He's like the lightning in the sky each time I feel it near. The beauty of its pretty color sinks beneath my fear.
Home is where the heart is…
That’s what they say anyway,
But so many people can’t be there
And are trapped so far away.
Stranded in bodies or buildings
So cold to their feelings.
Every day faced with
Such cruel dealings.
Lord, thank you for holding our hearts,
For living there too.
Home can only be home
When we’re finally with you!
6-18-11 Written by Gail Brookshire
(by the grace of God)
He stands at the podium and preaches with earnest intent,
praying to save the lost souls.
When the congregation looks disinterested or asleep,
his spirit is saddened… God, keep him be bold!
She sits in the pew like a good wife on duty.
She is there for anything anyone may ask.
Underneath she has other worries and duties to remember…
family, friends, the house… God, help her with each task.
He stands in the parking lot, watching for each child.
The school holds him responsible for anything gone wrong.
Rushing parents, energetic kids, so many cars to watch.
He must keep the order… God, help him to be strong.
She watches the children as they play together.
Their parents have entrusted them with their lives.
As sick as they are, or caring for their own families,
they gladly do it… God, help these moms and wives.
These wise people sitting in the pews so long,
look at all they have brought to the church body.
These elders are our guides and friends
who know strife and Jesus… God, help them love everybody.
5-15-03 Written by Gail Brookshire
(by the grace of God)
For my dear friends
Love is so hard to teach, to reach, to preach!
Sin is so easy to do.
His words must know, show, grow.
The distractions are always new.
His prayers must always share, care, bear.
Satan could care less!
His life must exemplify, gratify, and glorify.
Satan can make it a mess.
Mercy can live, give, and forgive.
Hearts can be hard.
Jesus wants to see, free, to be.
Souls can be quick to guard.
The preacher tries, cries, and sighs.
The Spirit wins after all.
God amazes, raises, and praises.
The preacher helped stop a fall.
6-4-03 Written by Gail Brookshire
(by the grace of God)
What will my friends do?
Will they abandon me?
I don’t know what to do.
I don’t want to lose my friends.
I’ve never had any like them.
At any other time before, it would’ve been easier.
But not these friends.
They’ve cared all along.
They may not have been there every time I needed them,
but they tried to be there as often as they could.
Because they care. They really do.
I know God loves me too.
And I love Him too.
But why must it be so hard to do what’s right?
God is the only one I want, I know.
But I’m just going to miss my friends if they leave me.
I know you’re probably saying
if they’re my friends they won’t leave me,
but they are just as hurt, confused, and lost as I am.
They need someone to care and understand,
to be patient and love them
even when they aren’t doing so well.
We’re all human.
I just want to love and live for God
and still have my friends.
3-30-91 Written by Gail Brookshire
(by the grace of God)
Pain?
I’ll tell you what another aching pain is.
Pain is knowing your family is in pain, that your loves ones are hurting,
on a holiday… Thanksgiving.
The holiday we always get together on, yet this time
we’re all missing someone… one of our family members.
To some a son, a grandson, a nephew, an ex-boyfriend, a friend, a best-friend,
a neighbor, a fiance, a favorite student, a coworker, and my cousin.
It hurts to know he can’t be here with us.
And even if I were able to smile, I still couldn’t over knowing my family is hurting.
I can’t erase their pain. I can’t change the situation.
Or best yet, I can’t even bring him back.
We can’t give him a hug… just one hug, or even just say Happy Thanksgiving.
Instead we must find a way to enjoy the day without him.
Imagine that.
As much as we miss him and want him back,
as much as we hate that he’s going to never return,
it’s a rule of life that we have to smile and act as though everything is OK & be thankful.
That is if we want to be normal again.
For my family, friends, and cousin… I love you all.
And let me assure you that no matter what therapists, people, or strangers say,
to love, miss, and want Dean back is normal.
And if we feel like it’s criminal to enjoy the first holidays without him,
then that’s quite a normal feeling.
However, I am here for you. I pray for us all.
May God comfort us and the world wide.
May He be with all families… after all, we are all His children.
Love Deeply and Sincerely,
Gail… your cousin, niece, daughter, sister, granddaughter, friend, and love.
11-28-91 Written by Gail Brookshire
(by the grace of God)
Thanksgiving Day
Crying among your people,
we strive to know each other
so that we may learn of You
through loving and serving one another.
Studies, readings, creative ways
to share and teach of You.
What tears, what laughter.
You are keeping us true.
Praise You deserve and want.
Praise we want to give.
Because of what You gave,
we are able to live.
5-2-12 Written by Gail Brookshire
(by the grace of God)
How selfish am I
while I think I’m so thoughtful?
How greedy am I
when I think I am so giving?
How wicked am I
when I think I am so Holy?
Just because I read Your Word,
maybe faithfully,
maybe sporadically,
does that make me heroic?
Does it even make me obedient?
Does it make me hypocritical?
How precious is Your Word.
How precious is Your time.
How precious is Your whisper.
Yet I take each for granted.
How privileged must I think You are
to have me read Your Word,
to spare my time,
to be a good steward
of that which You bless me with.
Lord, make me truly grateful,
make me faithful,
make me Holy,
according to Your standards.
7-11-15 written by Gail Brookshire
Inspiration: My results in a bible reading challenge.
Is His hand on you?
Is His hand on your mouth?
Is His hand on your life?
Is He calling you out?
God chooses His leaders.
He chooses His soldiers.
Where they feel inadequate,
God will make them bolder.
What task is He assigning?
What assignment does He give?
How is He asking you to trust?
How is He asking you to live?
5-31-12 Written by Gail Brookshire
Inspiration: Jeremiah 1-2
Oh how deep a treasure
Your word is to my soul.
In green pastures or still waters,
You wonderfully restore my soul.
A comfort and care
no words could describe,
except those that were penned
by Your Holy scribes.
Refreshing and redemptive,
a new start each day.
Your word is life to me.
I seek ALL You have to say.
4-30-12 Written by Gail Brookshire
(by the grace of God)
God, no matter who may like it or may not,
I love you with all the love I’ve got.
You’re all I’ve ever wanted or ever needed.
You are the blessing for which I’ve always pleaded.
Don’t ever leave me please because I’d never be the same.
To tell the world I love You brings not one bit of shame.
They could kill me or steal my love,
but they’d only send me to heaven above,
a home where You are waiting to give me a life
where I’ll never be haunted again by heartache and strife.
Please say You’ll stay because I’ll never leave.
Why I fell so easy, I don’t know, but I’m so glad I believe.
The only horror I can see is to find You don’t want me.
But even if You didn’t, my love would always be.
6-26-91 Written by Gail Brookshire
(by the grace of God)
God, I need You.
Don’t I always?
But God, I know I need You.
I want to need You.
I love needing You.
You are my life, my soul,
and my every reason for loving.
I need You in my life to breathe.
I need You to guide me through
those paths You have chosen for me.
I need You to know who
that Mr. Right is and to know
what he wants, needs, and deserves.
I want a man who needs a woman
who knows He loves God more,
fast, and better.
I need You to see us through
our heartaches and our joys,
our tragedies and our celebrations,
our pain and our laughter,
our tears and our smiles.
I need You in my life
simply because I need You.
please say You need me too.
Because even if you don’t,
I still need You.
I want You,
and I love You.
And always will.
6-26-91 Written by Gail Brookshire
(by the grace of God)
God’s waiting for an answer to His request,
to come to the gathering of all His welcomed guests.
He’s waiting to bring you closer to a life of endless love,
a paradise away from pain in the heaven up above.
All the angels are serving well to try and give us help
on how to learn to do things right as we give things of ourselves.
We’re all invited to a place where everyone is kind.
Love in God is what we’ll praise. It will never leave our mind.
God, I hope you know I say I want to respond real soon.
Yes, I want to be with you and hope the others will want to, too.
5-31-91 Written by Gail Brookshire
(by the grace of God)
Only through God can we live and survive.
Only through Jesus may we endure sweet peace.
Only by the grace of God can we learn to love.
Only through Jesus Christ can we be saved.
I asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins and confessed my sins.
I asked Jesus to save me, and God did!
I AM SAVED!!!
I believe in God!
I belong to God!
5-23-91 Written by Gail Brookshire
(by the grace of God)
Church is a place I long to know
and come to see God’s house.
I want to hear His children sing
and watch them become aroused.
I love to see so many souls
gathered to bring Him praise,
to hear the preacher preach the word,
as his voice will sometimes raise,
and all the restless children play,
as they find it hard to sit still,
but oh the sweetest things they say
as they are taught about God’s will.
The choir works so faithfully
to beautify their sound,
to shout a joyful melody
of how they’re heaven bound.
Church is where I long to be
and where I want to belong,
for it makes my world much easier
to hear the faith so strong.
3-30-91 Written by Gail Brookshire
(by the grace of God)
You stood before my Majesty
and laid your gifts to bribe,
but oh you were disappointed
to find not your name in the scribe.
You dreamt of things to share,
but continued to hide away.
What sadness pained your heart
to know you’d lose on judgment day.
Taking all the written laws
and abiding with conditions,
how horrible to be condemned
by your own propositions.
Won’t you lay yourself to rest
and honor our Lord God Almighty?
He only asks for your repentance
to offer a life beside Him.
3-8-91 Written by Gail Brookshire
(by the grace of God)
gaillovesgodspoetry 