The True Cross

Posted on March 27, 2016 by dforchrist

I was looking at a beautiful wrought iron scroll work cross on my wall a few nights ago and the thought came to me that the true cross isn’t so beautiful. We must keep the truth in mind and not just look at pretty crosses. The True Cross has unimaginable beauty. Remember the meaning of the death and Resurrection of our Lord and Savior on this Resurrection Sunday.

The True Cross

The true Cross has no beauty that
We see with mortal eyes.
It’s rough and stained, but with our hearts
We see past that disguise.
The Cross is everlasting life
With Jesus Christ, our King.
His love poured out to cleanse our souls
Of each abhorrent thing.

The true Cross has no beauty that
The human eye can see,
But my soul sees the beauty in
Salvation bought for me.
The price was of it was very high:
It cost God’s only Son!
But when He died upon that cross
He knew His work was done.

The true Cross has no beauty that
The world could ever tell.
Without that Cross, however, we
Would all be left in hell.
The Cross and risen Savior mean
That heaven is in sight
If our eyes are on Jesus and
We walk with Him in light.

(c) 2016 Denise McKenney


Feel free to print, share or repost anything on this blog. I do ask that you let me know if you use one of my poems on your blog or at your church somehow. It might give me an idea of better ways to spread His words, which I am always looking to do. And of course, always keep the copyright symbol and my name with the poem so I continue to have the right to use them. You may not realize that if something is posted enough times without the copyright notice, I could lose the copyright and then someone else could conceivably file for a copyright and I would no longer be able to use my own poems! It has happened, so please make sure the (c) is always on the poem whenever you repost. Thanks!

God bless,
Denise McKenney

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Clear Eyes

Posted on December 29, 2015 by dforchrist

Clear Eyes

Lord, I pray You’ll clear my eyes
And open them to see
The many blessings You pour down
And shower over me.
You give me life and shelter from
The enemy’s great schemes.
You listen to my prayers and fill
My heart with hopes and dreams.
You gently guide me through each day.
If I will lend an ear,
You speak to me and offer words
I badly need to hear.
You scatter seeds inside my heart
And give me ones to sow
In other hearts, then You send rain
To make the flowers grow.
No matter what the world may send
To try to spoil my day,
I pray, Dear Lord, You’ll help me see
Your blessings, come what may.
Amen

(C) Denise McKenney


Feel free to print, share or repost anything on this blog. I do ask that you let me know if you use one of my poems on your blog or at your church somehow. It might give me an idea of better ways to spread His words, which I am always looking to do. And of course, always keep the copyright symbol and my name with the poem so I continue to have the right to use them. You may not realize that if something is posted enough times without the copyright notice, I could lose the copyright and then someone else could conceivably file for a copyright and I would no longer be able to use my own poems! It has happened, so please make sure the (c) is always on the poem whenever you repost. Thanks!

God bless,
Denise McKenney

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Life-Giving Rain

Posted on December 27, 2015 by dforchrist

Life-Giving Rain

There is a place where no rain falls:
The desert: barren, dead.
So don’t let storms of life leave you
To cower in your bed.
The rain can be life-giving if
You’ll only drink it in.
So let the living water wash
You clean from all your sin.
Remember it is only rain
That makes the rainbow shine
When light is shining through the gloom.
It is God’s lovely sign,
Reminding us He’s always near
No matter how we feel.
So look to Him for light and see
The bow as His great seal.
He promised He would not forsake
Nor leave us on our own.
So just dance in the pouring rain
And marvel how you’ve grown.

(c) 2015 Denise McKenney


Feel free to print, share or repost anything on this blog. I do ask that you let me know if you use one of my poems on your blog or at your church somehow. It might give me an idea of better ways to spread His words, which I am always looking to do. And of course, always keep the copyright symbol and my name with the poem so I continue to have the right to use them. You may not realize that if something is posted enough times without the copyright notice, I could lose the copyright and then someone else could conceivably file for a copyright and I would no longer be able to use my own poems! It has happened, so please make sure the (c) is always on the poem whenever you repost. Thanks!

God bless,
Denise McKenney

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Loving Eyes

Posted on December 26, 2015 by dforchrist

I almost put this one on my calendar card. Seems the other one is what God wanted, though, as it has touched so many.

Loving Eyes

When I look at a manger scene,
I see a blood-stained cross.
The Babe grew up and died for me.
My gain for heaven’s loss.
Do I think of this miracle
Each day, throughout the year?
Do I forget the sacrifice He made
To draw me near?
Lord, please help me remember that
You gave Your Son for me,
So I could come to heaven and
Love You eternally.
Please clear my faulty vision and
Help me to realize
No matter what I’m looking at
Your Love should be my eyes.

(c) 2015 Denise McKenney


Feel free to print, share or repost anything on this blog. I do ask that you let me know if you use one of my poems on your blog or at your church somehow. It might give me an idea of better ways to spread His words, which I am always looking to do. And of course, always keep the copyright symbol and my name with the poem so I continue to have the right to use them. You may not realize that if something is posted enough times without the copyright notice, I could lose the copyright and then someone else could conceivably file for a copyright and I would no longer be able to use my own poems! It has happened, so please make sure the (c) is always on the poem whenever you repost. Thanks!

God bless,
Denise McKenney

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Merry Christmas 2015!!

Posted on December 13, 2015 by dforchrist

2016 Calendar Card B&W 2016 Calendar Card Color 2016 Calendar Card

Merry Christmas!

Here’s my annual Christmas card calendar. I’ve linked to 3 formats: black & white pdf, color pdf and the original Excel version. (Yes, I’m a numbers geek so I do most things in Excel, especially anything involving numbers and obvious rows/columns.)

Enjoy and share!

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Two Wolves

Posted on October 31, 2015 by dforchrist

This story is supposedly an old Indian legend, not my original idea, but I like the thought and wanted to write it into a poem. I hope you enjoy it.

Two Wolves

There are two wolves inside of us:
One black as darkest night,
The other is the opposite,
Its fur of purest white.
They fight in us for dominance
To gain the upper hand.
A constant battle rages as
Each tries to make a stand.
Which one is strongest and will win
The right to rule each deed?
The answer is so simple, friend:
Whichever one we feed!
So watch which wolf you feed each day
By what you take in you.
One wolf is fed by everything
You say and watch and do.
Make sure the wolf you’re feeding is
The one you want to win.
Make sure that you are feeding light
Instead of feeding sin.

(c)2015 Denise McKenney


Feel free to print, share or repost anything on this blog. I do ask that you let me know if you use one of my poems on your blog or at your church somehow. It might give me an idea of better ways to spread His words, which I am always looking to do. And of course, always keep the copyright symbol and my name with the poem so I continue to have the right to use them. You may not realize that if something is posted enough times without the copyright notice, I could lose the copyright and then someone else could conceivably file for a copyright and I would no longer be able to use my own poems! It has happened, so please make sure the (c) is always on the poem whenever you repost. Thanks!

God bless,
Denise McKenney

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Halloween

Posted on October 28, 2015 by dforchrist

I know not everyone will agree with this view. I’ve come to the inescapable conclusion that Halloween is evil. Is God upset that you dress your little girl as a princess and take her out to show her off to friends and family? Probably not. I try not to just ask if something questionable is permissible, but go a step farther and ask if it is pleasing to God. Is celebrating a holiday (which remember means holy day and is a wiccan high holy day) dedicated to evil pleasing to God? Definitely not! Can you celebrate Halloween without getting into the gory and evil stuff? Possibly. Is trying to straddle that line pleasing to God? I believe Jesus had something to say about pleasing two masters.

No, celebrating Halloween doesn’t necessarily mean you are going to hell. But does it bring you closer to God? That is the important question. As this world grows darker, I prefer to look to the light, not spread the darkness.

Halloween

Is Halloween just harmless fun?
A time for make believe?
Or something much more sinister,
Which should make Christians grieve?
You say that dressing young girls up
As princesses and such
Is just so sweet, it doesn’t have
To have macabre touch.
But Halloween is so much more
Than sweet costumes and fun.
It is a day (and night) of fear
And from which you should run!
It celebrates the darkness and
The evil in the world.
It flirts with witchcraft, Satan’s toy,
And keeps his flag unfurled.
The fear that just pervades the world
(The opposite of love)
Has no place in a life that points
To heaven up above.
It’s all the other things that go
Along with Halloween
That make it very dangerous,
A most ungodly scene.
Be careful if you celebrate
The things that God abhors.
There’s much more to this “holy day”
Than knocking on friends’ doors.
It’s honoring satanic rites,
No matter what you say,
So please be very careful how
You celebrate this day.

(C)2015 Denise McKenney


Feel free to print, share or repost anything on this blog. I do ask that you let me know if you use one of my poems on your blog or at your church somehow. It might give me an idea of better ways to spread His words, which I am always looking to do. And of course, always keep the copyright symbol and my name with the poem so I continue to have the right to use them. You may not realize that if something is posted enough times without the copyright notice, I could lose the copyright and then someone else could conceivably file for a copyright and I would no longer be able to use my own poems! It has happened, so please make sure the (c) is always on the poem whenever you repost. Thanks!

God bless,
Denise McKenney

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My Testimony

Posted on October 8, 2015 by dforchrist

This is the true story of what happened to me at a ladies’ retreat I attended last month. Heather Mercer with Hope4Iraq was the main speaker.

My Testimony

I stood there in the audience,
My body wracked with pain.
I praised my Savior, though I felt,
My efforts were in vain.
I prayed He’d give me some relief
So I could concentrate,
On Him instead of just myself:
My sorry, pain-filled state.
I leaned against the chair in front
Until I couldn’t stand,
Then sank down on my seat and tried
To listen to the band.
The speaker stopped the music and
Said, “God said we should pray
For all the women here who long
For healing any way.
I know that there are many here
Who hurt and need God’s touch.
He told me we should not pass up,
The chance to heal so much.”
I hobbled to the front along
With several others there.
The ladies formed an open ring
And lifted us in prayer.
Though Heather started praying in
The corner far from me,
She moved around as if she sought
The proper place to be.
She laid her hand upon my back
And I could feel such love!
I knew it wasn’t just from her,
But coming from above.
And when the prayers were over and
I looked into her eyes,
I saw such love and caring, I
Began to realize
That I was in the presence of
The great and holy One.
Though I looked in a woman’s eyes,
I saw the Father’s Son!
She hugged me close and then I moved
To go back to my seat.
I knew that something special had
Occured on this retreat.
The music ended and I left
To go back to my dorm.
The night was clear and beautiful;
The air was sweet and warm.
With every step, the pain eased off
Until it all was gone.
My muscles no more tight with pain,
My features no more drawn.
I did not know, nor do I now,
For God has not revealed,
If this is just a respite or
If God has fully healed
And taken fibro pain away,
But this I know for sure:
His hand has taken all the pain.
For now, it’s like a cure.
If this is for a moment and
The pain, in time, returns,
I still will shout my testament
Until the whole world learns
That Jesus can do miracles!
True healing can be done.
Until my death, I will rely
On no one but the Son.

(c) 2015 Denise McKenney

Heather Mercer was the speaker at Horizon Indy Ladies’ Retreat 2015, Higher Grounds Conference Center, West Harrison, Indiana


Feel free to print, share or repost anything on this blog. I do ask that you let me know if you use one of my poems on your blog or at your church somehow. It might give me an idea of better ways to spread His words, which I am always looking to do. And of course, always keep the copyright symbol and my name with the poem so I continue to have the right to use them. You may not realize that if something is posted enough times without the copyright notice, I could lose the copyright and then someone else could conceivably file for a copyright and I would no longer be able to use my own poems! It has happened, so please make sure the (c) is always on the poem whenever you repost. Thanks!

God bless,
Denise McKenney

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For My Husband

Posted on October 4, 2015 by dforchrist

For My Husband

I want to lift my husband up
And pray for all of him:
His head and body and I want
To pray for every limb.
I pray he keeps his head held high,
His eyes raised up to You.
I pray his mind is clear; his ears
Hear what You want him to.
I pray his nose sniffs out the lies
The world will send his way.
I pray his lips speak only truth
And share Your Word each day.
I pray his shoulders only feel
The burden of Your yoke.
For it is light and easy and
Will never pinch or poke.
I pray his heart will be washed clean
And filled with just Your Word.
Let love for all just overflow;
Be seen and clearly heard.
I pray his arms stay open wide
For drawing others in
And welcoming and showing them
That safety lies within.
I pray his hands continue to
Have strong yet gentle touch.
Compassion shown can teach the world
About Your love so much.
I pray he has the stomach for
The road that lies ahead.
It’s not an easy path he walks
And sometimes faced with dread.
I pray his back is strong enough
To carry what he must,
And still stay straight and look to You,
Remembering You’re just.
I pray his knees bend readily
To You and only You.
I pray his legs will carry him
Where You will lead him to.
I pray his feet will stand quite firm
Upon the solid Rock,
But closely follow where You lead:
A Shepherd with His flock.
A heart-felt prayer from head to foot
To cover him with love
And ask that You send angels down–
Protection from above.
     I ask in Jesus’ Name,
     Amen.

© 2015 Denise McKenney


Feel free to print, share or repost anything on this blog. I do ask that you let me know if you use one of my poems on your blog or at your church somehow. It might give me an idea of better ways to spread His words, which I am always looking to do. And of course, always keep the copyright symbol and my name with the poem so I continue to have the right to use them. You may not realize that if something is posted enough times without the copyright notice, I could lose the copyright and then someone else could conceivably file for a copyright and I would no longer be able to use my own poems! It has happened, so please make sure the (c) is always on the poem whenever you repost. Thanks!

God bless,
Denise McKenney

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Let Failure Rock Your World

Posted on July 26, 2015 by dforchrist

I heard a brief devotional on the radio the other day that talked about what a blessing failure could be, because unless we fail, we will never know how much we need to and can rely on God. I found that very profound. This is the result of thoughts from that devotional.

Let Failure Rock Your World

Sometimes when we hit bottom and
Have nothing left to give
We find that we have no strength left
And little will to live.
We’ve made mistakes we can’t undo;
We’ve failed time and again.
We’ve fought so bravely, still we lost
The battle with our sin.
But failure can bring victory.
It makes us realize
Our need for God and how His strength
Alone will make us rise.
It’s only in our weakness that
We learn how strong He is.
And when God’s strength flows over us
Reminding us we’re His,
So precious and so loved by both
The Father and the Son,
Empowered by the Spirit, then
In losing, we’ll have won!
So don’t despair when you have failed
Or hit a stumbling block.
Just hit your knees and use your prayers
To rest upon the Rock!

(c)2015 Denise McKenney


Feel free to print, share or repost anything on this blog. I do ask that you let me know if you use one of my poems on your blog or at your church somehow. It might give me an idea of better ways to spread His words, which I am always looking to do. And of course, always keep the copyright symbol and my name with the poem so I continue to have the right to use them. You may not realize that if something is posted enough times without the copyright notice, I could lose the copyright and then someone else could conceivably file for a copyright and I would no longer be able to use my own poems! It has happened, so please make sure the (c) is always on the poem whenever you repost. Thanks!

God bless,
Denise McKenney

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