Hope's Stomping Grounds

Today's post is as bittersweet as they come...

My cousin Wayne, 

most recently mentioned in this post

is free from suffering at last!

Gathered to God on Monday, Dec.18

Ps.116:15

Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His saints.

Recently I received the book below,

*Reflections of Jesus,

a gift from the author, as a way of saying thank-you!

(I am delighted to have the poem Bethlehem Star included in it)

When I received the news that Wayne passed away I picked up this book

and looked and looked at the painting on the cover

weeping sad-glad tears as I pictured him like this,

 Safe in the arms of Jesus.

His hurting is over!

Please pray for healing for the family 

as they mourn the loss of husband and father,

son, brother, etc.

as they bear both deep grief and deep relief!

'our loss is his gain' said a family member last night at the visitation.

 'a great wait/weight lifted at last' murmured his sorrow-worn wife

We mourn, but not as sorrow grieves, without hope, by God’s grace

The rending tear that death achieves and mortal eyes surmise

Does not reveal the Whole; the Unseen of faith’s resting place

As Sight, with no dark glass between beholds The Promised Prize

As God, gathers a suffering Soul into eternity

Healed from the hurts that take their toll on this side of death’s door

Freed from the weight of waiting for the Final Victory

Beyond futile debating of life’s why-when-and-wherefore

How precious in the sight of God is the death of His saints

For eye has not seen nor ear heard the things he has prepared

For those who love Him; thus, no bitter barter tunes or taints

The tears that flow, because through Christ the Soul from hell is spared

The interim that Time employs until this life is through

And loss no longer vexes joys with Heaven’s sweetest gains

Is but Hope’s Stomping Grounds, a tie that Heaven will undo

When in the twinkling of an eye, death rends life’s binding chains

Then, comfort one another with the hope in Christ alone

God hears our prayers and mothers our sorrow-broken hearts

He tromps Hope's Stomping Grounds with us, (not one step on our own) 

Until the hope found/bound in Jesus, faith's finished fabric parts  

© Janet Martin

May we all make our calling sure while time is still on our side!

May the reason for the Christmas Season become profoundly dearer

as we believe, and receive the inheritance 

only the Saviour of the Soul will/can give;

Living Hope

Rom.15:13

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,

that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

1 Thess.4:13-18

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren,

concerning those who have fallen [b]asleep,

lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.

14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again,

even so God will bring with Him those who [c]sleep in Jesus.

15For this we say to you by the word of the Lord,

that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord

 will by no means precede those who are [d]asleep.

16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout,

with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.

And the dead in Christ will rise first.

17Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up

together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

18Therefore comfort one another with these words.

*if you would like to order the book

Reflections of Jesus

click here- Jim Horsley Fine Art