Tag Archives: Religion and Spirituality

To Greater Heights

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Lift me to Your shoulder;
Carry me, henceforth.
From my throne above the world,
I can see all things in a new way.

Your Shepherd’s crook in view,
A sign of assurance,
Calming the sea, defeating the flesh,
Vanquishing the Foe.

Perched in Paradise,
I ride above the storm.
Battles won by stillness,
Flames quenched
By Water from the Rock.

I behold You,
Carrying the one You love,
Bearing Your burden,
Loving Your labor,
Loving me.

I see the wound of Your Cross.
I see Blood,and Bone,
And I see me,
Carved in Your bruised
And beaten flesh,

Lifted to Your shoulder,
You carry me,
Onward and upward,
Unto greater heights,
Cross and throne,
One in God alone.

© 2012 Joann Nelander

Chosen

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O Holy Father,
On my death,
And the occasion of my judgement,
I offer You Jesus’ Love for me.

See how He wants me eternally.
Dying to hold me,
His Blood claims me as His own.

He created me with such care,
As I took form in my mother’s womb.

He lavished attentions on me
As living flesh, imbued with eternal soul,
Flourished in the abundant waters of Life.

Unique among His creations,
He smiled upon me, seeing my beauty,
And my need.

See how He sought me,
Playfully with joys,
And in sorrow as I hid myself.

See the iron of His intention,
Bent on me.

See His fury at the Foe,
Who pursued me,
Seeing His Grace reclaiming me.

My Father, minister to Your daughter,
That leaving behind my earthly life,
Heavenly couriers might present me
Before the One,
Whose Spirit lives in me.

See His pieced Side,
Opened wide inviting me,
All the more, longing,
He for me,
And me for Thee in Three,
As leaving the mortal for the immortal,
I seek sanctuary.

You are everywhere in Being,
And in me.
I wrap my heart around Your Godhead,
Your Jesus.

He embraces me with Spirit,
Even in judgement,
I am chosen for the Son.

Copyright 2015 Joann Nelander

Interview With an Exorcist

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Beliefnet interview

Candle and Flame

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Come, Holy Spirit.
I am as a candle
Awaiting Your flame.

Come over me,
As a tongue of fire,
Licking higher
As the Wind of Your Spirit
Blows by me and through me.

I am meant to be flame,
Warming a world,
Darkened and cold,
In need,
In Sin.

Here I stand,
Before Your altar,
Simply, one in You,
In Your One Holy, catholic, Church.

It is You Who send Your Spirit forth.
The flame that arises in my being
Touches the world about me
With Your ministrations.

My presence brings Your Presence.
As I bow humbly in stillness,
It is Your Who light the wick of another,
Spreading Your Light
As I but incline, believing.

Such is prayer,
Such is hope,
Such is mercy.

Come, Holy Spirit,
Light the world on fire,
One candle enkindling another,
And another.
Thy kingdom Come.

© 2016 Joann Nelander

 

As An Eagle

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Lord, Most High,
Most Good,
Most Holy,
As an eagle, soar our nation’s skies,
Look down and take pity on a people losing their way.

See us as we struggle.
See our deceivers.
See our cherished deceptions.
See our broken law.

The weight of haughty deception,
Oppresses a people,
Fearing the gift of Life.

It is hard to juggle our many gods.
To our folly,
Mammon has supplanted our love for You.

Resisting Your Love.
We choose Death
As an answer to Life.

We think the blessing, a curse,
And the curse, a blessing, nay, a right,
Negation the same as something, someone.

Give Your People Your eagle’s wings,
To scale the heights
With You.

Carry us on Your strong pinions
To safety in the clefts of the Rock.
Hide us in Your Sacred Wounds.

With an Eagle’s talons,
Swoop upon the Enemy
Who carries off our young.

Lord, Most High,
Most Good,
Most Holy,
Carry us on eagle ‘s wings to the safety of Your bosom,
Your Truth.

Abundant Breast

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I adore.
You, my God, present Yourself to me,
As Mother to a nursing child,
And I nurse at Your Abundant Breast.

Your milk is sweet as honey,
And all I want to do is nurse.
I have chosen the better part,
And You spend Yourself upon my want.

God, You, Who calls forth Life,
And then feeds and sustains the needy,
With endless Love,
Succor and suckle me.

© 2016 Joann Nelander

 

“For thus says the LORD:
I will spread prosperity over her like a river,
like an overflowing torrent,
the wealth of nations.
You shall nurse, carried in her arms,
cradled upon her knees;

As a mother comforts her child,
so I will comfort you;
in Jerusalem you shall find your comfort.”

Is: 66: 12 – 13