My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord: Inspirational Poems and Devotions, Salted with Gems from God's Holy Word

By Mary Wisham Fenstermacher

Do you sometimes feel that you are at the top of the world? Are you amazed at the beauty surrounding you in Gods majestic creationthe sky, the mountains, the valleys, and the rivers? Does the rush and roar of the ocean waves tingle through your whole being as you watch and listen? Does the coming of the seasonsThanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter--arouse your senses and awaken your joy of anticipation? These are some of the feelings and experiences expressed in the poetic verse found in this collection of inspirational poems and devotionals. Poems such as Mornings Dawn, Autumn Song, and Evening at Sunset will take you to those quiet moments of peace and serenity that everyone needs along the way. Seascape and Seashore Symphony will remind you of the mighty powers our great Creator wields over the universe.

Mountaintop experiences, however, are not the everyday diet of human experience. Sadness, pain, illness, frustration, and disappointment pepper mankinds daily existence on a much greater scale. Such poems as Be Strong, Hold Fast, A Pilgrims Prayer, and Heaven speak to the heart and soul of human agony and distress. There is hope! It is found in the Savior of humankind the Creator of the world the friend that sticketh closer than a brother. That hope is found in Jesus ChristImmanuel, God with us!

Filled with pertinent Scriptures of timeless wisdom and comfort, this book of poems and devotionals is designed to lift your spirits during any day or season.

Join the author as she magnifies the Lord with Scripture and poetic verse!

I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.
Psalm 34:13

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Nov 29, 2012
• ISBN: 9781449774233

Mary Wisham Fenstermacher

Mary (Peggy) Wisham Fenstermacher was born in Bridgeton, New Jersey, the county seat of Cumberland County.  She enjoyed the childhood pleasures of living on a small farm complete with a barn full of laying hens, a black Cocker Spaniel, and a Shetland pony.  Mary completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in English at Kutztown State College (now University) in Kutztown, Pennsylvania.  She has been an elementary school teacher in various public and Christian schools in Pennsylvania and Maine for over twenty years.  She has taught every grade from Pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, Title 1 Literacy, special education students, and classroom music. She has also homeschooled her own children for ten years.  Her love of writing led her to apply for enrollment in the Institute for Children’s Literature where she was readily accepted.  Her final project was a story about a warm weather penguin that loved to explore…Pablo the Penguin had been created!  Pablo Visits the Desert was the Winner of the USA Book News competition (Novelty & Gift category) in 2012.  Pablo Visits the Ocean won Finalist status the same year.  In 2012, Mary also published a book of inspirational poems and devotions entitled My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord. Within these pages are poems, devotions and anecdotes which provide encouragement and moments of serenity for the reader—any day and any hour.  Mary lives in Peru, Maine with her husband, Todd.  They have five grown children, four grandchildren, and grandchild number five is on the way! She enjoys teaching piano lessons to area students and plays the piano for services at Faith Way Baptist Church in Jay, Maine.

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Copyright © 2012 Mary Wisham Fenstermacher

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

ISBN: 978-1-4497-7422-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-7424-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-7423-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012922039

WestBow Press books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

1-[phone]

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Author photo and family portrait Used with permission. ©Lifetouch Inc.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

WestBow Press rev. date: 11/21/2012

Contents

Introduction

Blessings of Motherhood

Jesus, Mary’s Boy: God’s Only Son

The Teachable Moment

A Mother’s Prayer

Mother

The Beatitudes

Mommy, I Am Hungry

Mommy, I Fell Down

Mommy, Look At Me!!!

Mommy, Can I Help?

The Party

Help!

Words of Faith & Hope

The Mustard Seed

Lo, I Am with You Always

Hold Fast

Be Strong

Redeemer Mine

A House Not Made with Hands

Salvation’s Gift

Heaven

A Pilgrim’s Prayer

Stressed Out

The Helm

Three Words

God’’s Majestic Creation

God’s Wonderful World

Beyond Creation

I Thank Him

Birth of a Poem

Morning’s Dawn

God’s Creatures

Two Blue Jays

Evening at Sunset

Through the Seasons

A Time of Thanks

Autumn Song

Thanksgiving Time

Thanksgiving Prayer

Daybreak After a Winter Storm

Christ Has Risen

Hallelujah

Hark! The Robin Sings

Springtime Surprise

Spring Fever

School Year Reflections

A Special Teacher

To the Christian School Graduate

Seaside Adventures

Ocean Playground ~ treasured thoughts

By the Sea

Seascape

Seashore Symphony

The Lighthouse

Christmas Tidings

Reviewing the Year

He First Loved Us

Heaven’s Gift

God’s Greatest Gift

Christmas Tidings

Love Came Down From Heaven

Christ Has Come!

Christmas Sounds

Christmas Prayer

Call His Name Jesus

Children’s Corner

When I Grow Up ~ treasured thoughts

The Season of Summer

Showtime

Chipmunk Lunch

Dear Butterfly

Favorite Toys

Night Winds

Windy Day

Someone at My Window

Ladybird Beetle

Noisy Critter

Mr. Robin

Bird Feeder Frenzy

Bubbles

The Clouds are Passing By

Raindrops

Mr. Scarecrow

Snow Crystals

Bedtime

Reflections

An Open Letter to My Father in Heaven

Miracles Still Happen

Reflections and a Poem

Why?

Postscript

About the Author

In Loving Memory of…

Mildred MacPherson Wisham

(1920 – 1983)

…physical education teacher, physical therapist serving in WWII and the Korean Conflict, civics/ government teacher, recipient of the Classroom Teacher’s Freedom Foundation Award Medal (Valley Forge, PA), and Sunday School teacher ~ my Mother.

In Heartfelt Love and Appreciation to…

Charles David Wisham

…telephone lineman and installer, airplane mechanic during WWII, Boy Scout leader, church trustee and deacon, faithful family man and provider, and generous supporter of my many writing projects ~ my Father.

With Love and Gratitude to…

Todd Edward Fenstermacher

…factory worker, insurance salesman, tax preparer, financial planner, doting father of our five children, and a caring helper during my various illnesses ~ my Husband.

I thank my God upon every

remembrance of you.

~Philippians 1:3

Luke 1:46-55

And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

For He that is mighty hath done to me great things; and Holy is His name. And His mercy is on them that fear Him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with His arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.

He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He hath sent empty away. He hath holpen His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy; as He spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed forever.

Introduction

Over two millennia ago, a young mother-to-be exclaimed the words found in Luke 1:46-55, and these words would reverberate through the centuries as a timeless testimony to God’s might and power. How blessed we are to have this same loving, caring, and unchanging Lord to guide us hundreds of years after Mary’s baby was born. How blessed we are to know the ending of the story that began in the first chapter of Luke. How blessed we are to have the completed revelation of scriptures in our hands to read, digest, meditate on, and magnify on our earthly journey through life. How especially blessed we are to be in the position to receive Christ Jesus as our Savior, and to trust Him as our mediator before God the Father’s throne.

Magnify means to make larger, amplify, or praise. Mary magnified the Lord’s power, strength, and merciful character in her recitation to Elisabeth, her cousin, long ago. It is with this same admiration and desire to glorify God that these poems have been written and scriptures have been compiled. It is my heartfelt prayer, that each reader will come to see Christ magnified through the language of poetic verse, which has been initially inspired by God’s Holy Word. The Bible truly is sharper than any two- edged sword, and is able to change any life, providing that that life is willing to accept the Heavenly Potter’s hands.

My home is not of this world. Like many believers, I am a pilgrim wandering this land below, biding my time until I am whisked away to the heavenly mansions prepared above. In the meantime, God’s gift of language has found sweet solace in my soul. Until the day my mansion is ready, I will continue to magnify my Lord in verse and song. In so doing, it is my prayer that many sisters and brothers in Christ, will be lifted up, encouraged, and confirmed through the sharing of these writings.

To God’s