Today’s Sunshine By Brenda Drake

I am learning that even on my off-days when I put my mind on God and all He has done for me, my spirit lifts and I again can see the sunshine in my day.

Today’s Sunshine

Even on a day when you are glum,
If you desire to seek, you will see the sun.
Today’s sunshine is there,
Its beauty will unfold if you are aware.
Every day has its sunshine; even amidst the pain,
When you look, it shines even in the rain.
Today’s sunshine has rays of hope – of a sunny future ahead,
It lights the truth of what God has said.
He walks ahead of us and covers our sin,
We have an eternal joy; all because of Him.
He calls us His beloved, with great abundance He provides,
He says no matter what we go through in Him we abide.
The cloudy day, the sorrowful, and the lonely are all the same;
If I choose, in its gloom I need not remain.
All I need to do is bow my head in prayer,
And I’ll see today’s sunshine is already there.
The joy of His countenance heals and restores my soul.
His peace and assurance floods and overflows.
Sweet rays of favor sent from heaven above;
Proving today God’s Son shines upon me His love.

But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head Psalms 3:3

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Do You Recognize Them Within? By Brenda Drake

Introducing with small sample of just a few of the many characters in my new book Do You Recognize Them Within?

Now available on Amazon. $2,99 kindle, $9.99Paoerback, Hardcover $ 22.99

Angry Andrew

Angry Andrew has some friends
And neighbors, not the best to hang about.
Strife and division are always
Nearby to help him out.

Anxious Andy

When Anxious Andy,
Sits he is ready to run
He may try to relax,
But it isn’t easily done

Bitter Betty

Sour, bitter Betty;
What a sight to see.
She is like a prune crossed with a lemon;
Not a nice place to be.

Back Biting Bertha

Backbiting Bertha waits,
Till you have turned your back.
And then she by her words attack.


Bossy FlossyBossy

Flossie like a Sargent barks;
Out orders from her very bossy heart.
She demands attention and
Takes charge wherever she goes.
She has a close friend,
And he is called Controlling Joe.

Complaining Carl

Confused June

Competitive Liz

Conniving Ivan

Controlling Joe

Critical Clair

Depressed Jess

Frustrated Freda (Do You Recognize Them Within?) By Brenda Drake

New book Do You Recognize Them Within? Divided into two powerful chapters: Are They Hiding? And  Good Friends to Keep Around.. Each poem offers a glimpse into how thoughts and behaviors affect our spiritual walk. Some characters challenge us to change, others inspire us to grow. All help you see yourself, and God’s transforming love, more clearly

Frustrated Freda

You may not recognize the name
But you have met her, I am sure.
She runs about trying to,
Fix and to make pure
Just when she thinks,
All is well, it’s not!
Right before her eyes,
She sees another spot.
Why can’t things stay clean?
It is such a waste;
It seems as if everywhere,
There is chaos disgrace.
She is tired and weary,
But what else can she do?
The whole world is a mess,
(You know it is true!)
So, anxious and upset
She continues, and she will stay,
So frustrated she does
Not enjoy her day.
But Jesus waits patiently for her
To admit defeat and her sin.
Then she is given a new name
As she rests in Him.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.(1 Peter 5:6-7)

The Contradiction By Brenda Drake

Whisper: Things of the world does not make sense to the wise.

The Contradiction

When angry they say you see red,
When jealous they say you are green,
When life seems good through rose colored glasses are seen.
When in trouble they say you’re in a pickle.
When in a rut you are stuck in the mud.
Blackness shows great despair and white implies pure and good.
Owl are wise, eagles depicts strength and power,
Some appetites hunger for the sweet and sour.
The proud are exalted, the weak rejected.
The rich given more and the poor are neglected.
The powerful are praised and their sin cleverly hid;
And the world refuses to feel the hurt of the under privileged.
Most are contradictions; nothing makes much sense,
When things are not as the Word has said.
Anger, jealousy, fear, hate, and pride,
Are black and dark when held inside.
Trouble, depression, and unwilling to see the pain others are in,
Are also black and dark when held within.
Owls are not wise, the eagle not at all as mighty as man
Portrays it, for it does not even its high position understand.
The sinfully-rich are desperately poor.
Their sins are clearly seen by the Lord.
The poor man’s cry reaches God’s ear,
To Him their lives precious and dear.
To see life grandly and to the truth understand,
It’s not through rose colored glasses – it’s as God has planned.

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! Romans 11:33

Lord, These Things I Know By Brenda Drake

There are many things I do not know when it comes to God and His ways but each day I am learning. I trust My Lord to lead me to the place where one day I will know everything He desires me to know.

Lord These Things I know

Lord I know You deserve all praise;
I need to show that I’m committed to your ways.
I know that there are things I do not fully understand.
And I know that things do not always go as I’ve planned.
I know that when my heart begins to fear,
That You are still always near.
I know when I begin to grumble and complain,
That in this place I cannot, and must not remain.
I must lift my voice in thanks and praise again,
To allow Your strength to rise up within.
I know that it is all too much for me to bear alone,
And that You help me and that You carry me home.
My great-desire is to do Thy will.
And I know that my needy heart You are willing to fill.
I come in repentance for I know that’s what is needed most,
I also know that in its feat I’ve no room to boast.
Jesus I know by faith soon You come again,
And that I will be with You till the very end.
There’s much I do not know but as I walk ahead in faith,
I know because You are for me, who can fight against?
I know You have a destiny planned for me,
That no circumstance or power can take me from Thee.
I know my heart hungers to do what You ask,
Open my heart’s eyes so I can follow faithfully in Your tracks.

By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.  Psalms 41:11

New Found Freedom Brenda Drake

It is strange but the fear of losing our freedom if we give Christ our life is the complete opposite as the truth. In Christ we have new freedom, we have true freedom.  We are no longer bound in sin’s chains; and are freed to live free from the threat of eternal death in hell.

New Found Freedom

Many believe there is a great list to follow to belong to Christ.
They feel it take great effort and that they lose all their rights.
A list of do not’s loom in their mind,
And a very hard taskmaster to keep them in line.
Some say, I will wait till I’ve had my fill
Then I’ll give in and do God’s will.
When I’m old and tired – it will be easier then,
Besides, if I go now I will lose all my friends.
But the One that loves them more than they can see,
Says, if you come now My strength you receive;
The terrible hold of sin’s chains will be released.
You will experience great inner peace.
New found freedom is more satisfying than you know,
For Jesus died to make you new and whole.
The list of do’s and don’ts are not an issue anymore,
For you will very much desire to please your Lord.
If you cross the line, you’re anxious to change direction for Him,
As you repent you’ve found freedom again.
Free to worship, free to praise, free to live without fear,
Free to know and to show your God is near.
The one that listens and hears what the Spirit says will see,
They have new found freedom in Me

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:31-32

River of Life in Verse By Brenda Drake

I recently published my newest book River of Life in Verse and am trying to get some traffic on Amazon. It is signed up to KDP select. You can read it on kindle for free or buy it for $2.99. In order for my books to get any traction I need my readers to leave a honest review.

Enter into google      https://a.co/d/7uMVFnM  

Scroll down to bottom left and you will see Review this product.  

This same instructions are for all my books, I would greatly appreciate your help and support.

Collected Thoughts   https://a.co/d/2jlp9o7

Not Just Ordinary   https://a.co/d/69Ib4kR

Love Makes a Way   https://a.co/d/dZvfLOB

God’s Whispers to the Heart     https://a.co/d/6mQadA9 

Faith Walks Through New Year’s Door by Brenda Drake

Faith Walks Through New Year’s Door

Hope and faith walks through the New Year’s door;
With good memories kept safe and the rest left in the hands of the Lord.
Tomorrow’s sun shines like diamonds in the sea,
With the alluring pull of what ahead may be.
New vision, new plans, with a slate clean,
To start building on the new year’s dreams.
Hope and faith are joined with joy and peace within,
Knowing without knowing how the Lord is leading them.
Happy New Year to all is my desire and I pray,
Your hope and faith grows stronger in each passing day.

Like the Hidden Penny By Brenda Drake

Whisper: You are as the lost coin, You are beautiful and Mine.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Like the Hidden Penny

Like the penny hidden away,
Not valued high …not on display,
Rather plain, and tarnished with time,
Common, like many others in design.
Hidden… among other discarded things
But its destiny was to be in the presence of the King.
Without effort it travels from one drawer to the next.
For quite awhile no one really paid attention to it.
It was so small and dirtied with the world’s touch;
No one but God would pick it up.
But what a wonderful change took place,
When God touched it with His grace.
The world still may wonder what it is they see;
For on the outside, it is not at all what the world wants it to be.
But it has traveled from the rubbish into the high place to stay.
The world was wrong; it is to be on display.
It has been polished to become,
An object that represents the good work of God’s Son,

I am now held in high honor only because of God’s
good work in me.