I was once angry, but now I am at peace.

My life was once full of tumult; now there is strength, order and solemnity.

I was once abhorrent to God, but now I am made righteous.

I was once condemned to torment, but now I am destined for heaven.

My eternity was once full of pain and suffering; now there is treasure, mansions, family and God’s Son.

I was once rightly judged, now I am forgiven.

I was once bound by sin, now I am free.

My existence on earth was full of sin’s struggle; now there is peace and comfort.

I was once blinded by darkness, now I see by His light.

I was once dead to God, now I am alive in Him.

My spiritual life was empty, purposeless; now I am full in Christ for God’s glory.

I was once hateful, now I can love.

I was once hated, now I am loved.

My attitude was vile; now through God’s grace I am cordial.

God lives within me by the Son in the person of the Holy Spirit.

I was once cursed, now I am saved.

~Pastor Tim Senter

For what, my Christ,
Was Godhead rent?
You–one of three–
His own blood spent
On Calvary.

What paradox!
Most glorious made
When by One owed
A debt was paid
And life endowed.

Such satisfaction,
Dearly bought–
Oh may my erring heart
Be taught a more
Obedient part.

For not a lifetime
Could have earned–
No, not ten lifetimes
Could have learned–
REDEMPTION!

Yet you, dear Christ,
In moments knew
My total shame;
The nails passed through
My debt by name.

~Sarah Jinright

(used by permission)

As lightning threaded over
The canvas of the sky
And striking through the storm clouds
With heaven’s battle cray,
So comes the Son of Heaven,
His enemies to bind–
The days of darkness over–

Praise His Name!–Now left behind!
We’ll leave it when the trumpet
Tramples oe’r the eastern sky,
When the saved surpass the summits
Of the mountains as they fly!
And Satan’s final plummet
From his lie will be drawn nigh–
Yes, we’ll leave it all behind us
When Christ calls us by and by.

by Sarah Jinright

Used by permission.

When life gets tough and hard

Be sure you don’t look too far.

Don’t look to the past

For answers that will not last.

Don’t look to the stars

Because they can’t help you either.

Man’s philosophy only holds ideas

Maybe relevant to the temporary.

And searching for the meaning of life

Was never much help to anybody.

Life ain’t no merry-go-round

Filled with fun and ease.

It’s a roller-coaster at best

Many times bringing you to your knees.

The answers we find at those times

Are the ones that really do last.

Because then we are with the Lord

And to Him our burdens are cast.

So when life gets too hard

And seems like there is no end

Just look to Jesus, the Author of Life

Our Savior, King and Friend.

So don’t look for answers elsewhere.

Not even in the sky.

Just rest in the assurance that the answer you need

Is in Him Who is by your side.

*To learn about Marcus Twisdale, click here.

Gerry Sowers is a cowboy poet who hails from North Carolina. His love for the Lord has him ministering to retirement homes in Lander, and witnessing Christ in his daily life. He moved his family to Lander about 10 years ago from North Carolina when he was medically retired from practicing Law. As a lawyer, Gerry was once ordered to practice law on horseback by a judge. He rode into work on horseback daily to do so. He raised and rode horses for many years until he was physically unable. He frequently participated in civil war re-enactments such as Gettysburg and others. As a re-enactor, he helped serve the Chaplains in re-enactors for Jesus Christ and was in the epic motion picture Gettysburg. He is also in several Civil War journals and other documentaries on the Civil War. Gerry plays Banjo, sings, writes poetry, and sculpts natural fish scenes. He lives on Lonesome Possum Ranch in Lander, Wyoming.

I rode out of Big Sandy

On my way to South Pass,

And was crossing the Prospects

And the weather, it turned bad fast.

I started cussing my luck

At being caught in these mountains

For getting to South Pass

I had really been counting.

It was Christmas Eve

And I wanted to be

In South Pass City

With friends and family.

The wind was so cold

And the snow was really coming down

And I knew at that moment,

I’d not make it into town.

I reigned in my horse

And pondered what to do.

I looked around and far off to my right

A small grove of quakies came into view.

Again, I cussed my confounded luck.

No one, but me of course,

Would be caught in the snow

And spend Christmas Eve with his horse.

It was dark when I tied my horse to a tree.

My horse, he was skittish,

And it seemed the ground

Was moving all around me.

Then I heard a voice come out of the woods,

And right in front of me a little man stood.

I noticed the ground wasn’t moving around me.

I was in the middle of a big flock of sheep

As far as I could see.

And I could see, on that night, all of God’s mighty Glory.

And I thought no one was more fortunate than me,

To be spending Christmas Eve, with a shepherd, you see.

I learned from him of God’s great love,

How he gave us His Only Son,

And that Jesus died on the cross for us

When His work on Earth was done.

He came to save all sinners

That is how it came to be,

Yes, Jesus saves all sinners

Even old cowboys like me.

R.G. Sowers III

Faithful is He Who will sustain you.

He will not let you fall.  He cares for you (Ps. 55:22).

Our God, no matter what the tempest, will always see His children through.

Faithful is the hand of God that guides

Through times of uncertainty and days of dark stormy seas.

His grace will keep us for He is our mighty King (IICor. 12:9).

The One Whom the Christian finds when he falls to his knees.

Faithful is the arm of God that protects you.

His arm which moves mountains will secure you

To lift you up when in weakness you stumble.

He will never lead you to darkness nor cause you to succumb to trouble.

Faithful are the promises of God that will keep you.

It is a faithful saying, what He started He will continue.

Our God began a good work in you for His glory

And that work He will perform until Jesus we shall see.

Faithful is our God in affliction of which in this life He’ll bring.

But by His grace and mercy you can forever sing

Of Him Who will not leave nor forsake you but keep you by His love.

Of this we can be assured because He is our God Who reigns above.

Faithful is the calling of God, our Lord and Savior

Whose plan shall be fulfilled through those who love Him.

He will give you grace to serve Him and strength to carry through

And preserve you blameless until He comes for you.

Our God is faithful, of that there is no doubt.

He’s proven Himself within us and He’s proven Himself without.

Creator of the universe, our Savior, Redeemer, our King,

Is not just faithful to His servants but is faithful in everything.

So I’ll shout in praise to the roof tops, I’ll shout to the tops of the trees.

I’ll shout to the clouds in the heavens, I’ll shout while on my knees.

I’ll shout for He hath dealt bountifully with me (Ps. 13:6).  By His grace I am sustained.

Faithful is our God and King Who is always the same and will never, ever change.

God’s Grace

I’d like to express once again how grateful I am that the Lord has chosen to use me.  I’m a frail vessel just like anyone else whose feet trod the ground of this planet.  I have nothing to offer the Father that He doesn’t already have and more of.  He’s righteous, I’m filthy; He’s infinite, I’m finite; He’s incorruptible, I’m corruptible; He’s omnipotent, I’m weak.  He has used me as He did Job to show His glory as the God of faithfulness.  When all was done and the tests were over God was still there. 

I can’t say I’ve suffered as much as Job but I do believe God is a Just and Righteous God.  He has loved me enough to save my soul from an eternity without Him and loves me still to use this vessel. 

God has taken me from birth to where I am now with a few road blocks along this thirty year trek but continues, as He said He would, to provide for my needs “according to His riches in Christ Jesus.”  The One Who “spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all,” has provided for me time and time again.  When times ran rough all I needed to do was go to His throne of grace “to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” 

At five years of age, Aug. 17, 1982, the Lord displayed his strength in my life.  I was hit by a car in my neighborhood.  Given a 50/50 chance of coming out of surgery, no one knew what to expect.  But God had a plan as He always does.  He prevented total paralysis of which the doctors thought would be the case.  He provided strength to move and much more that was highly unexpected.  God prevented the development of a speech impediment and gave a good strong voice.  He prevented the inadequacy of limited movement, if any, and allowed me to stand and walk for as long as I did.

I’ve had four surgeries on my legs and one on my good arm back on Aug. 8, 2006 and God’s grace has provided after every operation to carry on for Him.  Things have had to be adjusted but, again, God provided what I needed.

 I’d like, for the next few lines, to talk about an instance involving God’s providence.  Back on April 2, 2002, four months after starting and continuing to take muscle relaxers for leg tremors, not knowing I had “Walking pneumonia” also, a friend of mine found me in my dorm room @ Liberty Univ. passed out on my floor.  I was the only one using the room, the door was shut and locked and I wasn’t scheduled to meet anyone anytime soon.  God provided a friend to think about me.  It was because of God’s grace to provide and my friend’s inquiring mind that I am here for further service.

 I wrote this short testimony for two reasons; one is that I wanted this to be an encouragement to someone.  Seeing what God has done through people of faith in Him always brings a smile to my face.  Second, today is the 25^th anniversary of the day my life shifted gears for the glory of God and I wanted to tell of what He had done for me one more time.

            Ps. 9:11, Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people His doings.

Lord bless you all,

George (Marcus) Marks Twisdale, Jr.

July 1, 1977-Whenever God calls me home

Dedication, that’s the key.

Dedication’s the path for me.

Dedication builds character. Dedication makes the man.

It’s the difference between my foundation on the Rock and my sinking in the sand.

Dedication makes me strong. Dedication makes me whole.

It’s that step of faith that leads me to walk instead of crawl.

To be dedicated involves my decision to stand,

Not alone but by command.

That command that set the standard is the one that sets the goal.

Dedication strengthens so I can continue. He strengthens so I can say,

“I’ve done my best with what I’ve had.

I’ve done it good and that’s not bad.

I never gave up or gave in.

It wasn’t by the strength without but that which was within.”

Dedication, He’s the mark of the strong.

He’s the One that brought me to this point.

In Him my life takes shape.

In Him I’ll succeed because He will not quit.

Dedication will provide when all else fails.

Because His character is perseverance, He blazes the trails.

Pushing with heart and a will to perfection, it’s the goal of Dedication to finish well.

There is no exception, no excuse to give up.

I’ve given myself to surrender my desires and by His power I’ll not let up.

That evidence of Dedication is a thrilling thought indeed.

But unless I hold on to Him with all my might and trust,

Then all my desires and thoughts of completion will be nothing more than an unplanted seed.

It’s Dedication that makes the man. I believe that with all my heart.

By Him I’ll look my tasks in the face with all intention of success and say,

“I know my goal. I will not back down.

My flesh can distract me or drive me in the ground.

I’ll trust in Christ with all my heart.

I’ll get back on my feet. From that goal I’ll not depart.

Dedication brought me here.

Dedication will take me home.

But while the latter is still on hold I will not dwell and roam.

I’ll plant my feet on Him Who strengthens me.

I’ll stand strong and firm by Dedication for He is the key.

 Because of Christ,

Marcus Twisdale