He Will See You Through eBook

Even when I walk through a dark valley, I fear no harm for You are at my side; Your rod and staff give me courage.

Psalm 23:4 Compiled and edited by Jennifer Grimaldi Illustrated by Frank Massa, Paul Scully, Russell BushĂŠe, Marion Quimby, Dorian Lee Remine, and Robert VanSteinburg

He Will See You Through CONTENTS Page There’s Beauty Everywhere ....................3 Flowers in God’s Garden....4 Rough Roads ....................6 A Quiet Mind ....................7 He Makes a Dark World Bright ..................8 Count Your Blessings ......10 The Loving Hand of God..11 His Gifts ..........................12 To Make a Choice ..........14 Light Up Your Life ..........15

Page As Night Begins to Fall ............................16 Autumn Sojourn ..............19 Autumn Reflections ........20 Sunshine and Music ........22 Let Today Be the Day......23 Life Isn’t Always Easy ......24 The River Song ................26 Why It Had to Be ............28 My Prayer for You ..........30 Every Morning ................31 Trusting ..........................32

We wish to thank the authors whose works have contributed to this book. Any omissions, upon notification, will be corrected in subsequent issues.

Cover art: ©GoodOlga/istockphoto.com

©61096 Copyright 2010

by Salesian Missions All Rights Reserved.

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Recycled paper

We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28

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There’s Beauty Everywhere There’s beauty in a drop of rain Upon a fragrant flower As it glistens in the sun After a brief shower.

There’s beauty in a curly tress Disheveled and windblown, And a chubby freckled face – The child that is your own.

There’s beauty in a sprouting seed Upon a sturdy vine That eventually may feed Somebody at sometime.

Beauty need not be a work Of art divine and rare; It is the handiwork of God And present everywhere.

Elsie Natalie Brady

A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he who finds one finds a treasure.

Sirach 6:14

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Flowers in God’s Garden He who grows a garden, Finds joy within his soul, And wondrous peace through beauty in The splendor he beholds!

It may not be a garden, wide, Or one so great or grande – But it will always pleasure give If tended by one’s own hand.

We till the soil, where e’er the site, Then tiny seeds we sow – We pray for God to bless them there And make our garden grow.

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Eventually, tiny buds appear, Followed by blossoms sweet.

We’re overjoyed with pleasure and pride; Our venture is complete!

We’re the flowers in God’s garden; He planted – He nourished, we grew.

I pray He, too, will find pleasure In the blossoms of me and you!

Mary S. Chevalier Those who sow in tears will reap with cries of joy.

Psalm 126:5

5

Rough Roads How many rough roads have you traveled Thinking you had lost your way?

But when life’s roads bring us to our knees, It is there we learn to pray.

In times like these God has His reasons To increase our faith in Him. Too many times when the way is easy We drift with the crowd into sin.

So, thank You, Lord, for the trials You see fit to send our way, To keep our focus on the One Who is our guide day after day.

M. Elaine Fowser

6

A Quiet Mind Lord, help me to have a quiet mind With nothing to weigh me down; May foolish pride just drift away, Plant my feet on steady ground.

Savior, guide me in Your service, When my voice sounds forth Your praise, Let my hands reach out to others In a host of different ways.

Give to me Thy mighty power To sustain me day by day.

Help me witness with great boldness, Hear my prayers each time I pray.

Add Your strength in time of weakness, Comfort me when I know fear; In my daily walk and service, May I keep You always near.

Frances Culp Wolfe Restore my joy in your salvation; sustain in me a willing spirit.

Psalm 51:14

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He Makes a Dark World Bright I walked across the meadow Through a carpet bright as gold.

It was an enchanted field of daisies Shimmering brilliantly and bold.

I dared not pick a flower, As it would have disturbed the glorious sight, For I know my God created it To make a dark world bright.

The stream beside the meadow Trickled slowly down the hill While a meadowlark flew over, Screeching a loud shrill.

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The trees were blushing brightly With leaves of scarlet red, All magnified with brilliance By the sun shining overhead.

It’s the same with all of God’s people; We shine with His pure light.

He made us for His glory To make a dark world bright.

Shirley Hile Powell

9

Count Your Blessings Count your blessings every day, They’re everywhere on life’s highway; For if your heart is full of hope, You are blessed, for you can cope.

Count your blessings one-by-one And I think that when you’re done, You’ll be thankful for this tide Of blessings that are by your side.

Count your blessings and when you do, Remember the skies of blue-on-blue; Remember that God gives you each day – And the many blessings that come your way.

Nora M. Bozeman

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The Loving Hand of God When life with all its struggles Just seems to pass you by, True happiness is gone from life, You only sit and sigh.

The joy is gone from living, The tears run down your face.

The world is full of sorrow, Which time cannot erase.

The only way to ease the pain Is to take hold of God’s hand; It will uplift and guide you, Through the barren, lonely land.

God will plant your feet upon a rock, Give you peace and courage too, And you will never feel alone – He will always be with you.

Frances Culp Wolfe Lord, You are kind and forgiving, most loving to all who call on You. Psalm 86:5

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His Gifts Lord, help me to live each day You give Wisely in ways You would have me to live…

Forgetting self but remembering more Those dejected, the suffering, the poor…

May I lift them up in fervent prayer, Assuring them of Thy love and care.

Let me thank You too, for the beauty You bring In Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring; Each one with a special beauty You wrought, And on angels’ wings to earth were brought.

Ah! No earthly artist could e’er compare To all Thy gifts, so rich and rare!

Oh, let me not take for granted these gifts That bless my heart and my spirit lifts…

A love that nourishes my body and soul Just knowing You’re near and in control Brings me joy and peace and tranquility, And grace to always trust in Thee.

Lou Ella Cullipher

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Majestic and glorious is Your work, Your wise design endures forever.

Psalm 111:3

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To Make a Choice Sometimes I pray for things I think I need And wait eagerly for answers in vain.

Forgive me, Lord, for my foolish requests And thank You for Your patience once again.

When my prayers go unanswered, I know What I was seeking wasn’t in Your plan.

Since I have learned to humbly seek Your will In faith and love, I clearly understand.

You know full well my problems and concerns For making right decisions I can’t boast.

Your answers are wiser than my prayers; Please, Lord, just choose for me what I need most.

Viola Zumalt 14

Light Up Your Life Light up your life with faith, love and hope; Look to the Lord for the courage to cope.

So many challenges, so many tears Envelope our lifetime and cause all our fears.

We flounder in shadows, lost in the dark; But God shines a beacon from which to embark.

We just need to follow and keep Him in sight, To place all our faith in His guiding light.

If we repent and seek absolution For sins of the past, we can make restitution.

When we show love to those who defied us, Peace will prevail, and God’s love will guide us.

The dark clouds around us will soon dissipate, As the light of our Savior will then radiate.

He promised safe harbor in the midst of our plight, If only we follow in His pathways of light.

God’s blessed assurance can abolish your strife; For faith, hope and love will then light up your life.

Patience Allison Hartbauer

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As Night Begins to Fall It’s twilight time and fireflies Are coming out to play, With their tiny lanterns glowing, To mark the end of the day.

Birdsong echoes from the trees As night begins to fall, And the scent of jasmine fills the air Beyond the garden wall.

The moon and stars grow brighter now And cast a gentle glow, Where the magnolias lie sleeping Along mulberry row.

The sights and sounds of summertime Make pleasant memories And scents we’ll always treasure

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From happy days like these.

There’s magic on a moonlit night When earth is all aglow.

You can almost hear angel wings When gentle breezes blow.

If God is looking down tonight, How happy He must be To see the wonders of this world He made for you and me.

Clay Harrison

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May he be like rain coming down upon the fields, like showers watering the earth, that abundance may flourish in his days, great bounty, till the moon be no more.

Psalm 72:6-7

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Autumn Sojourn Mother Nature takes a sojourn In the Autumn of the year; To celebrate a bountiful harvest, And to fly her flags of cheer.

She dabs her brush in the color wheel To splash brilliance all around: Gold for maple, oak trees smeared with red, A flourish of leaves to burnish the ground.

Ripening corn is a russet brown, A weathered old barn crammed with hay.

The meadow is dappled with goldenrod, Where monarch butterflies dance and play.

Pumpkins are painted a brilliant orange, The sky gets a wash of blue.

When Mother Nature takes a sojourn, She brings to the earth – a fresh new view.

Charles Clevenger I have heard that the spirit of God is in you, that you possess brilliant knowledge and extraordinary wisdom.

Daniel 5:14

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Autumn Reflections With early Autumn come the days I love the best of all, When sunlight gilds the landscape with The mellow light of Fall.

October’s trees don leaves of gold, Bright red and amber too; No treasure chest could boast Jewels of so rare a hue.

The harvest has been gathered in, Vineyards their riches yield; In little, sheltered gardens, one Last rose may be revealed.

I love to see the roadside stands That offer up their treats‌ Pumpkins and juicy apples, grapes, And cider, sharp and sweet.

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With Autumn comes Thanksgiving, That special time when we, In church and home gather to join With friends and family, To thank God for the blessings He So graciously bestows: May we never take for granted The freedoms that we know.

Alice J. Christianson Save us, Lord, our God; gather us from among the nations that we may give thanks to Your holy name and glory in praising You. Psalm 106:47

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Sunshine and Music A laugh is just like sunshine – It freshens all the day; It tips the peak of life with light And drives the clouds away.

The soul grows glad that hears it And feels its courage strong.

A laugh is just like sunshine For cheering folks along.

A laugh is just like music; It lingers in the heart, And where its melody is heard The ills of life depart.

And happy thoughts come crowding Its joyful notes to greet.

A laugh is just like music For making living sweet.

Nona Talerico 22

Let Today Be the Day Let today be the day of restoration, Of new hope rising on wings of the morn.

Surrender to God your disappointments, Your fondest dreams, that lie tattered and torn.

Don’t be ruled by the past – believe in tomorrow; God has another dream waiting for you.

Make room in your heart for the seed He is planting – Let bygones be bygones – He makes everything new.

Decide today to break every bondage, The shackles that keep you from soaring high.

Leave behind all troubling circumstances – Yours is the victory, yours is the sky.

Regina Wiencek As the rising sun is clear to all, so the glory of the Lord fills all His works.

Sirach 42:16

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Life Isn’t Always Easy Life isn’t always easy, ’Oft times we shed a tumbling tear or more; Dreams can unexpectedly shatter As we take a nosedive to the floor.

Heartaches can arrive in all their fury, As our heads with worry start to throb; But praise God for fervent prayer to lean on As we bow our troubled souls and sob.

We were never promised a bed of roses Strewn on our path below; And trials are often heavy burdens – A meadow full of dandelions and woe.

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But please believe in a divine purpose For every fiery lash That sets our feet off balance As our hopes set sail, but crash.

Oh, take heart weary pilgrims – Look up to Heaven’s throne, Dial the prayer line to the Master – You need not bear such pain alone.

It isn’t always easy to trek this journey ’Cause thorns sprout along the way.

Nevertheless, rosebuds are prone to blossom – Weary pilgrim lean on God’s timing today.

Linda C. Grazulis

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The River Song Into the waiting azure sea The river flows so silently, And then flows out again to meet The little springs that wait to greet.

Returning to the clouds on high, It falls in raindrops from the sky; In laughing streams soon to be found It waters thirsty trees and ground.

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From snow-capped hills it swiftly flows To secret places that it knows; Who knows where it begins and ends; Yet, promise and hope to us it sends.

And so it is with the life of man, Though we know not our allotted span; We run our course of life on earth And then in spirit have rebirth.

Though we may change, new life we’ll know, Just like the river’s constant flow As the river’s song, so shall we be In the river’s song eternally.

Helen Gleason The Lord is my strength and my shield, in whom my heart trusted and found help. So my heart rejoices; with my song I praise my God. Psalm 28:7

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Why It Had to Be Dear Child of God, please realize No Eden here have we!

But for our good and future good – Some sorrow has to be.

How all things will work out best, Though presently not seen – Still He comforts through the valleys, If on His arm we lean!

When in trials and tribulations It’s hard for you and me, To understand how good will come – Why such things must be!

But though we’re blind to good right now, Our God still works His plan; So don’t lose heart, but trust Him yet – All things are in His hand!

If Him we love, all turns to good, And someday we will see How all worked together in God’s holy plan And why it had to be!

Lynn Fenimore Nuzzi

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Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16

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My Prayer for You May God bless you always And keep you from harm…

With Him as your pilot – No cause for alarm.

So, trust in Him fully Each step of the way, And He’ll be there with you – Yes, day after day!

Anna M. Matthews

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Every Morning Waking up each morning Brings an eagerness to live, And joy seeps from my waiting heart, As through an open sieve.

The years seem of no consequence, And I am once again Soaking up God’s goodness, Like the brown earth after rain.

My cross is not so heavy When viewed in morning light, And I can face by day the thoughts I could not bear by night.

It’s only in believing that God shares my narrow way; That I can keep what’s best in life, And throw the rest away.

It’s all in how you look at life, That tells the final tale; How well you measure up decides If you will win or fail.

So when I wake each morning, Though I cannot see His face, I know God walks beside me, And the world’s a better place.

Grace E. Easley

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Trusting God’s fashioned a veil ’round tomorrow – His wisdom has thus planned it so.

He asks that we follow His leading Through paths that we can’t see, or know.

But oh, ’tis so sweet just to trust Him; In perfect faith, walk through each day, To feel His hand lovingly guiding, Assured that He knoweth the way.

Beverly J. Anderson Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior.

For You I wait all the long day, because of Your goodness, Lord.

Psalm 25:5 32

Salesian Inspirational Books A SALESIAN MISSIONS PUBLICATION 2 LEFEVRE LANE NEW ROCHELLE NY 10801-5710 TEL. (914) 633-8344 E-mail: inspbks@salesianmissions.org

The intent and purpose of this volume is to give you faith, hope and inspiration. Hopefully it will help encourage prayer and bring peace and tranquility into your life.

May it be a reminder of God’s love, guidance and His many blessings.

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