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

Praise Him! 6/12/12

When nothing seems to work for me

When I wonder why I’m alive and whether God even knows my name

When everything that could possibly go wrong has gone wrong

When I seem to be failing at everything

When I wish the earth would open and swallow me

When I can’t appreciate me or even see any positives

When all I can do is cry

When, when is when

 When the dark night seems never ending

Even then, I will praise the Lord of heaven

I will praise my Father in heaven

I will say of him that He is my strength and my song and has become my salvation

I will praise Him because he makes all things work together for my good

I will count every single one of my blessings

I will bless His name at all times

I will yet praise him

I will sing because He knows the way that I take and nothing is hidden from Him

I will praise Him because this too shall pass

I will praise Him because He is worthy

I will boast of his goodness!

Angela Azumah Alu

Reflections-Saviour Jesus (24/9/12)

Saviour who gives me beauty for ashes,

Who holds my every tear in his hand

And wipes them away in his own time,

Who hears every prayer and answers even before I ask

Who knows me through and through and loves me all the same

Saviour whose grace is my ticket to heaven and my promise of a mansion there

Saviour who has prepared me for good works and has calls me by name

Saviour who is shepherd, healer and all that to me

My king, Lord, sanctifier and much more besides

Saviour, in whose favour I rest, who heals all my diseases and forgives all my sins,

Who fights my battles because they are his, who prepares a table for me before my enemies

And anoints my head with oil.

Jesus, who is my glory and the lifter up of my head,

Thank you!

Angela Azumah Alu

THE GIFTS GOD GIVES

The Lord gives His gifts in His way, in His time and to His people.

You can’t ever figure out what goes into His choice because you are not God.

Well, your duty, dear friend, is to enjoy every single one of your gifts and use them for service and for His glory.

Whatever gift you have, God gave you.

Have you tried asking Him why He gave you that gift? What does He want you to do with it? And when you find out, you go ahead and do it like your life depends on it and see what God will do-He’ll only give you greater gifts!

Never ever compare your gift to anyone elses! Tis an error.

Do not grieve God by being envious but celebrate the fits other people have and do the best you can.

Rejoice! God has given you His gifts so you’ll be His eyes, His hands, His feet and His mouth on earth for the edification of the church and the perfection of saints.

Please! Arise! Go forth! Do and be all He’s called you to be!

Angela Azumah Alu

9/9/12 Reflections on the readings

Is 35:4-7/ Psalm 146/James 2:1-5/ Mark 7:31-37

Be not frightened, the LORD says to us

The Lord who comes with his recompense;

 The Lord who is the vindicator

The Lord who comes to restore the original order He created-

Where the poor are treated as equals-

The deaf hear, the blind see, the dumb speak and the lame leap for joy.

Jesus, the word of God, shows us how it is done and challenges us everyday of our lives-

To live life in such a way that we restore others to the original state in which God planned for them to be

Angela Azumah Alu