Beside the Stream

By Suzanne Gribble

Beside the Stream is a collection of colorful word pictures intermingled with scripture, meant for pondering, for inspiration, and for an encounter with the living God. They draw attention to what God can accomplish through someone who will surrender his or her will to Him, as in the poems “The Grass Is Really Greener Now” and “Your Grace Saved Me Just in Time.”

Some of the poems in this book are poems of worship and healing, some are of deliverance, and some are love notes to her Savior, God. There are poems with humor and the Word weaved together like “The Gift of Repentance” and “My Mustard Seed Oak Tree,” and there are poems that can lead a doubter of the Word to salvation in Christ.

This book also reveals how the desires of the world can lead to destruction and loss of eternal life with God, as in “God Sent Someone to Tell Me—Now He’s Sent Me to Tell You.” This book shows that God’s word is tangible and that believers can have an intimate relationship with their Creator and Savior.

I pray that this book will bless readers and that those lacking in faith in God will give serious thought to the fact that there is life after death—either eternal life with God in heaven or the torment of eternity in perdition.

“Another story poem is waiting—

it’s on the tip of my pen.

Time for the words to awaken you to the Father’s love within.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jul 13, 2021
• ISBN: 9781636303598

Book preview

The True Vine and the Gardener

If I remain in You, Jesus,

and You remain in me,

the fruit I bear will show,

Your love has set me free.

Jesus, You, are the True Vine,

my shelter from all harm,

Your Father, the Gardener,

pruning from night until dawn.

You have been telling me

to put my will upon the shelf;

let Your Spirit control my mind,

to think of You—not myself.

Since I am one of Your branches,

Father trims the withered leaves.

The solution for me to flourish

is to look at You—not me.

Father, pruning is very painful,

but it’s something that must be done,

if You are to use the fruit of my labor

in the name of Your Precious Son.

I commit to bear fresh fruit,

but like a seed, I must die to myself,

to be used as fertile, new ground,

bearing fruit of the Spirit of Yourself.

There is seed, time, and harvest;

Your Word is in my heart, growing.

You water me with Your Spirit to flourish

so that others can reap what I am sowing.

Dear Lord, I see some new growth

in buds of Your glorious virtues.

Don’t ever leave me to myself,

for I’d wither and die without You!

I’m Hidden with Christ in God

If I did not know You, Lord,

fear would overwhelm

the places in my heart

where now I am safe and sound.

In this present time

of uncertainties,

I pray Psalm 91

over myself, friends and family.

I will say, "You are my God,

my Fortress, and my Rest.

On You I lean

and in You I trust."

You said if we abide

under the shadow of Your wings,

You would save us from the fowler’s snare

and the deadly pestilence.

Your faithfulness is a shield

against the terrors of the night.

When the sun rises and throughout the day,

we are covered in Your sight.

Because You promised, Lord,

and You never change,

You will rescue us

when we call upon Your name.

You will command Your angels to guard us—

uphold us from tripping upon a stone.

When trouble comes, You deliver us

because we call You our own.

So when I hear the news of fear and dread,

my praises will still arise.

For You, God, are my salvation

and I am hidden in You with Christ.

My Mustard Seed Oak Tree

It’s more than a hunch, common sense, or an inkling,

an intuition, will power, or positive thinking.

It’s from deep in my spirit, that I know, that I know—

through my faith in God, my prayers become so.

Faith is the assurance of things that are hoped for,

the evidence of things unseen before.

Faith comes from hearing and hearing God’s Word,

if you listen to our Father, Satan’s voice can’t be heard.

God said if we have faith as a grain of a mustard seed,

our mountain will move—if we believe, we’ll receive.

Faith unlocks the power of prayer;

we’re to pray about everything—anytime, anywhere.

God gave to everyone the measure of faith—

those who are obedient live under His grace.

He said his people perish for lack of knowledge,

deceived by Satan and fall into bondage.

Knowledge and wisdom are found in God’s Word.

So I read and listen to the voice of my Shepherd.

Early on, my seedling of faith grew to a mere sprout,

but found that it wilted in seasons of doubt.

As I relied on the Lord in good times and in trials,

my faith increased, and I praised God all the while.

The sun has parched a little, strong winds have blown,

but my little mustard seed is trusting in God alone.

It’s midseason, and my garden is looking bright;

I’m learning to walk by faith—not by sight.

My seed is flourishing in God’s Kingdom ground

through the truth in His Word I’ve so gratefully found.

Through all the seasons I change and grow,

but God never changes—that’s the Good News to know.

There is seed, time, and harvest—this one is nearing its end.

My confidence is growing in my Savior and Friend.

This season is over, and guess what I found?

I walked into my garden, there was fruit all around.

My faith has grown strong and tall as an oak tree—

by God’s grace, the mountain I’d faced is smaller than a mustard seed.

It’s No Coincidence

I’ve heard, "It’s mere coincidence,

things happen just that way."

But how can you explain answered prayer,

and miracles that occur each day?

Think about the time

I gave my heart to Jesus Christ.

He drew me from darkness into His Light;

gave me His Spirit and eternal life.

Ponder on the healings,

after doctors gave no hope at all.

God answered and healed our loved ones

and saved them from death’s call.

And what about our families and friends

whom we’ve prayed for all these years.

We trusted God, He saved their souls,

as we praised Him through our tears.

Contemplate the ocean tides—

they ebb and flow at earth’s shorelines.

They rise and fall at the will of God

since the beginning of His Creation design.

Ponder on every human being

made in the image of God and Christ.

Man’s origin is the Garden of Eden’s dust

where God’s own breath gave Adam life.

Think about the caterpillar

turning into a beautiful butterfly.

This is an amazing miracle of God

no one can deny.

Doubters of our faith see

answered prayer as mere chance

when two or more occurrences

happen in one circumstance.

But isn’t it surprising,

how often this occurs?

When you know and love dear Jesus,

it’s no coincidence when His answer appears.

Beside the Stream

As I gave my attention to God’s Holy Word

on my favorite channel