College paper due
Burning midnight’s precious oil—
Overwhelmed with zzz’s
Family heirlooms
Home resembles museum—
Endless dusting chores
Understanding life
Proverbs of Renaissance man—
Absorbing his light
From Ephesians 1:3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.”
Accepting life’s ongoing gifts
Filling wonder, never adrift
Marveling at heavens above
Inspiring vastness of God’s love
Walking in righteousness with God
Comforted by His love, unflawed
Looking ahead, with peace and hope
Holding tightly to God’s firm rope
Treating others with words which say
Sharing compassion’s rich bouquet
Gathering strength for life’s travels
Trusting God, nothing unravels
Listening to deepest feelings
Surveying each moment’s healing
Receiving mid-course corrections
Hearing God’s faithful directions
Sailing in darkness, never cursed
Navigating by God, headfirst
Achieving goals, each passing day
Tasting our Lord’s hope-filled buffet
Tackling challenges without fear
Taking risks, with God set to steer
Stepping forward beyond life’s dreams
Following each path as God deems
From 1 Corinthians 10:16: “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ?”
Originally published January, 2021.
From 1 Timothy 2:1: “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone.”
Embracing Savior’s peace
Heart replenished with grace
Walking with dignity
Faith’s most genuine place
Praying for each other
Words employing Christ’s love
Reaching to Heaven’s hands
Mediator above
Persevering to pray
Christ’s Holy presence felt
Encouraging boldness
Every word be heartfelt
Trusting always Christ’s light
Believer’s truthful way
Following Good Shepherd
Called now to simply pray
Sharing faith’s compassion
With everyone in need
Sowing Savior’s witness
Hope fulfilled with each seed
From Ephesians 6:18: “Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.”
Tested
By circumstances
Faith’s resolute light
Loneliness retreats to shadows
Trusting
Faced
With darkness
Faith’s boldest moves
Enemy expelled by light
Overwhelming
Surrounded
By storms
Faith gathers strength
Rising from Calvary’s light
Reassuring
This series of poems (written in the German-inspired style of Elfchen or Elevenie) shares a total of eleven words in each poem, with a sequence by line of one, two, three, four, and one words.
Frosty autumn morning
Sunrise clouded over
Waiting with winter’s breath
Before snow’s promised takeover
Northerly, frigid wind
Few leaves offer cover
Slumbering trees now rest
Under fall’s tattered slipcover
Ground covered in color
Every shade, gold or red
An orange, here and there
Softening nature’s welcome bed
Season’s final page turns
Written with autumn’s hand
Joy never forgotten
Painting inspires love’s motherland
Remembering colors
Recalling every smell
Illustrating patience
Casting each breath of autumn’s spell
From Ephesians 4:15-16: “But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.”
Falling into enemy’s net
Daily prisoner of sin
Redeemed by blessed Savior
Faith in His mercy’s check-in
Walking with other believers
Unity in Christ bears trust
Filled with patient gentleness
Forgiven of sinful lust
Setting faith upon single goal
Truthful light worth every breath
Kindled through deepened prayer
Risen Lord overcomes death
Realizing faith must be all in
Today, tomorrow . . . with Christ
Paid debts fully through love’s grace
His blood fully sacrificed
Clutching hope within every step
Christ’s grace raises faith’s story
Measured with moving forward
Salvation’s finished glory
Published in 1896, “My Goal is God Himself” was written by Frances Brook. She was the daughter of a pastor, but poor health prevented her from becoming a Christian missionary.
Man joined with woman
Sharing love throughout each day—
Breath of daily grace
Sun rises each morn
Togetherness in spirit—
Forever in love
Love’s eternal flame
Burning by day as well as night—
Lifetime’s treasured gift
From 2 Peter 1:5-7: “For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love.”
Our Father’s goodness
Glory, God and King
Bless and praise His name
Mighty greatness sings
Through generations
Honor His great deeds
Infinite wisdom
God’s faithful Word leads
Glorious splendor
Kingdom never ends
Eternal, Holy
Wondrous works, God sends
From Psalm 145:8-9: The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and His compassion is over all that He has made.”
His greatness declares
Lord everlasting
Praising righteousness
Mercies broadcasting
Cries, our Father hears
From darkness, redeemed
He stands, always near
God’s goodness, esteemed
Truth, call upon God
Grace, freely given
Love, witness a Cross
Sins, now forgiven
From the words of American pastor and Christian author, Charles Swindoll: “There are four words I wish we would never forget, and they are ‘God keeps His word.'”
From Psalm 17:15: “As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness; when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding Your likeness.”
Darkness surrounds
Searching for light
God’s vision breathes
Faith’s trusted Knight
Peace from God’s Word
Lighting new road
Vision forgives
Mercy’s love code
Conscience wakens
Beholding God
Renewed vision
No longer flawed
Prayer’s answers
Hearing God’s voice
Hope’s fresh vision
Truth’s blessed choice
Purest in heart
Tasting God’s grace
Joy’s vision found
Faith’s trusted place
From Matthew 5:8: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”
Faith’s
Divine garden
Seeded without weeds
Nourished with Living Water
Maturity
Hope’s
Fertile soil
Cultivated with grace
Sunrise offers endless bounty
Harvest
Joy’s
Fruitful journey
Sustained with love
Sown with trusted hands
Gratitude
Big Sky Buckeye 