Don't Worry About Tomorrow

Don’t spend your time worrying

About what will come tomorrow,

Anticipating trouble

With dread or with sorrow,

Or let your anxieties

Keep you awake at night,

Cowering in the darkness,

Filled with pain and fright.

There’s no need to worry

Or to have a troubled soul,

But put your trust in God,

Knowing He is in control.

Release your anxieties

And get some peaceful rest,

Give your troubles to the Lord,

Who always knows what’s best.

Connie Arnold

Autumn Changes

In autumn the leaves start changing 

to colors rich and bright,

and soon they all

will begin to fall,

creating an artistic sight.

The green that in summer was seen 

on the branches of every tree 

has now turned to gold

and reds quite bold;
this change is delightful to see.

The exquisite beauty of nature
when leaves begin to die,
as vibrant shades abound,
covering the ground,
leads us to wonder why.
Why such a glorious tribute
to what is almost past?
Crackling leaves drying
in this season of dying;
their splendor cannot last.

Changes come into each life

in what has happened before.

Though all things must end,

on God you can depend

to bring beauty to life once more.
excerpt of A Symphony of Seasons
© Connie Arnold
http://conniearnold.webs.com/books.htm

On God You Can Rely

Sunshine returns when the clouds roll away,

Spring comes once winter is through,

After the night comes the following day,

After showers a rainbow comes into view.

On the beauty of nature we can rely

As surely as God creates birds to fly.

Again joy returns following sorrow,

Healing can come after suffering pain,

At the day’s end we have hope for tomorrow,

And enjoy blooming flowers after the rain.

On God’s comfort and blessings we can rely

As surely as there is a sun in the sky.

Excerpt from Abundant Comfort and Grace
by Connie Arnold

Finding Peace

Moving closer to God

may bring peace into one’s life,

gravitating towards serenity,

away from the stress and strife.

The essence of peace is found

in knowing God is in control,

trusting that God will calm the storms,

bringing peace to a troubled soul.

No matter the situation

or how uncertain life may seem,

with God we experience hope and love

far greater than what we dream.

© Connie Arnold

Love and Light Came for All

Love and Light came at Christmastime,

a gift from God, divine and sublime,

offered freely to everyone,

the gift of God’s only beloved Son.

The light of a star shining radiantly

glittered with hope for humanity,

a glimpse of the peace that was meant to be

and of God’s power and majesty.

The world was trapped in the darkness of sin

until the Light of Christ entered in,

revealing God’s mercy, love and grace,

shining on people of every race.

The world was changed by this Love and Light

when Jesus was born on that special night.

Through the centuries, celebrating His birth,

joy is found in the miracle of God coming to earth.

 © Connie Arnold

Life is Good

  

 

Life is good in spite of pain,

For sunshine follows after rain.

When life at times is filled with sorrow,

Hope arises for a brighter tomorrow.

Without the struggles in life to bear

It might be harder to be aware

Of the gracious love poured into each soul,

Strengthening, healing, making it whole.

Look for the good things in life each day

And receive the blessings directed your way.

Discover the joy and love that abound,

And the heart of God is what you have found.

Connie Arnold

 

Love and Light

 Love and light, together as one,

revealed to the world through God’s own Son,

came that first Christmas, long ago

beaming from heaven to the earth below.

Love burst forth onto the earth

as a brilliant star marked the spot of Christ’s birth.

The heavens were filled with a radiant light

as angels came to the shepherds that night.

The glory that streamed from heaven above

was a beacon of God’s marvelous love.

As love and light pierced the darkness of earth,

the world changed forever at Jesus’ birth.

The love and light that the Lord displayed

is shimmering still on all He has made.

When we open our hearts to let it in

the beauty of Christ will shine from within.

© Connie Arnold

www.conniearnold.webs.com

How Great the Love

 

How Great the Love

The love of God, how great it is,
so marvelous and pure!
It never falters, never fails;
it always will endure.
It reaches higher than the heavens,
deeper than the sea.
God’s love surrounds His whole creation –-
how He cares for me!
 

This love we could never hope to earn
because of our own merit,
But as children of God, through our dear brother Christ,
we become free to inherit.
Nothing can separate us from God’s love
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
We are precious to Him, so dearly beloved,
ever cherished and adored.

© Connie Arnold
excerpt from Beautiful Moments of Joy and Peace

Get a free copy of Loving Inspirations eBook - see details on my website

Seeking God

If you are seeking God,
just stop and look around.

His presence is everywhere,

waiting to be found.

He’s in the faces of people

you meet along your way,

in the smiles that greet you

and brighten up your day.

His glory is seen in nature,

in the beauty of flowers and trees,

and felt in the warm sunshine,

a strong wind or a gentle breeze.

Signs of God’s presence surround you,

evidence that He always cares,

so open your heart to receive Him

and the love He so willingly shares.

© Connie Arnold, August 2012



A Mixture

Life seems a mixture of good and bad,

At times being happy but sometimes sad,

Times of darkness and others of light,

Doing what's wrong or what is right.

Through all things you are going through,

Remember the Lord is there for you,

Ready to help when you are sad,

Removing your sorrow and making you glad.

The darkness is pierced by God's loving light;

By following Him you can do what is right.

With faith in your heart, trust God even more

And receive more blessings than ever before.

© Connie Arnold

 

Glimpses of Grace

 

 To catch a glimpse of God's grace

We need only to look around,

At any time or in any place

Evidence of God's grace may be found,

Just look at the world around you

And you will see this is true.

"...and from his fullness 

we have all received grace upon grace."

 

Life is much better when you laugh and play,

Take some time each day to pray,

Look for the good in everything,

Discover a joyful song to sing.

"Make a joyful noise to the Lord; 

break forth into joyous song and sing praises!"

The earth is filled with God's majesty,

This splendor crowns all of creation,

All that has been or that will be

Are touched with divine inspiration.

"Splendor and majesty are before him: 

strength and beauty are in his sanctuary."

These are a few samples from my new 2012 Glimpses of Grace calendar. All the photos are by Gary Strader and each month has one of them, one of my verses and a short scripture, all revealing glimpses of God's grace and beauty. Praying this will be a blessing for many, daily reminders of God's grace and love in their lives! Enjoy, feel free to share, and you can order for yourself or for gifts from my website, RPJ & Company or Amazon.

The Brightness of God's Grace

God’s grace is abundantly evident

In the dawning of each new day

As the sunrise brightens the morning sky,

Chasing the darkness away.

 As sunlight breaks through gathering clouds,

Streaming down rays from above,

The world is brightened as are our hearts

When touched by God’s grace and love.

 When storms of life darken your day

God offers a safe, protected place,

And like a rainbow after the rain

Shines the bright promise of hope and grace.

© Connie Arnold  2011

All photos © Gary Strader - please visit his site to see more of his beautiful photos. He provided the photos for Abundant Comfort and Grace, and for our soon to be released 2012 calendar, Glimpses of Grace, which has Gary's beautiful photos on each month along with my verses and scriptures. You can see these on my website. Please let me know if you'd like to pre-order a copy of the calendar for yourself or gift at 30% off through June.

God is Very Near

 

In the silence of the morning

while the grass is wet with dew,

as the sun slowly brightens

a day that's fresh and new,

the chirping of a bird

is the only sound you hear,

and awareness dawns within

that God is very near.

In the hustle and the bustle

of a busy, active day,

with no time for reflection

as you go along your way,

the beauty may be missed,

nature's sounds you may not hear,

but although you may be unaware,

God still is very near.

In the ending of the day,

at the fading of the light

as you make your preparations

to go to bed at night,

before you close your eyes,

as the nighttime sounds you hear,

give thanks that you can sleep in peace

since God is very near.

© Connie Arnold

Shaking Our Faith

When tragedies happen
and disasters occur
we’re often left in despair,
dazed and discouraged,
depressed and unsure,
wondering why God doesn’t care.

As the earth shifts and groans,
quivers and quakes,
and walls are reduced to rubble,
our faith often falters,
stumbles and shakes
when faced with times of trouble.

We sometimes blame God
for the terrible things
that cause agony and dismay,
forgetting the peace and
healing God brings
to those who don’t turn away.

Through the grief and pain,
all of life’s sorrow,
God remains steady and true,
supporting and lifting
to face each tomorrow,
providing the strength to get through.

God never leaves us
alone to face
the trials this world has in store,
but with mercy, kindness,
goodness and grace,
God’s love does continually pour.

© Connie Arnold

Revealing Love

Appealing,

Revealing,

Tenderly healing,

Love should be thoughtful and kind,

Through sharing

And caring,

Souls sweetly baring,

Love ought to bring peace of mind.

With kisses,

Caresses,

As God freely blesses,

Love can be daily shown,

Through giving,

Forgiving,

Joyfully living,

Love may be beautifully known.

© Connie Arnold, 2011 from e-book, Loving Inspirations, free with book purchase, see my website for details

The Only Day

photo © Gary Strader

 

This day is the only day

We have in the here and now,

So it’s important to find a way

To make a difference somehow.

Yesterday is already past,

What is done cannot be undone,

And future days which arrive so fast

Must be taken one by one.

Spending your time looking ahead

Or reliving what happened before

May fill you with a sense of dread

Or regret, when there could be much more.

Discover beauty each day you live,

Find the gift that’s waiting for you,

Soak in the love that God has to give,

Offer thanks in all that you do.

© Connie Arnold, 2010

read more poems on website blog

Life is Good

Life is good

When you look for the good,

Seeking the beauty and light,

Finding a way

To brighten the day,

Trying to do what is right.

The joy life can bring

Will make your heart sing

When life is pleasant and sweet,

But when problems arise,

Take you by surprise,

They may knock you off your feet.

Life is still good

If only you could

Look past the sorrow and pain,

Lifting your eyes

As you realize

How much there is to gain.

Through the cloud of tears

As your vision clears

There is beauty for you to find,

Like the sun on your face

Feel the touch of God’s grace,

Let God’s love fill your soul and mind.

from Abundant Comfort and Grace