May the mind of Christ my Saviour
Live in me from day to day,
By His love and pow'r controlling
All I do and say.

May the Word of Christ dwell richly
In my heart from hour to hour,
So that all may see I triumph
Only through His pow'r.

May the peace of Christ my Saviour
Rule my life in every thing,
That I may be calm to comfort
Sick and sorrowing.

May the love of Jesus fill me,
As the waters fill the sea;
Him exalting, self abasing,
This is victory.

May I run the race before me,
Strong and brave to face the foe,
Looking only unto Jesus
As I onward go.

May His beauty rest upon me
As I seek the lost to win,
And may they forget the channel,
Seeing only Him.


This was very much Dad's prayer. 

I feel the winds of God today; today my sail I lift,
Though heavy, oft with drenching spray, and torn with many a rift;
If hope but light the water’s crest, and Christ my bark will use,
I’ll seek the seas at His behest, and brave another cruise.

It is the wind of God that dries my vain regretful tears,
Until with braver thoughts shall rise the purer, brighter years;
If cast on shores of selfish ease or pleasure I should be;
Lord, let me feel Thy freshening breeze, and I’ll put back to sea.

If ever I forget Thy love and how that love was shown,
Lift high the blood red flag above; it bears Thy Name alone.
Great Pilot of my onward way, Thou wilt not let me drift;
I feel the winds of God today, today my sail I lift.
 
Jessie Adams, 1906

One of Dad's favourite pieces of Artwork. He asked a friend to bring this piece back for him on a return trip from America.

 Like a candle flame
Flickering small in our darkness
Uncreated light
Shines through infant eyes

God is with us, alleluia
God is with us, alleluia
Come to save us, alleluia
Come to save us
Alleluia!

Stars and angels sing
Yet the earth sleeps in shadows
Can this tiny spark
Set a world on fire?

God is with us, alleluia
God is with us, alleluia
Come to save us, alleluia
Come to save us
Alleluia!

Yet his light shall shine
From our lives, Spirit blazing
As we touch the flame
Of his holy fire

 God is with us, alleluia
God is with us, alleluia
Come to save us, alleluia
Come to save us
Alleluia! 

  Stuart Townend
  

Now Mary Jane, just come and see

How All your friends have come for tea.

The first is Freddy frog who cries,

"Please can I have some juicy flies?"

The next is Dicky bird who's song

is "Tasty worms are fat and long".

And says Bunny Rabbit "Lass,

Now I would like some fresh green grass".

And last Tommy cat who purrs

that milk is good for shiny furs.

So Mary Jane sat down to tea

and thought Jam tarts will do for me.

I don't want flies or worms to eat,

And grass with milk will be no treat.

But Mummy makes some tasty food

And it is bound to be some good.

They all did eat what Mummy made

And all were happy that they had stayed (to tea).

And now here's Sandy pup who will

of meat and gravy eat his fill.

While Dobbin cantering buy says,

"Nay I'd like a crispy load of hay".

It's not the time for meet and veg

and Dobbin's jumped the farmer's hedge.

 "Sometimes I felt like 'a voice crying in the wilderness' needing to recognise that I was to be a 'voice', crying, in the wilderness, prepare the Way of the Lord".

 I often wished I could see more clearly what His Way was - but I am learning to trust His guidance.

 Looking back, I take comfort in the hymn we sang whenever students left college for ministry and I recognise its truth - and for the future":

Captain of Israel's host, and Guide

Of all that seek the Land above,

Beneath Thy Shadow, we abide,

The Cloud of Thy Protecting Love.

Our strength, Thy Grace,

Our rule, Thy Word,

Our end, the Glory of the Lord.

By Thine unerring Spirit led,

We shall not in the desert stray;

We shall not full direction need,

Nor miss our providential way,

As far from danger as from fear,

While Love, Almighty Love is near.

 Do not be diflected or discouraged.                      

The Lord knows where He is going.

May you have joy as you go with Him.

Dad used these Scriptures in his Sermons and in letters to family members:

"Matthew's Gospel 18:21 - it doesn't mean '"count up 49 times", but that there is no limit. The parable of the unforgiving servant which follows Matthew 21:23-36 with the warning at the end. Think too of the Lord's prayer where we ask forgiveness and claim the Promise "because (Mt 6:12) we are forgiven [and consciously do it then, if necessary].

I had concern arising from my ministry, namely the damage that failure to forgive does to the unforgiving and the release that forgiveness gives.

The fact that rejecting God's way does not lead to the thunderbolt from heaven makes some folk think that it does not matter. The letter to the Romans chapter 1:18-2:8 is "frightening": God has given us the freedom to "press the self destruction button" - has given us over to the consequences of our choices - indegradation.

Read Romans 1:16-17 of the new life of those who trust not in their own efforts but in the Person of Jesus - what He has done for them and is doing for them. The holding cross should remind you of Him - and every day you will want to know him more."