THE STRANGER by C McGinnis

A stranger knocked on my door today
He said, "Follow me, I am the Way."
The words He spoke took me by surprise
As I glanced into his sad, dark eyes.
I answered him, to his weathered face,
"Sorry, friend, you have the wrong place."

His eyes were sad, and he looked down-trodden.
Had he been defeated, and then forgotten?
Firm words he spoke, in a saddened voice
"Believe me, friend, you have no choice."
I did not believe the next words he said
As he glanced at me and shook his head.

"When was the last time you helped a friend,
or a stranger, your hand to lend?"
"Just the other day," I was quick to reply.
And I questioned him, "So, why?"
"If you have helped the least of these,
then you have done it also for me."

His words were strange, and very unique.
The more intrigued I was as he continued to speak.
"What do you mean, 'I am the way'?"
'Does it mean you're Christ?' I wanted to say.

A gentle touch I felt on my arm
Then I knew I would be kept from harm.
I glanced at his hand, then it was not there.
He had disappeared. I looked everywhere.
Who was this man, standing at my door?
I asked the question, and I had more.

So, if a stranger knocks on your door today
Will you let him in, or turn him away?
No matter who is standing there,
Show compassion, that you care.
It could be Jesus, or perhaps a brother.
So, take heed, one good turn deserves another.

FUTURE by Mike Watts

Through you it came
As a cloud holds water until it is time for it to rain
It was time to restore the sun-scorched land
Perfect in very way just as only He could have planned

The cloudy skies gave way
And many prayers were answered that day.
Like a rainbow suspended in the sky for all to see
He came to be,
Bringing to Earth a guarantee

Comforting those in despair
He will take them in His care.
Bringing hope and freedom to the oppressed
Because of Him they will consider you blessed.

The fruit of your bloodline,
Who will give vision to the blind.
Not only in the physical,
But also of the spiritual.

Allowing people to dream,
Not seeing things only as they seem.
His life will bring His Father much glory.
As you walk on the streets of gold,
He will tell you ho His story

Of nations and kingdoms overthrown.
Because of the seeds you have sown.
Together, forever you will stand,
As you walk hand in hand,
Into the Promised Land.

Kneeling down to pray, He will turn to you and say:
“Mother we will watch the heavens from above,
As we soar on wings like doves,
For we have been made perfect in His love.”

SOME SAT IN DARKNESS by C McGinnis

SOME SAT IN DARKNESS AND GLOOM SO DEEP
THEIR HEARTS WERE HARD AND THEY DID WEEP
PRISONERS THEY WERE CHAINED TO THEIR LIFE
THEY CRIED TO GOD TO RELIEVE THEIR STRIFE

HE SAW THEIR PAIN AND HEARD THEIR PLEA
HE DELIVERED THEM OUT OF AGONY
HE BROUGHT THEM FROM DARKNESS INTO THE LIGHT
HE SHOWED THEM HOW TO LIVE LIFE RIGHT

SOME IN DESERT SANDS WANDERED WITHOUT CARE
SEARCHING FOR A CITY LOOKING EVERYWHERE
THEY DID HUNGER AND THIRST IN THEIR OWN WAY
BUT NOT AFTER GOD, THEIR LIVES EBBED AWAY

THEY CRIED TO THE LORD IN THEIR DISTRESS
HE BROUGHT THEM OUT OF THE WILDERNESS
WATER AND FOOD HE PROVIDED THE WEAK
IN EXCHANGE FOR THEM HIS NAME TO SPEAK

LET THEM GIVE THANKS. GOD'S LOVE WON'T FAIL
HIS WONDERFUL DEEDS TO MAN PREVAIL
FOR THE WISE THESE WORDS DO HEED
CONSIDER GOD'S LOVE IN ALL YOU NEED.

(From Psalm 107)

GOD'S GARDEN by Lance Mattoon

When we plant a garden, we don't plant just one kind
of flower and just one color

This is true also of God's Garden. He has planted the seed
for many shapes and colors to bloom.

In our garden, the plants grow in harmony with nature,
there to aid in growth and beauty.

God's Garden should also live together peacefully.
We as God's Flowers must learn to accept the variety
of the others around us and allow nature's course to
guide us to harmony and beauty.

THE SECOND MILE by C McGinnis

Has anyone ever asked of you
To go the extra mile
And your answer to them is “ I’d be glad to”
But you’re thinking “ in a while”

How many times have you needed a friend
For someone to lend you a hand
But no one steps forward in the end
And you just don’t understand

Are you willing to work one more minute
Before someone even asks
Is your heart truly in it
To complete the task?

No matter what anyone else might do
Don’t worry what others might feel
You should be willing to go mile number two
‘cause your love for your Brother is real

No matter how you look to others
Or how they feel about you
They will know you help your brothers
And know your efforts are true

Don’t worry how someone might look at you
No matter if they don’t care
You know you can live with yourself
There is love in your heart to share

( Written for S. Kirkpatrick - based on a sermon)

IF YOU ONLY KNEW by Christine Daniels

I DON'T HAVE MUCH MONEY,
MATERIAL GOODS, A BIG HOUSE
OR A FANCY CAR

BUT! IF YOU ONLY KNEW
I HAVE MUCH MORE................

MY EXTERIOR DOES NOT REPRESENT
MY INTERIOR
THEREFORE, I AM NOT SUPERFICIAL
I AM REAL

MY CHILDREN ARE LOVED AND LOVING
APOLOGETIC AND FORGIVING
THEY ARE MAGNETIC

THE FATHER OF MY CHILDREN
A HANDS - ON PARENT
DISCIPLINARY, AND MY PEER

SEE, IF YOU ONLY KNEW - I HAVE IT ALL
I HAVE A MANSION AWAITING ME
SILVER, GOLD AND MOST OF ALL
ETERNAL LIFE

IF YOU ONLY KNEW
YOU CAN HAVE THIS
FROM MY HEAVENLY FATHER

He wants you too!!!

LET US KEEP CHRISTMAS by C McGinnis

Let us keep Christmas, may its meaning never end
Keeping love eternal for those whom we call friend

Let us keep Christmas, the happiness, good will
And everyone takes time an empty life to fill

Keep the true spirit forever and a day,
not just for one time, and have it fade away

Let us share together the joys of Christmas past,
hope for the future, but have the memory last.

LOVE LIKE WATER by Victoria Powell

Love was not meant for rationing
it soars above the trickle you eek out
You send a shallow stream to a dessert,
A drop to the needy.

Love like that could cause a stampede
Empty hands cupped for a drink
The weak could get trampled for a shallow love

A love like that could beak or build a child
or erode the soul of a giving mother or
true waiting lover.

Powerful love like that
hold back
hold within
could not hide inside

a selfish shell to become a deadly load
and leave you alone

Give it

Give it or

drown in it

REALITIES by Prince Askekor Glade

WHEN A MAN'S DREAMS COME TO REALITY
HIS LIE IS BEYOND UNDERSTANDING
HE SITS AND THINKS ABOUT HIS PAST
AND WONDERS HOW HIS LIFE BECAME A SUCCESS
HIS VISION SPREADS LIKE A FLAMING FIRE
WITH LOTS OF THOUGHTS AND IMAGES
HE WALKS WITH PRIDE AND AMBITION
AND THANKS GOD FOR HIS BLESSING.

THE TRUTH by C McGinnis

THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE
THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE
JESUS IS THE TRUTH
AND HE WILL SET YOU FREE

MY WHOLE LIFE WAS A LIE
I LIVED MY LIFE IN SIN
THE WORLD TAUGHT ME HOW TO LIVE
TO THE DEVIL I GAVE IN

I FINALLY HIT ROCK BOTTOM
COULDN'T GO ANYWHERE BUT DOWN
THEN I FOUND THE LORD
HE TURNED MY WORLD AROUND

ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE TRUTH
DOES IT SCARE YOU TO SEE
THAT IF YOU BELIEVE IN GOD
THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE

WHO WAS THIS MAN by C McGinnis

WHO WAS THIS MAN WHO WALKED THIS EARTH
IT IS AN AGE OLD STORY
WHY DID HE START FROM LOWLY BIRTH
TO LEAVE IN GOD'S OWN GLORY

WHY DID HE COME TO LIVE WITH MAN
AND SUFFER ALL THE PAIN
YET KNEW OUR FEARS AND SAID WE CAN
FACE THE FEARS AGAIN

HE SAID HE CAME TO SET US FREE
FROM ALL OUR TOIL AND STRIFE
HE SAID HE'D DIE FOR YOU AND ME
AND BRING ETERNAL LIFE

HE WAS SO GENTLE AND SO FAIR
FOR MANKIND HE DID LOVE
HE TAUGHT US HOW TO LOVE AND SHARE
WITH GUIDANCE FROM ABOVE

BUT MAN DID HATE AND FIGHT AND KILL
AND TURNED AGAINST HIM SO
HE CRIED FOR US AGAINST HIS WILL
WITH PAIN WE COULD NOT KNOW

BUT THEN NO ONE WOULD TRY TO SEE
THE THINGS HE TRIED TO DO
AND SO THEY NAILED HIM TO A TREE
TO DIE FOR ME AND YOU

BUT AS HE DIED, HE SAID TO MAN
"DON'T CRY FOR ME THIS WAY
FOR I SHALL SURELY COME AGAIN
BE READY FOR THAT DAY"

MY PRAYER by C McGinnis

I WAS ON MY KNEES ONE DAY IN PRAYER
I PRAYED, "MY GOD, ARE YOU REALLY THERE?"
MY HOPES AND FEARS WERE ON MY MIND
COULD THE ANSWER BE HARD TO FIND
MY PROBLEMS WERE MUCH WORSE TODAY
THAN THEY HAD BEEN IN ANY WAY
WOULD HE LISTEN TO MY PLEA
OR MAYBE TURN AWAY FROM ME

I PRAYED, I DID NOT ASK IN VAIN
MY REQUEST TO QUICKLY TAKE THE PAIN
IN MY HEART FROM ME THIS DAY
AND KEEP MY TROUBLES FAR AWAY
DO I GIVE UP OR KEEP ON TRYING
TO PRAY AND HOPE OR WAS I DYING
WHY TRY, WHAT WOULD PRAYER DO
BUT THEN I STOPPED TO REMEMBER YOU

YOU WERE THE ONE THAT DAY IN PRAYER
YOU PRAYED, "MY GOD, ARE YOU REALLY THERE?"
GOD KNEW WHAT SHOULD BE DONE
TO SAVE THE WORLD HE SENT HIS SON
I WAS THE ONE THAT SHOULD HAVE DIED
INSTEAD YOU CHOSE TO BE CRUCIFIED
YOU SUFFERED THERE IN PAIN SO MAN
COULD LIVE AGAIN TO FULFILL YOUR PLAN

I WAS ON MY KNEES AGAIN IN PRAYER
I PRAYED "MY GOD, ARE YOU STILL THERE?"
FORGIVE ME OF MY FAITHLESS THOUGHT
AND THANK YOU FOR THE LOVE YOU BROUGHT
AND LORD I KNOW YOU WERE THE ONE
WHO GAVE TO US YOUR ONLY SON
TO SET US FREE FROM PAIN AND SIN
SO WE COULD LIVE WITH YOU AGAIN

(This is also a song. Go to www.soundclick.com/share?songid=5936299