Radiant sunrise
Landscape springs forward with hope—
Goodbye winter blues
Refreshing rebirth
Creation’s blessed treasures—
Spring’s salvation blooms
Spring’s welcoming breath
Waking from winter’s slumber—
Freshened with color
From Psalm 130:7-8: “O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with Him is great power to redeem. It is He who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.”
Entering empty valley
Lifeless without form
Yet, ember of hope breathes
Escaping from every storm
Waiting to hear Father’s voice
In depths of despair
Hope filled with steadfast love
Praying for His divine care
Standing tall in His presence
Father’s promised grace
Tender morning rises
Redeeming hope to embrace
Fulfilling spirit of hope
Found in Father’s Son
His peace granted to man
Leaving all darkness, as One
Believing in risen Christ
Truth revealed at dawn
Resurrection breathes life
Sending hope, faith draws upon
From Romans 8:10-11: “But if Christ is in you, then the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through His Spirit that dwells in you.”
Jesus
Always first
Easing life’s burdens
Grace fills another moment
Faith
Messiah
Offering light
Mercy’s navigational compass
Comforted through His love
Trust
Savior
Destiny’s truth
Shaping every step
Each worry set aside
Righteousness
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.
From Psalm 23:1-3: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters; He restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for His name’s sake.”
Faith’s redemptive journey
Along this wilderness route
Seeking salvation’s light
Removing seeds of doubt
Shepherd’s constant presence
Along tranquility’s stream
Leading to Savior’s light
Trusting hope’s rising beam
Darkness from long ago
Consumed with enemy’s flesh
Finding merciful light
Rising, peace shall refresh
Wholesome eyesight restored
No longer blind to thy sin
Embracing Savior’s love
Forgiving light within
Father’s Word crystal clear
Righteousness nurtures faith’s way
Leaving darkest shadows
Following light each day
From Ephesians 5:8-9: “For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Walk as children of light, for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.”
From Psalm 31:3-4: “You are indeed my rock and my fortress; for your name’s sake lead me and guide me, take me out of the net that is hidden for me, for you are my refuge.”
Crying out from devilish wasteland
Surrounded by desert’s empty sand
Caught, tangled in sin’s deceptive net
Buried under life’s heaviest debt
Captured by evil’s sly temptations
Confined to cellblock’s harsh reception
Engulfed by relentless guilt and shame
Throwing key away, dimming life’s flame
Praying to Holy Father above
Singing of His steadfast, faithful love
Seeking His mercy in valley’s distress
How will life move forward, from this mess?
Coming to life’s rescue, Jesus Christ
Accepting His grace, He pays full price
Breaking free from sin’s ongoing grip
Sailing on Spirit’s armored flagship
Exiting darkest, shame-filled prison
Beholding blood-stained Cross, He’s Risen!
Remaking character, with each day
Walking with Jesus, never shall stray
From Psalm 18:1-2: “I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Originally published February, 2021.
As children
Playing board games
Innocence sparkles
Without igniting flames
Daily joy
Nourishing trust
Every hour brightens
Happiness never rusts
World ignores
Destroying hope
Daylight now darkens
War viewed through every scope
Man’s nature
Mapping each clash
Nations torn apart
Battlefields burned to ash
Future doubts
Flowing with tears
Children’s hearts saddened
Tomorrow’s constant fears
Darkness of morning
Massive thunderstorm gathers—
Waiting light of peace
Nighttime without joy
Storm’s anger now exhausted—
Brilliant sunrise
Today’s windy breath
Questions about tomorrow—
Navigating hope
From 1 John 4:9-10: “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. In this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
Lost in darkest wilderness
Uncertain where to turn
Truth’s light marked with God’s love
Finding hope’s blessed return
Sky above filling with light
Destiny of Christ’s gift
Assurance of God’s love
Trusting, no longer adrift
Every breath of Spirit’s grace
Heaven’s light to behold
Radiance of God’s love
Removing sinner’s blindfold
Together at Calvary
Who can be against man?
Forgiveness through God’s love
Knowing from where light began
Every heart redirected
Strengthened from faithful light
Steadfast stream of God’s love
Redeeming on mercy’s flight
From Romans 5:3-5: “And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”
Discipleship’s
Pivotal investments
Spirit’s motivating breath
Redeeming grace offers transition
Witness
Faith’s
Maturity embraced
With every truth
Purity experienced through Spirit
Righteousness
Salvation’s
Journey defined
Spirit’s guiding light
Altering human nature’s mainspring
Transformation
From the words of American naturalist, writer and philosopher, Henry David Thoreau: “Nature is but another name for health, and the seasons are but different states of health.”
Nature’s own therapy
Spring’s refreshing garden
Filled with colors of peace
Bearing life’s fresh pardon
Daily snapshot of hope
Each replenishing choice
Picked from nature’s goodness
Sharing next calming voice
Prime time’s blessed season
Signs of spirit reborn
Focused on healing light
Escaping from life’s thorns
Source of brighter outlook
Images praise with joy
Sweetened inspiration
Renewing vows deploy
Love accents morning air
Slightest breeze coming forth
Destined for harmony
Creating life’s true north
Big Sky Buckeye 