Nothing
Comes between
God and ourselves
Walking in His faithfulness
Peace
Father’s
Steadfast love
Holy Spirit guides
Jesus dwells within us
Grace
Daily
Blessed discipleship
Faith community unites
Diverse group of believers
Growing
We should ask God to increase our hope when it is small, awaken it when it is dormant, confirm it when it is wavering, strengthen it when it is weak, and raise it up when it is overthrown.
From Psalm 62:5-6: “For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.”
Looking out from backyard deck
Nature’s bounty welcomes all
Noble trees shroud quiet creek
One more day, closer to fall
Summer pleasures, don’t leave yet
Early sunrise, high blue sky
Birds finding feast, velvet lawn
New moments, ready to fly
Taste tranquility-filled hours
Blissful life singing with praise
Path through woods, deer’s faithful sign
Midnight’s moon always ablaze
Gentle wind serenades now
Cooler evening air invites
Tree’s swinging to breezy song
Quiet peace, life’s hidden heights
Hour grows late, pausing to see
Promised arrival smiles back
Fireflies dancing above grass
Nature’s final, sweet snack
Find what causes a commotion in your heart. Find a way to write about that.
If you lose all hope, you can always find it again.
Richard Ford (born 1944) is an American novelist and short story writer. In 1996, he won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction from his book, INDEPENDENCE DAY.
From Luke 9:59-60: “To another He said, ‘Follow Me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead, but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.'”
Life’s journey calling thee
Expectations reach out
Chains of flesh holding tight
Darkness casting its doubt
Hundreds gather to hear
Christ willingly teaches
His actions empower
Endless spirit reaches
Christ commands, follow Me
Father’s Word sets life’s tone
Go, proclaim His kingdom
With God, never alone
Spirit’s transforming hand
Born again, faith renewed
Hope’s patience enduring
Evil’s choices subdued
Life’s labors, not in vain
Daily, Christ leading on
His steadfast support stands
Tomorrow’s lasting dawn
From 1 Corinthians 15:58: “Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
God cannot reveal anything to us if we have not His spirit.
From Ephesians 5:18-20: “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to one another, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Driving hidden roads
How did we ever get lost?
GPS offline
Back to the office
In-basket overflowing—
Is it Friday yet?
Boss tells teenager
Need to use more elbow grease—
What on earth is that?
Whatever’s happening today, remember it is only ONE SCENE in a long movie. Don’t treat it like it’s the whole story. Keep writing the story.
We change our behavior when the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain of changing.
Henry Cloud (born 1956) is an American Christian best-selling author and leadership expert.
Photo by icon0.com on Pexels.com
Expressions of hope are written throughout the Old Testament. At times, the people of Israel lost hope, but God always found ways to restore their trust and hope to believe in Him.
From Psalm 65:5: “By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance, O God of our salvation; you are the hope of all the ends of the earth and the farthest seas.
Broken faith with God
Flicker of hope remains
Have hope, seek God
Hopeful in His deeds
Place our Living God
Above all other gods
Light turns into darkness
Hiding in the shadows
Yet, God remains close
Hope grows once again
Living tree of hope
Will live into eternity
New buds always sprout
Strength from the Father
There is always hope
Even in darkest times
Life’s trials uproot hope
Adversaries line up against
God hears our cries
Intervenes when hope’s weak
Ancestors of Jacob witness
Their hope in God
The God of Jacob
Always God of Hope
God keeps His decrees
Believe, look to God
God remains always faithful
Our Lord reigns forever
For God’s righteous believers
Hope ends in gladness
Way of the Lord
Offers refuge with wisdom
Follow God with hope
Always in our hearts
Tree of Life endures
Ready to sustain us
Hope shows the light
Steady on life’s course
When spirit is dried
Hope quenches our thirst
God opens hope’s door
Inviting us to enter
God sometimes does His work with gentle drizzle, not storms.
From Deuteronomy 32:2-3: “May my teaching drop like the rain, my speech condense like the dew, like gentle rain on grass, like showers on new growth. For I will proclaim the name of the Lord, ascribe greatness to our God!”
John Newton (1725-1807) was an English pastor who also was a writer of several hymns, including the beloved “Amazing Grace.” His early life is filled with contrasts, when compared to his later life. He served as a ship’s captain during the slave trade, but later renounced his work after his conversion to Christianity. He became an outspoken opponent of the slave trade later in his life.
Big Sky Buckeye 