the twin of pain,
Whichever way we chance to go,
The Master walked it first, you know.
He simply wouldn't put us here,
And then withdraw His tender care,
Whatever His dear Love may ask,
He makes us equal to the task.

For it is true He walks beside
Us through each dawn and eventide,
Though bones may bend and sight grow dim,
No thing's impossible for Him.
And so whenever walls may rise,
To block the sunlight from our eyes,
That is the time for us to say,
"Dear Lord, please help me find the way."

                   --Grace E. Easley

Resolve

Build on resolve, and not upon regret,
  the structure of thy future.
Do not grope among the shadows of old sins,
  but let thine own soul's light
  shine on the path of hope
  and dissipate the darkness.

Waste no tears upon the blotted record of lost years,
  but turn the leaf and smile, oh, smile,
  to see the fair white pages that remain for thee.

Prate not of thy repentance, but believe the
  spark divine dwells in thee: let it grow.

That which the upreaching spirit can achieve
  the grand and all-creative forces know;
  they will assist and strengthen as the light
  lifts up the acorn to the oak tree's height.

Thou hast but to resolve, and lo! God's whole
  great universe shall fortify thy soul.

                                 --Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Love Divine, All Love Excelling

In a myriad of miraculous ways
God shapes our lives and changes our days,
Beyond our will or even knowing
God keeps our spirit ever growing. . .
For lights and shadows, sun and rain,
Sadness and gladness, joy and pain,
Combine to make our lives complete
And give us victory through defeat. . .
"Oh, Love Divine, All Love Excelling,"
In troubled hearts You just keep dwelling,
Patiently waiting for a "prodigal son"
To say at last, "Thy will be done."
                              --Helen Steiner Rice

Today

With words that speak in deepest praise,
  I thank God for His loving ways;
For strength of body, limb, and mind,
  The joy in doing what I find.
I thank God for my home and friends,
  And other blessings that He sends.
I may not see with perfect eyes,
  But each new day holds glad surprise!
I thank God for what comes to me,
  And trust Him more--what is to be.
                   --Roxie Lusk Smith