To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory. Isaiah 61:3
The Secret
Shhhh…
I have a little secret…
I can’t tell you though
I’m thrilled to overflowing; I just wanted you to know…
My heart is smiling, from my head down to my toes…
Oh it’s the greatest news,
But for now you’ll have to wait…
Joy has come to fill my heart…
It started just today…
If you knew my secret
You’d jump with glee for me
To see the joy I have inside is joy I cannot hide…
Father God in heaven
Always keeps His word
He gives us joy for mourning
The song of a little bird…
Sweet life is flowing and forever remains
A little more time, then I will explain
He’s sending His blessing; Come on let it rain…
Be patient, be kind…and soon you will hear
Shhhh…I can’t tell you…but let me whisper in your ear…
No, no, I mustn’t…
I have to be strong, until…
I’m given the word…and then I will…
Tell you my secret, my secret reveal…
By Marla Shaw O’Neill January 15, 2016©
The Shadow of God
Psalm 91
The Shadow of God
Hidden beneath His shadow
Nothing shall I fear
Though ten thousand arrows compass me about
Let them hear the victory shout…
Lions roar…
Beast, trample at my feet
God is my refuge; His enemy defeat…
Ten thousand upon ten thousand shall fall at his command
Nothing shall move me, on His rock I stand…
Who is stronger than my God?
Not beast, nor evil nor sword…
In Him I live and place my trust…
God the Father, Jesus the son, and the Holy Ghost…
I will not walk in darkness, or fear ocean waves…
For God has given me His strength, I’ll stand true and brave…
His angel beings dispatched, warring closely by my side…
Stand back you serpents, He’s reversed, the seas, untamed tide…
Light, dispels the darkness you have no place to hide….
I know His name and He knows mine…
I honor Him, He’s lifted high
Long life He gives
Salvation free
Thank God almighty, I walk with thee!
Nothing shall I fear
Though ten thousand arrows compass me about
Let them hear the victory shout…
Lions roar…
Beast, trample at my feet
God is my refuge; His enemy defeat…
Ten thousand upon ten thousand shall fall at his command
Nothing shall move me, on His rock I stand…
Who is stronger than my God?
Not beast, nor evil nor sword…
In Him I live and place my trust…
God the Father, Jesus the son, and the Holy Ghost…
I will not walk in darkness, or fear ocean waves…
For God has given me His strength, I’ll stand true and brave…
His angel beings dispatched, warring closely by my side…
Stand back you serpents, He’s reversed, the seas, untamed tide…
Light, dispels the darkness you have no place to hide….
I know His name and He knows mine…
I honor Him, He’s lifted high
Long life He gives
Salvation free
Thank God almighty, I walk with thee!
By: Marla Shaw O’Neill January 14, 2016©
The Seed is the Word of God
Tiny Seed
Digging
In my garden
The earth beneath me, I breathe
Fresh in the morning sunlight
Life is what I see…
In the ground I notice, one lonely, tiny, seed
I cover it up gently
And water it with care…
Whatever you become, I will gladly share
Days come and go
Rain and sunshine follow
When I return to my garden
A tender tree I see
It grows into a mighty oak
In my old age, it comforts me with shade
Tiny seed I never knew
What a blessing you would be
The seed I planted long ago
Has given more to me…
Than I could ever hope or think
You grew there in my garden
How could something so delicate and small
Reach toward heaven, branches broad and tall
Strong and true your roots grow deep
Thank you little seed for making life complete.
By: Marla Shaw O’Neill January 13, 2016©
Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
Luke 8:11New King James Version (NKJV)
Thank God for Tribulations
Inspired by my youngest son Jonathan Liverio-He overcame and is living his dream!
Thank God for Tribulations
When you want to scream
Praise
When you’re down in the pit
Raise
Your voice and be full of joy
Easier said than done
Open your eyes and you’ll see the son
When head bows low, heart sinks beneath the flow
The pain, of guilt and shame…
Holds you in a death grip of sorrow and woe…
Break out of the tomb and into the light
Sing; rejoice for this is right…
Tribulation works patience
And patience, experience
Experience, hope
Hope makes us not ashamed
God gives us His strength
In Jesus name…
Praise God for tribulations…
By: Marla Shaw O’Neill January 12, 2016©
Romans 5:3-6
5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Abba U and I Dance
Abba U and I Dance
Abba…Daddy…
I call to thee…
Gentle giant, tender and sweet
Bending low, you kiss my cheek
Center of the ballroom, we begin to dance
You bow, I curtsy, and the music begins
Gliding across the floor we spin,
Like two sparrows on a summers wind
The joys of a tiny heart, may it never end
A girl of seven, her dreams complete
In the arms of Abba…life is sweet
Twirling and swirling to the music’s heartbeat
We dance, we dance, we dance…
You lead, I follow…as life should always be…
Precious Abba, you and I…
Dance!
By: Marla Shaw O’Neill January 5, 2016©
The Hebrew word means to “spin around under violent emotion,” or basically to dance. So Zep 3:17 is more accurately translated as, “Yahuwah your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His Love,
He will dance over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17
SOUL
Soul
One tiny breath was all it took…
God blew and then a man he shook
Waking a living soul…
Down through the ages countless they are…
Numbered more than all the stars…
The tiny soul emerges…
They’re all around us but we can’t see
What makes the soul, inside you and me?
God’s breath…
The soul God gave never ceases to exist…
The soul of man lives, throughout the ages…
Dark or light which will yours be…
Heaven or hell, eternally…
As Jesus calls your soul, set free
Live in love’s serenity…
Tiny souls release your faith…
Accept the light of brightest hope
Be born anew from this first fruit
His Kingdom come, is born, in you!
By: Marla Shaw O’Neill December 30, 2015©
Mama’s Bible
Its dawn, morning is breaking and I see it…
A sunbeam rests upon it, laying there in the familiar spot
The book…
Read from cover to cover, pages worn and written upon
Tear stains of memories and prayers, some answered, some still to be…
in my mama’s bible…
I watched her read it many times; her heart restored, as she kept the words of life
This Holy book is full of mysteries, stories that live in pages of red, black and
white…
Morning, noon, and night and even in between…
She read God’s word; would quote it, and tell you what it means…
Better than a pill you take, and certainly more satisfying;
The bread of life is sown upon, the pages, even when dying…
Oh beautiful are the feet of those, who spread the gospel message
Prophets and saints of old, died to give us passage…
Into the texts we read this book, wanting and longing, for just another look
Words of wisdom scribbled on edges, of my mama’s bible…
Nothing dearer, could she have given,
Than her old tattered bible, when she went to heaven…
A legacy of life is felt, as I watched her, at her bedside, when she knelt
Praying and reading her bible…
Help me God to do the same, this I pray in Jesus name…
I’ll keep reading mama’s bible.
~Marla Shaw O’Neill December 28, 2015©
2 Timothy 2:15 King James Version (KJV) – Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
I’m Here
I’m Here
Afraid and alone I face my foe
Fear grips my heart in this valley of woe…
Spirit rises within my soul
I grip the hand of God…
Voice rising in spirit song…
He hears His language as I hold on…
Touches and heals all that is wrong…
Fear vanishes…
Doubt is gone…
Touched by the hand of God…
By Marla Shaw O’Neill December 25, 2015©
Mark 5:34 New Living Translation (NLT)
34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.”
I Saved a Seat For You
I Save A Seat for You
I’ll meet you in the morning light
When the sun is shining and the sky is blue
Work all done, play complete
Come on, I saved a seat for you
Then we’ll see all the ones we’ve missed
While on the earth below
Singing songs of mercy to heaven as we go…
Amazing grace how sweet the sound…is heard here all year round
Unheard music and melodies fills the renewed soul…
With peace and joy that’s found here, more precious than has ever been told
You see,
When Jesus came to Bethlehem, lived, then died on Golgotha’s hill
A sealed tomb, they thought would keep him, and it did until…
He rose in victory, the Son of God, He loved us then, He always will
We’ll all be going home one day, what joy will then be given
To all the ones whose hearts are right because they’ve been forgiven!
The sky is blue, with clean fresh air, sun is shining…I’ll meet you there!
By Marla Shaw O’Neill December 23, 2015©
1 Corinthians 2:8-10New Living Translation (NLT)
8 But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. 9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
for those who love him.”[a]
10 But[b] it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.
Share Kindness
I found a little kindness and used it just today
Each time I see someone in need, I give it all away…
I look within my heart, and more comes back to me
Kindness is a precious gift, a blooming, fragrant tree…
I plant some in the marketplace, where people come and go
They smile, and I see, the kindness I bestow…
Though kindness is a little thing, I just want them all to know
Sow kindness in another’s heart and watch it begin to grow…
Marla Shaw O’Neill December 23, 2015©