Favorite Inspirational Quotes, Verses and Poems

Lacy Faces

by Colista Ledford (Cindy's Mom)

Some would erase

The lace from their face

Remove the pattern of years

But I'm inclined

to cherish the lines

etched by the smiles and the tears.

Here's a quote from Mother Teresa you might enjoy from the book, Mother Teresa, Total Surrender:

'Jesus Christ has always told us that we ought "always pray and not faint.' St. Paul says, 'pray without ceasing.' God calls all men and women to this disposition of heart--to pray always. Let the love of God once take entire possession of the heart; let it become to that heart like a second nature; let that heart suffer nothing contrary to enter; let it apply itself continually to increase this love of God by seeking to please him in all things and refusing him nothing; let it accept as from his hand everything that happens to it; let it have a firm determination never to commit any fault deliberately and knowingly or, if it should fail, to be humbled and rise up again at once, and such a heart will pray continually."

The things that are impossible with men are possible with God. ~Luke 18:27

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give Iunto you. Let not your hear be troubled, neither let it be afraid. ~John 14:27

Renew a right spirit within me. ~Psalm 51:10

Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ~Matthew 11:28

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:

he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the

paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of

the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for

thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they

comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the

presence of mine enemies: thou anointest

my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the

house of the Lord for ever.

~Psalm 23: A Psalm of David

The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? ~Psalm 27:1

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COMMIT YOUR WAY TO THE LORD,

Trust also in Him,

And He shall bring it to pass.

He shall bring forth

Your righteousness

as the light,

and your justice

as the noonday.

~Psalm 37: 5,6

Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. ~Proverbs 30:5

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father, who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name;

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day, our daily bread.

and forgive us, as we forgive those

who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

the power and the glory for ever.

PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI

Lord, make me and instrument

Of Your peace;

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is sadness, joy.

Oh Divine Master,

Grant that I may not so much

seek to be consoled as to console;

to be understood as to understand;

to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning that

we are pardoned.

It is in dying that we

are born to eternal life.

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So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. ~II Corinthians 4:18

THE LORD DOES NOT LOOK

At the things man looks at.

Man looks at the outward appearance,

But the Lord looks at the heart.

~1 Samuel 16:7

Whatsoever things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. ~Mark 11:24

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. ~Proverbs 3:5

I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. ~John 10:10

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. ~James 5:16

If God be for us, who can be against us? ~Romans 8:31

The kingdom of God is within you. ~Luke 17:21

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. ~II Timothy 1:7

Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. ~Psalm 73:2

Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. ~Ephesians 6:13

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. ~Psalm 46:1

He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he. Proverbs 16:20.

Incline your ear, and come unto Me: hear, and your soul shall live. ~Isaiah 55:3

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you. ~Matthew 7:7

I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. ~Phillipians 4:11

My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. ~Psalm 62:5

Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. ~Joshua 1:9

"Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength." ~Corrie Ten Boom

Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. ~Romans 12:2

"A single thought in the morning may fill our whole day with joy and sunshine or gloom and depression." ~Paramananda

But as many as received Him, to them gave He power. ~John 1:12

The thing which I greatly fear is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. ~Job 3:25

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This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. ~Philippians 3:13, 14

In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is Christ Jesus our Lord. ~Romans 8:37-39

If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. ~John 7:3

Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use and persecute you. ~Matthews 5:44

“All of us desire peace, but very few of desire those things that make for peace.” ~Thomas A’ Kempis

I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. ~Philippians 4:13

In him we live, and move, and have our being. ~Acts 17:28

If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.~II Corinthians 5:17

Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whasoever he saith. ~Mark 11:23

They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint. ~Isaiah 40:31

Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. ~I Corinthians 2:9

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. ~Psalm 55:22

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee. ~Isaiah 26:3

I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. ~Psalm 34:

When ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any. ~Mark 11:25

“Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts.”

~Charles Dickens

They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains and waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. ~Revelation 7:16-17

Matters of Faith

"In God's Hands."

This is a photo of my son holding a hummingbird that was trapped in the garage.

Faith may waver

Faith my sometimes die.

But our Creator watches over us--

On this we must rely.

~Cindy Lowy Fess, 9/15/03

Although faith is sometimes difficult to maintain, we must not forget that our Creator is there watching over us. This fact cannot be changed. When our prayers seem to go unanswered and God seems to be nonexistent or at best, far away, we must persevere in our commitment to have faith. What do I mean by this? I mean that we must make the decision to have faith in our Creator's ability to guide our lives.

I have at times felt as if I were losing my faith, not in God, but in myself. I have lost faith that I matter or that my efforts in this life matter. I have lost faith that good results will come. But this, I know is a temporary emotion or feeling. It isn't based in fact. It is simply based on my thoughts, feelings and perceptions and misunderstandings at the time. It is my fleeting inability to see the larger picture. Therefore, during these difficult and challenging times I must choose to have faith in a plan that is better than I can imagine. I make the choice to keep my faith in my Creator. I choose to allow my Creator to guide my life and give me the wisdom to go through the doors He/She opens for me. It is foolish to have faith in myself alone. I remember that I cannot control everything. Faith in a power greater than myself is much wiser. So I relinquish control to this Higher Power and Her/His unconditional love and desire to help me.

Surrender to my Creator's help and wisdom feels good. I breath a sigh of relief knowing that I don't have to work it all out. I only need to ask for my Creator's help and then have the faith and patience to step back and allow events to unfold as necessary. It isn't that I let God do all that work. Instead, I pray for help and guidance constantly and stay alert to the signposts God sends.

Just make the decision to have faith. Then pray, release your prayers and move through the doors your Creator opens for you.

Remember, faith is a journey. It is a process designed to help us grow stronger.

Bless you in your journey of faith.

~Cindy

"Sometimes, faith is all we have. We cling to it, because it gives us hope. Our faith is hard won, and it is worth cherishing, protecting, and keeping alive. It tides us over, until the miracles come." ~Cindy Lowy Fess

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