“Don’t Be Sucked In”
by Mark C. Waldrop

Don’t let the little things steal your peace
Not every storm demands release.
Some battles fade with silent grace,
Not every slight needs to take first place.

This world is loud, with endless spin,
But we don’t have to be sucked in.
For though it’s soaked in sin and pride,
We walk with One who’s by our side.

The headlines shout, the tempers flare,
But truth still whispers in quiet prayer.
If we would pause and kneel and pray,
God will show us the narrow way.

Not in the chaos or the crowd,
But in His Word—clear, strong, and loud.
So guard your heart, keep spirit still,
And trust His timing, trust His will.

Don’t major in the minor things,
Or clip the grace your patience brings.
Fix your eyes on things above
Faith, endurance, hope, and love.

Let mercy win, let kindness lead,
Let go of every lesser need.
He’ll calm the waves, restore your view
Just listen close… He’s guiding you.

For God’s Honor and Glory
MarkWaldrop

   I Painted God a Picture Today

I painted God a picture of my love today
And gave it to HIM  for Fathers Day

I was embarrassed 
It did not have as many colors as others I’d seen  

He said
That’s the most beautiful picture that’s ever been
It made my heart gleam with joy

He said 
You are such a loving little Boy

As time grew by and I grew older
My pictures have more color now

But the answer is always the same
That’s the most beautiful picture that I’ve ever seen 

May 30, 2021
Mark Waldrop 

       The Giver of All

We often cling to what we claim
Our time, our treasure, even name.
We build and hoard, and plan with pride,
While God stands gently at our side.

We say, “This harvest, I have grown,”
Forgetting none of it’s our own.
Each gift we guard, each breath we take,
Is lent by Him—for Heaven’s sake.

He gives so we might pass it on,
To light a soul, to lift the dawn.
And when we yield with open hand,
He multiplies what we had planned.

It’s not the gold or grain we sow,
But love that makes the blessings grow.
The Spirit whispers, soft and true:
“There’s someone there—this gift’s for you.”

So let us walk with eyes aware,
Of need and sorrow, pain and prayer.
And trust that joy will overflow,
When grace through giving starts to flow.

Not ours to keep, but ours to share
The riches of His loving care.
For everything is His above
And He repays with joy and love.

For God’s Honor and Glory
MarkWaldrop

       The Desert Yard

Each morning, I pass that barren land,
Once green and soft, now scorched and tanned.
A yard that knew the bloom of spring,
Now silent, dry—remembering.

Why did the watering cease one day?
Did time slip in and steal away?
Did busy hands forget the care,
Or did despair hang in the air?

So too, the soul, if left unfilled,
Grows parched and weary, hope unspilled.
It doesn’t die—but turns to stone,
A silent ache, a hollowed tone.

Yet even hearts as dry as bone
Can drink again what Heaven’s shown
For mercy rains in steady streams,
And grace revives our buried dreams.

No soul’s too far, no ground too cracked,
For living water to bring it back.
So let us tend what lies inside,
And water well where love may hide.

For hearts, once hard, can bloom again,
With just one drop of Heaven’s rain.

For God’s Honor and Glory
MarkWaldrop

            Pressing On

The road behind is strewn with dust,
Of dreams once bright, now turned to rust.
But grace, not guilt, shall light my way—
For I was never meant to stay.

The past may whisper, plead, or cry,
But I lift my gaze toward the sky.
Forgetting chains that held me fast,
I walk unbound—no longer cast.

Each step, though weary, draws me near,
To what is holy, pure, and clear.
Not for this world’s fleeting gain,
But for the crown that comes through pain.

The prize is Christ—my hope, my song,
The call that pulls my heart along.
I press ahead, through storm and fire,
Fueled by a deeper, heaven-born desire.

No turning back, no pause, no end,
Just faith in Him—my Lord, my Friend.
For upward still my soul shall soar,
To meet the One I’m striving for.

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 3:13–14 (NIV)

For God’s Honor and Glory
MarkWaldrop