The Storm-From My Prayer Journal My Prayer:

Lord, I have come to seek Your face
In You Lord, I need to establish a place
Please open my understanding
And let my perspective be expanding
How I need You, my soul is crying
At times I feel like dying

Oh God, You are the Potter of this clay
Please show me where I belong, show me the way
I need direction in this hour
Lord, come quickly and reveal Your power
For I am fragile and unable
It is You, my Rock that makes me stable

There is no other anchor like my Rock
It is the only one that can help the ship dock
My ship is drifting in uncharted seas
How I need You to pilot me
Because I feel a storm is brewing
And all the ships’ equipment needs renewing

I long for Thee my Lord to come and save me from the storm
I feel tossed and bruised and torn
At this time the waters are only murky
But all around I feel danger lurking
I need to know that You’re on board
And that the destination is assured

Please bring the end into view
Make the goal and docking to my heart true
I need to have an aim
A place to set my heart and claim
Where are we going Lord, from here?
Come Lord Jesus, and tell me Dear

Answer from the Lord:
You, my child are wayward in your thinking
Your mind is at unrest and shrinking
It is withdrawing from the fight
Because of fear in the night
You are fearful, daughter, and draw back

You can’t sit still in the middle of the sea
If you do, where will your ship be?
You must move on into the lane
You’ve got to move before it becomes plain
You can’t just sit still and watch it rain

Lift those sails and let the wind blow
I’ve sent the wind, and it knows which way to go
Forward and out from the place you’re in
Is where you must start, where you begin
You won’t be a loser, if you’ll trust Me, you’ll WIN
-Barbara Nickles
June 25, 1988

HURT AND PAIN-A PRISON WALL

 Hurt and pain are sometimes like a prison wall
They sneak in unawares and slowly begin to build
Up go the walls thick and tall
Until one day you find yourself looking 
     from inside out, at it all
Wondering where you are and how you arrived
At a place with no joy, how will you survive?
To every side you go in turn, touching each wall
There is no escape; down on your face you fall
Finally, as if by chance,You give an upward glance
Through the cloud a ray of light shines out
“Are you willing to come out?”
I hear a loud voice shout
Then with a deep look within the heart
I answer, “I can’t stay here, where do I start?”
Admit to the pain and need of a physician
And let God heal you and change your position
Reach outward and upward and open your heart
The closing in was your trouble from the start
For the walls you built to stop the pain
Also brought the clouds and rain
Open up and allow the love of His sunshine to flow
The walls will disappear, who knows where they go?
The light has come, all darkness and the dread has fled
Your heart just feels like singing,
Smiles come easier faces are brighter
Why? Because within you God has become mightier
Mightier than all of the hurts
Mightier than the fears and pain
His peace has come, and you just know, “My God reigns”
Free at last from the prison wall
Because His love has filled you all in all!
Gone is the pain, hurt and fear
Replaced with peace, gladness and cheer
The Blessed Great Physician
With His healing power has changed my position
Now I can rejoice and praise His name
For Christ has healed me from my pain.         
                   -Barbara Nickles         
                   January 13, 1983

A glimpse into my prayer journal

            I love God’s voice of correction.
God is so loving and kind and even when He disciplines. 
From me to God:
Thank you for Your help and correction
In keeping me in the right direction
I know You love me and I thank You for it
I don’t deserve it one little bit
I am weak and at times self-willed
But I don’t like it when I’m billed
Every time I’m sure to pay
If in Your discipline I desire to stay
So keep correcting
Even when I’m objecting
You know what’s best for me
And I long to in You be
Please look at my heart
And search me from finish to start
You know what’s best to satisfy
Even when I bellow and cry… 

The Lord to me:
You (Lord) are saying arise and awake
Because there is so very much at stake
I’ll give you strength and the grace
If only you’ll seek My Place
Do not resist My hand of correction
Or you’ll be headed in the wrong direction
Stir yourself and arise to shine
I desire to show that you are Mine
How can I My glory reveal
When you rant and rave and kick and squeal?
Do not point your finger at another
Your not the judge of your brother
I am the shepherd of the sheep
And all the records I do keep
So trust Me and know I care
For My love and mercy is beyond compare,
MY ways are just and I know the score
It is not your job and it’s not your chore;
To make another walk in line
For the other is also Mine
So look to yourself and do not forget
To place in My hand all worry and debt
The price I have paid and the way I have made
So daughter be encouraged in Me today
Come to Me more often to pray
And in My plan I’ll cause you to stand
It won’t be easy all the time
But you can do it because you’re Mine
Put off your ways and feelings of regret,
Daughter of Mine, You’ll be a winner yet!!                             
         -Barbara Nickles                               
             July 11, 1987    

Dear Friends, Life is an exciting journey when you place your life in Christ’s care. Years ago I wrote the following poem on the back of an envelope while sitting in the laundry mat as I meditated on the will of God. It is still my heart’s cry:

It’s Your will that I desire

Lord help me walk in your perfect will today
Oh Lord my father just show me Thy way
And if my feet should even begin to stray
Check me God I pray

For it’s Your perfect will that I desire
More than any other thing I value it higher
You know my heart, my will, and my mind
Keep me in Your plan and don’t let me get behind

Neither allow me to run ahead
On a solid path I desire to tread
When I am weak and loose my vision
Don’t let me deviate from my mission

Instead, prod me with your rod
Correct me Oh my God
And teach me to depend upon Thee
And never Lord to trust in me

For I know how really weak I am
But with You leading I know “I can”
Trod the path that was lain for me
From the beginning of time Oh Lord in Thee

Just don’t ever let me slip from the road
So when time is gone and I am old,
I can shout the victory shout,
“Satan, I’ve won and you are out”

The faith I’ve kept, the race I’ve run
Come take me home now Lord for in You I’ve won
Nothing in the world could ever compare
With the glory I now share!

Barbara Nickles 1982

I am excited about this new venture of blogging. I am looking forward to sharing many things with others that are close to my heart.