Purple Coneflower with Leader of faithful souls, and Guide and "My times are in Thy hand:"

  Leader of faithful souls, and Guide
  Of all that travel to the sky,
Come and with us, e’en us, abide,
  Who would on thee alone rely;
On thee alone our spirits stay,
While held in life’s uneven way.

  Strangers and pilgrims here below,
  This earth, we know, is not our place;
But hasten through the vale of woe,
  And, restless to behold thy face,
Swift to our heavenly country move,
Our everlasting home above.

  We’ve no abiding city here,
  But seek a city out of sight;
Thither our steady course we steer,
  Aspiring to the plains of light,
Jerusalem, the saints’ abode,
Whose founder is the living God.

  Patient the appointed race to run,
  This weary world we cast behind;
From strength to strength we travel on,
  The New Jerusalem to find:
Our labor this, our only aim,
To find the New Jerusalem.

  Through thee, who all our sins hast borne,
  Freely and graciously forgiven,
With songs to Zion we return,
  Contending for our native heaven;
That palace of our glorious King,-
We find it nearer while we sing.

  Raised by the breath of love divine,
  We urge our way with strength renewed;
The church of the first-born to join,
  We travel to the mount of God;
With joy upon our heads arise,
And meet our Saviour in the skies.
                    Charles Wesley



  “My times are in thy hand:”      
  My God, I wish them there;
My life, my friends, my soul, I leave
  Entirely to thy care.

  “My times are in thy hand,”
  Whatever they may be;
Pleasing or painful, dark or bright,
  As best may seem to thee.

  “My times are in thy hand;”
  Why should I doubt or fear?
My Father’s hand will never cause
  His child a needless tear.

  “My times are in thy hand,”
  Jesus, the crucified!
The hand my cruel sins had pierced
  Is now my guard and guide.

  “My times are in thy hand;”
  I’ll always trust in thee;
And, after death, at thy right hand
  I shall forever be.
                William F. Lloyd