He Guides My Path – The Writing of Sarah Berthelson

 This was my plea for almost four years
 There were much heartache and many a tear

Shay came into this world and I am thankful he was a boy.
 Don’t give up if you want a baby God maybe saying a little later

I have been so weary with fear

Someone I love and hold so dear

Became ill and needed some care

God answered someone’s prayer

Father I did not want to fear

I wanted my faith to be very clear

Yet fear crept in and I needed help

I phone friends and emailed for prayer

For the healing of the one I love

God answered someone’s prayer

The doctor did not call when I needed to hear

That all is well and the test was clear

I begged and pleaded for you to intervene

You did Lord Jesus the test was clean

God answered someone’s prayer

I stand in awe of the privilege of prayer

You are there waiting to hear

Our heartache and burdens that we fear

Thank you for answered prayer

My loved one is fine and I know that you heal

God answered someone’s prayer

Thank you Father for the children that look up to me

They are so small and innocent always so care free

The desire of my heart is for them to know and love you

To realize that you knew each one before they were born

You have a purpose for each tiny life

May they find You early on to help with the strife

I cannot imagine what temptations they will face

As I look at what is in the world today

No one to look up to and no safe place to play

My Father I know that you love them more than I

So please take care of them where I will not cry

Bless them dear God and keep them from harm

May they serve You daily

Keep your loving arms around them

Allow each one to feel your love so warm

My dad instilled in me to fear snakes
He did a very good job and I do not like them
I was walking home from Bible School one day
There in the gravel road was this huge snake
Long as the road, I am very sure
I was so frightened I could not think
Went about a mile out of the way just not to pass the snake
Got home to mama and began to cry, telling her about my fear
I know he could have had me for lunch if only I got near
It was a big yellow snake with stripes I am sure
Could be a coral snake, or a cobra I feared
You do not find those snakes in Mississippi I hear
My mother smiled to my dismay, and told me it was a king snake
A friend to the farmer, not poison ,she said
Oh what a frightful experience I had
I was afraid of snakes and I still am!!

What has happened to some folks today?
Playing with drugs and thinking they will be OK.
Married people are having affairs, what has happened?
Our young people are confused, drink alcohol, and drive too fast.
Then something happens and parent are bewildered.
Sometimes it just takes looking at yourself
To see what went wrong with the one you loved so dear.
We worry, we fret and desire to keep them near,
Yet we live such a life that our kids regret.
All children desire a stable family,
Someone they can honor and look up to.
As you read this poem you need to ask
‘Did I or my child go astray?’.
If it is you then you need to pray

Many of our young people can see our hypocrisy

I have had them tell me what their mother or father is like

They tell me to behave and not to drink

Their bar is full and they ask their friends

In for a drink, they like to party but tell me not to

What is this kid suppose to do, I feel I will hurt them

If I share how I feel, I wish they would stop this

Partying and drinking , just for them to be what they ask of me!!

Today it is cloudy and I am depressed
It really is true the weather effects my mood
I want to be happy and make people laugh
Maybe tomorrow the sun will be bright
I don’t like the darkness, I prefer the light
You aren’t sympathetic with folks like me
That is alright but someday you may see
The days that are gloomy you will feel sad too
I can’t remember feeling this way until my son died
Now when the sunshine is gone, I often cry
He was so wonderful and I loved him so
Often he was depressed and I did not know
What depression was like, not much did I do
I tried to comfort him and tell him things would be alright
Now I can thank God for the depression I have
To the ones that suffer, now I know
You are hurting and can’t take away the clouds
Maybe tomorrow the sun will shine.

People are so busy doing their thing, there is no time for God
Their plans have been made and the games they will play
When in the world will we have time to pray
Oh I can pray as I rush around, yes we can
He said, ‘Be still and know that I am God’
Just checking out God’s word gives me comfort each day
The Lord is my shepherd and I shall not want
Call unto me and I will answer you
These are two little phrases that He promised me
I just need to stop and reflect on thee
He answers my prayers, not always in the way I sought
But He always answers them best for me and in His time
I am so thankful He did not answer some of my prayers
That I prayed long ago in the way I begged him to do
I would not be married to the man I have if God had listened to me
If I had not waited on Him, I would not be living in this house
God’s words are true and they comfort me everyday
I am the one that has to make time to spend with Him
He is just a prayer away-Be still and hear

Today, I bought a new Bible,
Just because I wanted to.
I have worn out three or four.
Reading His word makes me want more
 
I know the Bible is His inspired word.
It speaks to me like nothing I’ve heard.
He is there, just speaking to me.
 
Every verse speaks to me so clearly
That I know He spoke to me, dearly.
He loves me because He tells me so.
 
God is my Savior, my Friend, my Confidant.
I can tell Him anything and He listens.
All the little things, in my life, are important to Him.
That is the reason I pray, all day, to my Father.
 
He answers my prayers in such mysterious ways.
Most inexpertly things fall in place.
He is so wonderful and gives me His grace.
 
God’s Holy word is so precious to me,
Because He tells me what He wants me to be.
He sends me on ministry that I would not think of,
Because He loves me and asks me to serve Him.
 
Jesus asked His disciples to spread the word.
He asked me to do the same, in this old world.
I thank Him, today, for using a worm; like me.
He can see a butterfly that will soon be.
Obedience is what He asks of me.

God has given us many gifts and some are right under our nose
We do not think of them from day to day or even smell a rose
There is so much that He gives us each day that we forget to say thanks
Today I would like to thank him for a boy named Patrick that is so special to me
He is handsome and bright and such a delight that I want to thank you today
For putting this young man into my life to show me your love in this way
He lives in Jackson, Mississippi and that is far away
Yet he calls a dear old aunt just to let her know he is there
Patrick is only nine years old but a blessing to have and to hold
He is in my heart you see, even though he lives far away
Not a day goes by that I don’t think about him and say a little prayer
That God will take care of him and bless him today as he goes along his way
It may be to school or the mall with his folks or just go out to play
I know God will take care of this precious one because he has touched my life in many ways
He is not ashamed to show love to his mom, dad and grandparents too
That may not be cool for all young people to do
Patrick is one of the coolest young men that this old aunt has met along her way
Thank you God for Patrick Carpenter today!!!

  
As a  Christian I have gone through scary times
 I have been frightened by being alone 
God’s calming grace was there for me
  
I would go to sleep instead of weeping
 Many times I have had medical tests
 The fears were overwhelming
 I would ask, God just calm me, then His calming grace appeared
 
There have been several surgies
 God’s calming grace was there within
  
My children were sick in the middle of the night
 Then God’s calming grace I could feel
 
Going through the grief of losing my son 
To suicide was more than I thought I could bear
 God’s calming grace was there every time
  
He gave it when this child needed it 
Everywhere I went after my son’s death
 I would remember when he was with me at that place
 
Sometimes I would see someone that resembled my child
 I wanted to run after them, to give them a hug
 Maybe just look closer in their face
 
I knew I couldn’t do that, then came God’s Calming Grace!!