~*~ Flame Of Hope ~*~

I saw you reaching out somehow
I felt your heart of care
Your heartbeat for a stranger
The love you sought to share

I saw you going in by air and boat
To lift a motherless child
When there was no-one else who could
I saw your gentle smile

I saw you cuddle close a crying tot
Though she was not your own
You held her sorrow to your heart
So she was not alone

I saw so many different folk together
Sharing all they had
Touching with a gift of love
To make another glad

I saw the heart of God
In all you sought to do
The flame of hope yet burning bright
Within the gentleness of you

God of our life,
there are days when the burdens we carry
chafe our shoulders and weigh us down;
when the road seems dreary and endless,
the skies grey and threatening;
when our lives have no music in them,
and our hearts are lonely,
and our souls have lost their courage.
Flood the path with light, run our eyes to where the skies are full of promise;
tune our hearts to Your brave music;
give us the sense of comradeship with heroes
and saints of every age;
and so quicken our spirits that we may be able to encourage the souls
of all who journey with us on the road of life,
to Your honour and glory.
Augustine

In the midst of this raw view of man's struggle,
I have seen and heard of Christ's light shining through,
radiating out of the darkness.
Men giving their own lives in order
to save others. God's people leading prayer services
in the filth of the New Orleans Superdome.
-in the middle of the war zone, silently praying,
Services of worship rising forth
in the mist of knee-high rubble.
creating bubbles of peace
that invite those around them
into a sanctuary only the Holy Spirit can provide.
I have no doubt we will hear tale after tale
of God's miracles in lives
bringing forth good news
in action, word and thought.
Katherine