Friday, March 28, 2008


I wish you love,
I wish you peace.
I wish your soul
sweet hope and release.

Where fears may rise
in darkness' night
I wish you love,

I wish you peace.
I wish you hope,

I wish you grace,
I wish your life
Love’s gentle embrace
While winds may roar
And storms may rage
I wish you hope
I wish you grace.

And let mercy flow,
Compassion arise
To soften our hearts
And open our eyes
A river of grace.

Let comfort come
For our tears and pain
To find release
Again and again
Embraced by love
We cling to grace
To rest in hope
and live in peace

Not I wish you yolk!



Thursday, March 20, 2008



Let us celebrate the greatest wonder of the universe

The God who comes to us,

unbidden.
The God who loves us as we are,
unconditionally

regardless of our actions,
our history,

our shame,
our disgrace

our faithlessness.
A God who refuses to turn away from you, from me,
even when pierced by our self righteous nails,
Death could not separate love from his goal.

Could it ever be possible that we could discard our strivings,

leaving behind our religious works and false piety
and simply receive this divine gift ;
love.


Wednesday, March 19, 2008


I’M LEARNING TO BE LOVED

I’m learning to be loved, I’m learning to receive

A love that is unearned, unmerited and free.

This love I can receive not struggling to achieve.

I’m learning to be loved.

I’m learning to be loved, this miracle of grace

That finds me as I am and shows me heaven’s face,

Eyes that see my pain, hands that know my shame.

I’m learning to be loved.

This love that knows no end,

This love that knows no bounds,

This love that reaches out

Before my silent prayers.

This heart of heaven speaks

Of grace that mercy meets

Within this heart of mine,

Within this heart of mine

I’m knocking on the door that opens from inside,

I’m seeking for the truth that alone I cannot find.

A wisdom that is shown, a truth that is made known

I’m learning to be loved.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008


Tell me why.

Tell me why
Why are we fearful?
Perfect love is the end of all fear.
We are loved so perfectly,
Graced, forgiven and free.

Tell me why,
Why are we guilty,
When his grace is sufficient for all?
We are graced overwhelmingly,
Loved forgiven and free.

Freedom comes, freedom comes,
Freedom comes to unburden my heart
And lighten my soul.
Freedom comes, freedom comes,
Freedom comes in mercy and grace
And love.

Tell me why, why are you hiding
Love and grace has come to us all
We are loved unconditionally,

Graced unmerited, free.

Monday, March 17, 2008




Hymn of love

Love has called
This love has come
Love overwhelming
Love divine.
Love that can melt
This heart of stone
Love has captured me.

Breaking through
My every fear,
Overcoming every tear
Gently healing
This heavy heart
Love has captured me.

Pure and perfect love,
Love for every heart
More than all mankind
Could ever know
Love so strong and free.
Pure and perfect love,
Love that knows no bounds,
And through all creation,
Heaven and earth,
Love, pure love.

Astounding me
I’m lost in awe
Caught in the wonder
Of it all.
How then can I
Contain it all,
Love has captured me.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008


In the deepest darkest night
When all alone in fear and fright
Helpless, hopeless, I will say;
There will come a better day.

In the wild and stormy seas
Dark clouds rolling over me
A still small voice, I hear it say;
There will come a better day.

Through the valley of my fears
Across the deserts strewn with tears,
In the silence I will say
There will come as better day.

I can never be alone
When I’m hiding far from home,
This hope will never turn away
there will come a better day

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

This picture has been sourced from the internet


This is a letter from a friend that I received this morning:

I am amazed at how God continues to find me, even when I'm not particularly looking for Him.
On the weekend I was in Redfern, in the inner city area of Sydney, taking photographs. I had noticed a little earlier in the afternoon a junkie couple scowling at me for walking through the area with a camera and it occurred to me that perhaps I was making myself a big target. Not long after I was in a back alley photographing an old terrace house when I was suddenly accosted by a threatening figure.
"Come here mate... I want to talk to you. I need to get something to eat and if you give me some money, I'll be nice to you."
There was no doubt that he was putting the acid on me. I was a long way from my natural habitat with an expensive camera around my neck and the only prayer that came up from my heart was, "Please Lord, don't let him take my camera." I reached into my wallet and pulled out $20, nonchelantly saying, "sure mate, no problems." My overiding thought was that if I could get out of this situation for $20 it would be a very good deal.
As soon as I gave him the money, his whole demeanor changed towards me. He said, "well thanks a lot, My name is Jack and I come from Broadmeadow in Newcastle. I've been living on the streets here in Sydney for the last three months and it's been aweful. I got kicked out of my house in Newcastle and I couldn't find anywhere else to live and I ended up here in Sydney and now for three months I've been living without any welfare payments on the street."
As I walked up the alley onto the main road (and safety!) I said to Jack, "well I'm really sorry to hear that Jack, it must be very difficult." I wasn't really feeling any sympathy for Jack - I just wanted to negotiate myself into a more favourable situation.
When we got to the corner Jack stopped and looked me right in the eyes; "Would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me? I'll shout you a cup of tea" (with my money!!!)
I said, "no thanks Jack, I've got to get on".
What happened next was very strange. Jack stopped, looked at me and said, "I'm a good Christian, you know. Thanks for being nice to me. I'll say a prayer for you."
I was a little shocked and didn't really know how to respond and still felt a little dubious about the Chirstian virtue of Jack the Standover Man. To be nice I said, "Well thankyou Jack and God bless you."
Jack tilted his head a little to the side and said, "Well would you like me to say a prayer for you right now?"
I said, "Well thanks that would be lovely"
Jack took off the cap he was wearing and held it to his chest. From two feet away he looked deep into my eyes and began to pray "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed by thy Name..." As he prayed I felt as if I was surrounded by the love of God, and this street, that had been just a few moments ago a place of hostility, felt like it was home.
When he finished his prayer, Jack took my hand in both of his, blessed me in the name of God and we parted company.
It occurred to me that I had never been coerced into giving money to anyone on the streets of my leafy suburb in Turramurra. But then again, neither have I ever received any kind of prayer from a neighbour, let alone one that was suffused with the love of God. It made me realise that with every act we take to protect ourselves, we are also making ourselves difficult to reach. Whole communities can be built on this premise. No downside, but no genuine connection either.
I'm not saying Jack was a great saint in disguise, but who knows, maybe he was. I do know that I want to be reachable by the Lord more than I am and that I don't have enough Jacks in my life.


Monday, March 10, 2008


Let there be light
when your hopes have all ended
Let there be light
when your dreams have all died
Let there be light
when the world shouts you down,
Oh Lord, let there be light.

Let there be light
when your fears turn to failures
Let there be light
in the helpless, hopeless night
Let there be light
with a future full of tears.
Oh Lord, let the be light.

For I'm praying there'll be light
in the darkness of my soul
I'm hoping there is truth
In the things that I've been told.
I'm praying for the morning
to break the deepest night
Oh Lord, let there be light.

Let there be light
when the darkness is descending
Let there be light
when the night is closing in.
Let there be light
when you're lost and far from home
Oh Lord, let there be light