Gift of Faith

From Hebrews 11:1-3:  “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.  Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval.  By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.”

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Daily news fills with darkness

Wilderness, eternal home

Future forever empty

Trials continue to roam

 

Standing alone, Father speaks

Hearing His goodness in Word

Building life’s new foundation

Walking to His light’s watchword

 

Steps marching with assurance

Trust in Father grows each day

Hope strengthened in His mercy

Steadfast love charting faith’s way

 

Receiving this gift of faith

Praising Father’s divine lease

Fulfilling every promise

Inheriting grace-filled peace

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From Psalm 33:20-22:  “Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and shield.  Our heart is glad in Him because we trust in His holy name.  Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.”

Heavenly Father (Elfchen Series #112)

Revival

Zion’s

Labor pains

Father delivers mercy

Drink deeply with delight

Rejoicing

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Renewal

Spirit’s

Overflowing stream

Father’s grace bestows

Faith flourishes, hearts rejoice

Reassuring

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Eternal

Comfort

Like mother’s

Rejoice with Jerusalem

Father reigns high above

Loving

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From Isaiah 66:12-13:  “For thus says the Lord:  I will extend prosperity to her like a river and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream, and you shall nurse and be carried on her arm and bounced on her knees.  As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”

Just Because

This post is filled with more personal memories of my native state of Montana.  Enjoy the photographs and poetic verses.  

The Madison River later joins the Gallatin and Jefferson rivers in forming the headwaters of the mighty Missouri River.

Breathtaking land of mountains

Framing endless prairies

Photographer’s dream

 

Never to be forgotten

Visiting roadway stops

Old West

 

Missouri River’s dramatic headwaters

Madison, Gallatin, Jefferson

River trio

 

Richest Hill on Earth

Echoing from Butte

Copper Kings

 

Time eternal stands still

Scenic Big Blackfoot

Fly fishing

 

Flowing waves of grain

Ready for harvest

Golden Triangle

 

Bear Paw, Tobacco Root

Land’s shining mountains

Explorer’s gems

 

Gold and silver’s motto

Oro y Plata

Treasure State

 

Two Dot, Wolf Creek

Hidden on maps

Smallest towns

 

Forgotten back country byway

Terry to Brockway

Badlands wilderness

 

Snow covering mountain peaks

June’s special gift

Spectacular surprise

 

Feeling absolutely, totally free

Timeless Big Sky

Open invitation

 

Visiting “Last Best Place”

Montana each summer

Just because

   

Early June photo of the snow-capped Crazy Mountains just outside of the community of Big Timber.

Need for Community

From Galatians 6:2:  “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

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Created with purpose

Breathing with His desires

Divine God stirs up grace

Planting what life requires

 

Need for community

Designing faith’s pathway

Communion joins many

Tasting Savior’s buffet

 

Encouragement in Christ

Sharing in Spirit’s love

Saints gathering as one

Feeling joy from above

 

Fellowship’s lasting bonds

Confessing sins, repent

Prayer lifts others up

Witnessing God’s intent

 

Blueprint for believers

Bearing life’s overloads

Love shared with each other

Transforming faith’s crossroads

 

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From James 5:16:  “Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.  The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.”

Treasured Moments (Haiku Series #189)

Visualizing

Midnight sky awakes

Milky Way explodes with dreams—

Hang on to each star

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Trusting

Remaining patient

Sometimes life comes full circle—

Second chance arrives

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Overcoming

Trapped in harsh desert

Mountain of perseverance—

Thirst finally quenched

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Monday Memories: Jesus Comes Near

adventure arid arizona barren

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Life’s wilderness breathes–this dark, lonely place

Falling away with sin, feeling disgraced

Searching for hope’s light, weary of darkness

Shame and guilt unmask tracks, never erased

 

Coming to this place, filled with prickly thorns

Plowing straight through, left bloody and battered

Searching for new hope, never forgotten

This harsh life’s future, forever shattered

 

Ominous clouds loom over horizon

Lightning strikes, temple curtain torn in two

Searching for life’s fresh start, to be reborn

Plodding into darkness, absent of clues

 

Deserving life’s worst, approaching the Pit

End of time arrives, stop and surrender

Searching for God’s Grace, feeling forsaken

Heavens brighten up, with newfound splendor

 

Stumbling steps make haste, Eternity waits

From bloody Cross, hope springs from empty tomb

Searching and accepting, come near this Cross

Salvation through Christ, our Father’s heirloom

 

Jesus beckons, come forward, taking knee

Bring sin’s burdens to the Cross, forever free

From Titus 2:11-13:  “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives hat are self-controlled, upright,and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” 

art cathedral christ christian

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Father Loves You

From Romans 5:8:  “But God proves His love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.”

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Knowing Father loves you

Sharing His peace, believe

Molding each life’s purpose

Pouring out grace, receive

 

Breathing with hope’s mindset

Tasting glory of God

Following divine Word

Seeing through evil’s fraud

 

Promising you His love

Filling each wayward heart

Leading away from sin

Bringing life’s fresh, new start

 

Sending His Son to you

Adding up sin-filled debts

Erasing through Christ’s blood

Freeing from deepest nets

 

Remembering always

Accepting Father’s love

Receiving Spirit’s gifts

Walking with Christ above

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From 1 John 4:8-9:  “Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.  God’s love was revealed among us in this way:  God sent His only Son into the world so that we might live through Him.”

Summer Heats Up

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Dog days of summer arrive

Sweating from moist, humid heat

Corn lifting up to heavens

Backyard grilling offers eats

 

Morning sun heats up quickly

Sweltering hot by high noon

Swimming pools usually packed

Closed by afternoon monsoons

 

Workers staying hydrated

Drinking water without end

Temperatures set record

Weather refusing to bend

 

Landscape’s beauty quickly fades

Stressing out from endless drought

People’s patience wearing thin

Nature sends timely bailout

 

Everyone prays for relief

Welcoming cold front arrives

Brief respite from summer’s heat

Dog days now humbly nosedive

 

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Growing Faith (Elfchen Series #111)

Journey

God

Pursues us

Mercy and justice

Nourished with Spirit’s grace

Transformation

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Deliverance

Life’s

Twin truths

Sin’s wandering road

Infinite mercy in Jesus

Redemption

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Destination

Seeking

Righteous living

Prayer and Scripture

Accountable to one Savior

Salvation

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Divine and Perfect

From 2 Corinthians 3:18:  “And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.”

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Mankind’s shifting tides

Sin ravages each heart

Imperfect love breathes

Searching for fresh start

 

Love shared from above

God cherishes Son

Holy and flawless

Endless, rising sun

 

Loving Spirit’s grace

Evil pushed aside

Mercy overflows

Sin can never hide

 

Today’s faithful steps

Inherit Christ’s peace

Salvation calling

Redemption, life’s lease

 

Soul’s new creation

Forgiving love flows

Crowned with humbleness

Faith’s lasting primrose

 

Father, Son, Spirit

Eternity’s love

Divine and perfect

Glory from above

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Divine and perfect, all love radiates from the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Fill our fragile hearts with redemption, so that our hope breathes, freed from sin’s chains.  Amen.