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If we let the Spirit of God bring us face to face with God, we too will hear something akin to what Isaiah heard, the still small voice of God; and in perfect freedom will say–“Here am I; send me.”
From Isaiah 6:8: “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!'”
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Failing once again
Life’s troubles bomb away
Whom shall I turn to?
Failing once again
Darkness moves ever closer
Where is the light?
Failing once again
Shame swallows me up
How can my spirit be restored?
Failing once again
Life’s torments engulf me
Why . . . why?
Failing once again
Loneliness surrounds my heart
What recourse do I have?
Failing once again
Life’s hour glass, now nearly empty
When will I be free?
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Failing once again . . .
Turning to my Heavenly Father
Never thinking of me as a bother
From a Cross, Salvation’s light sheds hope
Pulled up from the Pit by a Holy rope
Kneeling before the Savior, sins and all
Humbling following Him will be my call
Through a broken body and shed blood
By Grace alone, escaping life’s flash flood
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The structure of this poem features dual parts. In the beginning verses, the reader is taken to a much darker place. Using themes of sorrow, darkness, and hopelessness presents a challenge to both the reader and the writer. In answering the questions found in the poem, the ending verses are structured around common Christian themes of hope, joy, light, and rebirth.
If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours.
From Proverbs 13:19: “A desire realized is sweet to the soul, but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.”
Selected verses from Psalm 122 bring inspiration for this poem. America, as a nation, needs healing and reconciliation. The two verses of Scripture take us on a journey from where we have been to where we wish to go.
From Jeremiah 6:14: “They have treated the wound of my people carelessly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.”
Praying for peace in our city
Loving Jesus takes center stage
Welcoming peace into all hearts
Hearing love of God over rage
Listening to cries of anguish
Walking with Jesus protects all
Showing empathy for neighbors
Sharing His peace at every call
Stepping forward with trusting words
Treating these wounds with Jesus’ care
Saying “peace, peace” with conviction
Lifting hands high, love fills the air
Standing and feeding His lost flock
Replacing discord, Jesus comes
Proclaiming a new dawn today
Following Grace-filled, beating drum
From Isaiah 57:19: “Peace, peace, to the far and the near, says the Lord; and I will heal them.”
Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it, we go nowhere.
The brain is like a muscle. When it is in use, we feel very good. Understanding is joyous.
Life’s sinful burdens
Repent, go to our Father—
Forgiveness received
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Faithfully sowing
Planting seeds in fertile soil—
But, God gives the growth
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Only from God’s Word
Filled with faithful love and hope—
Finding a road map
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Nobody is a whole chain. Each one is a link. But take away one link and the chain is broken. We need each other. You need someone and someone needs you. Isolated islands, we’re not.
From Colossians 1:9-10: “For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God.”
This updated poem was first-published in March, 2019. Every day I accept the personal challenge to follow a healthy lifestyle in managing my blood glucose levels. With proper exercise, eating right, and taking medications, I have been able to succeed. I sometimes use humor as a tool to keep myself motivated, and writing this poem serves this purpose.
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Sleeping at night brings pleasurable dreams my way
Dreaming of sugar-filled treats most every single day
Tasting a doughnut filled with vanilla cream
Allowing my sweet tooth to sample a dream
Advising the doughnut to vanish and scamper away
Appearing next, freshly baked cookies wish to stay
Smelling the melted chocolate and cookie dough
Rolling over, my taste buds scream out to know
Dashing dreams of cookies, a delicious pie arrives
Looking at coconut cream is a mammoth surprise
Tossing in bed, my mouth anticipates the sweetest taste
Cruising into my dream, appears a cake—freshly baked
Licking my lips, velvety-rich chocolate cake will be my fate
Sampling the moisture-rich texture seems a perfect mate
Closing my fantasy suddenly, my mind stirs awake
Remembering to manage my sugars is no mistake
Envisioning so many tantalizing, indulging treats
Controlling sugar levels will be a bitter-filled feat
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The Bible is the letter God has sent to us; prayer is a letter we send to Him.
From Romans 12:12: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.”
From Hebrews 10:19-20: “Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that He opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh).”
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Sharing these words of eternal hope
Living with hope-filling optimism
Gathering with positive people
Persevering through God’s bold prism
Living as faithful children of God
Hearing our Father’s message of hope
Realizing now, hope springs from our Lord
Praising His Word, helping us to cope
Joining into a New Covenant
Filling with assurance from His Creed
Approaching with hearts, clean from evil
Washing with His pure water, indeed
Recalling our earlier struggles
Showing compassion through hopeful hearts
Maintaining endurance, life’s ahead
Remaining faithful, as life restarts
Holding fast to God’s blessings of hope
Encouraging daily, each other
Blessing with our love and gracious deeds
Standing with our sisters and brothers
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From the words of American pastor and Christian author, Jim Cymbala: “We urgently need people who encourage and inspire us to move toward God.”
Big Sky Buckeye 