Early morning’s peace
Minutes before rising sun—
Creator’s presence
Untamed with motion
River’s eternal waters—
Creator’s rhythm
Forest’s hidden depths
Tranquility’s lush meadow—
Creator’s spirit
From Proverbs 23:23: “Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.”
Philosophy breathes steady, faith’s living truths
Waiting with wisdom, long missing from our youth
Life’s daily chase may not be worth small treasure
Reading God’s Word, bringing life’s honest measure
Plan on giving more to others than ourselves
Blessing us with far more than dusty bookshelves
Jesus teaches us to treat others with love
Harnessing our Lord’s grace and peace from above
Trust lives as hope’s virtue, never to be lost
Securing it tightly, at ultimate cost
Our daily comfort zone brings false sense of peace
Rising up with Christ, offering life’s new lease
Failure teaches toughest lessons of living
Earning later success, praise with thanksgiving
Mankind’s world spins daily, filled with too much change
Praying to God, calms life with daily exchange
From James 1:17-18: “Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. In fulfillment of His own purpose He gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of His creatures.”
Originally published December, 2020.
From Psalm 138:7: “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve me against the wrath of my enemies; You stretch out Your hand, and Your right hand delivers me.”
Facing great troubles
Darkness surrounds thee
Grasping faith’s mighty Rock
Through Christ’s grace, one sees
Delivering light
Victory at hand
Watching enemy flee
Forever Christ stands
Fulfilling purpose
Gentle voice shares love
Lasting promise of peace
Christ views from above
Rising with new life
Fed with living bread
Preserving lasting hope
From Christ’s blood, He shed
Praising His Father
Mighty are His deeds
Sharing joy from His heart
Christ’s righteousness leads
From Psalm 138:8: “The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of Your hands.”
Darkness
Surrounds thee
God’s blazing fire
Enemy vanquished to shadows
Salvation
Heart
Distress filled
God’s trusted answers
Lighting His righteous path
Confidence
Songs
Of praise
God’s steadfast love
His goodness endures forever
Thankfulness
Horizon in motion
Ocean’s endless expanse
Mystery’s eternal depths
Human voice seeks to dance
Moonbeams highlight each wave
Travels to distant shores
Midnight’s faithful companion
Tales from ancient folklore
Tranquility escapes
Lost in approaching storm
Each draft shredded over time
Empty memories swarm
Resilience remembers
Words waiting to arrive
Every star invited in
Ready for next test drive
Tomorrow will arrive
Darkness finally leaves
Sunrise gathers novel thoughts
Writer’s patience believes
From 1 Corinthians 13:4-7: “Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable; it keeps no record of wrongs; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
Father smiles from above
Witnessing two people in love
Man sees sparkle in her eyes
Sharing heart, love’s necktie
Woman gifting her heart
Cherishing love’s treasured start
Tomorrow’s outlook brightens
Feeling love’s reins tighten
Spirit joins together
Fashioning love’s tether
Marriage vows expressing love
Walking with Christ above
Love’s most tender flower
Flourishing with every hour
Spirit’s eternal imprint
Sealing love’s fingerprint
Love maturing as one
Praising choices in God’s Son
Father blessing love’s fresh start
Bringing grace to each heart
New day welcomes sunrise
Affirming love’s highest prize
What wondrous love now received
Trusting what Father conceived
This poem comes from the hearts of two people who discovered each other nearly 20 years ago. With our faith nourished by God’s grace, He continues to walk with both of us.
— Richard and Colleen
Welcome blessed child
May you taste world’s endless gifts—
Vision awakens
Eyes find breath of peace
Embracing each precious day—
Experience counts
Remembering youth
Innocent times of learning—
Treasures of friendship
God’s creation under the Big Sky
Treasured landscape covers this vast land
Immense prairies flow into mountains
Few places on earth looking this grand
Rugged backbone of the continent
Chiseled spine of the Rocky Mountains
Stray mountain ranges dotting the plains
Cascading streams flowing as fountains
Three distinct rivers form its headwaters
Mighty, boundless Missouri River
Eastward, collecting the Yellowstone
Precious mountain rains move downriver
White-tail and mule deer camp in thickets
Pronghorns graze in the midst of grasslands
Mountain valleys gather elk and bears
Ducks and geese pilot into wetlands
Frequently titled the Treasure State
Montana shines under its Big Sky
People flocking to witness its gems
You just might meet a Buckeye nearby
I could probably write something about my native state of Montana every day. It will always be a very special place to me. Watch out, you just might run into a Buckeye returning to the Big Sky.
Originally published December, 2020.
From Deuteronomy 31:8: “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
Always going before us
Seeing every tomorrow
Faith’s steadfast anchor
Courage, buoyed by Spirit’s shadow
Every moment in prayer
Feeling His daily kinship
Peace shared from Father
Grace sails, with encouragement’s ship
Journey’s turbulent moments
Shrinking in Calvary’s light
Christ wins each battle
Enemy’s darkness, taking flight
Imperfect oceans of faith
Sailing upon trusted rock
Redemption in Christ
Mercy’s strength, brings to Heaven’s dock
From 1 Corinthians 16:13: “Keep alert; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.”
Receiving
Lord’s calling
Trusting His Word
Journey filled with blessings
Strength
Embracing
Lord’s righteousness
Strengthening spiritual muscles
Faith built upon truth
Persistence
Accepting
Lord’s assurances
Persisting through grace
Light witnessed at Calvary
Promises
Big Sky Buckeye 