Sowed
God’s love
Ready to bloom
Nourished with His patience
Grace
Endowed
With grace
Shared with others
Offering of love’s kindness
Generosity
Cherished
Simple life
Accepting faith’s grace
Blessed with daily hope
Harvest
Running away to nowhere
Sky absent of any joy
Hope feeling forsaken
Worry arrives to destroy
Driving along road’s darkness
Sky absent of moonbeam’s light
Hope feeling forsaken
Worry invades every night
Fleeing from life’s harsh outcomes
Sky absent of any peace
Hope feeling forsaken
Worry refuses to cease
Navigating stormy seas
Sky absent of any stars
Hope feeling forsaken
Worry bleeds from every scar
Wasting each forgotten day
Sky absent of all sunlight
Hope feeling forsaken
Worry forever in flight
Indeed . . . there is a faithful and forgiving Light, filled with unseen hope, as found in these verses of Scripture:
Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
From Isaiah 49:13: “Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted His people and will have compassion on His suffering ones.”
Peace rises above
Father’s comforting hand
Over every high mountain
Answers cover distant lands
Love rises above
Father’s comforting sense
Compassion lifts up each saint
Answers come to one’s defense
Hope rises above
Father’s comforting voice
Light eradicates darkness
Answers offer trusted choice
Joy rises above
Father’s comforting grace
Every storm becomes quiet
Answers which all should embrace
Grace rises above
Father’s comforting heart
Discipleship feeds spirit
Answers sustain faith’s restart
From the words of American Christian writer, Lettie B. Cowman: “Put your hand into the hand of God. He gives the calmness and serenity of heart and soul.”
Warmest beginnings
Sunrise’s gift of welcome—
Youthful innocence
Horizon’s shadows
Sunset offers gratitude—
Joyful innocence
Landscape now resting
Under serenity’s quilt—
Nightly innocence
Peering out from her window
Times changing much, much too fast
Being alone many years
Husband and friends having passed
Small home meets her meager needs
But, the neighborhood has changed
Folks come and go, few she knows
Life blurs by, as if arranged
Sheltered from the outside world
Homebound most days by herself
Family in distant states
Ignored like books on a shelf
Watching some television
Staying away from the news
Remembering old classics
Dreaming of Julie Andrews
Reading occupies her time
Local newspaper connects
Crossword puzzle smiling back
Novels thrill with their suspects
Peering out from her window
Another sunset draws near
Unfamiliar car drives up
Grandchildren bring happy tears
Originally published August, 2020.
From Isaiah 43:1: “But now thus says the Lord, He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you.”
Heavenly Father
Knowing what is best
His eternal presence
Leads man on his quest
Protection promised
Ford every river
Faith’s redeeming mercy
Spirit delivers
Encouragement brings
Restoration’s grace
Walking through every fire
Christ’s love to embrace
Precious in His sight
Hope fills cup, as planned
Chance eliminated
Gathered in God’s hands
Calling all nations
Eyes no longer blind
Accepting Father’s truth
Just as He designed
From Isaiah 43:9: “Let all the nations gather together, and let the peoples assemble. Who among them declared this and foretold to us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses to justify them, and let them hear and say, ‘It is true.'”
Christ’s
Door opens
Inviting another sinner
Come, walk with me
Awakening
Messiah’s
Blessed grace
Opens wayward heart
Waiting at Heaven’s door
Transformation
Savior’s
Faithful witness
Father’s door opens
Rising with Calvary’s forgiveness
Redemption
All images courtesy of Pinterest.
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.
Today, making big plans
Looking out, far ahead
Life’s landscape, calling out
Past now ready to shed
Yesterday, forgotten
Latching on to new tune
Positive, fresh outlook
Below night’s risen moon
Freedom filling each dream
Nourishing assurance
Confidence springs forward
Life’s steady insurance
Eager to keep moving
Opening novel’s page
Business taken care of
Wisdom heard from old sage
Timetable’s steady hand
Taking shortcut’s byway
No working overtime
Down tomorrow’s highway
From Isaiah 12:2: “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and will not be afraid, for the Lord is my strength and my might; He has become my salvation.”
Resurrection revives
Eternal light reigns
Hope kept alive
God ordains
Holy Spirit active
Righteousness ahead
Faith proactive
Hope now fed
Love of Jesus rising
His power so high
Grace devising
Hope’s bright sky
God’s message never fails
Peace descends with hope
Journey’ trusted trail
Grasp His rope
Redemption’s light arrives
Promised by God’s Word
Hope kept alive
Faith’s password
From Romans 15:13: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Positive outlook
Autumn’s gift of timely peace—
Every falling leaf
Autumn’s final days
Cascading colors of leaves—
Playing its swan song
Fragile leaf dropping
Barren forest standing still—
Autumn says, “So long”
Big Sky Buckeye 