© July 14, 2008 by Christine Nicole

Whether slicing the line with a garden shovel or running my spiritual fingers over the sharp blade of the two-edged Sword, I have always enjoyed being on the cutting edge of life.

For those who are willing to dig a little deeper than the surface, gardens are a great place to tunnel into a wealth of wisdom that cannot be exhausted. It is a living classroom full of hidden treasure, if you can handle getting a little dirt underneath your spiritual fingernails.



Last summer, with the experienced voice of my papa guiding me, I learned how to cut a clean edge around the perimeter of the garden. Guide posts, with a string stretched taught between them, were necessary for accuracy in achieving a straight line. Papa, a seasoned gardener, patiently oversaw my work, pulling out the freshly severed clods of sod and tossing them into the tractor wagon. Occasionally, he would correct a crooked dig and help me reposition my shovel so that I would stay on track.

As we made our way around the border, Papa began to explain the purpose behind this process, which went much deeper than aesthetic appearance. I listened intently as he described in detail how the shovel severs the roots and creates a natural boundary that hinders the grass from creeping in and taking over the garden. Without this preventative measure, the surrounding lawn would slowly and subtly close in on the garden, eating up valuable ground space intended only for produce.

As we chipped away at the task, it didn’t take long for my mind to travel from the physical actions to the spiritual applications involved. A multitude of Bible verses swarmed through my thoughts, adding eternal dimension to this mundane job. “Keep thy heart with all diligence: for out of it are the issues of life” and “Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” echoed through my heart as I wedged my shovel into the dirt one more time. (Psalm 4:23, Romans 12:2)

If we are willing to care so meticulously for a garden, which has no significance in the light of eternity, how much more attention and diligence ought we to give to the God-assigned duty of guarding our hearts? Yet somehow it is so much easier to notice grass creeping over the border of a garden than to spot sin slinking over the perimeter of our hearts.

This distinct mark of separation does not just “happen” at the moment of salvation, any more than a clean cut edge just appears around a garden. It is only as the Holy Spirit begins to lay down the plumb line of the Word that we start to see where to slice the line. It is not enough to put a little space between ourselves and the world. Because the world is actively and aggressively trying to squeeze us into its wayward mold, we must consistently make a concerted effort to sever all ties with sin and make a clean cut with fleshly lusts that war against our souls.

How I wish this procedure yielded lifetime results! But like a garden, it requires regular maintenance if you don’t want to lose precious ground. It may seem a bit tedious and tiresome at first, but the fruit will be far sweeter and more satisfying than any earthly harvest.­

© May 24, 2009 by Christine Nicole

© July 14, 2008 by Christine Nicole

and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

– Proverbs 22:6

“Staking it out” took on a whole new meaning this afternoon as I worked alongside my Papa. We had twenty tomato plants that promised to be a total flop if we did not provide them with proper support.

After gathering an armful of supplies, we marched out to the garden to begin this delicate task. Papa tackled the first few tomato plants. He showed me how to snug a stake up to the base of each respective plant and drive it into the dirt with a small sledge hammer. Soon, it was my turn to take a swing at it. One by one, Papa handed me the wooden stakes as we made our way down the two rows, making sure each one was firmly planted in the ground.

Then, taking a handful of inch-wide cloth strips we had shredded from an old sheet, Papa carefully demonstrated how to secure the main branches to the post in a way that would help the plant stay in an upright position. This was not a fast procedure. These plants had a mind of their own! Although we used the same tools, each one required a slightly different approach. Some plants needed two ties, others more. But no two plants were alike.

First we had to consider each one’s natural bent. I learned quite quickly not to force any of the branches against their will. “Let it find its own path,” Papa encouraged again and again. Our job was not to change the way these plants were made, but rather to gently guide them toward the light. Our goal was to keep the precious fruit that would soon grow, from stooping down into the dirt and rotting or being ravaged by bugs.

But this was only the beginning. These ties we had just put in place, would need to be adjusted as often as every few days to allow for the growing needs of the plants. Otherwise what was intended to be a help to them, would become a hindrance, holding them back from reaching their full potential.

As Papa patiently talked me through this painstaking process (no pun intended), puzzle pieces of a different kind began to come together in my mind, and truth of a greater value started to emerge. The special attention we were investing in these little tomato plants concealed a spiritual analogy that pointed to the parental prescription revealed in Proverbs 22:6. Although the process may differ, the guiding principles have striking similarities.

Just as these budding plants needed to be deliberately “tied up,” children must be diligently “trained up,” if they are to grow towards the living Light and escape the depths of depravity that ruin and rot men’s souls. First the solid stake of God’s unchanging Word must be driven deep into the soil of their hearts while they are young and tender, and must become the standard by which all other thoughts, ideas, inventions, and philosophies are measured. But to stop there, is to stop short of success.

Without ties of truth strategically fastened about the heart, a child cannot help but grovel in the folly of youth. Children do not naturally gravitate towards the guidepost of Godly wisdom. Proverbs plainly states that “foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child” and that only “the rod of correction will drive it far from him.” (Proverbs 22:15) The word “bound” literally means “to tie” or “knit.” If folly is that deeply woven into a child’s nature, we can conclude that it is no small undertaking to root it out and replace it with a hunger for holiness.

Yet changing this wayward bent is anything but easy. It is a very delicate transformation that requires a great deal of time and patience to perform. Undue force will only leave scars and even snap the tender limbs of a child’s character; and that which was meant to direct can easily destroy if wrongly applied. Gentle but firm restraints, guided by sound judgment, must be implemented to check the rebel passions and foolish inclinations of youth and to protect the precious fruit of Godly virtue as it begins to blossom.

These “ties” must be watched closely and adjusted regularly to allow for and perpetuate the desired growth. This is where a tremendous amount of wisdom and discretion is in order. A parent must learn to discern the individual needs of each child and adapt their approach to discipline accordingly. For like tomato plants, no two children are exactly alike. The same ties that were intended to protect and provide stability, can stifle and stunt growth if proper care is not taken. But when tethered with love and bound by mercy, “ties of truth” create a stable and secure environment where children are set free to flourish in the fruits of righteousness.

© April 25, 2009 by Christine Nicole

Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness,
and for His wonderful works to the children of men!
Psalm 107:8, 15, 21, 31

Oh that men would praise the Lord
For the goodness He has wrought,
And remember all the blessings
That His wondrous works have brought!

Let those that are redeemed proclaim
The greatness of His power,
And the promise of His hand to save
And keep them every hour.

While wandering in a lonely way,
As lost and scattered sheep,
He has gathered us together
To protect and safely keep.

He heard our cry and answered
When we told Him our distress,
And delivered us from trouble
By His truth and righteousness.

Oh that men would praise the Lord
For His goodness and His grace!
And proclaim the mighty wonders
He has done before their face!

For the longing soul He quenches
With the things that satisfy;
And the hungry soul He fills
With an infinite supply

Of the bounty of His presence
And the greatness of His heart;
The sweet comfort of His Spirit
That infiltrates every part.

When we cry, He always answers;
With His Word, He saves and heals.
He delivers from destruction;
All our pain, His own heart feels.

Oh that men would praise the Lord
And His goodness celebrate;
Tell the world of all His glory
And His wondrous works relate!

He has loosed us from the bands of sin
And our iniquity;
He has brought us out of darkness,
Into light and liberty.

So lovingly, He quiets us,
And calms our stormy will;
To the violent waves that rage within,
He whispers, “Peace be still.”

He hears our troubled cries for help,
And will not turn away;
But will answer us in faithfulness,
At His appointed day.

Oh that men would praise the Lord
And make all His goodness known,
With unending exaltation
For the mercy He has shown!

He turns dry lands into fountains
And the parched ground into springs;
Fertility and fruitfulness
Are what His blessing brings.

God will set the poor on high
Above affliction’s reach,
When they have learned the lessons
Only times of pain can teach.

Those who will be wise
And observe His matchless ways,
Will understand His loving kindness
And break forth in ceaseless praise.

© July 14, 2008 by Christine Nicole

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee;
He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
– Psalm 55:22

Is your spirit heavy,
And your heart weighed down with care?
Are clouds of doubt surrounding you
With shadows of despair?


Then lift your voice to Jesus;
He will hear your earnest prayer.
Take your burden to the Lord,
And leave it there.

Is your soul discouraged,
And your heart by darkness bound?
Has the fog of fear and hopelessness
Descended all around?

Then lift your eyes to Jesus,
For in Him, your hope is found.
Take your burden to the Lord,
And leave it there.

Has your joy been swiftly taken
By a change of circumstance?
Do you feel cruelly tossed about
By winds of fate and chance?

Then lift your hands to Jesus;
Lean upon His providence.
Take your burden to the Lord,
And leave it there.

Has your confidence been broken
By the ones you’ve come to trust?
Have the dreams you set your heart upon
Been sifted into dust?

Then lift your heart to Jesus;
He is faithful, true, and just.
Take your burden to the Lord,
And leave it there.

Never will His heart forsake you,
Or His hand release its hold;
He will comfort and caress you,
Safely in His arms enfold.

Never will the Saviour slumber,
Nor His ears refuse to hear,
Humble cries from His dear children
Lifted up in trusting prayer.

Jesus’ heart is always for you;
In His hand, you are secure;
He will shelter and protect you
With a love that will endure.

So draw near with full assurance;
Cast on Him your every care.
Bring your burdens to the Lord,
And leave them there.

© October 3, 2009 by Christine Nicole

But by the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
– I Corinthians 15:10

By the grace of God I am
What I otherwise couldn’t be.
I am free from condemnation;
Born into God’s family.

By His grace, I am forgiven;
By His blood, I am made clean;
Jesus Christ is now my Saviour,
And the Lord of everything.

By His grace, I have been given
A new name with my new birth,
And a home in heaven’s glory
That contains eternal worth.

Clothed in garments of salvation,
I stand righteous in His sight;
God has made me an inheritor
Among the saints of light.

By His grace, I am His child,
A joint heir with His dear Son,
And united by His Spirit
With the God-head, three in one.

By His grace, no trial too great
That my heart cannot endure;
Not a wound He cannot heal;
Nor a pain He cannot cure.

Though all hell may come against me
And the devil’s darts assail,
Still the grace of God is stronger
And will ardently prevail.

The grace of God can more than match
Whatever foe I face;
I will never fight a battle
That is stronger than God’s grace.

His grace gives me the will to do
All that His Word commands,
And keeps my heart from fainting
‘Neath the strain of life’s demands.

My desire to surrender
And to yield to His control,
Is effected by the grace of God
At work within my soul.

Oh that His grace may have its way
Effectually in me,
And make me more like Jesus
In His love and purity!

And growing in this blessed grace,
May I His likeness find,
Imprinted more completely
On my spirit and my mind;

‘Til the beauty of His holiness
May in my life be seen,
As upon the mighty grace of God
With humble trust I lean.

I have no fear of falling,
When upon His grace I stand;
For it keeps me safely nestled
In the palm of God’s own hand.

© May 24, 2009 by Christine Nicole

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.
– I Peter 1:7

Precious is the trial of your faith in Jesus’ sight,
Accomplishing the purposes that bring His heart delight.
In every pain His love permits, He seeks to draw us still,
Nearer to His presence and the center of His will.

Pain that, with a trusting heart, we patiently endure,
Adds to us the wisdom that is peaceable and pure;
Imprinting deeply on our hearts the image of the Son,
Nearer, nearer drawing us until His work is done.

© June 20, 2010 by Christine Nicole

The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good...
– Proverbs 15:3

When no one near is watching
And no eyes upon me fall,
There is One that sees from heaven
Who is greater than them all.

He beholds my every movement
And records my every word,
That no other eye has witnessed
And no other ear has heard.

God sees my thoughts and intents,
Which from others are concealed;
For the things I do in secret,
In His presence are revealed.

The hidden habits of my heart
Are laid in open view,
Before the piercing eyes of Him
With whom I have to do.

There are no thoughts that I can think
Or places I can go,
That my Father up in heaven
Does not see and does not know.

My ways are all before the Lord;
He ponders every path,
Preserving me from evil
And the terror of His wrath.

He is merciful and gracious,
Yet won’t suffer me to sin;
But desires that I know the joy
Of walking close to Him.

As I honor Him in secret,
He will bless me openly,
And manifest His righteousness
For all the world to see.

He stands ready to reward me
When I trust Him and obey,
And delight to do His bidding,
Yielding to His Spirit’s sway.

When I need Him, He is present;
When I call, He quickly hears;
And not one anxious cry for help
Escapes my Father’s ears.

I am the object of His love,
And the focus of His care.
He considers me His treasure:
Chosen, valuable, and rare.

When I fail, He forgives me;
When I fall, He helps me stand;
My name is written on His heart
And etched upon His hand.

He does not despise my weakness
Or the struggles of my soul,
But extends to me His mercy
And the means to make me whole.

His love is unconditional,
Not based on what I do;
It does not change or fluctuate,
But stays completely true.

I am cherished in His bosom;
I am cradled in His arms;
I am sheltered by His presence,
Safe from fear, and all that harms.

His Son has paid my ransom
And prepared for me a place,
Where I will feast forever
On the riches of His grace.

His look of love is constant;
His intent is always kind;
His glory and my good
Are at the forefront of His mind.

Not one private act of worship;
Not one sacrifice of praise,
Goes unnoticed by my Father,
And His penetrating gaze.

Every secret way I serve Him,
Though the world may not applaud,
Is recorded up in heaven
By my Saviour and my God.

And the recompense of Heaven
Will be great beyond compare!
I will only wish I’d served Him more,
When I His glory share.

© April 28, 2007 by Christine Nicole

Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.
- Proverbs 17:6

Protecting me with perfect love
that
casts out every fear,
And teaching me my Father’s
heart
invites me to draw near;
Providing tender counsel when
I’m
struggling and unsure –
A loving Papa’s presence is a
balm to
heal and cure.

Providing strength and comfort,
loving arms to hold me tight;
Asking God for wisdom, to teach
me wrong from right;
Providing me with counsel to
seek
my Father’s will –
A Papa holds a special place that
no one else can fill.

Protecting me with love that is
innocent and pure;
Affirming me in gentle ways that
make me feel secure;
Providing great compassion and
the
courage to press on –
A loving Papa’s presence is a
picture of God’s Son.

Preparing me to stand alone on
faith steadfast and sure,
And guiding me with wisdom
that
is peaceable and pure;
Protecting me from sin and the
sorrow that it brings –
A wise and loving Papa is the
sum of all these things.

Written with gratitude to
the Lord for
Ray Schenk,
the wise and loving Papa
He has placed in
my life as a picture of His
love.

© December 2007 by Christine Nicole

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
- Matthew 1:23

Before the world began,
God the Father had a plan
To send His only Son
In the likeness of a man.

He would come by virgin birth
With a name of matchless worth:
God with us, Emmanuel,
Promised Son of Israel.

The Messiah who would save,
And the path of pardon pave
For a world of sinful men,
Who had need to be forgiven.

As the prophecies of old
By the prophets were foretold,
He was born in Bethlehem
Of the seed of Abraham.

Like a lamb of spotless white
And a beacon shining bright,
To illuminate the night
With a pure, unending light,

Jesus came a helpless child
In a manger, meek and mild.
Shepherds came to hail Him King;
Wise men royal gifts did bring

To proclaim His humble birth,
God’s own Son sent down to earth:
God with us, Emmanuel,
Promised Son of Israel.

Strong in spirit, full of grace,
A reflection of God’s face,
In all wisdom, Jesus grew,
God the Father’s will to do.

Tempted in all points to sin,
Yet remaining pure within,
Jesus proved Himself to be
God in truth and deity.

Healing blind, and deaf, and lame,
In the power of His name,
Jesus’ fame was spread abroad
To give glory unto God.

Unblemished, undefiled,
Yet rejected and reviled;
By His own unrecognized,
Persecuted and despised;

Yet He paid redemption’s fee
With His blood on Calvary,
As He died to set us free
From sin’s pain and penalty.

As a sinless sacrifice,
He alone could pay sin’s price;
Only Christ could reconcile
This lost world so sick and vile.

Supreme expression of God’s love,
Greatest gift from heav’n above:
God with us, Emmanuel,
Sent to save our souls from hell.

Raised from death three days later,
Jesus Christ our Mediator
Sent to us His Holy Spirit,
Giving us His grace and merit;

Restoring fellowship once lost,
Redeeming us at His own cost;
That God with us, Emmanuel,
Might in our hearts forever dwell

© April 20, 2010 by Christine Nicole

Ye are complete in Him,
which is the head of all principality and power.
– Colossians 2:10

Dear Lord, how much I long to be
In perfect harmony with Thee;
My will deferring to Thy ways
In sweet surrender all my days.

O what a gift to be Thy child
And by Thy cross be reconciled!
I now no condemnation see,
Nor fear sin’s dreadful penalty.

Thy blood, my pardon fully paid
And for my sin atonement made;
For Thou hast bled and died for me,
That I, in turn, might live for Thee.

I ask not for my wants fulfilled,
Desires granted, wishes willed;
I only ask that I might be
Found perfect and complete in Thee:

Yielding to Thy Spirit’s sway;
Obeying Thee without delay;
One in purpose, one in love:
To will as Thou hast willed above.

Create in me a pristine heart,
Possessed by Thee in every part;
Replete with every quality
That makes me, Jesus, more like Thee.

Help me every sin forsake;
A consecrated vessel make;
Each wayward bent in me correct;
From every way of pain, protect.

Each rebel thought in me subdue;
My mind and heart with truth renew;
Till I, in full conformity,
Stand perfect and complete in Thee.

Complete in Thee – O blessed thought!
In Thee, who my salvation wrought;
My will forever lost in Thine,
O Christ, my glorious Head divine.

© 2005 by Christine Nicole

The glory of children are their fathers.
– Proverbs 17:6
There is a place within the heart
Designed by God above;
A special spot that longs to have
A Father’s tender love.

This is a special kind of love,
From others set apart.
It is a love most precious
To every child’s heart.

The desire for a father’s love
Is one you don’t outgrow.
As long as you are living,
It’s a love you long to know.

The absence of it leaves an ache
Too deep to comprehend.
The presence of it brings a joy
That nothing else can lend.

Behold the love of God above,
Who sent His Son from heaven!
That we might call Him Father,
And have our sins forgiven.

Jesus’ blood purchased access
To the Father full and free,
That we might know a father’s love
For all eternity.

© September 19, 2009 by Christine Nicole

The eternal God is thy refuge,
and underneath are the everlasting arms.
– Deuteronomy 33:27

My Father’s love will never cease
In strife of war or times of peace,
But true and faithful will remain
Until my Saviour comes again.

Though friendship’s joys may come and go
And storms may toss me to and fro,
My Father’s love in vast supply
Will never wane and never die.

Though father, mother, kindred pass
Into the heights of heaven’s bliss,
My Father’s love will hold me tight
And comfort me through death’s dark night.

My Father, who His own doth keep
Through trials sore and sorrows deep,
Will with His boundless love so free
Sustain me through eternity.

Dear Father, while I dwell on earth,
Oh let my life proclaim Thy worth,
And bring Thee glory all my days
In offerings of endless praise.

Subdue my will and mold my clay;
Transform my heart without delay
To bear the image of Thy Son,
And be, with Thee, forever one.

Eternal Father, full of love,
I long to reach Thy courts above;
That I may worship and adore
Thy matchless grace forevermore.

Oh let Thine everlasting arms
Protect me now from all that harms,
And may Thy love from ages past
Transport me safely home at last.

© April 10, 2010 by Christine Nicole

But without faith it is impossible to please [God]: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.
– Hebrews 11:6

Faith is not a feeling of invincibility;
It is not being free from doubt or insecurity;
Faith is the calm assurance that my Father’s will is best,
And that my highest good is at the heart of every test.

Faith is not a stellar strength that stands undauntedly,
And never sheds a single tear amid adversity;
Faith is looking unto Jesus when my hope is nearly gone
And I cannot find within myself the strength to carry on.

Faith is not a plastic smile that hides a world of pain;
It is not claiming sunshine when the clouds are full of rain;
Faith is finding purpose in the trials that I face,
And drawing joy from Jesus and His all-sufficient grace.

Faith is not believing that my grief will go away;
It is knowing God has purpose in allowing it to stay.
Faith is clinging tightly to the promises of God;
Trusting wholly in His goodness and the wisdom of His rod.

Faith is not the blind belief that things will be alright,
Or declaring it is day in the dead of darkest night;
Faith is built on changeless truth which cannot be repealed,
That plainly in the written Word of God has been revealed.

Faith is not denying all the fears that plague the soul,
But believing, in the midst of them, that God is in control.
Faith is placing certain confidence in God’s unchanging love,
And the knowledge He is fitting me for heaven’s courts above.

Faith is not resisting the realities of life,
Or feigning there is peace in a world that’s full of strife;
It is knowing Christ has conquered and obtained the victory
Over death and hell, and Satan’s power, for all eternity.

Faith is not pretending that my problems are not there;
It’s believing, as I walk through them, that God is always near.
Faith is finding substance in the pledges God has made,
And believing, when the time is right, that He will send me aid.

Faith is not concealing the deep struggles of my heart,
By ignoring their existence and effect on every part;
It is taking them to Jesus and entrusting to His care
Every hurt I cannot heal and the burdens I can’t bear.

Faith is choosing not to worry when I know that I have prayed;
It is exercising patience when God’s answers are delayed.
Faith is resting in God’s Word, when its truth is not yet seen,
And trusting, when the Lord deems best, His hand will intervene.

Faith’s resisting the temptation to believe God’s not aware,
Or to think He is indifferent to my heartache and despair.
It is knowing each affliction has been chosen by His hand,
To prepare me for the greatness that His sovereign will has planned.

Faith is joyfully accepting every hardship God ordains,
And refusing to defect, when my perseverance wanes.
It is cheerfully enduring what I otherwise could not,
As I wait for His refining work to be completely wrought.

Faith will seek God’s highest favor and will fear His slightest frown;
Faith is ardently devoted to God’s glory and renown.
Faith is nurtured by the love of God, and will that love return;
Faith feasts solely on the Word of God and longs His will to learn.

It is faith in Jesus Christ alone that saves and satisfies;
He is the solid rock of strength on which my hope relies.
I will lift my eyes to Jesus when all hope seems wholly lost;
When the ground beneath me crumbles and my soul is tempest-tossed.

I will find in Him a refuge that none other can provide;
He will keep me by His power and protect on every side.
There is no situation that His grace cannot redeem,
Regardless of how hopeless every circumstance may seem.

The veil will be lifted when I step on Heaven’s shore,
And I will not have to wonder why, or question any more;
For everything I have believed by faith will then be sight,
When my eyes behold the Lamb of God, the everlasting Light.

Perfect knowledge will indwell me; I will know as I am known,
When I look upon my Saviour who redeemed me for His own.
I will bear the blessed image of the Lamb who died for me,
And will stand complete in Jesus Christ for all eternity.