TRUST IN GOD

Someday, the pieces will fall into place

And with hindsight, I’ll see why you arranged everything as you did

I’ll jump for joy at the precision with which you planned everything

And be amazed at your love and care

Father in Heaven, with the eyes of faith I see all you’ll make me

And I rejoice at seeing your wonders

With all my heart I rejoice now

And I thank you and bless your name

I rejoice

At the questions

And all the things I wonder about

And I trust you

Because you make no mistakes

So with the eyes of faith I rejoice and see

All you’ll make me

And with the eyes of faith I rejoice and see

Increase my faith

That I may see as you see

And rejoice while I wait on you

I trust in you

You alone are my hope!

All things work together for good with those who love God and are all called according to His purpose

Romans 8:28

ANgelA AzUmAh ALu

8/12/13

Don’t come any closer

Don’t come any closer if you can’t stay

Don’t come any closer if you’re not sure

Don’t come any closer if you have doubts

Don’t come any closer if I’m not all you want

Don’t come any closer if you’re not prepared to go the distance

Don’t come any closer; don’t come any closer

Don’t come any closer lest you break my fragile heart

Don’t come any closer lest you shatter my dreams

Don’t come any closer lest you leave me broken and weeping

Don’t come any closer if anything stands in your way and you can’t see a way around it

Don’t come any closer if you’re not ready

Don’t come any closer

I’m your sister; I’m your friend

I’m a child of God like you are too

Don’t come any close lest you hurt me needlessly

Don’t come any closer if you’re sure it won’t work out

Don’t come any closer if you don’t care enough

Don’t come any closer…………………………………

Don’t come any closer

Angela Azumah Alu

16/11/13

El Chay

For he is the living God and he endures forever, (Daniel 6:26, NIV). El Chay

El Chay, I must confess that sometimes I forget that you are El Chay and that you live forever.

I act as if today and this world are all there is or will ever be and seem overcome by the vicissitudes of this life….

Here I am….surrendering once more….

I pray as Hezekiah prayed….may every trouble that comes my way be a means for your glory to be seen…

El Chay, my heart is broken and shattered….

I’m disappointed and upset…at myself and many other things besides….

And I look at myself rather than at you….

Here I am, broken hearted and all….

Surrendered to you…

El Chay, you are the living God….

That is who you are….now and forever….

El Chay, living God,

El Chay, forever God,

El Chay, El Chay,

Not to anyone else shall my obeisance be….

But to you alone….

El Chay….

All praise and glory to your name…

…..El Chay…..

I love you….

My hope is in you alone…

….You alone are my deliverer and I give all glory to your name…

….you who deliver, you who live forever,….

….El Chay, forever…..

….El Chay, I trust you forever and forever…

Angela Azumah Alu

16/10/13

I will praise you

Always and always, I will bless your name you who are my king and my Lord

No matter what happens; when my school work and my life are a mess

When my heart is broken; and I hurt so much I can’t seem to trust you and wonder why all this had to happen

When I hurt and can’t seem to let go off the past

When my heart has no song of thanksgiving; despite your blessings

When I feel utterly useless and purposeless

When I’ve created messes for myself in which I’m drowning

When all is said and done

And I can’t even seem to rejoice with those who rejoice

When I seem to blame you for every bad thing that happens and can’t praise

When my praise glands are dried up and tears are my food

I will yet praise you my King and my Lord

I will sing of your love forever

I will praise you because you are great and there is no one like you

I will praise you because you deserve all the praise

I will praise you; because I praise

When I cannot praise; I will praise you

I will praise you and bless your name

Because you are king over all; my redeemer and my God

I will praise you!

Angela Azumah Alu

Prayer

Like a bird with broken wings; bruised; battered and unable to fly

I come to you, the restorer of my life

Many thoughts assail my mind; my dreams lie shattered and broken at my feet

O Lord, arise, o my God come to my aid

Happy Fathers' Day!-For my dad

Who I must confess I sometimes think of as an atm card forgetting that he’s one admirable old young man-with his wonderful work ethic which can be called workaholic and his very calm, unassuming and responsible self who’s head of our home and God’s own dear representative to us.

My dad, who I know always has my back, my dad on whose shoulders I can reach further than he ever went, my dad who loves me more than I know and has my best interests at heart.

My dad who always reminds me of a big sister’s role and encourages me to be more than I think I am.

My dad, who shows that dreams never die because he keeps dreaming.

My dad, brave, determined, fighting man whose genes I have

My dad I inherited a love of reading from…and love our discussions on books…

My dad, whom I look forward to presenting a son-in-law and grandchildren :-)

My dad, God’s own gift to me

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!

 Angela Azumah Alu 18/6/13

THE HOLY SPIRIT

I love thee!

Thou who art my guide, my counselor,

My teacher, my consolation, my advocate, my all

Thou who art my assurance of eternal life

Thou whose presence tells me of my position as a son and an heir

Thou whose guidance leads me daily

Thou who art the Father’s mark of ownership on me

Thou whose temple I am

I love thee!

Thou transforming, consuming fire

Thou who transformed the fearfully sanguine Apostle Peter into the courageous evangelist Peter

Thou who transformed the hate filled choleric Saul into the Christ driven Apostle Paul

Thou who transformed the phlegmatic Abram into the Father of faith Abraham

Thou who transformed the melancholic prince Moses into the Leader Moses

Transform me, I pray thee, into all the Father made me to be

I love thee!

Thou giver of gifts

Gifts of prophecy,

Word of knowledge,

Discernment of spirits,

Gift of wisdom,

Workings of miracles,

Healings of all kinds,

Speaking of tongues,

Interpretation of tongues,

Gifts of faith

Many other gifts as given by the Father and the Son

I ask of thee, give as thou wilt.

I love thee!

Powerful spirit, sweet spirit,

Spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control

May I be more like thee in every one of these

I love thee!

 Who brought the world into being

I love thee who sustains it by thy might

I love thee, who art all glorious and holy

I love thee, inspiration of the Father,

I love thee, consoler and empowerer of the Son

I love thee, Sweet Spirit

I love thee, fill me more, fill me daily

I love thee

Angela Azumah Alu

21/05/2012

Happy Mothers’ Day!

Mother you have been, mother you are; mother you’ll always be

You we turn to: first with scraped knees and arms and homework; later with broken hearts and fears about the future; even later, we hope, with stubborn children and difficult husbands and even challenges at work.

Mother, God’s gift to us, who encourages though she herself may be discouraged.

Mother, who prays and reminds you always to give it all to God

Mother, who tells you it’ll be alright, though she herself may be terrified

Mother, who is disciplinarian, chauffeur, designer, teacher, doctor, nurse, lawyer and all other professions rolled in one.

Mother, who loves you more than you’ll ever know and makes innumerable sacrifices for your dreams

Mother, who, no matter what the world says, is your champion

Mother, who is by your side and is your chief cheerleader

Mother, who pushes you to your feet when you seem determined to stay down after falling

Mother, whose wisdom surpasses the ages and who can advice on everything

Mother, who seems to know everything and is everything

Mother, who is your first role model and is pre-eminent as a mentor thereafter

Mother, forever and ever, mother

Dieu te benisse!

Je t'aime!

Angela Azumah Alu ©May, 2013

The Call of God

Good Shepherd Sunday , 21/4/13 Jn 10:27-30, Acts 13:14.43-52, Ps 100, Rev 7:9.14-17

He calls! He calls!

When you’re sitting your somewhere thinking about yourself

He calls; in the daily events of life

He calls; when you think you’re too young

He calls; when you’re taking care of sheep and have been forgotten by your family

He calls; when you’re searching for your father’s missing mules

He calls; when you’ve sacrificed to Him

He calls; when you’re busy about your work

He calls; even when you’re a priest

He calls; when you’re a highly influential man serving the king

He calls; when you’re a pagan-through your mother-in-law

He calls; when you’re an exile in a foreign land

He calls; when you’re a prostitute in a big city

He calls; through your dreams

He calls; when you’re taking care of your father in law’s sheep

He calls; when you’re stting in your office

He calls; when you’re fishing

He calls; He calls; he calls

Answer Him now when He calls you by name!

Angela Azumah Alu

Good Shepherd Sunday, 21/4/13 Jn 10:27-30, Acts 13:14.43-52, Ps 100, Rev 7:9.14-17

The Good Shepherd calls you; can you not hear Him?

He reaches for you; beloved sheep of His

Come to me! He calls. I long for you

Come, sheep, to the life I have called you to.

Hear my voice and obey it; you who are mine

I call you! To live eternity in everyday, powerfully, awaiting that final victory where we’ll be together forever

I call you! To proclaim my word daily; in word and deed; to proclaim my kingdom and righteousness

I call you! Hear my voice; rest in me

I call you! My sheep, who hear my voice

Still you soul; hear my voice

I call you!

Angela Azumah Alu

A psalm to the Lord 19/3/13

I place my hope in you; you who are my Lord and master,

I come before you, early in the morning, I search your word, I listen for your voice

I savour your sweetness, you who are the delight of my heart

When shall I come to meet you who is the King of my heart?

When I make time for everyone but you

When everything else seems more important than you do

When my restless heart runs to and fro seeking rest apart from you

Draw me to you, you who are my strength and my song

Teach me Lord, to number my days aright that I may gain a heart of wisdom

Angela Azumah Alu

A daily rate…. 2 Kgs 25:30

All that I do not deserve, you give

You who are Lord and lover of my soul

Lord, who am I and what is my family that you should show such love and mercy to us?

Thank you, you who provide our daily needs and are more than we could ever know or imagine

Blessed be your name forever more.

Thank you Lord.

Amen and Amen

14/2/13

Angela Azumah Alu

Prose Poem to God (based on Ps 139: 14-16) 30/1/13

Sometimes it’s hard to imagine dear Lord that you love me just because you created me and not because of what I do or how good I think I am or how many times I go to church or all those other things people try to equate your love with.

Honestly, it’s ego boosting to think that you love me because I’m so good or love you so much or pay my tithe or pray or read my bible or one of those other things that make me smugly think that you must be mighty pleased to have me on your side.

And such thoughts dear Lord, make forgiveness seem like an alien concept when I fall which I so often do. And make it difficult to forgive me, accept your forgiveness or even forgive others. Leaving me carrying many burdens around when you have asked me to cast all my cares on you and deliberately disobeying your word because your command forgiveness.

Well dear Lord, once more you have reminded me that I am loved by you-just as I am: because you created me and long to conform me to your image. You know that I’ll fall and that’s why you’ve made provisions for that. You are never surprised by me but your grace abounds and you promise that nothing can ever separate me from your love.

Teach me, o my father, to love as you do-unconditionally and always to work for the good of others.  Open my heart, my eyes and my ears to know you and love you, my neighbours and myself and above all, teach me to rest in you as you have commanded. Thank you for your word.

Angela Azumah Alu

Looking forward with hope: end of 2012- 22/12/12

 Thank you Lord for another year; full of ups and downs

Many times I’ve fallen and refused to get up; even then your love lifted me

Many times I’ve been ungrateful and fickle; you have been constant and faithful always

Many times I’ve been lazy and selfish; even then you still loved me and took care of me.

Thank you for family, friends and all loved ones

Thank you for successes and failures

Thank you for all you’ve been

Thank you, most importantly, for more of yourself that you’ve shown throughout the year.

Thank you for joys and sorrows; lift them all up to you

Thank you for challenges and problems

Thank you for being there always; thank you for Ghana

Thank you Lord!

Angela Azumah Alu