Fall Quarter, 1997

Into the still of the night echoes the cry of a longing heart,
The remains of hopes and dreams that have been torn apart;
Throughout the darkness he searches for something more,
Wandering lost, lonely, not knowing what he’s looking for,
Only something to comfort the ache of loneliness, a friend,
Something to fill the void of emptiness that lies within.
The chill of the night chokes the desires and closes in,
Seeking to destroy the hope that’s grown so dim.  

With one last breath, with every ounce of strength left,
A humble cry of despair, a murmured plea for care
Is uttered as the last ounce of hope sputters;
The hope suddenly flickering to life matches the life quickening.
He feels himself lifted up and embraced into warm arms,
And as he’s made to rise he looks up into the twinkling eyes
Of his loving redeemer, ceasing to worry about the future
While basking below the beaming smile, the brow furrowed in compassion.  


The infinite love of Jesus far surpasses all that I can imagine in this world; the most glorious sunset portrays only a tiny fraction of the brilliance of His love, the deepest ocean of dense salt water or lake of crystal clear water is shallow compared to the depth and intensity of His love, the mightiest tree amongst a forest of towering trees is but a faint shadow of the awesome might of His love.  What love it is!

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Fall Quarter, 1997

In You I see the bright morning star,
the comfort which seems ever so far
until I feel the end of my fears
and realize that you really are near.  

In You I see the depth of the sea,
The love of an ever protective wing,
In which I take solace against the storm,
Through paths which you’ve made well worn.  

You are the alpha and the omega,
The beginning of my new life
And the end of my distress
Which I at last find when I rest in You.

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Fall Quarter, 1997

His love is wider than the stars above you,
He has plans for you that go way beyond the blue.
When the Father is calling,
Let Him take you to a life beyond compare;
He has plans for you that go way beyond the blue.  


There is but one thing in life which is worthwhile; everything else is just details, is just one more thing that tries to give temporary satisfaction but which really fails to do anything really useful.  This one thing is life’s only pursuit which is worth anything, which will really matter in the long run - and in the long run, this will be more important that you could ever dream anything could be; it will be something eternal, something far above and beyond what we know and of which we can only catch fleeting glimpses of in this life.  But even these fleeting glimpses can be beautiful, as beautiful as the stars in the heavens and the constant pounding of the waves upon the silent grandeur of the shore.  

I’m starting to feel like things are beyond our control, that something much greater than us is at work, that something awesome is transpiring that we have but a little part in.  God is doing some awesome things here this year, and we play only a small part in the greater things that He is doing.  I feel that nomatter what we do, God is going to impact people’s lives and people are going to see and experience the love of God through the lives and actions of people here.  Praise be to the God of all creation, who has given us life and who’s grace stretches to everybody, whose love but causes people to lay their broken lives before Him, which is when He lifts them up and makes them new.  I’m watching in awe all the things that God is doing - I feel like I can basically stand back and watch the fruits of showing His love, that things are happening far beyond me, advancing the love of Jesus Christ, our precious Savior.

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Fall Quarter, 1997

I feel like I could let down expectations, let down myself and let down God by not fully utilizing my potential and by not working hard enough to succeed.  Can God be so forgiving even to forgive sloth and half-hearted living, a less than complete devotion, a hypocritical life?  I want to live to my God-given potential, but forgiving myself for letting this down and not trying wholeheartedly is difficult.  I know that God’s purpose will be achieved whatever I do, that His will will be done even if I fail - I know also that His work in me will be carried to completion, that He can and will change me and use me regardless for my sorry state, of my sometimes reluctant obedience and incapable wanderings.  Lord, turn me to you, teach me how to fully live for you and how to follow you with my entire life, with everything I do, with my mind, heart, and body, to let you use me for whatever use for me you can have.  Help me to get things done that I feel I need to get done, to do as well as I can in the things that I do.  Give me the words to say and to write, give me the knowledge and open mind to learn and utilize this knowledge.  Fill me with your Spirit, Lord, and awake me to things which I take for granted, to things which are right in front of me but which I’m missing because my eyes are half closed.  Move in me, Lord Jesus; show me who you are and what it takes to follow you. I love the Lord my God with all my heart - I want people to know this, to see this one passion that drives all my actions and all aspects of my life.  

Our God is an awesome God.  He delivers me in my distress, lifts me up and blesses me as His child.  Although I seem to do my best to fail, He gives me the strength to carry on and strive victoriously in His name; He shows me the benefits of following Him, that the comfort and peace that only He can give can be mine if I but trust in Him.  

Every good and perfect gift comes from Him; all the wonders I know and have seen in my life come from the giver of all joy, the giver of each breath I take.  He is the one that sustains me and gives me life, and who gives me the health, benefits and gifts that bring me pleasure.  He is the one thing that can save me from the world’s distress; He means more to me than anything else ever could.  By nature of what the message of Christ is, it is so much more than anything else, and deals with a relationship so deep and so everlasting that everything else pales in comparison.  The vibrant beauties of this world and of the many ways His love is manifested, through His people, through their actions, and the glories of His creation, reveal His awesome presence in a way that once you see it, it is so much clearer and so much brighter than you could have ever imagined anything to be.

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Fall Quarter, 1997

Knowledge that runs as deep as a canyon carved into the rolling hills,
But which falls as far short of truth as a pebble tossed towards the clouds.
Inspiration given by the One with wisdom enough to give it freely,
That is but a tiny reflection of the giver in the tranquil pool of water.
Passion which does nothing but give glory to the source of the light,
And which only reveals more of the splendor behind the mirror.
Even when I look away and my sight is blurred by all I’ve endured,
Use me in spite of myself.    


I don’t need to try to write to try to please anybody or tailor what I write to what people want to read or hear; I want to write for no other reason than myself trying to give glory to God, expressing what I’m learning and writing for my own benefit.  I shouldn’t worry about how people will react to it - I want to write simply for the passion of writing and expressing the amazing love of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who loved me enough to give himself for me, even though I in no way deserve it, and on my own am nothing.  All that I am and all that I do is because of the grace of Jesus and is what he’s made me and given to me.  I want to use any gifts he may have given me to glorify him and strive to remain humble and give him all the praise, and the honor and all the credit.  I know I’m nothing on my own, that without him I would be lost and spiraling downwards into depression, worries, lack of purpose and worse.  With Christ I have everything; my whole identity is now in Him.  He is the reason I’m now living at all; I only hope that through my life I can be an example of the awesome truth which He is, and that I will let Him use me beyond what I could even dream of on my own, in fact in spite of myself.  In spite of myself, He still will use me; I can’t mess His plan up, for He is so much greater than that, so much above and beyond all that I know.  I’ve come to a point where I can call Him Father, for He’s taken me in as His child and my whole identity is in this family; He doesn’t need my praise to carry on, for He is unchangeable and infinite - but my praise brings honor to Him for other people to see and shows that I’m in total dependence of God and I’m recognizing who He is, and responding by giving my life to Him and giving Him all the praise, honor, and glory which He s richly deserves.

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Fall Quarter, 1997

Walking through life, I see many other ways
That people have gone and will go.
They are misguided and not living for Christ all their days,
But my faith in Jesus will lead me to Him, I know.

Walking, wondering, worrying away,
I live for the world and what they say;
But if I put my faith in Him,
The fire of living for Jesus will never dim.

Through the quiet times of sadness and joy,
And the times I want to speak out for how happy
I am with Jesus, the truth I’ll strive to see,
So that I’ve learned much since I was a boy.

Lord, I want to love you,
To follow and be true,
To show Your love in all I do,
Oh Lord, I want to love you

Lord, I want to love you,
To rest, through all I knew,
Knowing you’ll carry me through;
Oh Lord, I want to love you.

I challenge myself
To perfectly be
Where they will see
Jesus.
To make steps to grow
Forever striving to know
Jesus.

(just enough salvation under stood)

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Fall Quarter, 1997

All my life I’ve wandered on,
Until finally my strength is gone;
This battle it seems I cannot win,
But then He fills me up once again.



Lord you’re my shoulder to lean on,
My support when my strength is gone
You lift me up when all has gone wrong,
And fill me until I’ve become strong.

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Fall Quarter, 1997

Lord, I feel like you are using me in spite of myself.  I know that I am weak on my own. I don't know why I doubt - you have me wrapped in your arms, embracing me like a child; you gaze down upon me with fatherly care, and smile as you work through me.  All my anxiety’s, all my cares, all my worries and struggles, I lay at your feet - I want to simply be filled with your passion and love.  You are God - you are so awesome, and I can’t even understand your ways.  Your eyes gaze upon the world with love, but yet sorrow when it turns away.  That’s what you came and died for, Lord - to save those of us who are willing to have our lives turned around by you.  I need you, Lord - without you I am lost and alone.  I would be so alone without you - other things I would try to fill the loneliness with would not fulfill me and would let me down, but you give me fulfillment, satisfaction, and joy, yes joy.  Thank you for always being with me, always being here for me, even when I think I don’t need you, even when I don’t realize you’re here.  Change me, Lord, make me a new creation - purify my heart, become the center of my life, of my goals, ambitions, relationships, and endeavors.  Lord Jesus, I love you!  Give me the strength to let you use me, give me the will to forever trust in you, in your authority, love and grace.

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Fall Quarter, 1997

All these things I’ve held up in vain,
no reason, no rhyme, just the scars that remain.  

I look beyond the empty cross,
forgetting what my life has cost,
And wipe away the crimson stains
And dull the nails that still remain.

Broken nails lie in disuse on the rugged carpet
Amongst shattered remains of good intentions.
After finally gaining courage and getting my feet wet,
I’ve lost sight of the nails amidst mounds of mess beyond mention.  

At times I’m overcome with conviction
And I find that whenever I run and hide
In the shadow of God’s sheltering wings,
I find comfort and the peace I’ve been looking for; However, at times these securities are pushed back
And gather dust next to my times with Jesus,
As all that I once knew so well becomes distant
And clouded with doubts and worries.

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Summer Quarter, 1997

Lord, why am I worrying so much about temporary things when You are all that really matters?  You’re the reason why I’m here at all and why I am who I am; take away my pride and reveal to me more fully the fact of your power and my unworthiness, as well as your grace and your unending, unconditional love for me, which covers me no matter what I do or what I think.  I love you, Lord, for all that you’ve done for me, in me and through me; I lay my life, including my relationships, hopes and dreams, before you.


The wind whispering through my ears murmurs possibilities of fulfilling love and utmost devotion, as well as infinite wildness and undeterred passion.  The inaudible yet substantial whisper of my Lord hints at a balance of deep passion and enduring love, always changing but yet constantly the same.  Throwing back my head with the passion, I want to run through the wild fields of life and experience the meadows I pass through to their fullness, experiencing the undulating ground, the towering, ominous trees lining the clearing, the brilliant flowers, the bright blue sky, and all the vivid and vivacious colors, different than those of the last meadow, but yet seemingly more passionate and fulfilling.


Running over green and gold flecked ground,
Nearby water trickling gently the only sound,
Fields of flowers, glorious arrays of colors,
Contrast the lush pines in the brilliance of lovers.
Birds gliding graciously through the deep blue sky,
Amidst white puffs of clouds floating so very high.
Gentle breeze rustling autumn’s fallen leaves,
Whispering truths and lies into the silent scene.

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Summer Quarter, 1997

When I look up into the evening sky,
I see a revelation of your glory.
When  I gaze upon the crashing waves,
I see your power which carries on throughout the days.
When I smell the pleasant aroma of verdant growth,
I know that there’s something more in the damp setting.
When I experience my Lord first hand,
I drop my knees into the sand and lift my voice in adulation.

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Summer Quarter, 1997

Green grass, bold red roses, deep blue skies, misty green  and grey seas, colors of vibrancy permeate all that we are and stretch straight to the heart.  The beauties of the colorful world we live in strike me once again, as I seek to not take the magnificent creation for granted, to realize how much these things can mean, and to remember all that Christ has done for me, to give me eternal life to experience the wonders of his creation forever.

Grandeur, splendor, grace of my Saviour,
Wresting love deeply, swiftly, forcefully,
From the constant, iron-fisted grip of time.

We are free - everybody has been offered the same chance at freedom, through the saving power of Jesus Christ; though none deserve it, this gift has brought true freedom to all who would humbly come bofore him and confess him as Lord.  A personal relationship with Jesus and the forgiveness of your many transgressions is possible only because Jesus gave his life away two thousand years ago, and true life is only possible because three days later, Jesus came back to life and lived again, and still lives today and shall forevermore.  The breach between our us and the perfect God was bridged when Jesus, God’s own son, came to be with us, lowered himself and became fully human, and showed how to truly sacrifice everything in your life.

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Summer Quarter, 1997

Show me the way, Lord.
Fill me again with a passion for you - reveal to me the passion for living for you that defies logic, that goes beyond what any words can express.  Help me to always remember you, but also to grow and experience you even more fully than ever before.  I know your love for me goes beyond everything I know, and runs so deep that nothing can change your love for me.  Help me to love you with everything in my life - help me to seek you first and let you be the one true love in my life.  You mean so much to me, more than words can express; my heart cries out with longing just to be with you.  I could never describe how much you mean to me, even if I had every word and was the best at using them, for you are eternal and infinite, and have given me life that shall not end; I love you with everything that I am, but I can not even begin to express the fullness of you or to become worthy of this love you’ve shown me.  Your love is so incomprehensible, yet it still touches me like nothing else could.  Your grace is so unimaginable, yet it still covers my past in a way that I couldn’t on my own.  You’ve made me a new creation in you - you’ve made me who I am, and still give me peace and love, with the promise of unending hope and joy.  I rejoice when I think about what I’d be without you, because I am so grateful you’ve made me what I am, that I’m now your child.  Without you I’d be lost, confused, ill-fated, and full of despair, but with you I’m comforted by your sweet grace and loving hand, as I take shelter in the shadow of your wings.  You’ve lifted me up from my blind wanderings and have shown me the light which you are and the meaning of my life.  You’ve provided a refuge, a safe haven against the raging storm, and have given me strength, in fact enough strength to carry on and await your return.  In my darkest hour, you were my shield and protected me, drawing me close to you and showing me who my closest and only friend really is.  When at times I’ve had doubt, you’ve reassured me with your warm presence.  When at times I’ve looked away from your light and have stumbled, you’ve supported me and nurtured me, carrying me through the mires I walked into when temptation called me aside.  If I focus on you, I see that you are all that matters, that I have a purpose in living for you, growing closer to you, and showing you to the people you bring across my path who so desperately need you, who so desperately need a Savior.

I take cover in your loving arms,
I take shelter beneath the shadow of your wings.
Whenever I have fear, I run to you
And my fear flees with the night.
Whenever I stumble, I feel your hand
Lifting me up and restoring my sight.

Seeing the precious deep blue eyes,
Gazing through the wondrous blue skies,
I see love when I see she cries,
Thankful but sad about how He died.

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Summer Quarter, 1997

You walked upon the raging sea,
Yet still they did not believe.
You revealed to them your glory,
Yet still they lacked understanding.
You gave bread to fill every need,
Yet still they could not see.
You gave a second chance with mercy,
Yet still they could not perceive.

You said, “Don’t you hear me,
Can you not yet begin to see?”

You are the Christ; You are my Lord.
I’ll give to you my life; I’ll obey Your word.
But Lord, until I truly see your beautiful face,
All I can really see is your compassionate grace.

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Summer Quarter, 1997

Remember the passion that once burned ever so bright,
The blazing flame of fervor that once guided your sight.
Remember the passion that once filled your heart with love,
That once gave light to everything you’d ever dreamed of.
Remember the passion with which you gave up all to gain more,
The zeal that you lived with when you first opened the door.
Remember the passion that once derived humility from the cross,
The joy you once gained from giving and living at whatever cost.

Remember the passion with which you sang, prayed, and spoke,
With which you strove to glorify Him in all you studied and wrote.
Remember the passion with which you gave up all to gain more,
With which you learned to balance devotion with a life of zeal.
Remember the passion that once gave you abandon and joy,
That once excited your heart to understand and truly perceive.
Remember the passion you had when you gave your life to Him,
The passion that gained humility and joy from the cross.
Remember the passion with which you sang, prayed, and spoke,
With which you studied, lived, read and wrote.

Remember the passion.

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Summer Quarter, 1997

The powerful, breath-taking voice drifts across the room,
Melodically bouncing around between low whispers
and piercingly high notes, between whispered words
and loud, resounding gusts of a powerful voice.

The music pierces his heart and sends a wave of amazed sincerity through his body, as memories, nostalgia, and true feelings surge forth into his mind; his stifled passions, his disguised love, and his hidden joys are aroused and seek ventilation, cloaking his mind and heart with genuine and unreserved love.  The words “I love you” long to pour themselves out of his mouth, out of his heart, to the longing ears, to the longing heart.  What he’d always been dreaming for had actually been right before him all along, only the expression of heartfelt passion away.
Fly, fly with your passion, the passion given you by your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, your passion for Him, for life, for people, for this beautiful world.  Let your friends know the passions in your heart; show them this passion, this love, so that they may see Christ working in you, and see how much more He really can mean to them.  Then you will be helping them grow closer to Christ and giving them reason to see the unique passion and personality which you are, giving them reason to embrace you as an eternal friend.  Pray that their love may abound more and more, so that they can experience the incredible joy, the heartfelt passion, which you feel and are dying to share.

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Summer Quarter, 1997

I wonder if I’ve grown to lose the recklessness I walked in light of youth?  I never want to lose the recklessness, the complete hope, the blazing conviction, the burning passion I’ve had in my youth; I hope never to forget just how must He means to me, how devoted to Him I am, how I’ve promised to do anything God calls me to, to forever strive to experience more of His passion and His love.

Images on the sidewalk speak of dreams descent, washed away by storms to graves of cynical lament, dirty canvases to call my own, protest limericks scarred by the old pay phone, and in your picture book I’m trying hard to see, turning endless pages of this tragedy, sculpting every move you compose a symphony, you plea to everyone - see the art in me; my eyes are drawn to you in awe once again.

You see the art in me, Lord - you have made me the way I am, given me passions, individual hopes, and my own love, made complete by your love which you showed to perfection on the cross.

A burning passion, a blazing conviction of a truth that will not fade, a love that will not end, of an objective truth and subjective love.  Lord, you died for all who would accept your gift, your gift of fierce love and extreme grace.  You will never cease to mean more to me, Lord, and I will strive to forever grow closer to you and always experience more of you, for something which is infinite can never be reached moving by finite amounts, only approached.  I will never be as perfect as you are, but you will make me so very close to perfect that essentially, for all that will ever matter, I’ll be perfect, made so simply by your grace and through a personal friendship with your son Jesus Christ.

A love that conquers loneliness,
A love that fills all emptiness.
A grace that covers wickedness,
A grace that showers forgiveness.

I see an undying love, an unending grace.

I know You are the Christ, I know You are my Lord;
I‘ll give to you my life, I will obey Your word.
But Lord, until I truly see Your beautiful face,
All I can really see is Your compassionate grace.

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Spring Quarter, 1997

Why can the brilliant flowers of the beautiful spring not always be in bloom?  Why do joys and happiness seem never to weather time’s tepid storms, apparently caught in single moments of ecstasy but not constancy?  Why can love not be as ever-pressing as the rippling water gliding gracefully down the river?  Why are the most promising possibilities, the most joyously hopeful mornings, let down by the harsh realities of the darkened tempests?  How long must I wait until fulfilled joy lasts into another moment, and from there endures forever?  Is there ever going to be an end of these hope-filled yet despair-driven days?  O Lord, are you not the master of storms, the giver of joys, the savior of lives?  Deliver me from the despair of the world I live in and the despair which begins to encroach on my hopes; save me from this world full of hopes being let down and fill me with your love which satisfies all desires and fulfills all hopes.  I feel the cunning yet loving comfort of Jesus, who gave His own life away so that He could live in wretched me, to have a relationship with me and make me like Him.  I’m completely undeserving, and He knows this, but yet He still loves me enough to give me life and so much more.  Lord Jesus, I praise you - help me to truly see, to put my hopes on you and perceive that you alone are what I’m seeking.  Lord, open my eyes, and open my heart to experiencing you more fully.

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Spring Quarter, 1997

Until we truly see His beautiful face,
All we can really see is His compassionate grace.

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Spring Quarter, 1997

Dying to find a way to enter in to the one true radiation of light, into a land full of real love, love to perfection which is found only through the Creator, where love between souls and from and of God is perfect.

Amazing is the grace which Jesus showed for us,
Much greater than the bounds of what I can possibly comprehend;
As much is His grace, such is His eternal love for us.
Nothing can compare with the extent of His love;
Doing everything in His name shall I live,
Always looking to Him for the comfort which He gives.

I’m looking for a love, different from what I’ve known before,
Something that makes life worth living for,
And the power of God something I can’t ignore,
Something that brings to life so much more.

Whenever I need help, I simply look to Him,
And He gives me more than I ever could have hoped for.
He fills me with a light that’ll never dim,
With a peace that I know will never end.

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Spring Quarter, 1997

Alabare!  I will praise you Lord!  I lay down my life, all my desires and aspirations, and kneel humbly before you.  I have once again set worldly desires before you in my priorities, but now I give it all to you; I know I can rest knowing that everything is in your hands, that living for you is all that really matters.  If I simply live for you with everything I have, then you will give me so much more; everything else will come after that in a way that will glorify your name and bring joy to those who accept you as Lord.  I have gained a strong desire for things to work out the way I want them to, for me to enter into a relationship with somebody and seek social wealth, but I realize that without you nothing will have meaning and I will be unable to attain that which I seek.  But if I look to you first, you will give me what you want for me, whether that means a special relationship or a deep, Christ-centered friendship.  Lord, whatever you want me to do, help me to recognize it and to completely give myself over to it, simply for the sake of the call that you are calling to me.  I hear you calling me, Lord Jesus, to a life like no other, and I want to abandon my desires and live for you in a real, deep, never-fading and ever-growing relationship with you.  I want to obey your call and follow you for who you really are, not the concepts and idealized philosophy which so many believe in, but you in all your splendor, love and grace.  I want to tell of your awesome grace and deep, deep love for us to everybody - help your Name to spill out of my mouth as I glorify you with my relationships and lifestyle.

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Spring Quarter, 1997

There was a time when I opened the door;
My life was turned around from where it was before.
I talked to Jesus and gave my life to Him;
He gave me a passion I said would never grow dim.

I watched in wonder as the years flew by;
To grow closer to Him became my heart’s cry.
Time turned freshness into dedication and faith,
And I learned more about His love and His grace.

But now trouble and temptation step in my path,
And time has taken away the joy I once had.
I’ve put my hopes in many other plans and goals,
And despite my desires, the fire has turned cold.

The prodigal son turned away from his father,
Traveled into foreign lands, lived like all the others.
He took the riches and wasted them in his lifestyle,
Thought he was losing his father’s approval all the while.

Even though I have turned away
And have turned to a life of sin,
Still he is there to welcome me back
Into his loving arms once again.

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Spring Quarter, 1997

Lord you are the only thing that really matters to me - help me to live
my life in such a way that shows this, that shows that you are the Lord
of my life with enough grace to die even for me, to show that I now live
only to glorify you and tell the world about your love.
Seeking, I find you and you alone.
Searching for truth, I see finally the fact: you are.
Looking for a way out, I experience your grace and forgiveness.
Longing for love, I'm filled with your infinite care.
Lustrous is your glorious name which I lift up as Lord of my life.
Lord, your love for me goes far beyond what I can comprehend, and my
gratitude goes beyond what I'll ever be able to express, but yet falls
short of the gratitude your grace really deserves.
Jesus, you are my king, my creator, my everything.
Help me to keep my eyes on you and not look elsewhere, to be constantly
and eternally experiencing you first hand and looking to you.
I look at the pitiful thing I call myself, at the stubble of remains of
my pride and dreams, and am filled with wonder that you know me
perfectly, and yet you gave your life for me, so that I can live with you
and forever become more like you.

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Winter Quarter, 1997

There is a cross that stands on a hill,
and a crowd gathered round to see;
While He who hangs there breaths, and is still,
the people gaze at Him in mockery.

A resounding tremor convulses through the air,
as all who have ears hear the crack of thunder;
The cross stands tall against the dismal sky,
as the taunting turns to bright-eyed wonder.

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Winter Quarter, 1997

Darkness fills the air with icy wisps of fog,
Ethereal tendrils of mist which stifle hope.

Love fills the air with warm winds of grace,
Celestial bastions of clarity which inspire joy.

Looking into the pelting of the driving rain,
Piercing winds come in cold torrrents of pain;
Looking into the stiff darkness of that night,
Probing eyes ever-roam, longing for sight.

Piercing winds come in cold torrents this night;
Probing eyes ever-roam, longing for sight.
Emptiness fills the reaches of the earth;

Longing beings cry for all they’re worth

There is a cross that stands on a hill,
and a crowd gathered round to see;
While He who hangs there breaths, and is still,
the people gaze at Him in mockery.

The cross stands tall against the dismal sky,
alone enduring the crack of thunder;
A resounding tremor convulses through the air,
as the taunting turns to bright-eyed wonder.

Torturing resounds with a stifling echo throughout the lands;
Rusting nails pierce the motionless hands.
A penetrating spear protrudes from his side;
Hurling insults barrage the fading life.
Bristling thorns adorn the hanging brow;
Crimson blood comes flowing down.
Glistening tears fall from his eyes;
Crying out in despair, the prince of peace dies.


How could this desolate, despair filled scene
Somehow mean something more?
How could this dark, death filled day
In some way bring a new light and a new life?
How could a group of despising, mocking, jeering people
Somehow be part of such a hope-bringing event?
How could someone give up everything and sacrifice himself
And yet be able to overcome death and live again?
Somehow an event of murder, mocking, dislike, and dying
Turns out to be an ultimate expression of compassion, beauty, and grace.

The cry is answered after three days
With a thundering echo of joy,
Breaking death’s desperate hold,
Bridging the gap of all things told,
Bringing final freedom from sin,
For he who died lives again.

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Winter Quarter, 1997

Forgiveness that stretches over all I’ve ever done
  must have taken
Grace that reaches far beyond what I can comprehend.
Forgiveness that extends to even such an unworthy one as I
  must have taken
Authority over nature and all death that sin brings on.
Forgiveness that covers all I’ll ever do
  must have taken
Love that is vast enough that He would give away His Son.

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Winter Quarter, 1997

A doubt sweeps like an ominous cloud through my mind one instant,
But the next I’m overcome with the reality of a loving God inside of me.
A moment of questioning whether God really is at work
Is followed by an answer, an act that can only be attributed to an all-powerful God.
A time when my relationship with God has become stagnant and stale
Is followed by a realization once again of the joy brought on by experiencing God’s grace.

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He is There
Winter Quarter, 1997

He is there to wipe away the sorrow-soaked tears,
And let us know that when we cry to Him, He hears.
He is there to take away the despair-doused fears,
And carry us through when we’re lost in life’s long years.
He is there to assure us He’ll always be near,
And say to us in our loneliness, “I am here.”

He is here to free us from fear-ridden despair,
And remind us He’s full of compassion and care.
He is here to tell us He died to pay our share,
And comfort us when pain is more than we can bear.
He is here to protect us despite how we fare,
And show us that even when we fail, He’ll be there.

He is here to refine me through times of sin’s lure,
And forgive me when I’ve wandered, making me pure.
He is here to offer an eternal swept cure,
And fill me through pain I can no longer endure.
He is here to end worries and doubts till I’m sure,
And prove to me again He’s my gracious Saviour.

He went there to bring passion that means so much more,
And give us something worth living and dying for.
He went there to reveal love that gives wings to soar,
And unveil grace that covers all we’ve done before.
He went there to knock with mercy at our heart’s door,
And fill us with the love of a faithful Savior.

He came here to save us when our plight was most dire,
And be the Lord and Savior which we can acquire.
He came here to lift us up from the sin-struck mire,
And draw us near to Him, infinitely higher.
He came here to be our only true heart’s desire,
And burn with blazing fuel within us like a fire.

Joshua Burson

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Winter Quarter, 1997

Let us take the celebration of Christmas day
And tell the world that this Christ is the only way,
Showing them through actions His perfect gift from above,
His compassion flowing through us, the extent of His love.
Let us take this heart-warming time of year,
And use it to leap forward, putting away our fear,
Turning thoughts into actions, applying our faith,
As we’re reminded now of the extent of His grace.

He sojourned into this world to be one of us, to be with us, to die for us;
Remember that this one day marks the coming of our Savior, yes, of Jesus.

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